When it comes to who Madam Lu hates the most right now, it’s none other than Wufu and her daughter, especially Wufu. Even if she died a thousand times, it wouldn’t quench her hatred.
But what’s this all about?
Though the Lu family were commoners, Madam Lu had three older brothers above her, and being the youngest daughter as well as the only girl in the family, she naturally grew up doted on. She never faced any hardship, did she?
But Wufu, she repeatedly caused her setbacks, particularly the day before yesterday when she suffered a huge loss. Her hatred had seeped into her very bones.
And now, just great, before she had even had a chance to settle accounts with them, they had the audacity to show up at her doorstep, and her mother-in-law even asked her to go welcome them?
Shameless, all three generations of their family are shameless.
That’s right, Madam Lu even resented her mother-in-law now.
"Aren’t you going?" Old Lady Zhou saw that she was standing still and her face darkened slightly. She said, "There are a lot of people here, go and sit at the main hall for now!"
Meaning, she wasn’t required to take them up to the upper rooms.
Madam Lu inwardly seethed; catching her mother-in-law’s look, she had to suppress the rage in her heart and reluctantly flung her handkerchief as she left.
Zhou Xiuer quickly followed behind her.
After watching her leave, Old Lady Zhou sat back down and asked about the health of her in-law, Old Lady Lu.
In truth, Old Lady Zhou felt both hatred and annoyance. She had anticipated that the Zhou family might come, but after the incident the day before yesterday, she had thought they wouldn’t dare to show up. Yet they had come nonetheless.
Seeing the meaningful glances from the relatives, Old Lady Zhou felt her face burn, aware that they were all pondering over the origins of Wufu and her family.
If only she had never agreed to Xueli’s words and had not allowed them to come. Now, she had lost face terribly.
But as annoyed as she was, with people already at their doorstep, they couldn’t just turn them away, especially at this hour, with the bride likely almost to the village entrance.
Old Lady Zhou, collecting her spirits, smiled and worked to liven up the atmosphere of the room.
But as for Madam Zhou, she was very nervous, continually tugging at the sleeves of her clothing.
The firecrackers and festivities to celebrate a married daughter’s return for a family banquet had already ended, but she still hadn’t seen her family.
Although she hadn’t married under normal circumstances, she was still an outsider. Now that she was returning to her family home, they ought to receive her.
Wufu sneered, "Mother, how much longer do we have to wait?" She was not about to play along with the Old Zhou family’s game.
"Just a bit longer," Madam Zhou replied, also feeling uneasy.
No sooner had she spoken than Madam Lu appeared at the entrance. She spotted them immediately, Madam Zhou still wearing that striking jade hairpin; Madam Lu found it impossible to overlook.
It was precisely this hairpin that had brought about such a disaster for her. Remembering the suffering and humiliation she had endured the day before yesterday, Madam Lu’s fury flared up uncontrollably.
Why couldn’t they just die!
But as she watched, her expression grew even uglier, not for any other reason than that Madam Zhou was dressed too well; those clothes must be newly made, right?
That damned wretch. Was she not hoarding away plenty of money? Pretending to be so weak and vulnerable, utterly shameless!
Madam Lu murmured curses under her breath and then suddenly saw Wufu; she locked eyes with her unintentionally, her pupils constricting sharply.
Her eyes were as dark as ink, like a mysterious deep well that seemed to draw people in.
Thinking of her own finger that had been forcefully broken, Madam Lu stiffened and barely managed to force a smile, stuttering, "Ying, Ying Mei, you’re here. Please come in."
She stepped aside to make way, ushering them in with a forced smile while trying to evade Wufu’s piercing gaze, as if she wanted to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.
This girl, she was not to be provoked!