Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

Chapter 776: Chapter 640

The news of Meng Qianqian’s return home quickly spread throughout the Meng Family.

Upon hearing that the esteemed son-in-law also arrived, the servants dared not speak offensively, but their legs were honest.

More people ran to see the esteemed son-in-law being troubled by Old Master Meng than to see Meng Qianqian.

Lu Yuan had lived over twenty years and had never been so embarrassed.

Shangguan Ling sighed deeply.

I’ve really lived long enough to see this.

The esteemed Grand Commander has this day too.

Satisfying indeed.

The courtyard Meng Qianqian lived in before leaving home was always kept for her, and Lady Ji frequently commanded people to clean it, keeping it spotless.

But after all those years without occupants, it inevitably became a bit damp, and soft items needed rearranging.

Lady Ji decided to let Meng Qianqian stay with her for now.

Lady Yan mumbled, "Second Sister-in-law, let Qianqian stay in my courtyard for tonight. You’re such a busy person; how can you have time to care for Qianqian?"

Lady Ji shot her a look, "You better take care of yourself. Doesn’t last time’s injury hurt?"

Meng Qianqian quickly looked at Lady Yan, "Third Aunt, where did you fall?"

Lady Yan muttered, "Second Sister-in-law really, why expose my weakness in front of the child?"

She didn’t speak.

Lady Ji explained for her, "At her old age, she still tries to climb trees like a young girl to pick peaches, fell, and landed on her bottom, lying in bed for several days, crying for father and mother, saying she’ll be paralyzed for the rest of her life."

Lady Yan was so embarrassed she wished she could find a crevice to crawl into.

Meng Qianqian couldn’t help but laugh.

She couldn’t help recalling the old General Mansion, where her mother and aunts were also very close.

The family bonds she had lost seemed to continue in another form.

A lot had happened in the Meng Family over the years, and she could tell as soon as she entered, but more important than anything, her two aunts were more concerned about her situation.

Both discreetly avoided mentioning Lu Lingxiao and the Lu Family, as if not wishing to remind her of that unbearable past heartbreak.

In truth, she didn’t care much.

But the care from family still touched her deeply.

Lady Yan said, "If you had come a day earlier, you would have met your older brother and others. They’ve gone to stay at the Yu Family."

Lady Ji said, "It’s not far, be it early or late. I’ll send someone to the Yu Family with the message, asking them to return."

Mentioning the Yu Family made the two aunts think of Yu Li, far in the capital, and asked about his situation.

"Did he really go to study at the Imperial College?"

Lady Yan inquired.

Meng Qianqian nodded.

Lady Yan asked softly, "Could it be... the esteemed son-in-law..."

Meng Qianqian understood her implication, smiled, and said, "Cousin got into the Imperial College on his own and was even taken as a student by the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer."

Lady Yan gasped, "Oh my heavens, the Yu Family has produced a genius!!"

Meng Qianqian smiled slightly, feeling proud for her cousin and happy for the Yu Family.

Suddenly, Lady Yan thought of something, her eyes turned, weakly asking, "Qianqian, in the capital, have you seen—"

Lady Ji sternly cut her off, "Is there really nothing left for you to say?"

Lady Yan pouted, "Isn’t it alright to ask?"

Meng Qianqian said boldly, "I saw them; we’ve severed ties."

Lady Yan was taken aback.

Lady Ji paused, saying, "Severing was the right choice."

Lady Yan glanced at Lady Ji in surprise, then looked at Meng Qianqian, having a thousand words in her heart but suddenly speechless.

Upon returning from the capital, Meng Tianlan shared many things that had happened there; the transformation he described of the third girl seemed like a different person compared to the former little foodie.

After a brief conversation now, the two were thoroughly convinced by Meng Tianlan’s words.

Lady Ji tightly held Meng Qianqian’s hand.

Lady Yan also took her other hand, warmly gripping it.

How great a pain must one endure to emerge transformed.

"By the way, how are Big Sister and Second Sister doing?"

Meng Qianqian smiled, changing the subject.

Lady Yan turned away to secretly wipe her tears.

Lady Ji spoke calmly, "They’ve married; their husbands are local to You State, supported by their maternal family, so life can’t be too bad. I’ll send word to your sisters and brothers-in-law later."

Meng Qianqian’s eyes sparkled with a smile, "Great, I haven’t seen Big Sister and Second Sister for so long; I truly miss them. It’s just the chance to meet my brothers-in-law too."

Lady Ji patted her hand.

She had two younger brothers: the second brother, Meng Xuan, and the youngest brother, Meng Lang.

Meng Xuan was the child of Second Uncle and Second Aunt, and Meng Lang was her father’s child with Lady Lin.

Lady Lin was a simple-hearted person, who passed when Meng Lang was ten, and Meng Lang had been raised in the third household since.

Over the years, Lady Yan had long treated Meng Lang as her own.

Both younger brothers studied at Youzhou Academy and would return home only during ten-day holidays each month.

Meng Xuan was relatively responsible.

Meng Lang was a bit unruly, skipping classes frequently; being disciplined by Third Uncle was a common occurrence.

"Isn’t it because you spoil him too much?"

Lady Ji said to Lady Yan.

Lady Yan dared not retort.

Meng Qianqian smiled slightly.

The interactions between her two aunts were truly intriguing, with Third Aunt thoroughly dominated by Second Aunt, like a little aggrieved soul.

But if observed closely enough, it wouldn’t be hard to see Second Aunt’s sternness was only in words.

Her sudden return home left the two aunts unprepared, yet a glance at Third Aunt’s attire and jewelry showed just how much Second Aunt indulged her.

Moreover, who among sisters-in-law could remain so carefree after so many years of marriage?

Even after rounds of family disputes, one couldn’t retain such straightforwardness.

Meng Qianqian recalled something Nanny Li mentioned to her.

When Third Uncle was young, he was a bit of a rogue; none could trouble Third Aunt because Second Aunt silenced them all.

Third Uncle didn’t reform without discipline from Second Uncle and Second Aunt.

When Lady Lin passed away, logically, Meng Lang should have been raised by Second Uncle and Second Aunt, but it was Second Aunt who pitied Third Aunt’s childlessness and proposed that Meng Lang be raised by Third Aunt.

"Where’s that rascal gone?"

Lady Yan looked around for Meng Lang’s figure.

Meng Qianqian asked, "Isn’t Little Brother studying at the academy?"

Lady Yan sneered, "Ha, he’d rather dogs study than he does!"

Meng Qianqian: "..."

The moon was bright and stars sparse.

Lu Yuan was still being kept outside by Old Master Meng.

Ji Li had watched the drama enough, stretched, and went to rest.

As Meng Qianqian’s friend, his treatment was much better than the pig that wrecked the family’s precious cabbage.

The Meng Family had prepared a quiet and elegant courtyard for him.

And the onlooking servants were sent away by Uncle Meng.

Only Shangguan Ling remained loyally accompanying his esteemed Grand Commander.

Unless ignoring Yu Zichuan, who was sitting on the ground polishing his bow.

Yu Zichuan had picked a perfect viewpoint to enjoy Lu Yuan’s black history.

Suddenly, in the night, a very faint murderous aura fluctuated, both present and not.

Yu Zichuan raised his eyes in confusion.

But he didn’t see anything and lowered his head to continue polishing his bow.

Lu Yuan’s right ear moved slightly.

Swish!

A hidden weapon shot forth.

"Who’s there?!"

Shangguan Ling cleaved it with his blade, only to find it was just a peach pit that had just been eaten.

An exceptionally handsome young man, dressed splendidly, lounged lazily on the branches of a sycamore tree, gazing at them with a smirk:

"You two... are my rather unimpressive and useless brothers-in-law?"