While Ye Xi had just discovered this shocking secret, Qiao Yan was telling Qiao Yiting and Su Xin in detail about the idea of "divorcing one's husband" as Ye Xi had suggested. The two were so startled that they both jumped up from their round stools.
"This is indeed a good idea. But if things really come to this, both you and Lian Yi will surely ruin your reputations. Lian Yi has already been looked down upon because of that incident. How will she ever get married in the future? But if you don't get divorced, you and Lian Yi in the Luo family..."
Qiao Yiting couldn't go on. She heaved a long sigh and paced back and forth distractedly, almost wringing her handkerchief into a rope.
"Now that things have come to this, we have to make it work even if it's difficult."
Su Xin said resolutely. During these days of recuperating at her natal home and getting away from the cannibalistic Luo family, she felt like she had been reborn. Her heart had become a bit clearer and more resilient.
"Mother, you and Aunt also escaped from that cannibalistic place in your own family back then. That was even your mother's family. Now, what's the Luo family? Since you and Aunt had the courage back then, your daughter and granddaughter should at least learn a bit from you."
"Good, good..."
Seeing her daughter's capable side, Qiao Yiting felt both gratified and heart - aching.
It was a good thing that her daughter could stand on her own, but this kind of self - reliance that came at the cost of half her life made her, as a mother, feel so much pain.
It was all her fault. When she and her elder sister were young, their parents died early, and they were badly mistreated at home. Even their uncles, aunts and other relatives tried to embezzle the property left by their parents, forcing her to sever ties with her family.
Fortunately, the young Marquis Qiao at that time, who was Qiao Yan and Qiao He's father, was a responsible and infatuated man. He and her elder sister fell in love with each other and got married regardless of everything. He also took a fancy to her and publicly recognized her as his dry - sister when she was forced out of her mother's family. He even changed her surname to Qiao and put her on the family genealogy.
The situation back then was still vivid in her mind after nearly twenty years. The way her sister came to support her when she was pregnant, and the way her brother - in - law said firmly that she was a member of the Qiao family from then on...
She could never repay her sister and brother - in - law's kindness in giving her a new life.
Later, she got married and had her own child. She made up for the lack of parental love in her childhood by giving all her love to her daughter. She didn't let her daughter do anything and didn't want her to get involved in anything.
She raised her daughter to be innocent and naive, which was why she suffered so much in the Luo family.
Now that her daughter also had her own daughter, the cute and simple girl who used to rely on her parents for everything could now make her own decisions and support her own family. On the contrary, she herself had lost the courage she had back then...
Qiao Yiting's eyes turned red.
"Aunt, don't cry,"
Qiao Yan quickly stepped forward to comfort her:
"This is a good thing. The more capable cousin is, the less likely others will dare to bully her and Lian Yi, and the more smoothly their mother - daughter life will be."
"Yes, mother,"
Su Xin also comforted her:
"In the future, after getting away from the Luo family, I will take your granddaughter home and filially serve you and father. Isn't grandmother always sighing that she wants a male heir? You and father are so in love and have no concubines. I'm your only daughter. Now I'm bringing the blood of our Su family back. When Lian Yi grows up, we'll find a husband for her to continue our family line."
This humorous talk made everyone laugh.
Qiao Yiting still had tears in her eyes. She playfully poked Su Xin and said lovingly:
"You, as a mother, are becoming more and more irresponsible..."
"I think it's great,"
Qiao Yan nodded seriously and praised:
"It's better to keep her at home than to marry her off. Lian Yi is so smart and well - behaved. I'd be reluctant to let her marry into someone else's family."
After chatting and laughing for a while, they put aside their sad thoughts and started to arrange the matter of "divorcing one's husband" in a hurry.
In the Prince Yu'an's Mansion -
Mian Xiao had suffered a great deal. After returning to the mansion, he washed himself from head to toe. He especially wished he could soak his eyes and ears in water.
Knowing his grievance, Ye Xi deliberately chose two jars of good wine and asked Ling Yan to take them to comfort his injured heart.
Ling Yan was, of course, loyal and straightforward. She was commonly known as a "blockhead".
When Ye Xi told her to go, she carried the wine and rushed directly into Mian Xiao's room without caring whether Mian Xiao was taking a bath or not.
She kicked open the door and stepped in, scaring Mian Xiao into shouting "Ouch!". The handkerchief in his hand flew out.
"What the hell are you doing!?"
Even though Mian Xiao was usually very articulate, now, standing naked in front of the woman he liked, his face blushed and he couldn't speak clearly.
Ling Yan had never seen such a scene before.
She heard no sound in Mian Xiao's room and thought he wasn't there, so she wanted to come in and wait for him.
Who would have thought that this would be the scene when she came in.
A blush crept up on her ears. Ling Yan stiffly turned her body and averted her eyes from Mian Xiao's strong and lean upper body. She said:
"The girl said you were wronged and asked me to bring you some wine to drink with you."
"Mind the occasion! Is this the time to drink!?"
Mian Xiao's face was almost on fire. He hugged himself pitifully and said shyly:
"Get out quickly! Your reputation will be ruined with a man and a woman alone in a room."
"Okay."
Ling Yan responded blankly but didn't move:
"I won't look. Let's just take a sip so I can report back to the girl."
Mian Xiao: ...
You only have the girl in your heart!
Just as they were in a stalemate, Lin An, who had been in Tanzhou for several days, came back.
Briefly reporting the situation in Tanzhou, Lin An said:
"I encountered many assassinations on the way back. They should be the actions arranged by the Shen family. Several witnesses are currently in the villa. To prevent them from being wiped out, I arranged for them to stay in different places at night. I've assigned people from the Frost Pavilion to guard them. Generally speaking, they are all relatively safe."
"Okay."
Yi Yuan nodded:
"You've worked hard. Go and have a good rest first. After Xiao Xi asks the witnesses and confirms everything, we'll take people directly to the court."
"Yes."
Lin An replied. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, Mian Xiao, who had been forced by Ling Yan to drink while naked, rushed over.
He hugged Lin An and wailed:
"Good brother, why did you come back so late! If you had come back half a day earlier, I wouldn't have suffered like this..."
Lin An was confused. He looked at Ling Yan who was slowly following behind with a questioning look in his eyes. But Ling Yan just shrugged innocently, indicating that there was nothing.
Just as the three of them were joking around, Ye Xi also came over after washing and changing her clothes.
These days, it was getting colder. The original light silk outer clothes had been replaced with slightly thicker silk. Ye Xi walked over gracefully in a water - blue long dress like a blooming flower.
Yi Yuan immediately stepped forward to greet her. A smile appeared on his face. He said:
"I was just about to send someone to look for you, but you came by yourself. It shows that we really have a telepathic connection."
Covering her lips and smiling, Ye Xi gave him a coquettish look and said softly:
"I also heard from the servant that Lin An was back. I thought you might need me, so I came."