Chapter 16: Mother Is Right
Thinking of such a clever child as her own grandson, Madam Zhou felt even more fondness for him in her heart.
“Daughter-in-law from my nephew’s side, I see that the Marquis and your mother-in-law quite like this child, and besides, the child is quite pitiful. Why don’t you just adopt him over?”
At this time, Madam Zhou’s own younger sister, that is, Lin Ningkun’s aunt, Madam Kang spoke up.
In her previous life, this Madam Kang had caused her quite a bit of embarrassment in the Lin Family many times.
Jiang Ruanxi stepped forward with a smile and said, “Look at what Aunt is saying. I’m still young, and the Marquis is still here. I can still have my own child in the future. Everyone just heard the child say that his mother resembles the Heir Apparent’s Wife and has even more fate with the Heir Apparent’s Wife. She should like the Heir Apparent’s Wife to be her mother even more, and I wouldn’t want to separate the child from her. I’ve thought that adopting him to the Heir Apparent’s Wife would be more appropriate.”
Hearing this, Jiang Xuerou looked at Jiang Ruanxi in disbelief, her face turning pale, her body swaying unsteadily.
Seeing this, Madam Wei quickly took her hand and gave her a look, signaling her not to lose her composure.
Seeing Jiang Xuerou’s reaction, everyone thought she was frightened.
After all, she was a woman who had never given birth to a child. She had come to offer congratulations, only to be saddled with a stepson. Everyone sympathized with her in their hearts, but no one stood up to speak for her.
Madam Kang’s face also turned ugly. She had never expected the usually meek Jiang Ruanxi to embarrass her like this, and she glared at her fiercely.
When Madam Zhou heard that her grandson was to be given away, her face also changed, and she immediately spoke up to rebuke Jiang Ruanxi, “How can you speak like that, child? Your aunt was just joking. This child was brought back by the Marquis, the orphan left behind by the Marquis’s close friend. He is definitely going to keep him by his side and raise him well.”
The implication was that this child would stay in the Marquis Manor and go nowhere else.
Being publicly reprimanded, Jiang Ruanxi was not angry. “Mother is right, but I know the Marquis brought him back originally wanting him to have a better future. I feel that if this child goes to Zhenguo Marquis Manor, he would have a better future than in our Marquis Manor, so that’s why I made this suggestion.”
Everyone had just thought Jiang Ruanxi was being aggressive, but now after she spoke, they all felt she was quite right.
Now that Zhenguo Marquis Manor’s Heir Apparent was gone, if Lin Xiao went to Zhenguo Marquis Manor, then in the future after the old Marquis died, he could inherit the Marquis Manor’s noble title.
Whereas in Dingning Marquis Manor, if Jiang Ruanxi gave birth to a son later, it would be impossible for Lin Xiao to inherit the noble title.
Madam Zhou’s mouth twitched. If Lin Xiao were not her grandson, she would raise both hands and feet in approval of this, but now that she knew Lin Xiao was her own grandson, how could she let the Lin Family’s flesh and blood go to someone else’s home?
So, she lifted the teacup by her hand and slammed it hard on the table, some tea spilling out, but she didn’t care at all.
“This matter needs no further discussion. The Marquis promised his deceased close friend that he would raise his son well and cultivate him to become talented in the future. We’ve made a promise to people, and then turn around and send him to someone else’s home—wouldn’t that make us break our word?”
Jiang Ruanxi was not frightened at all, and the expression on her face did not change in the slightest.
“How is this sending him away, Mother? If the child goes there, he would be Second Sister’s grandson. I believe Second Sister will take good care of him.”
Zhenguo Marquis Manor would then have an heir, and Zhenguo Marquis Manor’s collateral relatives would no longer make a fuss.
The key point was that Zhenguo Marquis Manor’s Wangfei was Lin Ningkun’s sister, so both by emotion and reason, she would take good care of Lin Xiao.
This way, it could solve the issue of where Lin Xiao would go, and also help her own daughter. To bystanders, this seemed like the best choice no matter how they looked at it.
But Madam Zhou was so angry her face turned green.
The fact that Lin Xiao was her own grandson, she couldn’t say it out loud, but she also had no reason to refute Jiang Ruanxi, so she could only glare at Jiang Ruanxi fiercely.
“I also think my nephew’s daughter-in-law’s idea is good. This way, it can help Qing Xu and also give this child a good placement.” At this time, an aunt from the Lin Family spoke up.
Hearing this, Madam Zhou was so angry she nearly fainted.
Jiang Ruanxi remained unmoved and even felt an indescribable relief in her heart. Pretending not to see, she stood calmly to the side.
Jiang Xuerou’s face also began to turn pale, as if she were being roasted over a fire, feeling utterly uncomfortable, but unable to let out a single cry of pain.
“Zhenguo Marquis Manor’s affairs are theirs to decide. As outsiders, if we casually push a child on them, will others acknowledge it? So let’s not say more about this. If outsiders hear, who knows how they’ll laugh at us? Besides, if their Marquis Manor wants to adopt a child, they would also need to find one they’re satisfied with themselves.”
Madam Wei, who had been silent all along, stepped forward.
These words also sobered everyone present.
Madam Zhou looked at her gratefully, as if finding a way out, and quickly chimed in, “My relative is right. Let’s not talk about this matter anymore. As for Xiao Ge’er’s placement, the Marquis will decide. Isn’t that right, daughter-in-law?”
Madam Zhou bit down hard on the last two words “daughter-in-law.”
Jiang Ruanxi glanced indifferently at Madam Zhou and Madam Wei, smiled, and said, “Mother is right. Adopting a child is a big matter, and it still needs to depend on the Marquis’s intentions, but they also need to find one they’re satisfied with themselves.”
These words with double meaning made both Madam Zhou and Madam Wei’s faces change. Madam Zhou knew some things couldn’t be rushed now and didn’t want others to see their Marquis Manor’s jokes.
She changed the subject, “Let’s talk about this matter later. I see it’s about time, time to start the banquet. Daughter-in-law, go to the front hall and check.”
“Mother is right. I’ll go to the front right now.”
After Jiang Ruanxi left, Madam Zhou then called everyone to the front hall.
Walking at the very back, Jiang Xuerou thought of the dangerous situation just now, and the paleness on her face had not yet eased.
Madam Wei took her hand and patted the back of her hand, comforting her, “Xue’er, don’t be afraid. Everything still has Mother here.”
Jiang Xuerou nodded, her eyes reddening, tears instantly flowing down her cheeks. With a face full of grievance, she said, “Mother, why does big sister have to treat me like this? Could it be that she knows something?”
As she spoke, the tears flowed even faster.
Madam Wei felt unsure in her heart too, but today’s Jiang Ruanxi was really too abnormal.
But seeing her beloved daughter, whom she cherished in the palm of her hand, looking scared and wronged, she suppressed the suspicion in her heart and raised her hand to wipe her tears.
With a gentle face, she said, “Xue’er, don’t overthink it. We’ve hidden it so well. She’s just jealous of you, so she’s deliberately targeting you. Don’t take today’s matter to heart. Everything still has us.”
Jiang Xuerou blinked her reddened eyes, her voice hoarse, “Mother, thank you for helping me. But I really don’t want to go back to Zhenguo Marquis Manor. The Heir Apparent is gone, they’re all bullying me, I don’t want to go back.”
As she spoke, the tears that had stopped a little began flowing even more fiercely again.
