——
In the private room.
After Lu Xingzhou and Song Wei left, Fanghua proactively asked to hold Jinbao.
The little one had seen her last ti, found her familiar, and didn’t act shy. He squird a bit in his grandmother’s arms before settling down and reaching for the teacup on the table.
Wen Wan was a bit surprised; Jinbao was usually very shy. Normally, an unfamiliar person holding him would make him cry, but why was he so well-behaved today?
Before she could think it through, the door was pushed open, and Lu Xingzhou walked in, saying he had already ordered the food.
This teahouse had a mixed business model, providing not only tea but also als.
Subsequently, Lu Xingzhou sat down next to Fanghua, smiled kindly at Jinbao, and reached out to hold him.
Jinbao held the teacup with both hands, his black eyes inspecting Lu Xingzhou, seeming to confirm he didn’t recognize him. Refusing to be touched, he threw the teacup away, mumbling, "Hit... hit..."
"Jinbao!" Wen Wan glared at him secretly, this little brat, always getting her into trouble.
Lu Xingzhou, hit on the leg, bent down to pick up the teacup and returned it to him, his smile deepening, "This little guy is only a year old and already knows to be wary of strangers; how smart he is."
As Jinbao took back the teacup, he felt a big hand rub his little head.
The strength was moderate, just like his father’s.
The little one suddenly beca well-behaved, no longer throwing things at his grandfather.
When the al was served, Lu Xingzhou placed the little one on his lap, personally feeding him tofu puree.
Jinbao had eaten a few snacks earlier and wasn’t too hungry now, so he swallowed a couple of bites casually, wriggling on his grandfather’s lap, wanting soone to play with him.
Wen Wan understood her son; as soon as it was alti, he’d make a fuss. She quickly ate a couple of bites and put down her bowl, preparing to take her son so that his godfather could eat.
Lu Xingzhou saw through her intention and quickly said, "Wanwan, sit down and eat. I’m not hungry; I just want to hold this little guy."
Wen Wan showed an awkward expression.
Fanghua smiled at her, "Go sit down and eat. Your godfather hasn’t held a child like this for a long ti. It’s normal for him to find it novel, let him help you hold him, or else if we invite you for a al, and you end up going ho hungry, your mother-in-law would scold us to death."
While speaking, she placed so food into Wen Wan’s small bowl.
Wen Wan couldn’t refuse, so she had to bow her head and eat in small bites.
...
When it was ti to part, Fanghua asked Lu Xingzhou to go downstairs first, saying she wanted to spend a mont alone with her goddaughter.
Once Lu Xingzhou closed the door, Fanghua, no longer suppressing her impulse, opened her arms and hugged Wen Wan.
Aside from her husband, Wen Wan was rarely hugged like this; at first, she felt uncomfortable, but she soon realized that her godmother’s body was trembling slightly as she held her.
Wen Wan was puzzled and looked up at her, "Godmother, are you upset because of Lu Yanqing?"
Wen Wan’s words made Fanghua unable to hold back the tears she’d been suppressing for so long. They started falling, so landing on Wen Wan’s hair, and she could even feel the heat.
Seeing the face so much like her own covered in tears, Wen Wan suddenly felt very sad.
She took out a handkerchief and handed it to Fanghua, whispering, "Godmother, please don’t cry. Your son might not be here, but you still have , your goddaughter. Even if I go to Ningzhou in the future, we can always keep in touch through letters!"
Fanghua took the handkerchief her daughter offered, wiped her tears, and asked her, "I heard from Third Son that Wanwan’s biological mother passed away early. In all these years, have you ever thought about her?"
"I have." Wen Wan honestly nodded, "When I was in Ningzhou, I would visit my mother’s grave every now and then. At that ti, I couldn’t speak, so I’d just kneel quietly before the grave, thinking of what to say in my heart. I believe my mother, if she could hear from the heavens, would definitely listen."
Fanghua’s eyes beca uncontrollably moist again, "What did you say to her in your heart?"
For so reason, when asked about such private matters, Wen Wan did not feel repulsed; instead, she had an urge to confide in the other.
Perhaps it was because they had almost identical faces, making it easier to speak openly with her than with others.
Taking a deep breath, Wen Wan said slowly, "I would say a lot, like asking my mother to bless with a stepmother who wouldn’t mistreat , and to protect from being sold to Limp Wang as a concubine for five taels of silver... Before I turned sixteen, whenever I visited my mother’s grave, I always asked her to protect . After marrying into the Song family at sixteen, I had a husband and a protective mother-in-law, and suddenly life felt stable. Whatever happened, they would always support . Going to my mother’s grave after that, I’d tell her in my heart that I was doing well, so she could rest in peace below."
After Wen Wan finished speaking, she looked up to find her godmother covering her mouth, crying uncontrollably.
This scene tugged at her heartstrings.
"Godmother..." Wen Wan did not know how to comfort her.
Fanghua quickly wiped her tears, her eyes red and swollen, "Wanwan, do you resent your mother for leaving you so soon?"
"I don’t resent her." Wen Wan shook her head, "My mother’s grave is empty, without remains. My father told she was washed away by the river and her body couldn’t be found. I know my father wasn’t truthful, and it’s even possible my real mother is still alive. But regardless of her reasons for leaving and that family, I don’t bla her. I’m a mother myself and understand that unless absolutely necessary, no one could bear to leave their child behind and just walk away."
As soon as she finished speaking, Wen Wan was once again tightly embraced, hearing her godmother’s voice in her ear, "Having such a smart, clever, and sensible daughter like you, your real mother must be very proud."
Although this seed a bit strange, Wen Wan didn’t think much of it, jokingly saying, "If she knew I was once a mute unable to speak, maybe she’d like even less."
"No." Fanghua slowly released her, "As you just said, no mother in this world doesn’t love her children. If your mother is still alive and knows what you’ve been through, she would definitely regret the wrong decisions she made back then. Even if Wanwan couldn’t speak, she would be a smart and well-behaved girl. If I, as your godmother, like you so much, your real mother would like you even more."
What she said made Wen Wan a little uncomfortable, and she sniffed, "Godmother, aren’t you angry with my husband for sending Lu Yanqing so far away?"
Fanghua brushed the hair from her forehead and said earnestly, "The Emperor breaks the law as does the common man; everyone in this world must pay for their actions. Yanqing committed grave cris and was exiled; it’s a punishnt he must bear. As his birth mother, it was my fault for not raising my son well, so I deserve to be removed from the clan and to dutifully watch over the grave in Ningzhou. Similarly, when your mother left you back then, no matter if it was against her will, when she regrets it in the future, it will already be too late to change anything."
...
When Wen Wan was with her husband, he rarely spoke so much to her; most of what he taught her was shown through his actions, and no matter what, in speaking or doing things, she would unconsciously gravitate closer to him.
It’s rare for soone to talk to her in this way, and although the topic was sowhat sad, she still felt quite happy.
Fanghua glanced at Wen Wan’s reaction, seeing that her daughter did not seem to suspect anything, she couldn’t help but sigh. Third Son, indeed, had protected Wanwan too well, no wonder he didn’t want them to acknowledge each other.
Once this balance is broken, Wanwan will be the one who gets hurt the most.
...
It wasn’t until Jinbao overturned the teacup on the low table that the mother and daughter ca back to their senses.
Wen Wan bent down to hold Jinbao in her arms, thinking that her mother-in-law had asked her to return for a al before she went out, yet she stayed in the teahouse for so long. Surely, everyone at ho was still waiting, and she did not plan to delay any further, so she quickly bid farewell to Fanghua.
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