"I promise I won't do anything reckless." Lu Mingxiu pulled An Ran into his arms, turning her around so she was facing him. He chuckled deeply and said, "How about we follow the instructions in the booklet, step by step?"
An Ran decisively shut her mouth. She realized that she couldn't win an argument with Lord Lu, and if she continued, she would only entangle herself in a mess.
She'd better avoid places like the study.
"Ah—" An Ran gasped softly, startling Lu Mingxiu, who was about to hold her to sleep. "Ninth Sister, what's wrong?"
An Ran said with frustration, "Qingmei and Qingxing are still waiting for me outside, and so is Nian-ge'er... If he doesn't see me first thing tomorrow morning, he'll cry!"
“You—” Lu Mingxiu sighed helplessly and hugged her tighter. “Go to sleep, don’t think about these things. If you don’t sleep, you won’t be able to get up tomorrow morning, and everyone in the Marquis’s mansion will know that you’ve been staying in the study with me.”
That sounds like it makes some sense?
An Ran was already drowsy and nodded subconsciously, completely unaware of the flaws in Lord Lu's statement.
Leaning against Lu Mingxiu's not-so-broad chest, An Ran's eyelids gradually grew heavy, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.
Lu Mingxiu, however, was wide awake.
He opened his eyes and looked at his little wife in his arms, his gaze gradually softening.
Images of the past flashed through Lu Mingxiu's mind like a revolving lantern: his happy infancy and childhood, his loving parents, and his status as the pampered eldest son of the Marquis of Pingyuan. Then, all of this suddenly crumbled, his family destroyed and his people killed. As a young man, he went to the southwest to join the army, fighting on the battlefield amidst the clash of swords. He returned to the capital to restore the Marquis of Pingyuan's title for his father's sake. He became a powerful minister deeply trusted by the current emperor.
Many of those who had once wanted to kick Pingyuan Marquis's mansion when it was in trouble now surrounded him, cautiously and respectfully trying to curry favor. Lu Mingxiu was too lazy to pay them any attention.
Many people wanted to arrange a marriage for him, but his heart remained cold.
Feeling the person in his arms move, Lu Mingxiu quickly regained his composure and looked to see if he had woken her up.
Thankfully, her eyelashes only trembled a few times, and she remained asleep in his arms, breathing softly. Lu Mingxiu felt content; this was enough.
He never dared to hope that he could have such a happy life.
"Thank you, Ninth Sister." He lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead.
Then he closed his eyes, and all the chaotic images in his mind disappeared, replaced by An Ran's smiling face, followed by her tears, her voice softly pleading for mercy...
He held the person in his arms tightly.
******
Lu Mingxiu slept for less than an hour during the night. Fortunately, he had a day off today, so he could stay in bed and openly watch his sweetly sleeping wife.
As the daylight grew cooler, Anran, despite being exhausted from yesterday, habitually opened her eyes.
"My lord, you're still not up?" An Ran looked at Lu Mingxiu, who was still propped up on his arm and watching her, with a drowsy expression. She said in a daze, "Oh, you're off today, aren't you?"
Lu Mingxiu nodded, then chuckled softly. "You're awake."
At first, An Ran didn't realize anything was wrong. Later, she rubbed her eyes and tried to sit up, but the sight of the royal blue curtains made her pause. When had the bright red curtains in their room been removed? Wait, no, this bed isn't their canopy bed—
An Ran finally realized what had happened last night.
She... she was actually with Lu Mingxiu in the warm chamber of the study—
"Come out quickly, don't suffocate." Seeing An Ran hiding herself like an ostrich, Lu Mingxiu struggled to suppress his laughter. "Or, if Nian-ge'er comes looking for you later, I can bring him over?"
An Ran suddenly stood up and pounced on Lu Mingxiu, saying fiercely, "You're not allowed to do anything reckless!"
"Alright, as you wish, Madam." Lu Mingxiu lifted An Ran up like a radish and held her in his arms. "If Nian-ge'er asks, I'll say you're studying hard. Studying is what you do in the study, right? Seeing how diligent you are, Nian-ge'er certainly won't slack off. It'll also encourage him. A win-win situation, right?"
What kind of utter nonsense is this?!
An Ran pursed her lips.
Chapter 157
</script> Anti-theft chapter: Third Miss...Prince Cheng's heir...Is there something shady going on?
Mingwei's heart skipped a beat, and she felt extremely depressed and uneasy.
How did Mingrong and Ronghao end up together? And Mingrong should be at the Marquis of Chengping's residence, so why is she visiting the Duke of Ying's residence?
The second wife is now "resting quietly" on her country estate. Out of consideration for her being the biological mother of Mingjue and his brother, she won't be mistreated, but she will no longer have the prestige of being the second wife of the Marquis of Chengping. However, the second wife is no longer of any use to the Duke of Ying's mansion. Would the first wife of the Duke of Ying's mansion still show special favor to the second wife's illegitimate daughter?
This is so strange!
Mingwei's brows furrowed tightly, and her expression was rather unpleasant.
It was the old lady who came to her senses first. She stopped Mingwei and Rongzhen with a calm expression and said softly to Mingwei, "Your Highness, there is no need to see me off any further. After I get home, I will send someone to assure Your Highness of your safety."
The old lady's meaning was very clear; she made it obvious that she didn't want Mingwei involved.
"Grandmother!" Mingwei's face showed anxiety. Rong Hao was known for using underhanded methods, and Ming Rong was capable of anything to climb the social ladder...
Perhaps due to the exertion of half a day, Mingwei was already feeling unwell. In addition, the matter had occurred in a hurry, and Mingwei felt her temples throbbing, felt dizzy, and her stomach was churning with acid.
"Laixi, take some men and escort the old lady back." Seeing that Mingwei's expression was not good, Rong Zhen immediately said, "Take my token and go to the Prince's mansion to mobilize the guards."
"Your Highness, please don't worry." The old lady, having weathered many storms, was greatly comforted by Rong Zhen's consideration for Mingwei. She reassured Mingwei, "With the guards of the Prince's residence here, what do you have to worry about?"
The first wife and Mingxi, who were standing nearby, also reassured Mingwei.
Mingwei hesitated for a moment, but finally had no choice but to reluctantly agree. This was the best option available. The guards of the Prince's mansion only recognized Rong Zhen; if anything happened, they would only obey Rong Zhen. If anyone from the Marquis's mansion tried to cause trouble, this would serve as a deterrent.
Now that Rong Zhen has assigned Lai Xi to Ming Wei, Lai Xi will definitely favor Ming Wei. Even if a truly shameful scandal were to occur, it would be easier for Lai happy to report it upon his return.
Mingwei understood the crux of the matter and couldn't help but be moved by Rongzhen's thoughtfulness and attentiveness.