Chapter 78 Lunch
As soon as Miss Xiu entered the Xiao Mansion, she wanted to give her cousin a warning. First, she wanted her cousin to wash her hands and cook soup for her, and second, she wanted to sweep the east wing. But when she and her cousin entered the Xiao Xiang Courtyard, her cousin was even more ruthless. She locked the door directly and had two maids guarding the door, saying that the key was with the second mistress, who was preparing lunch for her cousin in the kitchen.
Zhang Xiu looked at his cousin in confusion. Xiao Jun was also confused. This was his first time back since the half-month period. He didn't know why the second wife locked the door for no reason. It was as if there was a thief in his Xiaoxiang Courtyard. Who was she guarding against? But he couldn't say anything in front of his cousin, so he had to ask his cousin to wait in the living room first.
Xiu'er originally sent Zhixia to get the key, but the stupid girl misunderstood her meaning and kept saying that she would ask the second grandmother to come back and sit with the cousin. Xiu'er couldn't correct her in front of her cousin and told her to just get the key and not have her cousin's wife come back. She watched Zhixia turn around and leave, thinking: If this cousin's wife really comes back, how annoying it would be to have her standing aside. Maybe, in order to guard against her, she would simply stop cooking and sit aside watching them. Wouldn't that be a loss?
Finally, she shook her head, it was not worth it. It was a rare opportunity to be alone with her cousin, and she must not let her cousin's wife watch from the side. She had plenty of time to go to the east wing, so she called back Zhixia who was about to leave, and came to the main hall with her cousin in a depressed mood to play Go.
Zhixia was also frightened and broke out in a cold sweat. She was really afraid that the cousin was waiting there, asking her to go and invite the second wife. The second wife was in the east wing. She had just pretended to leave, but she was very nervous. When she heard the cousin asking her to come back, she responded as if she had been pardoned, and turned back to wait at the door of the east wing.
It was not until noon that Zhixia, who was guarding the door, heard the maid come to report that the meal was ready. She then quietly opened the door of the east wing and told the second lady that the meal was ready. Mengxi got up and tidied up a little, then helped Zhiqiu out of the east wing. The maids were already waiting in the yard with trays. When they saw the second lady walking towards the hall, they followed her.
After entering the hall and turning around the screen, Mengxi looked up and saw the Second Master and Miss Xiu playing chess. She walked up slowly, greeted the Second Master first, then turned to Miss Xiu and said:
"My cousin is here early. Why didn't you send a maid to the kitchen to call me? That's really rude."
"You are too polite, cousin. Xiu'er is not a stranger. It will be the same even if my cousin accompanies her."
Zhang Xiu sat there gracefully and spoke timidly.
Damn, how shameless! How dare a girl say that? Mengxi felt goosebumps all over her body. Looking at the unfinished game of Go, she raised her eyes and said to the Second Master:
"The meal is ready, Master , please see..."
Xiao Jun pushed the chessboard and said:
"I'm already hungry, Xier, cousin, let's eat first."
At this time, Hongzhu and Hongxing had already come forward to help the Second Master wash up, and Bingxin and Yuxin also came over to serve their young lady.
Mengxi then turned around and ordered people to set up the table and serve the meal. When the meal was ready, Xiao Jun and Xiu'er were already sitting there upright. Mengxi took the wet towel handed over by Zhichun, wiped her hands, stood behind Xiao Jun, and began to serve the dishes. She first picked up some food for Xiu'er, and then served the dishes to the Second Master. Xiao Jun felt uncomfortable when he saw Mengxi standing aside to serve him and his cousin. It was natural for her to serve him, but it was a bit unfair for her to serve his cousin. After all, she was his wife. Thinking of this, he turned around and said to her:
"Xi'er, come and sit down, and have dinner with us. Hongzhu and Hongxing will serve you."
When Miss Xiu heard this, a trace of displeasure flashed in her eyes, but she returned to her normal state in an instant. Mengxi was shocked when he heard this, and thought to himself:
"Second Master Xiao, we shouldn't be like this. We should be kind. Your childhood sweetheart wants to kill me as soon as he comes! If I sit today, my evil mother-in-law will know it immediately tomorrow. Last time, she made me kneel for more than half an hour for no reason. If this really breaks the rules, my little knees will be worn out. I don't hinder your love, why are you so anxious?"
Thinking of this, he walked forward slowly, bowed slightly, and said to the Second Master indifferently:
"Second Master, behaving with dignity and following rules is called a woman's virtue. I dare not break the rules."
Mengxi had memorized the "Female Rules" very well and could recite it fluently. When Xiao Jun heard this, his face immediately darkened. He did not expect that she would reject his kindness. He was just trying to elevate her status in front of his cousin. He had no interest in his cousin. They were originally brother and sister, but he doted on her a little bit on weekdays. After this, he had some understanding of his cousin's other thoughts, so he thought of treating her well in front of his cousin to cut off her thoughts. But who knew that this idiot would talk to him about women's virtues at this time .
Xiu'er was originally very unhappy when she heard her cousin let her cousin's wife sit down, but when she heard her cousin's wife call herself a maid and her cousin didn't react, she became happy again and thought to herself:
"Just say that my cousin only has me in his heart. Although you were carried in through the main gate in a sedan chair, it was only for the sake of good fortune and emergency. My cousin still asked you to call yourself a maid or concubine. The position of wife in my cousin's mind has always been reserved for me. Only I am qualified to call myself a concubine in front of him."
Thinking of this, she looked at her dear cousin tenderly, then sat there dignified and silent, acting like a lady from a noble family.
Xiao Jun pondered for a long time, then said in a more serious tone:
"My cousin is not an outsider. This is the inner house. The couple live in harmony and it is okay for them to eat at the same table. Xier, come up and sit down."
When Mengxi heard this, he fell to his knees with a plop:
"I dare not, please help me, Master."
After hearing this, Xiao Jun got very angry. He threw his chopsticks on the table with a bang, sat there with a dark face, and simply refused to eat. Hongzhu and Hongxing were so scared that they closed their mouths tightly. It seemed that they could not finish the meal.
Xiu'er on the side couldn't pretend anymore and said:
"Cousin, what my cousin said makes sense. Since you feel sorry for me, why don't you let me go down and have a rest? This will also help me."
Zhang Xiu deliberately emphasized the word "accomplishment".
Mengxi didn't know whether to laugh or cry after hearing this. This beautiful girl's face was comparable to that of Sister Furong in her previous life. It would be more than enough to take her hair off and make soles for the second master's shoes. But this was in ancient times, and she was a girl. How could she enter someone's house so blatantly, eat with the husband, and even drive the wife out?
Zhiqiu and Zhichun also cursed in their hearts.
Hongzhu and Hongxing also looked at the cousin in surprise, thinking, is this what a girl should say? Shouldn't she help the Second Master persuade the Second Mistress to sit together for dinner? Although they are brother and sister, and grew up together without avoiding each other, but she is still a grown-up girl, sitting together with a man with a family to eat, and she is not afraid of being tarnished by the news. Shaking their heads, they have no right to speak here.
At this moment, Xiao Jun, facing such a stubborn Meng Xi, felt helpless from the bottom of his heart, which made him feel deeply powerless. He sat for a long time, and finally waved his hand weakly:
"Brook, go down."
"Thank you, Master Er, for your help."
After Mengxi finished speaking, she stood up, supported Zhiqiu, straightened her body, and slowly walked out of the hall.
When Xiu'er saw that her cousin sent away his wife without hesitation, she became even more convinced that her cousin's love for her was "stronger than a needle" and that he had to marry his wife. Xiu'er was the most understanding person. She knew that her cousin had his own reasons for marrying his wife, and she would not blame him. She would always love him without regrets and wait for him until the day he divorced his wife. The look in Xiu'er's eyes when she looked at her cousin at this moment was so gentle that it melted her heart.
