Chapter 424: Even Renting a Mansion Can Bring Us Together
When it was time for lunch, Lady Meng hardly wanted to touch her meal. She was eager to try the sweet treats that Bai Ruozhu had made.
It was unusual for Meng Hanhong to join the old lady at lunch, and he began to make fun of her. "Granny, you’re not getting any younger, yet you still have such a sweet tooth."
Lady Meng shot him a glance, "What do you know, kid? Food is the most important thing to people!"
Meng Hanhong scowled, "Granny, I’m not a child anymore."
People who make such statements are often still immature, thought Bai Ruozhu secretly. However, she couldn’t help but applaud the old lady’s comment "Food is the most important thing to people". It showed that Lady Meng was a foodie just like her. When a foodie meets another foodie, it was definitely mouth-watering.
No one could really control the old lady, so she tried the sweet treat that Bai Ruozhu had made. As she savored the green, plum-blossom adorned treat, she didn’t speak for a long time, elevating her brow slightly.
Bai Ruozhu’s heart fluttered. Did something offend the old lady’s palate? She had asked Nanny Lu if the old lady had any dietary restrictions. Nanny Lu had laughed and said, "The old lady has a good appetite. There’s not much she avoids eating."
Finally, Lady Meng put down her chopsticks and looked over at Bai Ruozhu. "Can you tell me what it tastes like? I can’t seem to figure it out."
Bai Ruozhu sighed in relief. So, the old lady wasn’t dissatisfied; she simply couldn’t guess the flavor.
"Let me try." Meng Hanhong picked up a piece of the green plum-blossom sweet and popped it into his mouth. However, his haste meant he failed to fully taste it.
"Huh, it’s not too sweet. Actually, it’s quite refreshing." Meng Hanhong couldn’t help but comment. He usually had no interest in sweet snacks as he found them too rich and saw them as something that women enjoyed. However, this particular sweet gave him a different impression.
Lady Meng, intrigued, looked at him and asked, "So, what flavor did you taste?"
A pink blush spread across Meng Hanhong’s face, "If Granny can’t figure it out, it’s normal that I can’t either."
As he sat next to Lady Meng, she listened to his reply and smiled before giving him a light tap, saying, "You’re always just making up excuses."
The room filled with laughter. Everyone could see that the old lady was in high spirits that day. Everyone enjoyed the playful banter between the grandmother and grandson, their moods lifting accordingly.
After laughing, Lady Meng turned to Bai Ruozhu again and said, "You tell me. I can’t figure it out."
"It has bitter gourd and honeysuckle in it. Not only does it cool you down but it also reduces inflammation and swelling," Bai Ruozhu explained.
"Bitter gourd? Isn’t that bitter?" the old lady asked, surprised.
Bai Ruozhu smiled and said, "That’s why you have to balance the proportions correctly. This dessert is very beneficial for you since it’s easily digestible. You can eat more of it. But remember, it’s just a snack, not a meal."
Lady Meng nodded and picked up another piece of the dessert to eat. She also tried another sweet treat and praised Bai Ruozhu for her ingenuity and ability to make medicinal meals. She really was a talented and thoughtful girl.
Nanny Lu nudged the old lady, reminding her that Bai Ruozhu had a child now and wasn’t a young girl anymore. Nevertheless, she didn’t mention her maiden name. Also, when Meng Liangshen introduced her earlier, he had referred to her as Miss Bai.
Seeing the old lady’s confusion, Bai Ruozhu cheerfully explained her situation of being "married to enter," and her husband’s uncertain fate. Although she spoke nonchalantly, it brought tears to the old lady’s eyes. The old lady felt so much empathy for Bai Ruozhu’s predicament that Bai Ruozhu felt a little embarrassed.
"Poor girl, your life has been hard. Well, I like you. Why don’t you have your family move to Beiyu City? I’ll arrange a place for you guys!" the old lady suggested generously.
Seeing the old lady’s candidness, Bai Ruozhu restrained her smile and said, "I cannot trouble you with arranging our living accommodations. Otherwise, people might accuse me of playing the sympathy card. Besides, I’m blessed to have guidance from an Immortal. Most people wouldn’t know how to handle such envy."
Sitting by, Meng Hanhong curiously observed Bai Ruozhu in silence. He realized that Bai Ruozhu, a woman in her situation, should be tearful all day long – whether her husband was tragically lost or he just ran away. But here she was, carefree and composed, unlike any woman he had ever met.
Take the maid Luluo in his mother’s quarters, for example. She would frequently shed secret tears just because she was not chosen to serve his mother in her room. She was always wearing a melancholy face.
In contrast, Bai Ruozhu’s situation was far graver. And so, Meng Hanhong came to a conclusion: Ah, this woman must be putting on a brave face.
With this thought, he couldn’t help but feel more compassion for Bai Ruozhu.
"As you treated me, I am supposed to pay you a fee. Consider your housing a form of payment. What’s wrong with that?" Lady Meng asked Bai Ruozhu, her eyes wide.
Panic bubbled up inside Bai Ruozhu, "We already have accommodation arrangements in mind. You really don’t need to worry about it."
"Where is your arrangement at?" the stubborn Lady persistently inquired.
Bai Ruozhu quickly mentioned the mansion near Beiyu Study Palace. Anyway, they were going to discuss the price with the landlord the next day. As soon as she said this, however, both Lady Meng and Meng Hanhong burst out laughing.
"Silly girl, that mansion is mine," Lady Meng revealed as she laughed, "I originally bought it for Hanhong to live in while studying in the Capital. But this boy didn’t get the rank of Scholar and doesn’t need to go to the academy, so we have been renting it out."
Meng Hanhong’s face dropped, "Granny, I simply wasn’t at my best, I won’t fail next time. Plus, I am still young," he retorted, clearly embarrassed.
Lady Meng ignored him and continued speaking to Bai Ruozhu, "I was actually about to negotiate the price with a family tomorrow. I never expected it to be you! Well, let’s bypass all the negotiations then. I’ll lend you the mansion instead. You can live there for as long as you want."
Bai Ruozhu was dumbstruck. She had mentioned the mansion simply to avoid taking advantage of Lady Meng’s generosity. But now, she had inadvertently stumbled upon the real owner! And if she adamantly refused now, she would risk offending Lady Meng. In the end, blushing profusely, Bai Ruozhu relented. "But I can’t possibly stay there indefinitely. After a year and a half, I will need to buy a place of my own," she hastily added.
Lady Meng dismissed her words with a wave of her hand, "Don’t bother about formalities with me. Your brother is a promising candidate, and my guess is, in a few years you will be moving to the Capital. In the meantime, you living there saves us the trouble of cleaning the empty mansion."
After hearing Lady Meng’s words, Bai Ruozhu could only express her gratitude once again. She decided she would have to repay this kindness in the future.
After leaving the old lady’s residence to meet up with her older brother and explain the situation about the old lady lending them the mansion, Bai Zepei couldn’t help but laugh. After a while he said, "It’s alright, you can live there without any worries. I’ve got it covered."
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Dear readers, there will be four updates today, the fourth one will be up later, kisses~