Chapter 126: Mother, How Did You Become Like This?
Lin Qingxu nodded and instructed Yuping beside her, “Escort Elder Madam Li Ti out properly.”
After Elder Madam Li Ti left, Lin Tingting said solemnly, “Second Sister, what is she here for? Could it be that she’s asking you for a favor? You must not agree to it. The matter with Aunt seems like the Kang Family suffered a loss, but in reality, they benefited. With the Kang Family’s background, for Kang Qihui to marry into our Lin Family, that was their good fortune from a previous life.”
“Third Sister, do you think everyone is like you, fond of climbing the social ladder?”
Lin Tingting’s face stiffened, Lin Qingxu pursed her lips and turned her head to look at the big tree in the courtyard.
She poured her a cup of tea, “Third Sister, do you know why Elder Madam Li Ti came here?”
“What else could this old hag want? Probably just to get some benefits.” Lin Tingting thought of how she had just been mocked, took the tea and drank it all in one gulp, saying fiercely.
“Third Sister, you may not know, but Elder Madam Li Ti has already arranged a marriage for Cousin Qihui in Ningnan. The other party is not from some wealthy and noble family, just a scholar, but Cousin Qihui is very satisfied with this marriage. If not for the relationship with Aunt, she wouldn’t be a concubine to someone. Elder Madam Li Ti came here because she truly cherishes this granddaughter. They are returning to Ningnan, and since Elder Sister-in-law couldn’t speak up, she asked me to take care of things.”
“Second Sister, what do you mean? Are you saying that me becoming a concubine in the Yongning Marquis Manor brings shame to you all?” Lin Tingting slammed the teacup heavily on the table, making a loud noise.
Lin Qingxu frowned and gave her a sidelong glance, “It is indeed very shameful.”
“You…”
In the past, Lin Tingting would have gone up and hit her directly, but thinking of her objective, she took a few deep breaths and endured the anger in her heart.
“Second Sister, I’m not here to quarrel with you. You must know about Mother’s matter, right?”
“Third Sister, once married, follow your husband. I advise you to mind your own business and not meddle in maternal home affairs.” Lin Qingxu picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea, saying indifferently.
“You, Elder Brother, and Second Brother are all heartless, but I’m different from you. No matter what, Mother gave birth to me and raised me, I must see her. If Second Sister won’t help with this today, I’ll crash my head and die right here.”
With that, Lin Tingting stood up and charged toward the pillar nearby.
Lin Qingxu didn’t expect Lin Tingting to do this, her face paled in fright as she set down the cup and hurriedly stepped forward to hug her waist, her voice choked with sobs, “Third Sister, what are you doing?”
No matter what, they were blood sisters; she had no reason to watch Lin Tingting crash to death in the Zhenguo Marquis Manor.
Lin Tingting seemed to have suffered great grievance, hugging Lin Qingxu back and exaggeratingly recounting how she had been driven out by Lin Feng at the Lin Family.
“Second Sister, I just want to see Mother, but they treat me like this. If I had any capability, I wouldn’t come begging you. I didn’t expect them to treat me this way. Me going to the Yongning Marquis Manor as a concubine isn’t for the Lin Family’s good.
Our Lin Family has become like that, I thought as long as I entered the Yongning Marquis Manor, even as a concubine, others would look highly on the Lin Family. Everything I do is for the Lin Family, yet they won’t even let me see Mother. Why is my life so bitter? I don’t want to live anymore. Second Sister, just let me die.”
With that, she struggled to crash into the pillar again, but Lin Qingxu held her tightly, unable to move an inch.
Lin Qingxu’s ears softened, seeing Lin Tingting like this and thinking she just wanted to see how Madam Zhou was doing and wouldn’t cause trouble, she said after a moment, “Don’t cry, I’ll take you.”
Hearing this, Lin Tingting stopped struggling and looked up, asking, “Second Sister, are you serious?”
Seeing the tears on her face, Lin Qingxu nodded, “Mm.”
“Second Sister, you’re so good.”
Lin Tingting excitedly hugged her waist, but in the place Lin Qingxu couldn’t see, she revealed a triumphant smile.
**
Lin Qingxu disguised Lin Tingting as her own maidservant, but as soon as they entered the door, they ran into Jiang Ruanxi.
“Second… Second Sister-in-law.”
Lin Qingxu felt somewhat guilty and flustered, after all, Lin Tingting was still standing behind her.
Jiang Ruanxi glanced at the maidservant behind her and smiled, “Second Sister, are you planning to visit Elder Sister-in-law?”
Lin Qingxu was so nervous her voice trembled, “Yes… yes, I received the good news early this morning that Elder Sister-in-law has given birth to a son, but there were guests at home at the time, so I came late.”
“Guests came to visit, could it be Third Sister?” Jiang Ruanxi said with a half-smile.
Lin Qingxu was not good at lying, feeling her heart pounding hard, she pretended to be calm, “How could it be, Third Sister has never come to my home.”
Jiang Ruanxi saw it all but did not expose her, “Second Sister, I was just joking with you. I happen to be going to see Elder Sister-in-law too, let’s go together.”
Lin Qingxu breathed a soft sigh of relief, pretending to be serious as she smiled, “Such jokes are not funny at all, Second Sister-in-law should not make them.”
Lin Tingting was right behind her, so scared she thought Jiang Ruanxi knew.
“Second Sister, let’s go.”
With that, ignoring Lin Qingxu, she stepped forward.
Lin Qingxu gave Lin Tingting a look behind her, then quickly followed Jiang Ruanxi.
Lin Tingting seized the opportunity and quickly slipped away out of sight.
She familiarly went to the back courtyard and found the door to the ancestral hall unexpectedly locked.
Fortunately, there was a ladder nearby; Lin Tingting didn’t suspect why there was a ladder here and climbed up, flipping into the ancestral hall.
Unbeknownst to her, everything was seen by Hong Ye, who turned away with a smile in her eyes.
Lin Tingting flipped into the courtyard and went straight to the ancestral hall.
She opened the door and was instantly stunned by the scene inside.
The room was chillingly cold, not to mention the foul stench emanating from all around, making her feel nauseous deep down.
Frowning tightly and covering her nose, she called out with disdain, “Mother, are you here?”
Lin Tingting called out, but there was no response. Just as she thought Madam Zhou was not inside, she suddenly heard rustling sounds from the back courtyard.
She hurried over and saw Madam Zhou stumbling out.
The Madam, who was usually pampered, had messy hair, was filthy all over, and her face was gaunt after just a few short days.
If not for her familiarity with Madam Zhou, she would have taken her for a street beggar.
“Mother…”
Lin Tingting burst into tears and rushed forward to hug her, but as she got close, the pungent smell from her body made disgust flash in Lin Tingting’s eyes.
She stepped back, “Mother, how did you become like this?”
“Woo woo woo…”
