“Siyue!”
Grandpa He’s face darkened.
“What kind of talk is that? Did you throw all your manners to the dogs?”
His wife had been born into a distinguished family, and she had personally raised all of their grandchildren with great care. He didn’t expect his only granddaughter to become a perfect lady from a noble household, but neither could he accept her turning out like a foul-mouthed hooligan.
He Congnan frowned deeply and shot his sister a cold glance. Just as he was about to speak, the little girl beside him gently grabbed his hand.
Lu Jinhuan quickly walked down the stairs and flashed the elders a sweet smile.
“Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, I’m sorry. I overslept. It won’t happen again.”
After saying that, she turned to He Siyue with a gentle smile.
“Thank you for the compliment, little sister. My skin really is quite nice.”
He Siyue was a typical military child. Before she turned fifteen, He Qianlin had sent her to train with female soldiers every year. As a result, her skin had become unusually rough from constant exposure to the sun.
No matter how many cosmetics she had used over the years, nothing could undo the damage.
So whenever she saw Lu Jinhuan’s fair, smooth, dewy complexion, she couldn’t help feeling envious.
“Tch! What are you so proud of? Isn’t it just because you have a seductive face? Let me give you some advice using your looks to please a man will never last. A woman still needs a good family background.
Otherwise, when your beauty fades, what will you rely on to secure your place in your husband’s family?”
Lu Jinhuan smiled as gently as ever.
“If you’re going to rely on your looks, you have to have good looks first. Siyue, you should really thank Grandpa, Grandma, and your parents for giving you such an excellent family background. Otherwise… you wouldn’t have anything at all.
As for how I choose to live, you don’t need to concern yourself with it.”
He Siyue froze.
She had never expected this woman, who looked as soft and harmless as a little bun, to dare speak to her like this in front of the entire family.
“Lu Jinhuan, have you lost your mind? This is my home! Who do you think you are to lecture me?”
Lu Jinhuan’s expression turned serious, but she showed no fear.
“I’m not lecturing you. Including today, we’ve only met three times. I honestly don’t know why you’re so hostile toward me. Or is this simply the way you normally speak to people?”
“Enough!”
He Congnan pulled his little wife behind him. His expression was as cold as the dead of winter.
“He Siyue, you’re mistaken.
This isn’t your home. This is the He family.
You’re a married daughter now. You’re no longer a member of this household you are a guest.
Huan’er, however, is now my wife. She is part of the He family.
If you behave yourself, the doors of the He family will always be open to you. But if you insist on stirring up trouble in this family, then don’t come back again.”
He Siyue felt utterly wronged.
Was a woman from such an ordinary family really worth her eldest brother protecting like this?
“Y-You…”
“Siyue.”
Grandma He, who had remained silent until now, interrupted her granddaughter.
“Your grandfather and I are going out later. If there’s nothing else, you should head home first. When Grandma misses you in a few days, I’ll call you. Then you can come visit your grandfather and me.”
He Siyue’s eyes widened in shock.
What did Grandma mean?
Was she saying that if Grandma didn’t call, she wasn’t allowed to come back to her parents’ home anymore?
“Grandma, I’m your biological granddaughter!”
Grandma He smiled kindly.
“I never said you weren’t. It’s just that Grandma is getting old. I don’t want to see this family filled with quarrels and unpleasantness anymore. Your grandfather and I only hope our family can live together in harmony.”
Jiang Yun knew her mother-in-law extremely well.
Whenever Grandma He wore that faint smile that wasn’t quite a smile, it meant she was already very angry. The only reason she wasn’t losing her temper was because she was trying to spare the other person’s dignity.
“Siyue, go home for now. Since you’re married, you should devote more attention to your own family. Before you married Xiaosong, weren’t you with him every single day?
Now that you’re married, why have you become so distant from him instead?”
For the first time in her life, He Siyue had been publicly embarrassed by the people closest to her.
Overwhelmed by humiliation and anger, she shot Lu Jinhuan who still looked completely innocent a vicious glare. Without saying goodbye to anyone, she turned and ran out.
Lu Jinhuan stood there awkwardly.
Although she hadn’t started the argument, it had indeed escalated because of her.
“Grandpa, Grandma, Mom… I’m sorry…”
“What does this have to do with you?” He Congnan couldn’t stand seeing his little wife lower herself like this not even in front of his own family.
Hearing that, Lu Jinhuan quickly gave his hand a discreet tug, signaling him not to defend her anymore.
After all, no mother wanted to see her son become estranged from his own family because of his wife.
Sure enough, Jiang Yun’s expression had turned rather unpleasant.
Having learned from childhood how to read people’s expressions, Lu Jinhuan immediately noticed her mother-in-law’s mood. She quickly approached her with a bright smile.
“Mom, I’d like to go shopping at the department store, but I don’t have a very good eye for choosing things. Would you and Grandma come with me? Is that okay?”
Jiang Yun was genuinely surprised by Lu Jinhuan’s attitude.
Even after her son had defended her so openly, she was still willing to lower herself like this.
If it had been her second daughter-in-law instead, she probably would have been unbearably smug by now.
“All right. Let’s go together.”
Grandma He watched the scene with a warm smile, very pleased with her new granddaughter-in-law’s handling of the situation.
Since Grandma He wanted to go shopping, Grandpa He naturally accompanied her. Ever since retiring, he had rarely spent time apart from his wife.
The whole family arrived at the department store.
At first, Jiang Yun felt a little restrained around her new daughter-in-law. But Lu Jinhuan’s sweet tongue quickly won her over. No matter which outfit Jiang Yun tried on, Lu Jinhuan sincerely complimented her in exactly the way she liked to hear.
Before long, both Jiang Yun and Grandma He were beaming with delight.
Neither of them lacked money, so they soon bought quite a few new outfits.
He Congnan, meanwhile, grew increasingly anxious.
He wanted his little wife to help pick out a few clothes for him as well, but every time he tried to speak, Lu Jinhuan stopped him with a meaningful look.
Grandpa He noticed everything and couldn’t help leaning toward his eldest grandson.
“Stay out of women’s business. Your wife is a smart girl. She won’t let herself suffer.”
Sure enough, once Jiang Yun and Grandma He had finished buying clothes for themselves, they immediately began choosing outfits for Lu Jinhuan.
Lu Jinhuan’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.
“Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Grandma. I’ll love anything you buy for me”
[Little Huan’er, you’re so good at acting cute! Look at them the women of the He family have been completely charmed by you!]
Lu Jinhuan rubbed her nose.
“What else could I do? No matter how spoiled He Siyue is, she’s still Mom’s biological daughter. I just married into this family, and on the very first day we already had a conflict. If I don’t smooth things over now, how am I supposed to live with everyone in the future?”
[Exactly. No matter how much your husband protects you, he can’t stay by your side twenty-four hours a day. Building a good relationship with the He family’s elders is absolutely necessary.]
The family shopped until the department store closed.
By then, it was already dinnertime.
Grandma He was in an exceptionally good mood that day, so she generously treated her daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law to dinner at a restaurant.