Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 96 - 93: True Qi Realm

"Did something happen to this child?"

Zhao Xinghua finally got the greeting she wanted from Mrs. Lu. Her tone held both shock and anger; at her age, she couldn’t bear to see things like this. If it were someone she didn’t know, she might turn a blind eye, but someone familiar—how could she ignore it?

Zhao Xinghua lowered her head, mustering all her strength just to squeeze out a few tears, all while recounting the suffering of almost being violated by Chen Lin the night before. In her heart, she knew Mrs. Lu wouldn’t stand for it. As for whether the Lu Mansion would resent the Chen Mansion, that wasn’t her concern.

While she spoke, she clutched the little wolf pup tightly in her arms.

The wolf pup lay listless, curled up in her embrace, making Mrs. Lu’s heart ache. She was just about to speak when someone beside her suddenly said, "Mother, if you think she’s pitiful, you can have someone bring her home for now. But Chang’sheng doesn’t care for her. He probably won’t be happy about it. He’s in a crucial stage of cultivation right now. If you distract him, you might not have peace of mind later."

Zhao Xinghua’s face went truly pale this time.

To speak of people in the Lu Mansion, the one she feared most wasn’t Lu Chang’sheng, but Li Nangua. After all, Lu Chang’sheng was too lofty, far removed from the likes of her. But Li Nangua was different—she handled all the house affairs as the steward.

Mrs. Lu hesitated at once.

She was kind-hearted, yes, but she knew the Lu Mansion owed everything to Chang’sheng. She absolutely couldn’t interfere with her son’s enterprise.

Nangua continued, "Mother, if you really can’t bear it, let Miss Xinghua stay with Ming for a while. I’ll send someone to invite Sister Zhao Qing over and ask her what’s what. Although Zhao Qing and Chang’sheng have some minor rift between them, she’s good at heart. If Chen Lin really did what’s been said, you can stand up for Miss Xinghua!"

"Oh, you handle this, then. I’m an old woman—I can’t think as quickly as you do anymore. I won’t meddle in these matters!"

Mrs. Lu was entirely satisfied with her daughter-in-law. After all, she was handpicked by Chang’sheng: good-looking, capable, managing every corner of the Lu Mansion so thoroughly that her son could focus on his Martial Artist Institute practices with peace of mind.

Li Nangua smiled and nodded, saying, "Mother should just enjoy good fortune from now on. Leave these messy troubles to me!"

Her arrangement was beyond reproach; it took care of the Chen Mansion, but also considered the Lu Mansion and Zhao Xinghua. There wasn’t a single flaw anyone could find.

Only Zhao Xinghua felt a chill run down her spine, scalp prickling with dread.

As it was, Zhao Qing had long run out of patience with her. If she got called to the Lu Mansion over this mess—well, she didn’t know what would happen to the Chen Mansion, but she would be done for, no doubt, completely souring her relationship there.

And it was clear Li Nangua didn’t want her mingling with anyone from the Lu Mansion. She feared she’d never have a foothold in Black Mountain Prefecture again.

With this thought, she realized she couldn’t lose the Chen Family as her backer. She got to her feet and said, "No need, no need. I’ll just go home by myself!"

"Mother can’t stand to see you suffer so. It’s alright!" Li Nangua replied.

"No, no, no, I’m not suffering!"

"You were almost defiled by Chen Lin and you’re not suffering? I’ll have Mr. Chen and Zhao Qing called here to confront you face to face. Don’t worry—someone will be held responsible for this kind of thing! Zhao Qing and Mr. Chen’s word isn’t enough!" Li Nangua said sternly, but there was a faint hint of a smile in her eyes.

As Chang’sheng’s capable wife, how could she leave a matter half-unsettled? Either Zhao Xinghua would have to confess her malicious intent, or things would go as planned—she’d have Chen Lin marry Zhao Xinghua. And once inside the Chen family, would Mr. Chen and Zhao Qing make life easy for this woman?

"I... I..." Zhao Xinghua finally realized that Li Nangua was far more terrifying than she had imagined. With a pleading look, she glanced over, but seeing Li Nangua’s expression unchanged, she could only grit her teeth, fall to her knees, and say, "Please forgive me, madam! I only came here to win the old madam’s pity and hoped to marry into the Lu Mansion. I’ll never do it again!"

This time, Zhao Xinghua truly wept. She’d underestimated what it meant to deal with a real powerful family. In the end, she had some cleverness, but no real sense for the bigger picture. If it weren’t for her connections in the Lu Mansion, she’d likely have already been snuffed out in some unknown alley.

"Get out. This is your last chance. If I ever see you reaching for the Lu Mansion again, don’t blame me for casting all sentiment aside!"

Li Nangua said this quietly, not wanting Mrs. Lu at her back to hear.

Zhao Xinghua nodded frantically, scurrying off in a panic.

"I never expected people to be this malicious!" Mrs. Lu’s face still bore a trace of anger.

"Now that the Lu Mansion’s on the rise, all sorts are scheming to establish ties. Mother, you ought to stay alert." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"What a pity for that wolf pup. It looks so pitiful." Mrs. Lu sighed. She was quite fond of the little thing, and that had been part of her reason for speaking up earlier.

As they spoke, a sudden scream came from the direction Zhao Xinghua had left, and the little wolf pup came scampering around the corner.

The wolf pup was so tiny that no one took it seriously, but its gentle, weak look stirred sympathy in their hearts.

The pup ran up to Mrs. Lu, rubbing against her and making her motherly side overflow.

"What an adorable little thing. Let’s take it back and raise it!"

People often bought wolf pups in the nearby market; once grown they could guard the house and grounds.

With that, no one thought much more—they brought it home to the mansion.

······

Martial Artist Institute.

Lu Chang’sheng quietly perused the book in his hand.