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"Mother! What's wrong?" Fu Hui followed Madam Fan all the way to the main hall, only to suddenly realize that this was where the male guests were seated. She was immediately stunned. She felt a bit confused, why did Mother-in-law call me to the male guest section? Does she want me to go in and offer toasts to these male guests? But wouldn't that bring shame to the Fan family? Fu Hui was quite perplexed but also made up her mind that if her mother-in-law truly made such a request, she would absolutely refuse!
"Stand here and see who's missing from this banquet," Madam Fan pursed her lips and asked Fu Hui.
"Who's missing from the banquet?" Fu Hui was momentarily stunned, then quickly craned her neck to peer inside. She saw Wei Tingyu seated at the main guest's table, with two Fan family maids pouring wine and serving dishes for him. The surrounding guests were busy flattering him, but Wei Tingyu maintained a poker face, completely unfazed by their attempts. Her father-in-law was also there... and those two young noble sons seemed to be there too... And who else...?
Fu Hui suddenly shuddered, realizing that her nominal husband, that troublesome brat Fan Lianghan, was actually absent! Oh, right! Another person was also missing: Fan Lianghan's cousin, Chai An! This person had also come to the banquet today! However, Fu Hui had no interactions with him, having only met him a few times and exchanged greetings. But she harbored a strong dislike for Chai An, because this fellow was simply too fond of showing off! The Chai clan was a royal family from the previous dynasty, and this dynasty had granted them preferential treatment, ensuring their descendants lifelong wealth and sustenance from the imperial court's stipends. Logically, their status should be quite high, but that was merely nominal. After all, while the imperial court supported these Chai family members, it also kept a close watch on them, preventing any mischief! As a result, these Chai descendants had no hope of entering the imperial court for official advancement. And their heads were constantly held in the hands of the court; even the slightest hint of trouble could lead to their immediate elimination. This was also why the Chai family was associated with the Fan family, for in these times, which respectable ducal or marquisate family would be willing to intermarry with merchants?
Of course, Wei Tingyu was an exception; he never followed the rules of this world! And this Chai An was also a very boastful person. Fu Hui had previously had two disagreements with Fan Lianghan due to her dissatisfaction with his actions, and the Chai fellow had come to lecture her. Fu Hui knew in her heart that her nominal husband's current predicament was largely due to Chai An! When they were out carousing, the two were often inseparable! So, although Chai An outwardly pretended to be righteous and selfless, in reality, his petty calculations were definitely far more numerous than Fan Lianghan's! He was simply good at concealing them! Now, with both cousins absent from the main hall, something was definitely amiss!
"Do you see it now?" Madam Fan saw Fu Hui standing there stunned, then nodded and said with a frown, "As the legitimate wife of our Fan family, how can you not properly advise your husband?"
"How can your husband dare not attend the main banquet even with the Marquis present? Does he have no regard for the Fan family's honor and reputation?"
"Now Dalang has disappeared to who knows where! Even Master Chai is nowhere to be seen! It's all because you, the legitimate wife, have not fulfilled your duty!"
"You go find Dalang immediately and call him back to the banquet!" Madam Fan barraged her daughter-in-law Fu Hui with accusations, then turned and flicked her sleeve, leaving.
"Isn't that your son? Now that he's so badly behaved, isn't it the result of your indulgence?" Fu Hui watched her mother-in-law's retreating figure, unable to stop complaining inwardly! However, she also knew that Madam Fan dared to push all the blame onto her because even the Marquis couldn't find fault with this matter. After all, in this world, when a married man makes a mistake, it's always blamed on his wife not being virtuous enough. Despite the Marquis being good to the Li family, she had already married into the Fan family and essentially had no relation to the Li family anymore. Moreover, a mother-in-law asking her daughter-in-law to find her son was not an excessive request. However, at this moment, Fu Hui felt incredibly wronged. What good would it do to find that fellow Fan Lianghan? I feel disgusted just looking at him! Now he's probably with that show-off Chai An, up to who knows what! Originally, out of sight, out of mind, would have been fine, but her mother-in-law was forcing her to find him... Thinking of this, Fu Hui immediately felt aggrieved, and her nose tingled as two streams of clear tears flowed uncontrollably. However, at this moment, she didn't want to lose face in front of so many guests, so she quickly turned her head and wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, then left the main hall.
Of course, this scene was fully observed by Wei Tingyu, who was seated at the main table. He had even heard the entire conversation between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Even as a man, he could empathize with Fu Hui's current sense of grievance! After all, in this era, there were simply too many strange mothers-in-law, and excellent daughters-in-law like He Weifang or Fu Hui were more likely to suffer injustice! Furthermore, Wei Tingyu was bound to take the Li family sisters into his household sooner or later, so how could he stand by idly while this young mistress Fu Hui was so upset?
Thinking of this, Wei Tingyu directly rose and excused himself to those around him, saying he couldn't hold his liquor and wished to take a stroll. Other guests who wanted to accompany Wei Tingyu were refused one by one, and combined with his cold demeanor throughout the banquet, they assumed it was just his nature. So, everyone didn't insist further and continued the banquet merrily after Wei Tingyu left.
"Your own son is useless, and you can't even control him! Yet you want me to do it!" Fu Hui stood aggrieved in front of the flower bushes in the courtyard, plucking off the petals of a flower one by one in her hand, muttering softly. "If I could control him! I'd rather have Fan Lianghan call me 'mother' from now on!"
"That Chai fellow isn't any good either! If I go now, I might have to listen to another one of his lectures!"
"He always wears that arrogant Chai clan look on his face! So annoying!"
...At this moment, Fu Hui didn't even notice that a figure had quietly arrived behind her.
Wei Tingyu couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing Fu Hui's complaints. This young woman was not much older than her sisters. If judged by modern standards before Wei Tingyu's transmigration, she hadn't even reached the legal marriage age. To put it plainly, she was still just a girl! It was only after donning the high chignon that she bore the responsibility of advising her husband! But for Fu Hui, the Fan family's responsibility was indeed too heavy! From behind, Fu Hui's figure appeared very slender, even thin! This couldn't help but evoke a sense of pity in Wei Tingyu's heart.
Thinking of this, Wei Tingyu suddenly felt a mischievous urge to tease her. He immediately reached out and lightly tapped Fu Hui's left shoulder, then moved himself to her right rear. Fu Hui instinctively turned her head to the left, but found no one, and immediately became confused. Was it just my imagination? However, before she could react, she suddenly heard a soft cough from her right. Not an illusion! There really is someone! Fu Hui's heart jumped. After all, if her in-laws had heard her complaints just now, that would have been terrible. She quickly turned to the right, and as soon as she turned, she saw Wei Tingyu standing right in front of her.
"Ah?" Fu Hui was startled, for she had never dreamed that the Marquis, whom she had been thinking about so much, would appear behind her! The most critical thing was that after this abrupt turn, the distance between them was only half a step! In her startled state, Fu Hui instinctively took a step back, but forgot that directly behind her was a low flower bush. Her entire body tripped over the bushes, and she immediately lost her balance, falling backward into the flowers!
Wei Tingyu, of course, couldn't let this young woman fall so awkwardly in front of him. So, without a word, he stepped forward and embraced Fu Hui's slender waist. In fact, with Wei Tingyu's agility, he could have easily pulled Fu Hui's soft hand and lifted her effortlessly. But at this moment, it was clearly unnecessary to be mindful of these strict social boundaries between men and women! So, in that flash of lightning, their posture became an ambiguous one, with Fu Hui half-leaning in Wei Tingyu's arms, her slender waist embraced by him! And Wei Tingyu also knew that one should not rush things. He simply held Fu Hui like that, making no further moves. After a few seconds of silence, they slowly straightened up, and only then reluctantly released the soft, fragrant beauty from his embrace!
"..." Only after Wei Tingyu released her did Fu Hui finally react. She cautiously glanced at him, seeing his clear eyes and a faint smile playing on his lips. Only then did she let out a heavy breath, then, with a flushed face, she lowered her head to tidy her skirt and hairpins. But honestly, given their current situation... if a third person suddenly appeared and saw this scene, coupled with the half-toppled flower bushes from Fu Hui's body, they would definitely assume that some intense "exchange" had just occurred in the flower bushes... Of course, Wei Tingyu would never joke with Fu Hui's reputation! He had confirmed that there were no outsiders nearby with his excellent hearing before doing so.
"Marquis!" Fu Hui quickly finished tidying her dress and hairpins, then bowed slightly to Wei Tingyu and said, "Why are you not in the main hall attending the banquet?"
"I was in the main hall!" Wei Tingyu looked at Fu Hui, who seemed to be in the throes of first love, and smiled, nodding, "But I seemed to hear a young woman weeping here! This Marquis takes pity on beauties, so I came to see..."
"Ah..." Fu Hui's face instantly turned crimson upon hearing Wei Tingyu's words! This was simply too embarrassing! It seemed her earlier complaints and awkwardness had all been seen by the Marquis?! Both men and women essentially care about their reputation, especially in front of someone they secretly admire. Fu Hui especially didn't want Wei Tingyu to see her in such a disheveled state, or being bullied in her maternal home. Her little eyes immediately turned red.
"Why is Lady Fu Hui weeping?" Wei Tingyu quickly asked upon seeing this scene. He was afraid that she might suddenly break down emotionally and truly start crying loudly here, which would certainly create a spectacle. "Why don't you tell this Marquis? Perhaps this Marquis can help you."
"Marquis... are you willing to hear my story?" Fu Hui was stunned, hardly believing her ears! One must know that in the two years since she married into the Fan family, she and Fan Lianghan had barely exchanged a few words beyond quarrels and scolding! Let alone hoping for him to listen to her inner thoughts! Now, the highly placed Marquis Jining was showing such concern for a humble woman like herself? Fu Hui was immediately even more deeply moved. Most importantly, Wei Tingyu had just said he could help her! One must know what great encouragement and comfort those words were to Fu Hui, who had been isolated and helpless in this deep courtyard for two years! Indeed, there were still good husbands in this world worthy of trust! It was just a pity that she hadn't been fated to meet one before! And even now that she had met one, she was already a married woman!
"...These are merely household matters of a young woman; I wouldn't dare trouble the Marquis with them!" Thinking of this, Fu Hui immediately felt self-pitying again. She gently shook her head and said, "This humble woman still has matters to attend to; I shall take my leave now!"
At this moment, Fu Hui was undoubtedly feeling inferior when facing Wei Tingyu! Her feelings for this Marquis Jining, who had suddenly entered her life, were complex. On one hand, she greatly admired and appreciated him, but on the other hand, she dared not see him as her savior. After all, if it was just her own one-sided affection, it would make Fu Hui feel too ashamed to face him. At this moment, she preferred to maintain her dignity, at least letting Wei Tingyu see her composed side, making him believe that she was doing quite well here.
After saying these words, Fu Hui merely bowed slightly to Wei Tingyu, then turned to leave. However, she had barely taken two steps when she heard Wei Tingyu's voice again from behind her.
"Lady Fu Hui!" Wei Tingyu spoke, looking at Fu Hui's back, "Many things in life are often beyond one's control, but the biggest difference between people is not the arrangement of fate, but making the wrong choice at important junctures!"
Fu Hui's body trembled violently upon hearing this sentence, her delicate frame actually quivering! Because she had understood the meaning behind Wei Tingyu's words! Was what she was facing right now not a moment of choice? Wei Tingyu had already made it very clear that if she spoke, he would be willing to help her. But if she refused, then no one else in this world could help her! Perhaps... this truly was an opportunity to change her destiny? Thinking of this, Fu Hui's heart actually began to beat faster and faster! This Fan family courtyard was like a cage! But what if she had a chance to fly out?!
Yes! That's right! In the past, she had always followed others' arrangements! When her mother found her this marriage with the Fan family, she didn't hesitate and entered the palanquin. Fu Hui certainly didn't blame her mother, because she had tried her best to find a good path for her. She had once thought this was just her fate, but now Wei Tingyu seemed to be offering her another path she could choose.
Oh, right! I am Fu Hui! I am the Li family's Second Daughter! Who in the entire Eastern Capital's merchant community didn't know the title of "the Li clan's six tigers"? How had she, after two years in the Fan Residence, truly become a little kitten?
"Marquis, please hear me!" Thinking of this, Fu Hui actually took a deep breath, then turned and walked straight back to Wei Tingyu's front, and directly knelt down. Wei Tingyu did not immediately help her up at this moment but listened as Fu Hui, kneeling before him, began to recount her misfortunes of the past two years in the Fan family courtyard. Of course, past events were mostly glossed over in a few sentences; the main focus was on the grievances she had suffered these past two days. Especially the matter of her mother-in-law asking her to call Fan Lianghan out to attend the banquet, Fu Hui particularly emphasized the reasons why she felt troubled and wronged.
"...That's how things are; this humble woman doesn't know what to do!" After saying everything, Fu Hui felt incredibly light! After so long, she finally had someone to whom she could freely pour out her dissatisfaction, unhappiness, and insecurities.
"I thought it was something serious!" Wei Tingyu chuckled, then extended his left hand to Fu Hui, saying, "Lady, please rise first. This Marquis will take care of this matter for you!"
Fu Hui was first stunned at seeing Wei Tingyu's left hand extended towards her, then a hint of shyness flashed in her eyes. Then, she actually took the initiative to gently place her right hand in his left. And with his gentle support, Fu Hui slowly rose to her feet. And after gracefully standing, their hands did not separate! Fu Hui felt a little embarrassed and tried twice to withdraw her soft hand, but Wei Tingyu certainly wouldn't give her that chance. Every time she tried to withdraw, he tightened his grip even more! Fu Hui noticed this and simply let him hold her hand...