Chapter 460 - 459: Mother and Son (Monthly Votes 870+)

Chapter 460: Chapter 459: Mother and Son (Monthly Votes 870+)

"It’s nothing; they’ll still come back after the new year," Mu Yuanmou said in a deep voice, dropping the words before getting up, straightening his clothes, and walking out with his hands behind his back.

Lian Family was left inside, with just such a light sentence left behind, causing her eyes to widen.

After many years of marriage, Lian Family knew Mu Yuanmou’s temperament. His expression just now was definitely not "nothing."

Clearly, there was something, and it was related to the struggle over the first branch and the title. Yet, Mu Yuanmou dismissed her and didn’t tell her the truth!

Thinking of this, Lian Family felt a sharp pain in her heart.

Mu Yuanmou walked quickly and did not notice Lian Family’s condition.

Nanny Zhu, who was guarding outside, saw Mu Yuanmou leave and then lifted the curtain to come in and serve Lian Family.

As soon as she lifted a corner, Nanny Zhu saw Lian Family clutching her chest and gasping for breath, her face turning pale with fright, and she hurriedly went forward to massage Lian Family’s chest and pat her back.

"Madam, what’s wrong? Do you need a doctor?" Nanny Zhu asked verbally, her heart in turmoil.

Since Mu Lianhui got married, there hadn’t been anything in the mansion that could make Lian Family so angry, so frustrated, so unable to vent.

Recently, Lian Family’s breathing difficulty had improved a lot. Why suddenly...

It must be about Mu Yuanmou, it must be about the letter sent back from the first branch.

Lian Family clutched Nanny Zhu’s wrist tightly, gasping for a long while before finally collapsing powerlessly onto the bed, drinking some water with Nanny Zhu’s help.

This bout of heavy breathing turned Lian Family’s lips purple and reddened the corners of her eyes. She finally calmed down and said, "Old Zhu, why won’t the master talk to me about this?"

Nanny Zhu couldn’t understand what Mu Yuanmou was thinking, frowned, and picked a good word: "The master must be trying not to make you worry, Madam. In the past two years, everything else has been fine, except that you often have trouble breathing; the master has seen it, and he is just concerned about your health."

Lian Family snorted, "Don’t make excuses for him. Is this being considerate of me? If he really cared, he wouldn’t walk away after seeing me this out of breath!"

"Maybe the master didn’t notice," Nanny Zhu said with a forced smile, steeling herself.

Lian Family gritted her back teeth, "Of course, he didn’t notice. In his eyes, I’m not even worth a speck of dust on his clothes! He’s deliberately not discussing it with me; I don’t matter enough to him, do I?"

As Lian Family talked, the frustration in her chest surged again. Her heart felt like it was being pricked by needles; it wasn’t exactly pain, just discomfort.

It was precisely inside the chest, massaging the outside felt like scratching an itch through the boot, not very effective.

Lian Family panted for a long time before slowly stabilizing, "In this life, I’m just here to repay debts! Hui’er got married, and now it’s his turn to show me his face. I owe them these few; none of them are worry-free."

Nanny Zhu chuckled awkwardly, "Don’t say that, if Second Master hears it, he’ll be heartbroken."

"Lian Cheng?" At the mention of her eldest son, Lian Family’s expression finally improved, "He’s a bit better; his wife’s gentle and won’t rile me up, but as for the Jiang Family, humph!"

Lian Family was referring to Mrs. Jiang Fang and Mrs. Jiang Deng.

Lian Family always blamed the Jiang Family for not coming to Fengyu Courtyard when visiting, but as Nanny Zhu said, with Mrs. Jiang Fang’s tiger-wolf-like temperament, if she came, it would be a big problem.

After the mourning period at the Marquis Mansion, Mrs. Jiang Fang tried to fix Mu Liancheng and Jiang Yunuan’s marriage. It looked peaceful on the surface, but underneath, the waves were surging.

Mrs. Jiang Fang’s words were unpleasant, annoying Mrs. Xu. In return, Lian Family’s words weren’t kind to Mrs. Jiang Fang either.

After suffering losses in Fengyu Courtyard, someone with Mrs. Jiang Fang’s temperament would avoid Lian Family, unwilling to seek discomfort willingly.

As for the manners and rules, since Dingyuan Marquis Mansion wouldn’t send Jiang Yunuan back home, Mrs. Jiang Fang wouldn’t stick her face out to get slapped by Lian Family.

"Madam, if you don’t like the in-laws’ lady, why see her at all?" Nanny Zhu comforted, "After all, they’re a fallen family, long unaware of the rules. Fortunately, Second Mistress was raised in our mansion; you and Old Madam have guided her well and raised her properly."

These words were pleasing to Lian Family; she was generally satisfied with Jiang Yunuan.

For no other reason than that her gentle temperament was easy to handle and wouldn’t whisper in Mu Liancheng’s ear.

Lian Family had heard enough about unworthy daughters-in-law causing estrangement between sons and mothers. She didn’t want to bring home a troublemaker to mislead her good son.

Later, when she aged, if her son was unfilial and her daughter-in-law was unworthy, how would life go on then!

"No choice, I still count on them to take care of me in old age," Lian Family snorted. "This time, with Lian Cheng back, I have no other wish but to quickly have a grandson. There’s Brother Yan on that side, Brother Hui on this side, just the thought of it is disturbing."

Nanny Zhu persuaded a bit more; then Zhu Shan came in, smiling, "Madam, word just came from the front; Second Master has returned to the mansion."

Lian Family’s eyes lit up immediately, her heartache vanished, and her breathlessness went away, "Old Zhu, redo my hair; don’t let it look so messy and let Lian Cheng see I’m unwell. He finally came back; I can’t worry him."

Seeing that Lian Family was energized, Nanny Zhu quickly complied, "Madam, let me help you to the inner room."

Lian Family had her hair done, looked in the mirror, applied some rouge to cover her pale complexion, and was finally satisfied, sitting in the side room waiting.

The Western clock ticked moment after moment, and after waiting for more than half an hour, Mu Liancheng still hadn’t come.

Lian Family said to Zhu Shan, "Go ask if Lian Cheng went to Shangxin Courtyard first?"

Zhu Shan went to inquire and returned to report, "Madam, Master did not come back to the rear courtyard, he’s still up front, seemingly in the master’s study talking."

Lian Family blinked her eyes blankly.

After waiting for another half an hour, Mu Liancheng finally came. He appeared neat and clean, having clearly freshened up before arriving.

Lian Family understood that Mu Liancheng must have freshened up in the front; otherwise, looking travel-worn and weary, he wouldn’t be able to enter Mu Yuanmou’s study and see his father.

"You’ve lost weight," Lian Family looked closely at her son, feeling pained.

Mu Liancheng frowned, "Mother seems unwell; are you feeling unwell?"

Hearing this, Lian Family’s heart warmed tremendously.

Her husband and daughter were not as considerate as her eldest son, who could instantly tell she wasn’t well.

"Nothing at all, mother is as usual," Lian Family smiled, "Lian Cheng, what did you discuss with your father up front?"

Mu Liancheng’s eyes darkened; Mu Yuanmou had instructed him not to discuss certain matters with Lian Family to prevent her from overthinking and getting noticed.

"We talked about some things in the Northern Border," Mu Liancheng replied.

Lian Family blurted, "Didn’t he mention anything about Lian Xiao and Lian Kang?"

Mu Liancheng fell silent for a moment.

Lian Family’s briefly soothed heart pained sharply once again.

She had thought her eldest son was a good one, but in the end, he was the same, hiding things from her, unwilling to tell her the truth.