Jin Ling brought in water and helped Du Yunluo wash her face.
Shui Yue carried a food box and served a platter of four types of snacks, smilingly saying, "Green bean cake, cloud slice cake, hibiscus pastry, and crystal dumplings, all freshly made in the kitchen. Fifth Miss, please try them."
Du Yunluo favored these snacks the most when she was in her boudoir, particularly preferring sweet flavors. Even if Mrs. Zhen didn't like them, she would still have the kitchen make them to Du Yunluo's taste.
Du Yunru picked up a piece of green bean cake and offered it to her sister's mouth: "Here, it's sweet, so even your dreams at night will be sweet."
Du Yunluo parted her cherry lips and took a bite. The sweet, rich flavor relaxed her entirely, and she savored it slowly.
Mrs. Zhen watched the sisters with a smile, holding her younger daughter's hand, reluctant to let go: "Still just a child."
Du Yunluo reversed her hand to hold her mother's and smiled softly.
Du Yunru picked a piece of cloud slice cake and tasted it: "I heard during the morning greetings, Grandmother also called for Jin Rui?"
"Yes, I told Grandmother that Sister Yu likes the patterns Jin Rui paints. Grandmother wanted to see them, so she called for Jin Rui. I asked Mrs. Xu to send the patterns to Sister Yu."
Du Yunru replied casually, "What patterns?"
"Twin lotus, children playing in water. Sister Yu said she would embroider them for eldest sister."
As soon as Du Yunluo finished speaking, Du Yunru's face blushed like the rosy clouds of the sky. She leaped off the embroidery stool, pointed at her sister, but couldn't get any words out. Stomping her foot, she turned and left in embarrassment, ignoring Mrs. Zhen's calls.
Mrs. Zhen was both amused and exasperated: "Your eldest sister is thin-skinned, yet you love teasing her."
Du Yunluo nestled in her mother's arms, acting spoiled: "Eldest sister is about to get married. If I don't tease her now, I won't get the chance later."
Hearing this, Mrs. Zhen's smiling eyes suddenly dimmed, showing some reluctance.
She had one son and two daughters, all raised by her from infancy to literate children, and now each one was of marriageable age. How quickly time has passed!
Just not long ago, they were still small kids, and in a blink of an eye, they had to leave home and get married.
Reluctant, extremely reluctant.
Mrs. Zhen rubbed Du Yunluo's hair.
Over the years, what pleased her most was the harmony among her children.
Du Yunluo being the youngest, not only did she enjoy her parents' indulgence, but also received affection and protection from everyone in Lianfu Garden. Initially, Mrs. Zhen worried if Du Yunru and Du Yundi would be dissatisfied because of this, but in reality, they were even more attentive to their younger sister.
"Nannan is also reluctant to part with her sister…" Mrs. Zhen softly coaxed, "Mother is also reluctant, but all girls have to marry."
Du Yunluo responded sullenly, lifting her head from her mother's embrace, and decisively said: "Mother, I heard that Mrs. Shi came yesterday to discuss a proposal."
Mrs. Zhen's expression changed: "Who told you this?"
Without any qualms about "betraying" Du Yunnuo in front of Mrs. Zhen, Du Yunluo said: "Fourth sister overheard Grandfather and Grandmother's conversation and told third sister and me. Just now in Lianfu Garden, I didn't dare ask Grandmother."
Mrs. Zhen discreetly sighed. This matter had just started; besides her own thoughts, Lianfu Garden hadn't even made a decision. If Du Yunluo recklessly asked about it, the elders might blame her.
"Mrs. Shi mentioned it casually," Mrs. Zhen pondered, "Nannan, if we really consider it, Dingyuan Marquis Mansion is out of our league. Even if we don't agree, we need a good reason to avoid criticism."
Du Yunluo was taken aback.
In her previous life, when she sought Mrs. Zhen, she had already quarreled at Lianfu Garden, which led to her being slapped by Mrs. Zhen, making her think that Mrs. Zhen approved of the marriage.
But today, hearing Mrs. Zhen's tone, it seemed like she…
Du Yunluo tentatively asked, "Mother, do you mean to refuse?"
"That Princely Heir... If he were from any ordinary noble family, I'd risk my pride to get Grandmother to agree to such a promising match. Not just in the Capital, but across the court, he is a rare find. But that's the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion! Nannan, how could your mother not be afraid?" As Mrs. Zhen spoke, her voice grew quieter, until it almost seemed like she was talking to herself.
Du Yunluo pursed her lips. So this was her mother's true feelings. When Mrs. Shi brought it up, her mother was worried, and she didn't calm down in her previous life to listen to her mother.
But the past is the past. In this life, she wanted to marry him.
Du Yunluo took a deep breath and said, "I know, in others' eyes, I'm not an ideal match either..."
"What nonsense is this!" Mrs. Zhen was anxious, "Who's been bad-mouthing again?"
Du Yunluo clasped her mother's hands earnestly, "Mother, what I mean is, even if others talk like that about me, the Marquis Mansion still had Mrs. Shi come to propose, showing they don't care about the gossip. How could we reject them based on the gossip about the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion?"
This was sheer nonsense with a straight face.
Du Yunluo knew that the Marquis Mansion sought her not because they didn't care about rumors, but because those jackals liked troublemakers like her, causing chaos in the Princely Heir's household would make those jackals happy.
And the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion was embroiled not just with gossip but with generations of blood and pain, visible to everyone in the Capital.
Families willing to marry their daughters under such circumstances were either extremely naive or looking to "sell" their daughters for advancement.
Even if Du Gongfu considered it a good match and wanted to take a gamble, he couldn't avoid being criticized behind his back.
In her past life, had it not been for the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion seeking an imperial decree, Du Gongfu would never have made up his mind.
After hearing these words, Mrs. Zhen didn't think about those things. She signaled Shui Yue to guard the outer room, held her daughter's hand tightly, and whispered, "Nannan, tell mother honestly, have you seen that Young Master?"
Du Yunluo's body stiffened. Mrs. Zhen emphasized the word "seen," making Du Yunluo realize that her mother wanted to know not if she had seen Mu Lianxiao, but if they had any untold private matters.
Even though internally Du Yunluo was like an eighty-year-old lady, she was momentarily stunned.
In her previous life, having been forced into marriage, during her return visit, Du Yunluo hadn't even had a proper conversation with Mrs. Zhen, let alone personal talk.
This was probably her first time discussing Mu Lianxiao with her mother without any grievances, calmly and peacefully.
Thinking about this, she felt a little embarrassed, not daring to show it, pretending to be serious.
"How could Mother think that way? I... How many times do I get to leave the mansion in a year? How could I have seen him?"
Mrs. Zhen acknowledged verbally, but her eyes scrutinized her daughter's expressions. Seeing her daughter's shy demeanor, she understood.
She knew her daughter well; even if she denied it verbally, the shyness on her face gave her away.
However, Du Yunluo was right; she seldom went out and shouldn't have had the chance to meet outside men.
Probably heard about him from others…
Mrs. Zhen thought, surely, with that Young Master's good looks and skills, it was only natural for young girls to talk about him. When she was young, she and her sisters also talked about such topics.
Thinking this way, she felt more at ease.
But on the other hand, except for arranged marriages or childhood sweethearts, how did young ladies have the opportunity to interact with other young men? They mostly married off upon their parents' orders, and once the veil was lifted, whether they liked each other or not, they had to accept it.
If the husband was dissatisfied, he could still have multiple wives and concubines. But for the woman, she could only endure, truly suffering.
As a mother marrying off her daughter, Mrs. Zhen didn't want Du Yunluo to suffer.
Seeing that Du Yunluo wasn't averse to Mu Lianxiao and seemed slightly fond of him, Mrs. Zhen felt the match was suitable. But upon thinking of the situation at the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, her heart sank.
Yes, Du Yunluo was young and didn't understand, but Mrs. Zhen knew, no matter how good a match, it couldn't withstand an accident, and then…
It went round and round, back to the original problem.
Mrs. Zhen lifted her hand and pressed her forehead: It's enough, she thought, even if her decision doesn't count, she'll wait until Lianfu Garden makes a decision before considering further.