Chapter 16: For Whose Face

Li Meng wore an expression of enduring humiliation and bearing a heavy burden, her eyes watery as she stared at Lu Feng.

Mother Lu almost laughed from anger. If you actually had reason on your side, it’d be strange if you could endure it. “Second Son’s wife will be coming over shortly. You’d better hurry up and do what you agreed to yesterday. Otherwise, I’m afraid Second Son’s wife will make a scene.”

Mother Lu was preparing to use magic to defeat magic. She refused to believe that with Second Son’s wife standing here, Li Meng would still dare talk like that.

After one night’s sleep, Li Meng’s backbone had stiffened considerably. “Let her make a scene if she wants. Do you think I’m afraid of her?”

No matter what, Lu Feng’s side could no longer shake her off. She wasn’t pregnant either, so she wasn’t afraid of that woman spreading nonsense. She was no longer the same person she had been yesterday.

Mother Lu disliked Eldest Daughter-in-law even more. This woman clearly thought that after one night she had gotten Lu Feng firmly under control, so she had become bold.

Mother Lu glanced at her eldest son before saying to Li Meng, “You think that now that you’ve got the man, everything’s fine.”

What Lu Feng feared was Fang Yuan, and the Fang family behind her. Without waiting for his mother to speak, he immediately shouted at Li Meng, “You don’t mind her making a scene and embarrassing us, but I do. Hurry up and go. Don’t give her any fault to pick at.”

Li Meng felt wronged. “Brother Feng, why be afraid of her? What can she do to us now? Things are already like this. Is she going to steal you away too?”

Besides, she wasn’t pregnant, so she wasn’t afraid that female tyrant would use that to control her.

Lu Feng’s face darkened. Even when things weren’t like this, she hadn’t wanted me. He muttered gloomily, “You think it’s honorable to have people constantly talking about this mess of ours? Once everything’s explained clearly, everyone in our family will look better.”

Otherwise, people would point fingers at him whenever he went out. Marrying the wrong bride, wasn’t that embarrassing?

After being put in her place by Lu Feng, Li Meng realized her position in this family wasn’t secure enough yet. Only then did she reluctantly prepare to explain things to the villagers. “Mom, come with me.”

Mother Lu didn’t want to go out and embarrass herself, but after thinking about Second Son’s wife’s temper, she decided it was better to make the trip. It would save them trouble if Eldest Daughter-in-law’s loose mouth said too much and offended people, causing more turmoil for their family later.

So the one tending the fire and cooking became Lu San.

Still, Mother Lu had said that the meat rolls would wait until she returned before being steamed.

Mother Lu personally supervised Li Meng and left.

On Lu Er’s side, Fang Yuan had genuinely been exhausted yesterday, so she woke up somewhat late.

Lu Er had already swept the entire courtyard and had also seen his mother leading that unchaste woman from Lu Feng’s side around to visit various households.

Honestly, he rather admired the woman in the room. She could discipline people to that extent. Every word she said was treated seriously and carried out carefully. That was real ability.

At this moment, Lu Er noticed one good quality in that muddleheaded woman Fang Yuan.

He even wanted to learn that skill from her.

When Fang Yuan got up, there was hot water in the pot and hot water in the thermos. She was quite satisfied. At least Lu Er wasn’t lazy.

Fang Yuan was wearing a brand-new outfit, making her look festive. Then she looked at Lu Er outside, dull and dusty, not looking like a newlywed at all.

She called him into the room and took out a new set of clothes. “Put these on. They’ll make things look more festive.”

Lu Er didn’t want to. Those had been prepared for Lu Feng. The thought bothered him.

From childhood until now, he had always worn Lu Feng’s old clothes. This time was different. He wanted to wear something new, something prepared specifically for him.

His build was different from Lu Feng’s. Their heights weren’t the same either. The clothes wouldn’t fit properly.

Seeing that Lu Er wasn’t moving, the impatient Fang Yuan snapped, “Are you stupid? You insist on wearing torn clothes.”

Lu Er stubbornly persisted for no apparent reason. “I still need to move the firewood stacks. New clothes wouldn’t be appropriate.”

Fang Yuan truly was a woman who didn’t overthink things. She didn’t consider Lu Er’s feelings or any possible awkwardness in the slightest. “That’s true, but one set of clothes won’t matter. Put them on.”

Lu Er still didn’t move. Only then did Fang Yuan ask, “You don’t want to wear new clothes?”

She genuinely couldn’t understand whether this man was foolish or truly foolish.

Lu Er answered calmly, “They aren’t suitable and they don’t fit. Let’s talk about it later.”

Some matters simply couldn’t be compromised on.

Fang Yuan looked at the clothes, then at the awkward man. At least she understood that he didn’t care to wear them. “If you don’t want to, then you don’t want to. Why didn’t you just say so properly? After breakfast, we’ll go to the township and buy two new sets. You have to wear new clothes.”

Lu Er raised his eyes. He hadn’t expected Fang Yuan to be so easy to talk to. “You’re willing to spend money on me?”

He had to ask. He didn’t have any money to buy new clothes himself.

Fang Yuan said, “Once we’ve met my parents, this marriage will truly count as complete. After that we’ll be one family. What do you mean willing or unwilling to spend money? Isn’t that our matter, a family matter? If you go out dressed like that, it’s my face that’ll be embarrassed.”

Suddenly Lu Er didn’t know what to say.

How could words spoken by this famously muddleheaded woman be so clear and insightful?

It was as if he had discovered another one of Fang Yuan’s good qualities. She was generous and knew how to protect her own people.

Lu Er found it a little strange. How had one night changed his view of Fang Yuan so much that he saw nothing but strengths in her? Had she secretly drugged him during the night?

Otherwise there was no reason for such a change.

Then he heard Fang Yuan say, “But you can’t be like this in the future. You need to know how to earn money and support the family, understand? If I’m living badly, that’s your face being embarrassed too.”

He definitely knew that. Otherwise he’d spend his entire life being ordered around by this woman.

As for whether his own face would be embarrassed or not, Lu Er didn’t dare think about it.

With Fang Yuan’s temper, honestly speaking, even if he didn’t lose face, he wouldn’t gain any glory either. He was mentally prepared for that.

Just as Fang Yuan was directing Lu Er to roughly tidy up the courtyard, Mother Lu personally came over to call Fang Yuan to breakfast.

Mother Lu’s enthusiasm made Fang Yuan feel that this mother-in-law wasn’t bad. They could get along.

Mother Lu led her second son and second daughter-in-law from the old house to the new house, introducing Fang Yuan to the villagers along the way.

Whenever she met someone, Mother Lu would say, “This is my second son’s wife, Fang Yuan. Everyone should get to know her.”

The villagers truly gave her face. After all, early that morning they had watched Mother Lu lead the former fiancée who had broken off the engagement around from house to house, explaining the situation involving the Lu family’s two daughters-in-law.

Everyone had been waiting since dawn to watch the excitement.

Such a fresh piece of gossip was as interesting as watching an exotic spectacle.

Some people muttered behind their backs that a university student marrying a village wife meant the Lu family had gone mad.

Others secretly waited for a showdown between Eldest Daughter-in-law and Second Daughter-in-law.

There would definitely be entertainment.

Some people deliberately tried to disgust them by making idle conversation. “Oh my, I heard yesterday was your eldest son’s wedding. I never heard your second son was getting married too. Can these things change back and forth like that? Lu family, do you have any idea what you’re doing?”

This was just someone with too much free time. What did it have to do with them? Why did they need to stick their nose in?

The people listening nearby all laughed.

This troublemaker wasn’t even targeting the right issue.

They should be asking the Lu family what they were thinking by making their university-going son marry a village wife.

Mother Lu’s expression darkened. “What’s that supposed to mean? Wasn’t all of this explained clearly first thing this morning?”

After speaking, she even looked at Fang Yuan, as if to say that everything had been done according to Fang Yuan’s instructions.

Even Lu Er glanced sideways at his mother.

Normally Mother Lu wasn’t this fierce. Whenever villagers gossiped, she usually avoided them.

The Lu family’s reputation in the village had always been that of an honest, simple household.