Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 1380: A Family of Three

Chapter 1380: Chapter 1380: A Family of Three

Mrs. Tao let out a sigh of relief, clearly feeling much more comfortable, "Honestly, I really want to wash my hands of it all, but for the sake of the Wang family’s reputation, I must stay involved."

Zhulan said, "I heard that Wen Rong’s marriage has been decided."

"Ah, when did this happen? How come I didn’t know?"

Zhulan, who doesn’t go out much, was surprisingly well-informed, "The old lady of the Lin family told me, and she heard it from the Qie family that there’s already a girl that caught their fancy."

Mrs. Tao thought for a moment, "The Qie family is Wen Rong’s maternal family; it seems the news is true."

"Not necessarily, you should go back and ask around some more."

Mrs. Tao made a mental note, if it wasn’t for Wang Hua, she wouldn’t bother about the Wen family’s affairs, "By the way, I’ll take some of your family’s pickles back with me. The old lady at home is feeling ’heaty’ recently and can’t eat much. Yesterday, she was remembering your family’s pickles."

Zhulan agreed, "Alright, I will prepare some more for you to take back. Also, the other day the Qin Prince Residence sent me some fruit, you should take some back for Yu Lu."

Mrs. Tao asked, "The fruit from the Qin Prince Residence, it’s tribute fruit, isn’t it?"

"Mhm, it’s freshly sent tribute fruit from the capital."

Mrs. Tao’s tone was thick with jealousy, "We both have sons-in-law, yet mine hardly shows any filial respect by visiting a few times a year, but your son-in-law keeps sending over good stuff."

"Can our sons-in-law be the same? My son-in-law is like a son I’ve raised."

"That’s why I say you have great blessings, come on, let me rub some off you, so that I may have better luck."

Zhulan did not dodge Mrs. Tao’s hand, "You’re getting more and more touchy with age."

"You used to be too skinny; now you’re plump and more to grab."

Zhulan, "..."

She’s given up on slimming down at her age; she is now a plump old woman, so plump that she seems to have gotten shorter.

At the Wang family, Mrs. Tao brought back two boxes of fruit and said to the curious Yu Lu, "This is from your grandmother, she made me bring it back for you."

Yu Lu was embarrassed, "This must be spared from the mouths of grandmother and grandfather; I have them worrying over me."

Mrs. Tao, "It’s natural for elders to worry about their grandchildren; your grandmother especially can’t stop worrying about you."

Too many distressing matters in a big clan; she knows Mrs. Yang is particularly worried about her granddaughter Yu Lu.

Feeling emotional due to pregnancy, Yu Lu thought about how her family had been concerned for her after she got married, fearing she would be mistreated in the Wang family, and frequently sending nice things her way. Her voice, now nasal, "I’m really fine."

Mrs. Tao, "It’s getting late; I’ll head back to rest. Oh, and these two boxes of fruit, send some to the family elder, but there’s no need to share with others. These are tribute fruits; keep them for yourself to eat."

Saying so, she grew angrier, "When Wang Hua and the others come, you don’t need to treat them with good things. They have had their fair share of niceties and have not said a few good words about you behind your back. You can’t give anything good to these thankless people."

Yu Lu was stunned; it was the first time she heard her grandmother speaking so harshly, her grandmother must be truly annoyed with the second wife.

After her grandmother left, Yu Lu picked a few fruit to send to the family elder’s courtyard, then picked a few more for her grandmother, despite her saying there’s no need to send more. She, being from the younger generation, might choose not to give any to the other houses, but she should give some to her own grandmother and grandfather.

Wong Wei watched his wife dividing the fruits, "Just like that, one whole box is gone."

Yu Lu, "I don’t feel like eating fruits that much anymore; one box is enough for our family of three."

Wong Wei quickly waved his hands, "This is tribute fruit; I won’t eat any. It’s all for you and the child."

Yu Lu gestured for the maid to take a few away to wash, then grabbed her husband’s hand, "If you don’t eat, neither will the child and I. We are a family, and no one should be left out."

Wong Wei was deeply touched. Being of a young age, he was at his most sentimental. The person in front of him was his newlywed wife, and this sentiment greatly moved him. "Good, no one in our family will be left out."

Yu Lu leaned against her husband’s chest, listening to his heartbeat. This moment was the happiness her grandmother talked about, happiness that belonged to her.

The next day, the capital was blessed with rare good weather. Zhulan had agreed to assist the elderly Mrs. Shang in selecting jewelry, and as Shang Qing was also present, Zhulan asked which granddaughters wished to accompany her.

Only Yu Die was interested in going. Yu Yi had to teach Yu Jiao the zither, while Yu Wen simply did not wish to move.

Zhulan had no choice but to take only Yu Die to fulfill the appointment. She and the elderly Mrs. Shang frequently exchanged letters, initially with Mrs. Shang being the one reaching out proactively. Zhulan had felt obliged to reply, which over time turned into a correspondence, and now they had progressed to arranging meetings.

Upon Zhulan’s arrival, the elderly Mrs. Shang and her granddaughters were already there. Zhulan stepped off the carriage and asked, "I am not late, am I?"

The energetic Mrs. Shang waved her hand, "You’re not late; I just arrived early."

Zhulan was surprised to see Shang Qing, "Shang Qing is growing more beautiful by the day, to the point I hardly recognize you."

Mrs. Shang replied unconvincingly, "You exaggerate, I see no such drastic changes in this child."

The upward curl of the elderly lady’s lips betrayed her feelings; she was indeed proud of her granddaughter’s transformation.

After exchanging greetings, Shang Qing gracefully stepped aside, no longer exuding the mannerisms of a petty household but instead confidence and poise.

Zhulan continued the conversation, "The reason you don’t see much change is that you see her every day. To my eyes, the changes are enormous."

Shang Qing’s skin had grown fairer; the timidness she had upon first returning to the capital was gone. The determination with which the elderly lady had raised her granddaughter was paying off visibly.

The delighted Mrs. Shang said, "Let’s go in. I hope you will offer me plenty of advice."

"Certainly."

The two entered the shop and went upstairs. The elderly lady had brought quite a bit of Silver, "In my letter, I mentioned asking for your help selecting jewelry, but not just any selection. These jewels are for Shang Qing’s dowry. You’ve married off two granddaughters, and the capital lauds your good taste. The jewelry you chose is beautiful. Help me pick some; I wish for Shang Qing to have a splendid wedding."

Upon hearing this, Zhulan asked, "Has the elderly lady already found a suitable family?"

Relieved of a burden at heart, Mrs. Shang did not conceal the fact, "We have already met with them. It’s the youngest son of Imperial Censor Bao. He placed sixtieth in this year’s imperial examinations. We’re waiting for the final court exams to conclude before settling the marriage."

Zhulan remarked, "You really trust me, not fearing that I might spread the word."

"I have a sharp eye for people; you are trustworthy."

The reason why the elderly lady had taken pains to befriend the Yang family was not only because of their compatibility, but she was also looking to leave some connections for her granddaughter. If not for concern for her granddaughter, why else would she, at her advanced age, go out of her way to make connections?

The granddaughter’s father was indifferent, and her mother was partial. She would be married off and leaving soon; the elderly lady could not rest easy until she had made proper arrangements.

Naturally, Zhulan could see through the elderly lady’s considerations. As a grandmother herself, they were both people who cherished their granddaughters. Zhulan was moved by the old lady’s love for her granddaughter, which was also why she accepted her.

Yu Die and Ms. Shang were sitting together, with Yu Die introducing the gemstones brought out by the Shopkeeper.

Ms. Shang listened intently and remarked with admiration, "You know so much."

Yu Die explained, "My father has studied gemstones, and I also love to study them, so I know a bit more. Would you like to learn? If you do, I can teach you."

Ms. Shang asked, "Really?"

"Of course."

Yu Die enjoyed playing the role of teacher, having taught her several sisters at home. Now with an additional student, she picked up gemstones one by one and explained them to Shang Qing.

The attendant stood by and listened earnestly, internally remarking that Miss Zhou’s knowledge of gemstones was remarkably thorough, surpassing even his as a clerk.