Xie Wantang lowered her head, looking at the gray apron lying right at her feet.
Just look at this—
Is this the so-called quality of a wealthy family’s lady?
Throwing the apron like that—who does she think she’s insulting?
Xie Wantang chuckled softly. She had no intention of following Mrs. Lu’s orders to go to the kitchen and wrap some damn wontons. If someone’s son wants to eat them, let his own mother wrap them. What kind of skill is it to boss others around?
Besides, she wasn’t a servant in this household.
And she certainly had no intention of picking up the apron from the floor.
If you really think about it, this shouldn’t be blamed entirely on Mrs. Lu. After all, it was Xie Wantang herself who had spoiled Mrs. Lu in the past.
In the past, every time she came to the old mansion for a meal, no matter who in the Lu family wanted to eat something she personally cooked—whether they genuinely meant it or not—as long as they asked, she would go to the kitchen and make it.
Even if she was hungry herself, she would still make whatever they wanted.
Back then, Mrs. Lu would often hand her the apron by either throwing or dropping it. Every time, Xie Wantang would bend down and pick it up from the floor.
Thinking back carefully, it seemed there really wasn’t a single time when she received the apron directly from Mrs. Lu’s hands.
Mrs. Lu acted as if she couldn’t hold the thing steady. If she couldn’t hold it steady, why bother picking it up in the first place?
Since she liked throwing and dropping things so much, starting today, she’d have to learn to pick them up herself.
If she didn’t pick it up, then whoever wanted to could do it.
In any case, Xie Wantang wasn’t going to.
Xie Wantang stood ramrod straight. Seeing that she had no intention of bending down to pick up the apron, Mrs. Lu was about to say something else when Xia Meng walked over, holding Dongdong’s little hand. As if intentionally, yet seemingly unintentionally, she stepped on the apron.
Acting as if she hadn’t noticed, Xia Meng smiled and spoke to Xie Wantang, “Wantang, you’ve really worked hard. Dongdong is just like this—if he wants to eat something, he insists on having it, and if he doesn’t get it, he’ll cry. I know wrapping wontons is quite troublesome.”
“Dongdong, come on, let’s thank Auntie Wantang. In a little while, Auntie Wantang will wrap delicious little wontons for you.”
“Hurry, say thank you, Auntie.”
“Thank you, Auntie,” Dongdong mimicked in a sweet, childish voice.
Xie Wantang remained unmoved and said, “Well, I’m really sorry, Miss Xia. I applied nail polish when I went out today, and the smell hasn’t faded yet. You should wrap the wontons for your son yourself.”
Xie Wantang directly refused. After speaking, she turned to leave.
Mrs. Lu wouldn’t let her go so easily. “What does nail polish have to do with anything? We have gloves at home. Nanny Liu, find a pair of gloves for Xie Wantang.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Nanny Liu, stop.” Xie Wantang called out to Nanny Liu in time. She turned to look at Mrs. Lu, glanced at Xia Meng, and then lowered her gaze to Dongdong, who was staring at her with innocent, guileless eyes.
She really didn’t want to play the villain in front of a child and scare Dongdong.
After all, she had a little baby in her own belly.
She really wanted to pay attention to prenatal education.
But if some people just couldn’t understand plain language, why should she care so much?
“My dear mother-in-law, Miss Xia, are the two of you as intelligent as three-year-olds? The nail polish was just an excuse. I said I’m not wrapping the wontons. He calls me Auntie, not Mom.”
“If someone’s son wants to eat something, shouldn’t his own mother make it? If you want someone else to do it, then have your son call that person Mom instead.”
“Now, do you understand? Do I need to explain further?”
“……”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the Lu family except Old Mrs. Lu was stunned.
None of them had expected that Xie Wantang—who had always been gentle, obedient, sensible, and would do whatever she was told, even taking initiative without being asked—would actually resist?
She refused to do what she was told?
What did she mean by this?
Seeing both of them fall silent, Xie Wantang counted to three in her head. When it seemed they had understood and likely had nothing more to say, she turned and walked away.
She glanced around the room and saw that, aside from the smile on Old Madam’s face, the expressions of the other Lu family members were tinged with varying degrees of shock and disbelief.
Well, she could understand them.
After all, she was a stark contrast to the former “Lu Xie Wantang.”
Lu Xie Wantang had been obedient, sensible, mature, considerate, polite, and practically indulged them in every way.
After more than three years as Lu Xie Wantang, she had almost forgotten that her real name was simply Xie Wantang, not Lu Xie Wantang.
It was true that she loved Lu Yanshen, but she wasn’t so lovestruck as to have no desires or demands of her own.
Any relationship had to be a two-way street.
If only one side made the effort, it wouldn’t last.
She had persisted for over three years through her own efforts, and that was enough.
Lu Yanshen’s face was ashen.
Mrs. Lu’s expression was even more severe.
Xia Meng stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to say.
The Xie Wantang before her was nothing like the homemaker Mrs. Lu and Lu Rourou had described—someone skilled at managing the household, gentle, even-tempered, and always ready to fulfill any request.
“Tangtang, come here, sit by Grandma,” Old Mrs. Lu beckoned to Xie Wantang.
“Alright, Grandma.” It was only now, after being in the old residence for so long, that Xie Wantang showed her first genuine smile.
She pulled a banana from the fruit basket on the table, peeled it herself, broke it in half, and shared it with Old Mrs. Lu. “Grandma, let’s eat this banana together.”
“Good,” Old Mrs. Lu chuckled as she accepted the half Xie Wantang handed her.
“Waaah, waaah…”
The peaceful atmosphere between grandmother and granddaughter was interrupted by a child’s crying. Dongdong’s sudden wails made Xia Meng’s heart ache as she picked up her son. With reddened eyes, she looked at Mrs. Lu and said, “Auntie, since someone clearly doesn’t welcome us, my son and I should leave.”
Xie Wantang knew that the “someone” in Xia Meng’s words was a blatant, thinly veiled reference to her.
In the past, she might have let it slide.
But now, Xie Wantang had no intention of swallowing this indirect insult. Just as she was about to stand up, Lu Yanshen beside her pressed down on her wrist. “It really isn’t suitable for the two of you to be here today. I’ll have Pei Xiao take you home.”
Lu Yanshen’s words made the tears Xia Meng had forced out cling stubbornly to the corners of her eyes.
They wanted to fall, but her tear ducts suddenly stopped supplying more, leaving them unable to roll down.
Xia Meng never expected that Lu Yanshen would actually want her to leave.
Why?
Because of Xie Wantang?
“Yanshen, what kind of thing is that to say?” Mrs. Lu was displeased that her son was trying to send Xia Meng and her child away and glared at him.
Lu Yanshen released Xie Wantang and calmly explained, “I’ve notified the Xie family. They know Xie Wantang has been found and are on their way here. There are some things that would be inconvenient to discuss with Xia Meng present.”
“Oh, is that so?” Realizing she had misunderstood her son, Mrs. Lu softened her tone.
After hearing Lu Yanshen’s explanation, Xia Meng’s expression softened and looked much better.
This time, she willingly carried Dongdong and left.
Less than ten minutes after Pei Xiao drove Xia Meng and her son away, the Xie family’s car arrived.
Xie Wantang’s biological parents and her sister Xie Bailu had all been invited over by Lu Yanshen.
Xie Wantang looked at them with an indifferent expression.
She was a bit puzzled—why had Lu Yanshen called them here?
This couple still lacked the authority to try and control her.