Volume One, Chapter 20: I’ve Lost Every Last Shred of Dignity

“Auntie, what you said isn’t right. Our Su family’s dowry wasn’t small at all. Even if it wasn’t two hundred, it was definitely over a hundred,” Su Wanyue said firmly, striving to keep calm, her gaze steady and dignified. She hadn’t wanted to argue with Zhao Guihua, but since the slander was thrown onto her, she had to set the record straight. Su Wanyue refused to swallow such injustice silently.

After all, she and Lu Zetaio were divorcing, and the rift with Zhao Guihua had already deepened irreparably. If anything, they might as well make a clean break.

“You’d be fine if you didn’t bring it up, but once you do, it’s infuriating! Your dowry—just those pieces of furniture and bedding—wasn’t that a waste of money? Wouldn’t it have been better to spend that on a television or something?” Zhao Guihua, used to taking advantage, spoke shamelessly, her eyes gleaming with greed.

At that moment, Lu Zetaio couldn’t bear it any longer. His expression darkened, a flash of anger in his eyes as he said coldly, “How can anyone enjoy their meal with this going on?”

“What? You’re upset that I said a few words about her? You two are already divorced, and you’re still taking her side against your own family?!” Zhao Guihua’s anger surged. Her face twisted with rage as she pointed at Lu Zetaio, shouting loudly. She’d only wanted to squeeze a little more benefit from Su Wanyue, yet this eldest son dared to defy her.

“Auntie, you know we’re divorced. Whatever needs to be done will be done. There’s no use in you continuing this,” Su Wanyue replied, standing abruptly. The chair scraped harshly against the floor. She was no pushover.

When it came to shameless people like Zhao Guihua, the best response was to ignore them.

Zhao Guihua ground her teeth in fury, her facial muscles trembling as she cursed under her breath, “Such a demon! A wretched woman!”

“Mom, she’s just a guest invited by grandpa,” Lu Zetaio said without even lifting his eyelids, sitting quietly.

The old master Lu had reached his limit; there was no more patience to be had. His face flushed red with anger as he struck his cane hard on the floor. “Futian, you should control your wife. If she keeps this up, she can leave and never come back to this house!”

Zhao Guihua was speechless, her chest heaving violently. If not for the fact that the old master held all the property and wealth, she wouldn’t have felt so stifled. Offending the old master now was unwise.

She forced a strained smile and said, “Dad, I just spoke out of turn. Please don’t take it to heart.”

“Hmph! If I don’t step in, Su Wanyue will be driven away by you!” The old master thumped the table so hard the dishes rattled. “I’ve always given you face to run the household, but you’ve disgraced me!”

“Dad, I just lost my temper when I saw her. Please don’t be angry. What would we do if you got sick from this?” Zhao Guihua forced a smile, though a trace of unwillingness flashed in her eyes.

Seeing this, Lu Futian also tried to soothe the old master, wearing an ingratiating smile. “Yes, Dad, you know Guihua is just hot-tempered and speaks her mind, but she means no harm. Please forgive her this once.”

“You’re siding with outsiders too!” The old master spat out, leaning on his cane as he trudged out of the room.

Zhao Guihua’s mood plunged as she stormed into the kitchen, slamming pots and smashing dishes with a clatter. She grabbed a spatula and threw it to the floor, kicking over a nearby trash bin.

Hearing the noise, Lu Futian hurried over. “You all do whatever you need to. I’ll wash the dishes.”

Hearing this, the others rose and returned to their rooms. Although the Lu family’s old house was small, there was no need to crowd together. Lu Lemin, Lu Shufen, and the old master each had their own rooms. Now that Lu Futian and Zhao Guihua were back, the father slept with the son, and the mother with the daughter. One room remained, which, once cleaned, could accommodate someone.

As Lu Zetaio stepped outside into the courtyard, Su Wanyue sat stunned on the stone at the doorstep, her gaze vacant, lost in thought. Even when he approached, she didn’t react.

“You okay?” Lu Zetaio was the first to speak, a trace of concern in his eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, he sat down beside her on the stone.

“What do you mean, okay or not? It’s just as it is,” Su Wanyue said, propping her chin on her hand, a hint of melancholy in her gaze. “I was prepared before I came here, just to see grandpa. Nothing else matters.”

“Since you’re here, come with me. I’ll take you somewhere.”

Lu Zetaio didn’t quite understand what had compelled him to say that. He himself wasn’t sure why he was showing concern for Su Wanyue. The old master had already comforted her; there was no need for him to intervene further. Yet, he wanted to help her clear her mind.

Su Wanyue looked up, blinking in surprise and curiosity. Seeing this, Lu Zetaio regretted his suggestion and stood up. “If you don’t want to go, then forget it.”

“Let’s go.” Unexpectedly, Su Wanyue stood decisively, a touch of intrigue in her eyes.

It would seem too deliberate now to say it was just a casual remark.

So, Lu Zetaio took Su Wanyue to the grassy meadow on the hillside behind the mountain that he had loved since childhood.

Along the way, Lu Zetaio’s mind kept turning over why he was doing this, but he couldn’t make sense of it. In the past, whenever he was troubled, he liked to come here to feel the breeze and look down at the scenery below. Luckily, the slope wasn’t high and didn’t bother his injured foot.

When they reached the top, Lu Zetaio lay down on the grass. Hands behind his head, he gazed up at the sky and said, “The weather’s nice today. It’s quite pleasant to lie here and nap.”

…Was this an invitation for her to lie down too?

Su Wanyue swallowed hard, her throat dry. She couldn’t blame herself for being so timid—after all, in her previous life, she had been over thirty, an old maid who had never even been in a relationship, never held a boy’s hand!

But this was outside, on a hillside, a vast place—not a bed—just lying there together.

Seeing Lu Zetaio close his eyes calmly, Su Wanyue relaxed slightly. She gently lay down beside him, feeling the faint warmth of the breeze and the fresh scent of grass, her heart gradually soothing.

She was about to say something when she noticed the man had already fallen asleep on the grass. Listening to his steady breathing, gazing at his clean, handsome face, Su Wanyue suddenly thought this man wasn’t so bad after all.

At least in this era, he was.

No, even in the modern world, he was a rare kind of man—handsome, sharp-witted, successful in his work, with sound values, not led astray by Zhao Guihua.

A spark of admiration flickered in her eyes, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

Gazing at Lu Zetaio’s handsome features, she couldn’t help but feel why the original self had been so infatuated with him.

However, his temper was stubborn, like a bull when it got its way—not her type.

Thinking this, she blinked her lively eyes and, somehow, drifted into a deep sleep herself.

Not long after, Lu Zetaio suddenly awoke from his nap. A light sleeper by nature, he opened his eyes to find Su Wanyue clinging to him like a koala, her limbs entwining him so tightly he could hardly breathe.