Chapter 468 - 470: Doctor’s Wife Teaches a Lesson
Bai Ruozhu could feel that Lady Meng didn’t like her. She had a faint impression from their first meeting, but at that time she just thought it was because the city’s mistress had a too serious personality. However, now it appeared she genuinely didn’t like her.
Lady Meng’s face seemed more impassive and longer. She even showed a look of disdain when she saw the old lady and the others eating fried chicken with their hands.
Yu Hongxiu nervously put down her chicken, quickly wiped her hands with a cloth, stood up, and paid respect to the Lady, "Greetings, Madam."
As she said this, she gave Bai Ruozhu a look, indicating for her to quickly pay her respects as well.
Bai Ruozhu had no choice but to hold Dengdeng, stand up, and bow, saying, "Greetings to the Madam."
The old lady ignored her eldest daughter-in-law, continuing to enjoy her chicken wing with great pleasure.
"Mother, are your teeth okay? I thought you couldn’t eat hard food. What if your toothache flares up again?" Lady Meng, Wang Miaoshuang, asked with a cold face.
The old Lady Meng seemed unhappy as well, replied with an unpleasant tone, "The doctor is right here, what am I afraid of?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Miaoshuang became even more displeased, glaring at Bai Ruozhu, "Miss Bai should be clear about her status. Even if you treated the old lady’s illness, you still can’t behave recklessly in the Meng Residence. What chaos are these? How will it affect the old lady’s health?"
Good, they’re starting to nitpick. What could Bai Ruozhu, a commoner, say anyway?
She lowered her head modestly, "Madam’s reprimand is valid."
"Well, it was me who asked her to prepare this food. It’s just a little fun thing from ordinary folks. It’s not like we eat it everyday. Moreover it’s just us family here, what’s all this about propriety? Miaoshuang, you’re too serious," The old lady said discontentedly.
Wang Miaoshuang didn’t expect the old lady to embarrass her in front of others. She took a deep breath to calm herself down.
"Mother, can we talk nicely? Your daughter-in-law is also concerned about your health."
"Hmph, spare me, just don’t infuriate me to death," the old lady said angrily.
Bai Ruozhu and Yu Hongxiu exchanged glances. They had it tough. If they could escape, that would have been the best. They didn’t want to get involved in the mother-daughter-in-law disputes.
In the end, Lady Meng, Wang Miaoshuang, finished lecturing them at length before she finally left. But even after her departure, they didn’t know what to do with the remaining chicken.
Once she had gone, the old lady’s smile returned, she waved at them, "Come over, sit down, and let’s keep eating. Ignore her, that’s just how she is."
Bai Ruozhu and Yu Hongxiu didn’t dare to speak, they just came back to their seats.
The old lady smiled at Dengdeng in Bai Ruozhu’s arms, "This little guy is brave, wasn’t scared off by her. My second son, that baby, is always scared to tears by her. It’s so annoying."
Dengdeng seemed to know that he was being praised, smiling at the old lady. His little hand reached out towards the fried chicken, showing he wanted to eat.
"Little fellow, you can’t eat this. Wait until you grow a little older, your mother will make you many delicious things," the old lady said with a hearty laugh. She took a small chicken leg and wagged it in front of Dengdeng before she put it in her own mouth.
Bai Ruozhu twitched at the corner of her mouth. Does the old lady have to be so willful? It’s too much for a child.
The old lady took a bite and became displeased. She said, "It’s all her fault, my chicken has gone cold, it doesn’t taste good anymore."
"She shouldn’t have eaten so much of these things either. I’ll make it for the old lady again in a few days." Bai Ruozhu hurriedly said. She worried that the old lady would ask her to cook again which the Lady might hear about and put her in a bad spot.
This time, the old lady didn’t insist. She asked her servants to remove the chicken.
"Ruozhu, I’ve arranged your room for you. Go and see if there is anything you’re not accustomed to. If you need anything, feel free to tell Nanny Lu," the old lady said.
Bai Ruozhu modestly said, "I’m only staying for a few days, I don’t wish to bother the old lady and Nanny Lu."
"I called you here. How can I treat you poorly? Hurry up and check it out. We will have lunch together later," the old lady said.
Yu Hongxiu stood up smiling, "I’ll go too, to see if the old lady plays favorites."
So, the two followed Nanny Lu to the guest room that had been arranged for Bai Ruozhu. Bai Ruozhu saw that the room was four times bigger than the one she had in the Back Mountain Village, furnished with everything you could think of. There was even a baby crib beside her bed. On the other side, a screen embroidered by Su Xiu was placed. The multi-tiered shelf displayed various porcelain items. The overall setup was very elegant.
"Originally, I wanted to arrange a vase of flowers for you, but the old lady was afraid the child might have a pollen allergy, so she didn’t," Nanny Lu said with a smile.
Bai Ruozhu bowed to Nanny Lu, "The old lady and Nanny have thought of everything. This place is very nice."
Nanny Lu laughed and exchanged a few words with her, then excused herself, leaving Bai Ruozhu and Yu Hongxiu alone in the room.
Bai Ruozhu put Dengdeng in the crib and massaged her own arm, murmuring to herself, "This smelly little fellow has gotten heavier."
Yu Hongxiu walked over and rested on her arm, "Don’t take the earlier event to heart. What the old lady said was true. She’s always been too serious. I’ve been scolded by her in public before too."
Bai Ruozhu quickly made a hushing gesture. She listened carefully to make sure there was no one around.
Yu Hongxiu stuck out her tongue and lowered her voice even more, "I’ll lower my voice. But Lady Meng, the Duchess who was conferred by the former Emperor, the old lady has to give her some face. That’s why she can behave so haughtily. Usually, daughters-in-law wouldn’t dare give orders in the old lady’s yard."
Thinking of how the old lady was irritated earlier, Bai Ruozhu felt a bit sorry for her. Therefore, a daughter-in-law’s status shouldn’t be too high. In the future, when her son Dengdeng marries, she’d have to be careful not to marry a princess or a duchess.
"Fortunately, the old lady has a good temper and doesn’t care about power struggles. Otherwise..." Yu Hongxiu paused and didn’t continue talking about the topic.
They chatted a little bit more, during which Bai Ruozhu learned that Lady Meng, Wang Miaoshuang, was a Duchess because her father was a prominent Duke. Normally, daughters weren’t entitled to the duchess title, but Wang Miaoshuang broke the convention because she was favored by the dowager empress before she got married.
Bai Ruozhu thought to herself, could it be that she gained the dowager empress’ favor because she was so serious and proper? It didn’t seem likely, so Lady Meng must not be as simple as she appears on the surface.