Chapter 371: Chapter 368: Today I Especially Want to Be Close to Mother-in-law

Feng Xing was different from her family.

The gradual approach, however, forcefully invaded her life in an intangible way.

He told her.

Princess Consort Yue taught her palace etiquette, where serving one’s husband was akin to serving one’s monarch first, then being a couple.

He said that though the Wei Family was noble and prominent, throughout generations, there were only couples, no monarch-servant relationships.

He didn’t want to be treated with mutual respect like strangers. Ordinary couples shared meals together.

She had tasks to do every hour.

For example, writing, reading, arranging flowers, burning incense.

Following a fixed routine, there was no talk of liking it.

After Feng Xing noticed, he would persuade her to go out during his free time.

He took her out of the city, took her to the countryside for a picnic.

Or took her to a tall building at night, overlooking the myriad of lights in the city.

These were experiences Ning Suxuan had never had before.

Ning Suxuan looked down, her expression calm.

After eating, she rinsed her mouth and washed her hands.

Nanny Ru then took a step forward: "Old servant has followed your instructions and sent Nanny Rong to the villa. She cried and begged repeatedly for Madame to spare her child."

Ning Suxuan’s tone carried no sign of joy or anger: "She was born and raised in the family, aware of the mansion’s rules. I can’t tolerate any speck of sand in my eyes. Her son took bribes during purchases, and after she noticed, she dared to cover for him. Even selling would be justified. Send her son to the Capital Mansion. If his hands and feet are dirty, naturally deal with it according to the law. In consideration of her earlier years of dedicated service to my mother-in-law, she’s shown some leniency."

"What else did she use to plead?"

Ning Suxuan glanced at the sky.

"Has the Yu Family not returned yet?"

Nanny Ru laughed: "They’re back, our Princely Heir personally went to pick her up. The young couple shares a strong bond, and once the Princely Heir recovers a bit, it won’t be long before there’s an addition to our mansion."

These words were comforting, yet some part of it made Ning Suxuan’s eyes darken.

"Mother-in-law!"

Just then, Yu Tingwan’s loud shout came from outside.

"Mother-in-law!"

Ning Suxuan frowned and instructed Nanny Ru: "Go have a look."

"Mother-in-law, are you there?"

Ning Suxuan stood up and frowned as she headed outside: "Yu Family! You have no manners at all! Making such noise..."

The sky was dark, yet the main courtyard was brightly lit.

A girl in the courtyard stood there without a trace of jewelry, standing prettily, and upon seeing her, smiled sweetly.

But soon, the smile faded.

Yu Tingwan frowned, seemingly troubled.

"Why are you scolding me?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Ning Suxuan’s reprimand got stuck in her throat and finally turned into a flat, unemotional sentence.

"What are you doing here this late?"

Yu Tingwan: "I left too early this morning, didn’t have time to greet my mother-in-law. Aren’t you afraid that you would miss your daughter-in-law?"

Ning Suxuan: ???

Nanny Ru couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Yu Tingwan retorted confidently: "Thinking about it, I just came here myself."

Ning Suxuan: "Now that you’ve seen, you can leave."

"Is mother-in-law not inviting me in to sit? I even brought wine for you."

Saying this, Yu Tingwan began to search.

Where was her wine?

Where was the wine she was holding before leaving?

Yu Tingwan remained calm: "Don’t rush, let me find it."

She lowered her head, searched her sleeves, and felt around her waist where she previously kept her purse. Then she started to look around.

Her speech was clear, her eyes bright, and she walked steadily, but her current state was clearly not right.

Ning Suxuan noticed something was off and walked over.

She was exquisitely dressed, dignified, and poised.

Unlike when Yu Tingwan first entered the Duke Shun Mansion and saw her frail and thin, now she had gained some weight, yet showed no signs of vitality.

But even so, she looked extraordinarily young, fair, and elegant.

When she drew near, Yu Tingwan suddenly realized.

"Oh. I remembered."

"On the way here, it felt heavy, so I planned to toss it, but thinking there were herbs inside that are hard to find outside, I couldn’t waste it, so I drank it."

Yu Tingwan thought for a moment: "It tasted different from before."

After drinking it, she threw the bottle away.

Ning Suxuan: "What kind of manner is this you are displaying?"

She instinctively wanted to scold again.

But Yu Tingwan suddenly hugged her without warning. Like she relied on Mrs. Yu when she was young, she nuzzled against her shoulder.

Ning Suxuan’s whole body went stiff.

She wanted to push her away, but the girl’s strength was surprisingly great.

Ning Suxuan... suddenly felt quite despairing and was just about to ask Nanny Ru to pull this little rascal away

"Tonight, I especially want to get close to mother-in-law."

Ning Suxuan hesitated for a moment.

All the servants serving in the main courtyard were stunned, each holding their breath, focused.

"When I was young, I was mischievous, inflexible, unable to speak gently, because I was too well protected, I didn’t know how high the sky was, or how thick the earth was. My parents doted on me, so I thought everyone should treat me well, and because of this, I offended many neighbors."

"Later, when misfortune struck, I felt as if the sky was falling. Only then did I realize that after leaving home, seventy percent of people were bad, and twenty percent were watching the fun while kicking you when you’re down."

"For a woman, being beautiful invites others’ attention is wrong, being orphaned is also wrong. Right and wrong aren’t determined by us, even if innocent, yet if they say wrong, then it’s wrong. It’s hard to survive in this world."

Her tone was low.

"I often didn’t have enough to eat, my belly ached with hunger at night, didn’t dare to beg, could only run up the mountain. Eating some wild vegetables to fend off hunger, lucky to find some wild fruits. At that time, isolated and helpless, I could only rely on myself."

Even though the sky was dark.

Even though she was afraid.

But she didn’t dare die.

Nothing was more important to her than living.

"Though young and ignorant, causing trouble, but mother’s teachings are etched in my heart, she taught me the fundamentals of being human, taught me warmth, and principles."

She had someone to teach her.

But Ning Suxuan didn’t have anyone.

Yu Tingwan whispered gently.

"She told Yaoyao, besides those unreasonable snobs, people who disregard blood ties for their own interests, there are three kinds of people you can trust and rely on wholeheartedly."

"Firstly, parents who treat Yaoyao as their life, secondly, a husband for whom she’s pledged lifelong commitment, exchanging true hearts, and thirdly, children."

"I survived relying on my parents, and when the time came, I depended on my husband to save me from the abyss."

Yu Tingwan: "I’ve rambled a lot tonight, maybe because of the drink, not even knowing what I’m saying."

"But mother has worked hard half her life, frowning too much, grandmother’s aged, unfortunately, father-in-law passed away too soon, but your son and daughter-in-law here are very filial, why not lean on us a little?"

Ning Suxuan shuddered violently.

As clever as she was, how could she not hear that Yu Tingwan didn’t say a single wasted word just now?

In her daze, she saw Wei Zhao being pushed over.

Ning Suxuan’s expression turned unnatural: "Take her back quickly."

Yu Tingwan heard Wei Zhao’s call, just loosened her grip, Ning Suxuan quickly returned to the room.

Her steps weren’t as before, clearly rushed.

Wei Zhao watched as Ning Suxuan entered the room, then he left.

Once they were out of the main courtyard, he lifted Yu Tingwan and walked back.

Yu Tingwan cupped his face.

"Did you eavesdrop on our conversation?"

Wei Zhao said nothing.

Yu Tingwan pursed her lips.

"I shouldn’t have meddled."

"But I just feel..."

She gestured for Wei Zhao to look up, to see the bright moon in the sky.

Perhaps exhausted from all the fuss, her voice had softened considerably.

"Look."

"How bright and flawless."

"Yet also so cold and lonely, just like mother-in-law, visible, but untouchable."

Though she had just hugged her.

"Because it’s too distant, no one can let this moon be tainted by worldly dust."

"Mother-in-law lives beneath the mundane world, yet is overshadowed, I just feel that someone as proud as her, bound by rules her whole life, wouldn’t do such things."