14 – By rights, tonight I should be in the same room as Zongzheng Ye.
Mother Lu stared in stunned silence, gazing at the person before her, feeling as though her daughter had become a completely different person.
“Mom, I’m so hungry. I want your fried lotus root sandwiches and scallion oil noodles!”
“Ah! Okay!”
Mother Lu snapped back to reality, then shook her head and smiled.
What was she thinking? This was her precious daughter!
…
Half an hour later, Mother Lu brought out a large plate of fried lotus root sandwiches and served two big bowls of scallion oil noodles.
Tang Tingting seemed to have caught a whiff of the delicious aroma, arriving right on time as she pushed open the door of the Lu household.
“Wow, that smells amazing!”
Like a greedy cat, Tang Tingting immediately pulled up a small stool and sat down at the little square table.
“Tingting, you sure know how to time it,” Lu Xiao Ning teased.
Tang Tingting winked. “Of course.”
Seeing the two friends chatting and laughing, Mother Lu went back to the kitchen to cut two large slices of watermelon, giving one to each of them.
“By the way, Ning Ning, what exactly happened? Why did you quit your job out of the blue?”
“I’ll tell you, but you have to stay calm and not be too shocked.”
“Pfft, what haven’t I seen? Don’t keep me in suspense!” Tang Tingting said confidently.
Lu Xiao Ning smiled faintly. “I got married. We registered a month ago, and my husband is Zong Zheng Ye!”
“Liar! Keep lying!” Tang Tingting rolled her eyes.
Lu Xiao Ning had long expected this reaction. She reached into her bag, pulled out the marriage certificate, and tossed it onto the table.
Skeptical but curious, Tang Tingting opened the marriage certificate.
When she saw Zong Zheng Ye’s photo, she stared dreamily for a long time.
“He’s so handsome. With a man like that sleeping beside me, I’d wake up laughing from my dreams.”
After sighing in admiration, Tang Tingting felt a bit regretful. “It’s a shame he’s a cripple. Ning Ning, I heard he’s paralyzed from the waist down. Is he… you know… capable?”
“Pfft!” Lu Xiao Ning took a bite of watermelon and burst out laughing.
The watermelon seeds in her mouth shot out like Qiu Qianchi spitting date pits, spraying all over Tang Tingting’s face.
Instantly, Tang Tingting looked as if she had grown freckles, her face filled with anger. “Lu! Xiao! Ning!”
“Haha, sorry, I really couldn’t help it.”
As the two playfully bickered, Mother Lu quietly picked up the marriage certificate.
“Ning Ning, your husband is the Third Highness?”
“Yes,” Lu Xiao Ning replied, still smiling.
Mother Lu stared intently at the photo for a long time before finally smiling with relief. “That’s good, Ning Ning. From now on, live well with the Third Highness. I’ve heard he’s the most outstanding among the three princes.”
“Outstanding is outstanding, but he’s still a cripple,” Tang Tingting added, twisting the knife.
“What does being a cripple matter? As long as he’s a good person and treats Ning Ning well for the rest of her life, that’s enough,” Mother Lu said earnestly.
These words surprised Lu Xiao Ning.
A month ago, when she registered her marriage with Zong Zheng Ye, hadn’t Mother Lu strongly opposed it?
Why did she now seem quite satisfied with this marriage?
“By the way, Mom, I hired a renovation team. They’ll come later to refurbish the house. I’ve already paid for it.”
“Why waste money like this when everything’s fine?” Mother Lu chided gently.
“It’s fine. After all, didn’t Zong Zheng Ye give me thirty million?”
Hearing the words “thirty million,” Tang Tingting suddenly felt the noodles in her mouth had lost their flavor.
“Wow! Third Highness is so generous? Ning Ning, I approve of this marriage! You must live happily with Third Highness!” Tang Tingting patted her chest, looking “deeply comforted.”
Lu Xiaoning: “…”
The three chatted happily, and Lu Xiaoning felt a sense of ease and joy she had never experienced in her past life.
She didn’t let Song Yiyi’s betrayal make her condemn everyone.
Tang Tingting and Song Yiyi were fundamentally different people.
“By the way, Tingting, have there been any shocking social news lately? Like dismembered female corpses or something?”
“Ugh! Lu Xiaoning! I’m eating, why are you so disgusting?” Lu Xiaoning pouted—she was just asking casually.
For the past month, she had searched online every day but found no related reports.
She wondered where her own corpse was now?
Had it long been torn apart by wild dogs?
“There’s no such perverted news! If there really were such a cruel murderer, the public would already know!” Tang Tingting said seriously.
Lu Xiaoning smiled faintly and dropped the topic.
Indeed, Zongzheng Ting was the lofty Second Prince. For him, killing someone and disposing of the body was probably an easy task.
Since he was the one who killed her, why would he let it be reported in the news? Why let the world know?
Forget it. If she couldn’t find her body, so be it.
She stayed at the Lu family home until dark, eating and drinking her fill, with no intention of leaving.
Until Gan Song called, “Imperial Consort, would you like this humble servant to send someone to pick you up? It’s unsafe for you to walk alone at night.”
“No need, I’m not a child.” Lu Xiaoning hung up, somewhat reluctant. “Mom, I have to go back.”
“Alright, be careful on the road.” Although Mother Lu was reluctant, she understood the meaning of “newlyweds.”
The young couple had just married—they were probably inseparable, right?
“Auntie, I’ll head home too.” Tang Tingting stood up and left with Lu Xiaoning.
In the long alley, the two walked hand in hand.
“Tingting, how are things with your boyfriend? Still good?”
“Pretty stable.” Tang Tingting’s eyes wavered slightly.
“If that jerk Wu Qiang dares to bully you again, tell me anytime! I have the ability to protect you now!”
Lu Xiaoning sounded like a big sister.
Tang Tingting nodded, seeming preoccupied.
Even as they walked out of the alley and Lu Xiaoning got on her motorcycle, Tang Tingting still didn’t tell the truth.
Hailing a taxi, she waved to Lu Xiaoning.
Lu Xiaoning nodded, then rode off like a gust of wind.
Watching her back, Tang Tingting felt envious.
What a woman, free as the wind!
So wonderful!
…
When Lu Xiaoning returned to the imperial retreat, the entire place was like a massive glowing body, illuminating the surrounding sky.
Indeed, the royal family was extravagant—did they not pay for electricity?
She parked her motorcycle and strode into the castle.
Gan Song and others hurried over upon hearing her arrival.
“Imperial Consort, you must be tired.”
“Imperial Consort, what service do you require? Please give your orders.”
The palace attendants eagerly gathered around.
Lu Xiaoning still wasn’t used to being served like this. She truly lacked a sense of being a master and didn’t believe royalty was inherently superior to others.
Waving her hand, she said, “No need. I’m perfectly capable on my own—no need for anyone to serve me.”
Palace attendants: “…”
So you’re saying Third Highness has difficulty walking, which is why he needs attendants?
Lu Xiao Ning swore she didn’t mean it that way.
“Ahem, I’m going upstairs. No need to follow me.”
“Yes.” The palace attendants responded and immediately dispersed.
Lu Xiao Ning held onto the winding staircase that coiled like a water snake and ascended step by step.
After climbing a few steps, she suddenly realized something.
Turning around, she called out to Gan Song, “Where will I sleep tonight?”
Previously, Zong Zheng Ye was away on business for a month, so she slept alone.
Now that he’s back, and they are husband and wife, logically, they should sleep together, right?