Chapter 286 - 284: The Ping Family’s Eldest Young Madam

Chapter 286: Chapter 284: The Ping Family’s Eldest Young Madam

"Of course not, Bao’er. You’re overthinking things. You’re just being true to yourself, that’s all. Besides, haven’t I worked so hard and done so much just so you wouldn’t have to suffer any grievances? Just do whatever you want. If you can’t handle it, you still have me, don’t you? What is there to be afraid of!" Li Xiu said commandingly, giving Zhou Lian a gentle look.

Hearing his words, Zhou Lian couldn’t help but smile, her eyes curving into crescents. ’This is so wonderful. In this life, we’re in love. He’ll dote on me, spoil me, and keep me happy and safe!’

Back home, after a quick wash-up, Zhou Lian played with their two children while Li Xiu went straight to the kitchen. Seeing Mrs. Zhou and Sister Fang busy at work, he quickly asked Sister Fang, "Is there any more of the soup with rock sugar, pear, white fungus, and red dates left for Bao’er?"

"It’s all gone. I made her stewed peach gum with bird’s nest and milk instead," Sister Fang said with a smile. "That girl is so picky, I wouldn’t dare let her eat the same thing twice in one day!"

Li Xiu smiled in satisfaction. He greeted Mrs. Zhou and left. Left behind in the kitchen, Mrs. Zhou and Sister Fang could only smile helplessly and shake their heads. They were truly used to it, especially Sister Fang. She had been with the family for seven or eight years now. Li Xiu had done far more excessive things before; this was nothing in comparison!

After dinner, when everyone had retired for the night, Zhou Lian rested in Li Xiu’s arms and asked casually, "Jin Chen, were you busy with Shengnan’s matter this afternoon?"

"Mhm. I found two trustworthy people and had Li Bao and Wang Dongfang go pick her up," Li Xiu said softly. "Also, I made a trip to the Imperial Palace. As it happened, the Eldest Young Master and the Eldest Young Madam were there too. The Eldest Young Madam wants to come to the estate to take care of her personally!"

"Ah, why? What about the Eldest Young Master? Is she not going to look after him anymore?" Zhou Lian asked, a little confused.

Li Xiu smiled and said, "The Eldest Young Madam is the only one in the Ping Family who truly gets it. The Eldest Young Master can’t have children. She and the Eldest Young Master are true childhood sweethearts, and Ping’an grew up right under her nose. Her feelings for the Ping Family are much deeper than outsiders can imagine. Don’t forget, the Eldest Young Madam is the descendant of a revolutionary martyr. She grew up in the Ping household. Back then, when the Eldest Young Master married her, he was under considerable pressure. If Elder Ping and Mrs. Ping hadn’t disregarded all that, she would have never been able to marry him!"

"What’s more, when the incident happened back then, the Eldest Young Master wanted to divorce her to protect her, and the whole Ping Family agreed. But she was the one who refused. Now that Ping’an is finally going to have a child, what do you think she’ll do? The Eldest Young Madam is the type to remember both kindness and grudges!"

Glancing at Li Xiu with a smile, Zhou Lian said with some resignation, "Could you wipe that gloating look off your face? Do you really dislike Director Sun that much? And the Ping Family’s eldest daughter!"

"Bao’er, it’s not that I dislike them, but tell me, how could I possibly like them? With the eldest daughter’s temper, now that she’s fallen into the Eldest Young Madam’s hands... just you wait and see. All these years, the Eldest Young Madam hasn’t made a move because the time wasn’t right and she never had the chance. Once the person is brought back and the Eldest Young Madam moves into the estate, I guarantee not a single whisper will leak out in the entire Capital City before the child is born!" Li Xiu said, pursing his lips.

Zhou Lian smiled and said, "Only those who are indulged become willful. The eldest daughter was simply spoiled rotten!"

"Then how come I haven’t spoiled my Bao’er rotten yet? It seems I still haven’t been spoiling you enough!"

Shooting Li Xiu a look, Zhou Lian said softly, "Jin Chen, the Eldest Young Madam won’t use this chance to clean house, will she? I remember in my last life, she was the one who, in her capacity as the matriarch of the Ping Family, personally struck the eldest daughter’s name from the family registry. But by then, Elder Ping and Mrs. Ping were already gone. Now...?"

"She won’t. The Eldest Young Madam won’t do anything at a time like this. Right now, nothing is more important to her than Ping’an’s child!" Li Xiu said flatly. ’That woman is the one who is truly decisive and ruthless.’

Zhou Lian thought for a moment and said, "That’s true. Right now, nothing is more important than the child in Shengnan’s belly. It’s good that she’ll be living at the estate to accompany her. After all, people’s hearts are hard to predict!"

Glancing at Zhou Lian with a smile, Li Xiu said no more. ’Why did he deliberately go to see Elder Ping at the Imperial Palace while the Eldest Young Madam was there? It was a diversionary tactic; his true intentions lay elsewhere. His own wife, while clever, wasn’t skilled in these sorts of schemes and intrigues. But that was fine. He was here. He would always protect her completely and ensure her well-being!’

After they got home, had dinner, and washed up, Zhou Lian leaned against the headboard. Watching Li Xiu carefully dry her hair for her, she said softly, "Jin Chen, back when I suggested having Sister Fang take care of Shengnan, did you already know it was a bad idea?"

"Bao’er, I was the one who said Sister Fang should take care of her," Li Xiu said gently, not wanting her to overthink it.

Smiling, Zhou Lian looked at Li Xiu and said in a soft voice, "Jin Chen, you know me too well. You knew that if you didn’t say it, those words would have come out of my mouth next. You... you don’t have to be like this. I’m not that fragile. While I do care about Ping’an, Shengnan, and the Ping Family, how could they ever be more important than you? At the time, I just hadn’t grasped the situation in the Capital City!"

"Bao’er, there’s no need for that between us. I understand everything. It’s like how you’re on good terms with Liu Shengnan, but Zhang Hongying is your best friend. I understand the difference. You’ve always been smart; I’ve never worried about that. As for all the scheming and intrigue, I hope you never have to understand it. What I hope for most is that when we’ve grown old together, you’ll still be the same as when you first married me—innocent, beautiful, and still a young girl at heart," Li Xiu said gently, looking at her with a smile.

Her eyes curving into crescents as she looked at Li Xiu, Zhou Lian puffed out her cheeks and said, "Alright, then. When I’m old and gray-haired, I’ll still be as innocent as a little girl!"

Seeing that her hair was mostly dry, Li Xiu put down the towel, gently poked Zhou Lian’s puffed-out cheek, and gave her a tender kiss. He whispered, "Go to sleep. It’s getting late, and you have a big lecture tomorrow morning, Bao’er."

"Mhm... speaking of which, Jin Chen, do you remember that student protest from our last life?" Pulled into Li Xiu’s embrace, Zhou Lian found a comfortable position and toyed with the large hand he had resting on her waist as she asked softly.

Li Xiu chuckled softly and said, "Why would you think of that, Bao’er?"

"I had two classes this afternoon, but the university canceled them, saying it was for ’patriotic education.’ I thought it was a bit strange at the time. How could it be such a coincidence? I remember from my last life, that student protest happened at the beginning of next year. How could it be such a coincidence that the university is organizing patriotic education right at the start of this semester? And I remember that the students from Beijing University were the most involved in that protest!" Zhou Lian said with a pout.

"My Bao’er is so smart. It’s just that I happened to meet with Secretary Sun once and unintentionally mentioned that today’s university students are a bit too radical in their thinking!" Li Xiu said, holding back a laugh. ’He had wondered at the time if his darling would see through it. He never expected she’d figure it out the moment the university canceled classes!’

She resentfully grabbed Li Xiu’s finger, brought it to her mouth, and gave it a little bite. She said, a bit vexed, "Stop holding it in. If you want to laugh, just laugh. I didn’t even remember this at all. It was only this afternoon when the university canceled classes for ’patriotic education’ that I remembered and started to get suspicious!"

"It’s nothing major. Just act as you normally would at school, Bao’er. There’s nothing to worry about. I’m here." He kissed her forehead and gently patted her back, coaxing Zhou Lian to sleep.