Chapter 462 - 461: Unwilling

Chapter 462: Chapter 461: Unwilling

Old Master Zhen and Old Mrs. Hou’s attention was on Brother Yan.

Mei’s snarky comment fell into the water like a small stone, sinking without a trace, ignored by all.

Seeing this, Mrs. Wang smoothed things over by praising Brother Yan, diverting attention away from the issue.

Du Yunluo gave Mrs. Wang a gentle smile.

After all, it was her maternal grandparent’s home, and Mei was the granddaughter-in-law of Old Master Zhen and Old Mrs. Hou. Du Yunluo was visiting the elders, not causing trouble for the family.

To Du Yunluo, as long as Mei was a filial granddaughter-in-law to her elders, it didn’t matter how their relationship was as cousins.

If Mei wasn’t kind but Du Yunluo acted amicably out of respect for her grandparents, it would embarrass the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion and the Du Family;

Yet if she responded with cold words and clashed with Mei, it would hurt the elders’ feelings.

Although they were relatives, Du Yunluo and Mei were not on the same path at all.

If Mei made a jab at her, Du Yunluo would just ignore it.

Mrs. Wang understood these social etiquettes, which is why she helped smooth things over.

When Mei saw that no one was paying attention to her words, she looked displeased but not angry. She tightened her grip on her handkerchief when Mrs. Chen gave her a disapproving look.

Leaving Brother Yan in Yanxi Hall, Du Yunluo followed Mrs. Wang to see Zhen Wenqi.

Zhen Wenqi had caught a cold during the New Year. Even though she was much better now, Mrs. Wang was cautious and had her rest a few more days.

Inviting Du Yunluo over was just an excuse since Mrs. Wang knew Du Yunluo wanted to ask something and it was inconvenient with so many people in Yanxi Hall, she called her out.

"Second Aunt, does Cousin-in-law usually talk like that?" Du Yunluo asked softly.

Mrs. Wang shook her head, "It’s not right to talk about their married life behind their backs, after all, it’s your cousin’s household.

Qian has always been somewhat aloof in nature, while his wife is enthusiastic. For the two of them to get along well, it takes some effort.

However, Qian’s wife treats Old Master and Old Mrs. exceptionally well. If she weren’t a filial child, my sister-in-law wouldn’t have let Qian marry her."

Du Yunluo wasn’t interested in Zhen Wenqian’s married life and said, "As long as she’s filial, that’s enough."

Mrs. Wang smiled with her eyes bent, she liked Du Yunluo’s straightforwardness. If one were to nitpick everything, life would become too burdensome.

Zhen Wenqi chatted and laughed with Du Yunluo for a while and also learned that Zhen Wenting got married half a year ago.

Mrs. Wang was called away by a steward’s wife, and Du Yunluo bid farewell to Zhen Wenqi. On the way back to Yanxi Hall, she encountered Mei.

The two brushed past each other under the covered corridor, and Mei stopped in her tracks, calling out to Du Yunluo.

Du Yunluo turned around to look at her.

Mei dismissed her maids, walked over to Du Yunluo, and said in a moderate voice, "Cousin’s son is really cute."

Du Yunluo couldn’t quite discern Mei’s intention, but since she was complimenting Brother Yan, it wasn’t polite to refuse. She smiled and thanked her.

"Cousin married and had children long ago; the past didn’t cause you any trouble. Why hold on to it?" Mei asked her.

Du Yunluo raised an eyebrow, growing more puzzled by Mei.

Seeing her innocent look, Mei gritted her teeth and said, "Back then at Qinglian Temple, our master explained to me that someone framed him, leading him to act drunk.

Clearly, it’s your Du Family who unknowingly offended someone. By not saying anything back then, he was preserving Du Family’s dignity.

If it were to be investigated with fanfare, wouldn’t it be disgraceful if it reached your husband’s family?

It wasn’t our master who wronged you in any way. He took the blame, and you know it, so why hold on to it after all these years?

It makes it hard for our master to lift his head in front of Old Master and Old Mrs. Hou. What good does it do for you?"

Du Yunluo scrutinized Mei, noticing her flushed face and slightly teary eyes, revealing a trace of discontent.

From Mei’s appearance, Du Yunluo understood everything.

Just like Mrs. Wang said, Zhen Wenqian was naturally aloof, while Mei was outgoing and enthusiastic, making it hard for them to sync, leading to Mei’s disappointment.

The events at Qinglian Temple were never mentioned by Zhen Wenqian over the years, being such an embarrassing matter, he wouldn’t share it with Mei.

The heads of the household wouldn’t bring it up.

Even the outspoken Zhen Wenting wouldn’t gossip about it in front of the uninformed Mei.

Mei probably overheard bits and pieces from the servants in the mansion.

She only knew that the marriage between Zhen Wenqian and Du Yunluo didn’t work out and that Zhen Wenqian got drunk and caused a scene involving Du Yunluo, hence she assumed the coldness from Zhen Wenqian towards her was due to Du Yunluo.

But what Mei didn’t know was that on the day at Qinglian Temple, apart from the Zhen family, only Mu Lianxiao and Mu Lianhui, members of Du Yunluo’s in-laws, were there.

The Du Family wouldn’t have offended the monks of Qinglian Temple.

Mei thought the temple was crowded with worshippers that day, making an investigation a grand affair, but it was the opposite.

This further proved that Zhen Wenqian hadn’t confided anything to Mei.

According to Du Yunluo’s deduction, Zhen Wenqian hadn’t really consumed any strong liquor that day; it was likely the vegetarian wine from the temple.

Vegetarian wine was permissible for monks and nuns, used for offerings or served to worshippers.

Zhen Zishan couldn’t handle his liquor well, and Zhen Wenqian wasn’t much better. In a bad mood, he either mistakenly drank vegetarian wine or overestimated his tolerance, leading to the subsequent events.

Zhen Wenqian was in the wrong, took the embarrassment, and had no face to recount the events to Old Master Zhen and Old Mrs. Hou.

Du Yunluo pursed her lips at Mei. Having figured this out, she could somewhat understand Mei’s mindset.

It was just a strained relationship with her husband and the misconception that Zhen Wenqian had lingering feelings for Du Yunluo, leading to her bitterness.

"Back then, Cousin got drunk and barged into my room, forcing me to jump out the window to escape. According to Cousin-in-law’s words, it was Cousin who orchestrated it? To spare the Du Family from embarrassment, he shouldered it alone? Should I go thank Cousin?" Du Yunluo asked, her head tilted.

Mei widened her eyes, not expecting Du Yunluo to reply so flippantly, leaving her momentarily stunned. After a while, she said, "No thanks are necessary."

Du Yunluo chuckled lightly, turned, and walked away.

Her cousin-in-law from her maternal grandparents’ side, whom she barely saw once a year, was family in name only. Given their different standings, Du Yunluo disregarded it, not wanting to dwell on it.

After all, nobody’s perfect. As long as Mei fulfilled her role as a daughter-in-law of the Zhen family, the rest didn’t matter.

Mei was left alone in the corridor, glaring at Du Yunluo’s retreating figure, biting her lip as she returned.

Du Yunluo had walked halfway when she happened upon Mu Lianxiao.

"What are you doing here?" Du Yunluo laughed.

Mu Lianxiao held a few branches of winter plum: "Grandmother said she could smell the winter plum’s fragrance, so I went to pluck them and happened to be looking for you."