0p0 Chapter 323 We Will Never Meet Again in This Life
Chapter 323 We Will Never Meet Again in This Life
In the gazebo in the backyard.
The atmosphere was a little awkward.
Tao Tao lowered her head and remained silent.
She was actually a little unsure how to bring it up.
She had no grudge against Lu Qingyao, and even admired the woman quite a bit, but because her dead father had harmed Lu Qingyao's child.
Now, whenever she sees Miaomiao, she feels ashamed.
The little girl sat opposite her, propping her chin up, her eyes darting around on her.
It made her feel very uncomfortable.
The little girl's eyes seemed to speak volumes, filled with questions and wariness.
Jiang Miaomiao looked at Tao Tao. She hadn't had time to pay attention to the Jiang family lately, so she couldn't guess the woman's purpose.
She then turned her gaze to the baby in Tao Tao's arms.
The little guy stared at her with his dark eyes, and then started giggling, revealing a few small white teeth, with drool dripping from his mouth.
Looking at the face that resembled her second brother, Jiang Miaomiao realized that the child was actually her brothers' sister.
They are related by blood.
Lu Qingyao took a closer look at Tao Tao for the first time; she was Jiang Yunze's childhood sweetheart.
The woman was fair-skinned and beautiful, even more so than before. Even in the capital city, where beauties abound, she would not be inferior in the slightest.
No wonder Jiang Yunze was so fond of her.
Imagine a poor young scholar back then, with such a beautiful woman by his side, grinding ink for him every day and listening to his innermost thoughts.
Most importantly, she didn't mind his poor family background; he was all she cared about.
Anyone who meets a girl like that would be moved and would never forget her.
All told, she had only met Tao Tao three times.
During their first meeting in Taoxi Village, Tao Tao was somewhat aggressive.
Upon hearing that Jiang Yunze still couldn't let go of her, this married woman actually revealed a girlish and coquettish side.
I don't know whether to call her foolish or infatuated.
If asked whether Lu Qingyao felt uncomfortable?
There wasn't a single bit, I was just afraid Tao Tao wouldn't go to Jiang Yunze.
In truth, Tao Tao's words played a role in catalyzing her decision to abandon her husband and children and end up as someone's concubine.
If I had to say I felt a little bit sorry for him, it would be a little bit.
She is not a saint, nor does she consider herself a good person.
She admitted that she had manipulated and schemed against Tao Tao.
Back then, the thought of Miaomiao and Feng'er being sold by her father, almost causing them to be separated, made her wish that Master Tao would also lose the taste of family.
But after finding her child, she immediately gave up on the idea.
In life, one may not be able to control others, nor can one change the environment in which one lives.
But you can still decide what kind of person you want to become.
It's either climbing out of the mud, or sinking deeper and deeper.
At least, her family members are still alive, and she has three children to take care of.
She didn't want to be changed beyond recognition because of the injustices of the world.
The evil deeds of others should be borne by those same people themselves.
It is foolish to punish yourself for the mistakes of others.
Looking at Tao Tao now, all I could see in her eyes was endless exhaustion; it looked as if she had just been crying.
She finally got to be with her childhood sweetheart and even had a child with him, but she was still unhappy.
"Does Madam Tao have something to say?" Madam Lu asked directly.
Tao Tao pursed her lips and said, "Madam, I have indeed come today with a request. Could... could you allow my mother and younger brother to return to Jiangzhou with your caravan? I wish to send them back to Taoxi Village..."
“That won’t do. If something happens to your mother and brother in my caravan, I can’t take the responsibility.” Lu Qingyao refused her directly.
There are countless ways to return to Jiangzhou, but the one that led her was the one that came up to her.
This woman is either insane or has lost her mind.
Or perhaps there's some kind of conspiracy.
She hated this kind of roundabout probing and said somewhat impatiently, "Madam Tao, you might as well speak your mind. If there's nothing else, then go back. Jiang Yunze probably doesn't want you to have any dealings with me."
After saying that, he prepared to get up.
"Madam, please wait." Tao Tao hadn't expected Lu Qingyao to be so cold-hearted, but what she said made perfect sense.
They are definitely not people you can entrust your family to.
She just asked casually.
He stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "I know that my father has committed countless crimes, but my mother and brother are unaware of them. They have nowhere to stay in the capital, so they are thinking of returning to Taoxi Village in Jiangzhou. However, I am worried that the villagers will not be able to accept them. Could you please speak to the villagers of Taoxi Village on their behalf?"
Taoxi Village today is not what it used to be.
The villagers all followed Lu Qingyao's lead. Whether her mother and younger brother could return to Taoxi Village depended entirely on Lu Qingyao's word.
She didn't think Lu Qingyao would deliberately make things difficult for them.
What I fear most is that the villagers of Taoxi Village will take their grudges into their hands and stand up for her, preventing her younger brother and mother from entering the village.
As long as they get a definite answer from her, their mother and younger brother can continue to live in the village.
My mother said that fallen leaves should return to their roots; she didn't want to die outside.
If they had known the Jiang family was in this state, their mother and younger brother might never have left their hometown to come to the capital.
She's the one who wronged them.
She would kneel down and beg Lu Qingyao for this promise.
Lu Qingyao didn't take it seriously; how could she possibly stop someone from returning to their hometown?
However, during her stay in Taoxi Village, she gained some understanding of the villagers there.
Without prior notice, it might really put Tao and her son in a difficult position.
She nodded in agreement. "I can promise to take the message back to you, but whether the villagers listen or not is beyond my control."
"As long as you agree, that's fine." Tao Tao's face lit up with joy, and she knelt down with her daughter in her arms. "From now on... from now on I will serve you wholeheartedly and follow your lead."
She was unwilling to admit it.
But they also knew that in well-mannered wealthy families in the capital, the status of concubines was not much higher than that of servants; in the eyes of the master, they were just slaves.
She didn't want to serve others, nor did she want anyone to be Jiang Yunze's legal wife.
But if this person is Lu Qingyao.
As long as my mother and younger brother can live a peaceful life in Taoxi Village.
As long as Xiao Shu can grow up under her care as the legitimate daughter.
She was willing to serve Lu Qingyao like a slave.
Lu Qingyao was startled and quickly asked Xiuxiu to help the person and child up.
Tao Tao completely baffled her.
"Tao, what exactly are you trying to do?"
What does it mean to serve her, what does it mean to follow her every command?
This woman is utterly inexplicable.
The baby was startled by her mother's actions and burst into tears.
Tao Tao didn't care about her daughter anymore and handed her over to the wet nurse to take away.
She stepped forward and pulled Lu Qingyao, "You didn't know? It's been circulating since yesterday afternoon. Everyone's saying that Jiang Yunze declared his loyalty to the Lu family and that he did so to repay their kindness by turning his own family against Minister Qi. Everyone's saying that your divorce from Jiang Yunze was just an act to mislead the Qi family. This... isn't this true?"
Lu Qingyao laughed when she heard this; Jiang Yunze really knew how to make excuses for his cold-heartedness.
She looked at Tao Tao, unsure whether to call her silly or naive.
"You witnessed my divorce from Jiang Yunze with your own eyes. Do you think we were just putting on an act?"
Tao Tao didn't believe it at first either, "but I asked Brother Yunze, and he didn't deny it."
She preferred to believe the rumors were true.
At least that way, it would prove that she hadn't misjudged him.
Lu Qingyao felt her stomach churning and a wave of nausea washing over her.
She asked incredulously, "So... Jiang Yunze knew you came looking for me?"
Tao Tao nodded, "Yes, he had someone bring me here."
Lu Qingyao was truly disgusted; how could there be such shameless people in the world?
“Go back and tell Jiang Yunze that there’s no need to use such despicable means to test him. I, Lu Qingyao, only wish never to see him again in this life.”
……