âAfter that, Madame Lu secretly contacted me several times, saying the same thing.â
âWhat did you say?â
He briefly replied, âI refused.â
âWhy would you refuse?â she asked. âAlthough I havenât met Madame Lu, everyone in town says sheâs a beautiful woman with great temperament. The Lu Residence is so wealthy, arenât you tempted? Or do you think Madame Lu is too old?â
âItâs not about money or her age.â His gaze was fixed on her. âItâs just that I donât like her, so naturally, I wonât be with her.â
He looked at her warmly, implying that Su Qingyue was the person he liked. She thought for a moment, âThird Brother, I never wouldâve guessedâ¦â
âMy wife, although your husband seems playful and carefree most of the time, there are some principles I never change.â He looked at her seriously. âIn this life, the only woman I want is you.â
She felt a little warmth in her heart, âWith the Xiao Family being so poor these years, havenât you considered finding Chen Hongyu?ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âNo. In fact, two years ago, Madame Lu sent someone to find me, saying that if I were willing to go to the Lu Residence, she would pay for my medical treatment. I declined.â He smiled bitterly, âI always thought I was sick, but when you said I was poisoned, I realized the one who poisoned me was Chen Hongyu. One night when I was working part-time at the Lu Residence, I heard a woman crying and howling in the firewood room, like a ghost. I couldnât help but sneak closer to see what was going on. I found a dirty woman, locked in the room with iron chains, and she looked like a beggar on the street. Madame Lu came with the housekeeper, who was carrying a basket of spoiled rice. The locked-up woman immediately stuffed the rice in her mouth when she saw it.â
Su Qingyue understood, âThe locked-up woman is Lu Haoyuanâs insane concubine, Ruan Qingqing.â
âYes.â He said emotionlessly, âThat night, I eavesdropped on the biggest secret in the Lu Residence. Lu Haoyuan and his sonâs drowning accident was actually arranged by Chen Hongyu. The housekeeper poisoned them, while Ruan Qingqing was imprisoned by Madame Lu and had not gone insane. Madame Lu spent a lot of money to bribe the officials at the Official Residence to cover up the suspicions about the bodies of Lu Haoyuan and his son. On the surface, Madame Lu appears kind and gentle, but in reality, sheâs the most poisonous scorpion. She killed her husband and his concubineâs son but still managed to earn a good reputation. She has always played the virtuous wife. That night, I overheard the servants in the Lu Residence saying that Ruan Qingqing accidentally burned herself to death while setting the yard on fire. Maybe it wasnât an accident.â
She listened with a blank expression.
He asked, âI know the truth, but I canât reveal it. Will you think your husband is useless?â
She shook her head, âWith the wealth and power of the Lu Mansion, no one would believe a village man like you if you spoke out. People would think youâre greedy for the Lu Mansionâs fortune, and you wouldnât even know how youâd die.â
He held her close, âSince I was 15 years old, Iâve been traveling from village to village selling goods, encountering many injustices. I canât handle everything in the world, nor can I right the wrongs for everyone. The issues concerning the Lu Mansion will be treated as if I was unaware of them.â
She allowed him to hold her.
He embraced her delicate body, âIâm willing to risk my life for you because youâve taken root in my heart. I might seem easygoing, but perhaps, in my bones, my blood runs cold.â