Quick Wear: Reversing Life

Chapter 501: The eldest daughter-in-law of a wealthy family (23)

The carriage stopped at the side door of the Marquis' Mansion, and Fu Huaiying returned along the same route.

When he was leaving, he met Zhao Su, the Marquis of Dingbei, in the corridor behind the Chuihua Gate. When he was coming back, he unexpectedly met Zhao Lan, the second wife, there.

Zhao Lan was wearing an indigo blue round-necked robe and a thin jade belt around her waist, from which hung a green sachet embroidered with bamboo leaves.

He looks like an old lady, with gentle and smooth facial features and a smile that is always as warm as spring breeze.

Zhao Lan has the best temper among the three brothers, and sometimes he even jokes and laughs with the servants in the mansion.

Because he had to go to Taifu Temple on weekdays to be on duty, Fu Huaiying rarely met him in the mansion.

"Hello, sister-in-law."

Seeing Fu Huaiying, Zhao Lan folded his hands and saluted from a distance of three meters, and greeted Fu Huaiying with a smile.

Hongxiu behind him quickly saluted: "Greetings, Second Master."

When he entered the mansion, Fu Huaiying had already taken off the veil on his head.

She smiled politely and replied, "It's not even twilight hour yet. Are you off duty, second brother?"

Zhao Lan said, "The imperial examination is approaching, and it also happens to be the Dragon Boat Festival. The Imperial City Office is busy sweeping and fumigating with moxa, so I left work a little early."

Fu Huaiying had no intention of starting a conversation, so he smiled and said perfunctorily, "I see. Then I won't bother you anymore, second brother."

After saying that, Fu Huaiying prepared to walk around him and leave.

But Zhao Lan stopped her.

"Sister-in-law!"

Fu Huaiying turned his head to look at her.

In order to make it easier to go out, she wore her hair in a very simple bun today. She did not wear the beautiful and gorgeous red hairpin, but only a carved silver hairpin, which made her look elegant and graceful.

She wore a veil when she went out, and she had no makeup on her face. Her face was plain, and the rouge color naturally brought by the sun spread on her cheeks like water.

Facing this sister-in-law who was five years younger than her, Zhao Lan took a step forward and smiled: "After listening to Yuexiang's account of what happened this morning, Ying'er was indeed spoiled by us too much, so she lost respect for her sister-in-law."

"If Yuexiang has offended my sister-in-law in the past, I apologize on her behalf. She's not a bad person, and she doesn't have any ulterior motives, she's just a little too stubborn."

Fu Huaiying smiled faintly: "Second brother's wife is gentle and kind. Even if there is any offense, it must be unintentional. Second brother, don't mind it."

Zhao Lan said, "Sister-in-law is very broad-minded, it's me who is petty."

"But if you have free time, you can go to Ziteng Courtyard more often to give Yuexiang some pointers. Although she is smart, it is naturally more comprehensive for you to manage the household."

"Since my second brother said that my second sister-in-law is smart, I believe she will be able to get the hang of it quickly and become a qualified mistress in no time."

Fu Huaiying said, "The Marquis said he would bring the two children to Hexiangyuan for dinner in the evening, so I won't stay any longer. Please make your own way, my second brother."

After saying this, Fu Huaiying took Hongxiu and left from the Chuihua Gate.

When they reached the Hexiang Courtyard, Hongxiu finally said to Huaiying, "Madam, the Second Master is acting strangely today. Why is he talking so much to you when there's no one around?"

Even Hongxiu felt that Zhao Lan was too abnormal, and Fu Huaiying naturally hated her even more.

Any gentleman knows that he should avoid suspicion with the women in his family.

Zhao Lan was fine. If Fu Huaiying hadn't spoken first, he would have continued talking.

"But the Second Master has always had a gentle temperament and often jokes and laughs with the servants in the mansion. Perhaps he is used to it."

In the Lotus Fragrance Courtyard, Hongling saw Fu Huaiying and walked up to her and asked, "Madam, are we still having dinner in the courtyard?"

The weather has been getting hotter these days, so Fu Huaiying asked the maids to set up dinner in the backyard to cool down.

"No need, just stay inside."

"Is the hot water ready?"

Whenever Fu Huaiying goes out in the afternoon, she will take a shower and change into clean clothes when she comes back.

Hong Ling had already remembered her habit, so she nodded and said, "The hot spring is ready."

Hexiangyuan is not big and there is no greenhouse specially prepared for bathing.

Bathing is also done in the inner room. The maids bring in the bathtub and use a screen to partition off the area to create a small bathing area.

Hongxiu went into the room to serve, and Hongling stood in front of the inner room door waiting.

...

When Zhao Su brought Zhao Fuyao here, Fu Huaiying had not yet come out of the inner room.

The dishes were already laid out on the mahogany table in the front hall. Seeing Hong Ling standing guard at the door to the inner room, Zhao Su asked, "Where's the Madam?"

"My Lord, the Madam is taking a bath."

The sound of running water was heard from inside the house, so Zhao Su and Zhao Fuyao waited in the front hall together.

Not long after, Fu Huaiying came out of the inner room and appeared in the front hall with damp water vapor.

She changed into a light, light-colored dress. Her hair, still wet, was tied loosely behind her head with a wooden hairpin.

"The Marquis is here." Fu Huaiying said in a light voice. He took the teacup handed to him by Hongling and took a sip. "Why is the eldest young master not here?"

Zhao Su said, "Someone has been sent to pick him up from school."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Tunan and Nanny Chang walked into the yard together.

"Greetings, my Lord, and my Madam." Nanny Chang bowed to the two of them.

"Aye." Zhao Tunan saluted Zhao Su first, then looked at Fu Huaiying: "...Mother."

"It's Auntie!" Zhao Fuyao, who was sitting next to Zhao Su, suddenly said, "Brother, you called me the wrong name. You should call me Auntie."

Nanny Chang's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately looked up at Zhao Su.

At this time, Zhao Su's brows were already frowning.

"Yaoyao, what did you say?" Zhao Su's expression was cold. "Who taught you that?"

Zhao Fuyao was raised by Fu Huaiying personally. If no one taught her, she would have no idea that Fu Huaiying was actually her biological mother's sister.

Zhao Su immediately looked at Nanny Chang, who was so frightened that her undershirt was soaked with cold sweat.

Zhao Fuyao was a little frightened by Zhao Su's expression.

"Aye." Zhao Tunan protected his sister and immediately said, "It's me."

Zhao Tunan's expression was serious and solemn, even with a bit of determination to die.

Zhao Su was stunned, then frowned.

Fu Huaiying just watched this family as if they were watching a show.

"Our mother is the legitimate daughter of the Fu family, and her legitimate sister. Can't we call her aunt?" Zhao Tunan looked at Zhao Su and pursed his lips: "Yaoyao is right, she is our aunt."

Zhao Su frowned and said, "Now she is also your legal mother."

"Aye..."

Zhao Su glanced at Zhao Fuyao and said, "Did you forget, Yaoyao? It was your stepmother who raised you from childhood."

"You must not make mistakes in your words, and you must not make mistakes in your actions. No matter what happened in the past, she is now your legal mother."

"Don't call me aunt anymore. If someone with ulterior motives hears it, they might make a big fuss about it."

Zhao Fuyao nodded in confusion.

Zhao Tunan clenched his fists and said nothing.

Nanny Chang was afraid that Zhao Tunan would say something inappropriate and anger Zhao Su, so she hurriedly said, "Why don't you have dinner first? The young master must be hungry after studying all day."

She looked at Zhao Tunan nervously, and when she saw him sitting next to Zhao Fuyao in silence, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The next second when she raised her eyes, she saw Fu Huaiying looking at her with a smile, as if he had seen through what she was thinking.