My Wife is a Frustrating Genius!!! - Chapter 15

Cheng Yi pushed open the door and entered the room, immediately spotting Lu Jiahe wrapped entirely in a cotton quilt.

“What are you doing with that quilt?” Cheng Yi walked over and sat on the stool in front of Lu Jiahe, staring at her with a puzzled expression.

Lu Jiahe clutched the quilt tightly, her eyes fixed on the woman before her. She wondered why the other would make her wear such revealing clothes. Was it to embarrass her in front of everyone?

Cheng Yi had been observing Lu Jiahe since entering the room. Noticing the confusion in her eyes, she realized that no one in this era had ever worn such clothing.

She stood up, stretched her limbs, and then grabbed a corner of the quilt, forcibly pulling it off Lu Jiahe and tossing it to the side of the bed.

“Hey! You—you—you—!” Lu Jiahe felt a sudden chill and a jolt of panic, instinctively wrapping her arms around herself. “How can I wear clothes this revealing?”

Cheng Yi gave her a look of exasperation mixed with disdain, then reached out and pulled Lu Jiahe’s arms away from her body. “This is how the clothes are meant to be worn. You’re not going outside in them, and no one will say anything if you wear them at home. Besides, it’ll make changing your dressings easier. No need to throw away a set of clothes every day.”

Reluctantly, Lu Jiahe let her arms drop to her sides. She kept her head lowered, silent, convinced that Cheng Yi was taking this opportunity to mock her and make her the butt of everyone’s jokes.

Seeing that Lu Jiahe still looked sullen and listless, Cheng Yi understood exactly why.

“Wait here,” she said, then turned and left the room, returning to her own quarters.

Lu Jiahe waited inside, wrapped in the quilt and growing increasingly impatient. Just as she was about to tear the quilt off and throw it to the floor in frustration, Cheng Yi pushed the door open and walked back in.

“You, what’s this?” Lu Jiahe’s eyes lit up as she saw Cheng Yi wearing the same style of clothes as her.

After returning to her room, Cheng Yi had changed into the short-sleeved top and long pants she had made for herself. She examined her reflection in the bronze mirror, feeling that something about her appearance seemed off. It wasn’t until she noticed her hair tied up in a bun that she realized what was wrong.

She rummaged around for a while before finding a thin piece of string, which she used to tie her loosened hair into a ponytail. Only then did she feel comfortable.

“What’s wrong?” Cheng Yi asked, noticing Lu Jiahe’s confusion.

Lu Jiahe had initially thought Cheng Yi gave her such clothes to humiliate her. She never expected Cheng Yi to wear the same revealing outfit herself. A mix of indescribable emotions welled up inside her.

“You, why are you wearing clothes like this too? You’re an unmarried girl, isn’t this inappropriate?” Lu Jiahe sat on the bed, twisting her hands together.

Cheng Yi felt the weather wasn’t quite suitable for wearing just a short-sleeved top. Glancing over, she spotted Lu Jiahe’s robe hanging nearby, so she reached for it and put it on over her clothes.

“Huh? What do you mean? Aren’t I supposed to marry you? Are you trying to back out now?” Cheng Yi sat on the chair, leaving the long robe open, and frowned as she scrutinized Lu Jiahe.

Lu Jiahe, who had already started to feel a faint heat creeping over her body, grew even more hesitant to meet Cheng Yi’s gaze after hearing her words.

She lowered her head, staring at her feet as they fidgeted restlessly on the pedals, and muttered softly, “…No, it’s just that I haven’t agreed yet.”

“What?” Cheng Yi frowned, unable to make out the other’s words clearly.

Lu Jiahe threw off the blanket covering her legs and stood up. “Never mind, let’s eat!”

Cheng Yi shot her a puzzled glance before proceeding to unpack the food from the container and arrange it on the table.

Over the next few days, Lu Jiahe and Cheng Yi spent their time in the courtyard, often wearing short sleeves and occasionally throwing on a long robe when it got chilly. Their days passed quite happily.

However, there were plenty of people in the Lu family who didn’t wish for Lu Jiahe to live so comfortably, like her stepmother and her two half-brothers.

One day, Lu Jiahe’s two brothers seized the opportunity to report her behavior during her recuperation in the courtyard to Lu Zhengliang in the most exaggerated terms.

“Father, although Jiahe’s courtyard is his own, there are still many servants around. He and that girl who offended you the other day spend their days in the courtyard with their clothes in disarray. If this gets out, it will tarnish the Lu family’s reputation,” Lu Jiazheng said sternly as he stood before Lu Zhengliang.

Seated in his chair, Lu Zhengliang showed little reaction upon first hearing about Lu Jiahe’s actions. But when Cheng Yi was mentioned, his nostrils flared noticeably, and the corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

Seeing his father remain silent, Lu Jiahao chimed in, “Yes, Father. Didn’t Mother say we should drive that unruly girl out? Didn’t you agree?”

Lu Jiahe grew increasingly irritated as he listened. “Enough. Since it’s his courtyard, let him do as he pleases.”

“Aren’t you going to do anything about it?” Lu Jiahao was clearly dissatisfied with his father’s leniency toward Lu Jiahe.

Hearing his second son press him further, Lu Zhengliang’s annoyance flared. “Instead of focusing on him, why don’t you two concentrate on your own responsibilities? Don’t think I don’t know about your shenanigans in the pleasure quarters.”

The two brothers, who had been about to add more fuel to the fire, immediately fell silent upon their father’s words. They exchanged a glance and decided to seek out their mother to explain the situation.

After hearing her sons’ grievances, Diao Yuqing clenched her handkerchief tightly, cursing Lu Zhengliang under her breath. “That Lu Zhengliang! He promised to make me his official wife but ended up marrying Lu Jiahe’s mother instead. And now he treats my sons like this!” She gritted her teeth, wishing she could tear him apart on the spot. “Wait here. I’m going to confront him right now.”

True to her nature, Diao Yuqing wasted no time. Without waiting for her sons to respond, she stormed out of her courtyard, determined to have it out with Lu Zhengliang.

The couple argued all afternoon until Lu Zhengliang, unable to bear the disturbance any longer, decided to gather the entire family, along with Cheng Yi, for dinner to properly discuss the matter.

Given Cheng Yi’s sudden intrusion during the family punishment a few days prior, both Lu Zhengliang and Diao Yuqing still regarded her with a degree of caution.

“Why aren’t you eating? Since you’ve been invited to the meal, you should eat more. Your wounds are almost healed, so having a little of these won’t matter.” Cheng Yi paid no mind to the expressions around the table and casually picked up a chicken wing, placing it in Lu Jiahe’s bowl. “Eat up. You are what you eat.”

Diao Yuqing, seeing Cheng Yi’s behavior, couldn’t help but feel her authority as the lady of the house was being challenged. She shot the two an unhappy glance and then stomped hard on Lu Zhengliang’s foot under the table. “Ahem!”

Lu Zhengliang turned his head to look at Diao Yuqing, then set down his chopsticks and addressed Cheng Yi, “Miss Cheng, I haven’t had the chance to ask you before. How long do you plan to stay at the Lu residence this time?”

“I’ll stay as long as she does.” Cheng Yi continued to pile food into Lu Jiahe’s and the elderly Madame Lu’s bowls without even sparing Lu Zhengliang a glance. At this moment, the only people she could rely on were Lu Jiahe and the old lady, and she had to cling to them tightly.

“…”

Lu Zhengliang, who was already displeased with Cheng Yi, felt his anger flare up at her attitude. However, he knew that she had been personally brought into the household by his mother, so he refrained from openly showing any dissatisfaction.

After composing himself, Lu Zhengliang spoke again, “I’ve long had plans for Jiahe’s marriage. Even if the old madame brought you here, his marriage must still follow my arrangements.”

What nerve! He was trying to cut off her escape route!

Hearing this, Cheng Yi grew indignant. She set down her chopsticks and looked directly at Lu Zhengliang. “Master Lu, my engagement to Jiahe was arranged by the old madame. Moreover, Jiahe has promised me he will marry me. Are you suggesting that the entire Bianjing should say the Lu family is untrustworthy and make a laughingstock of yourselves?”

…

“Do you think you can cling to the Lu family just because of what you said in front of the old madame? Don’t forget, I’m the one in charge of the Lu family now!” Seeing that the young woman was neither intimidated nor swayed, Lu Zhengliang gave up pretending to be amiable in her presence.

Cheng Yi knew deep down that they treated Lu Jiahe poorly otherwise, she wouldn’t have left with her during the last family punishment.

“After all I’ve done for her, you think you can dismiss me with a single word?” Seeing Lu Zhengliang’s hostile attitude, Cheng Yi saw no reason to show him any courtesy either.

“Hmph! With what authority?” Lu Zhengliang looked at her with utter disdain.

Not one to back down, Cheng Yi crossed her arms and retorted, “That’s right. With my authority.”

The elderly Madame Lu remained silent, observing to see whether the young woman she had chosen could truly protect her granddaughter.

“I gave birth to him, raised him, and provided for him. What have you done?” Lu Zhengliang had never encountered anyone like Cheng Yi and was practically fuming with rage.

Cheng Yi decided she had nothing to lose. To secure her allies, she was willing to tarnish her own reputation as long as those she relied on understood that her words were merely a facade.

“I aborted a child for him.”

“Pfft!” Diao Yuqing, who had been sipping hot tea, didn’t know whether she spat it out from the heat or from sheer shock.

Like a thunderclap out of nowhere, everyone present stared at Cheng Yi in horror. Lu Jiahe was so startled she dropped the spoon she was holding.

“They say a mother’s status is elevated by her son. If she doesn’t want it, I won’t force her, but is this how your Lu family conducts themselves?” Cheng Yi put on an unyielding front, thinking to herself that she must intimidate them today to prevent any future mishaps and ensure Lu Jiahe wouldn’t be bullied by them again.

Seeing this, Old Madame Lu turned her head slightly toward the elderly maid and gave an almost imperceptible smile, as if conveying her approval of Cheng Yi reminding her that the young woman had the same fearless determination she herself had possessed in her youth.