My Wife is a Frustrating Genius!!! - Chapter 17

Although these words were meant to comfort Lu Jiahe, weren’t they also a way for Cheng Yi to comfort herself?

She too missed her parents dearly and longed to be with them. If not for the accident that had taken their lives, why would she have joined that time-travel program in the first place? If not for her desperate yearning to see them again, to go back in time and beg the heavens for another chance. She wouldn’t have ended up here, in this strange world, meeting Lu Jiahe.

She too felt sorrow and pain. But now, she had to live well. Even if she never succeeded in seeing her parents again, she would carry their hopes forward and continue living in their stead.

“Are you full now?” Cheng Yi asked, gently pulling Lu Jiahe away from the window and back to sit on the bed.

Lu Jiahe shook her head in response. “Not hungry. I’m full of anger.”

Cheng Yi couldn’t help but chuckle at the other’s childish tone. “Don’t be so angry. After all, he’s still your father.”

Lu Jiahe shot her a sideways glance. She had thought Cheng Yi understood her. After all, she had stood up for her earlier, but now she was saying such things?

“You don’t have to look at me like that,” Cheng Yi said, realizing what was on the other’s mind. “I stood up for you because they were bullying you. But I’m not part of the Lu family. It doesn’t matter what outsiders think of me, but you’re different. You’re the young master of the Lu family, the legitimate child of Master Lu. If word gets out, people will call you unfilial.”

Lu Jiahe’s brow, which had just relaxed, furrowed tightly once more. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what others say or how they look at me. I just want them to know the truth, that my mother was driven to her death by them. They were the ones who sinned.”

Cheng Yi looked at her, her heart aching with quiet sympathy. “Alright, alright. From now on, if anything happens, tell me. I’ll stand up for you. Your second mother clearly doesn’t want you to get any share of the Lu family’s property. If you keep acting rashly, you’ll be walking right into her trap.”

With that, Cheng Yi reached out and ruffled the poor child’s head.

Although such melodramatic plots had never happened around her before, Cheng Yi had watched plenty of family dispute shows back in modern times, so she had heard stories like this more than once.

Feeling the warmth of her touch, Lu Jiahe’s ears slowly turned red. He snuck a glance at the woman beside him, hesitated for a long moment, then asked softly, “Why are you helping me? Why are you so good to me?”

Cheng Yi froze mid-motion. “Good question. Why be nice to a brat who slanders and deceives me? Maybe because you’re my only connection worth clinging to in this era.”

She gave his head two light pats. “Adult matters aren’t for children to worry about. Do you have a small kitchen in your courtyard? I’m hungry. I barely ate anything earlier.”

“I’m not a child. I’m already of marriageable age,” Lu Jiahe retorted, pouting as he gave her a sidelong look. “Yes, we have a kitchen. Should I have Guo’er prepare some food and bring it over?”

“No need. I’ll cook myself. I’m not used to the food your cooks make.” With that, Cheng Yi straightened her clothes and made to leave the room.

“Wait, I’ll go with you. If you’re cooking, I want to eat too.” Lu Jiahe followed behind like a little shadow, her long gown swishing as she hurried after her.

The servants in the courtyard didn’t dare stop Cheng Yi when they saw her striding confidently toward the small kitchen. News of what had happened in the main hall the night before had already spread like wildfire. Now, everyone in the Lu residence regarded Cheng Yi as the lady of the house, none dared to breathe too loudly in her presence.

Early the next morning, Old Lady Lu summoned Cheng Yi to her courtyard to share breakfast.

Cheng Yi stared at the dishes laid out on the round table, hesitant to pick up her chopsticks.

Old Lady Lu, watching her quietly, grew curious at the sight of the young woman’s nervousness. How odd this was the same girl who had fearlessly confronted Jiahe’s father the night before, yet now she looked as timid as a sparrow.

“Miss Cheng, do the dishes not suit your taste? Why aren’t you eating?” Old Lady Lu asked kindly, her gaze fixed on Cheng Yi.

Cheng Yi shivered at the question. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the old lady intended to discipline her for last night’s events. “Respected Ancestress, how could I, a junior, eat before you have even picked up your chopsticks?”

Old Lady Lu smiled and nodded. “It’s alright, you needn’t stand on ceremony with me. You remind me quite a bit of my younger self.”

“?”

Cheng Yi grew even more cautious upon hearing this, her expression troubled as she looked at the old woman. “You?”

“Don’t be afraid, let’s talk while we eat.” Old Lady Lu picked up her spoon and slowly sipped some plain congee. “Back then, Jiahe’s grandfather was just as soft and tolerant as she is. I had to handle many matters myself, and over the years, I’ve been called a ‘shrew’ more times than I can count.”

“Ah?” Cheng Yi frowned, carefully considering the meaning behind those words. Was she calling me a shrew?

Realizing the misunderstanding, Old Lady Lu chuckled. “Don’t overthink it. I’m not saying you’re bad. I’m saying you’re well-suited to our Jiahe. In a household, if both people are too soft or too headstrong, quarrels are inevitable. But if one is gentle and the other assertive, balance can be maintained, and harmony follows.”

She continued warmly, “Besides, if Jiahe faces difficulties outside, you can stand up for her and fight injustice. That way, she won’t keep everything bottled up and make herself sick with worry.”

‘So, I’m just a tool, then.’, Cheng Yi thought bitterly.

“I’m old now,” Old Lady Lu went on, “and I don’t know how far your relationship has progressed. But affection needs time to grow. I’ve already failed Jiahe several times. I don’t want her to spend the rest of her life living in fear that someone might discover her true identity.”

By now, Cheng Yi could no longer pretend to misunderstand.

“Respected Ancestress, it’s not that I’m unwilling to marry her, it’s that she doesn’t want to marry me. There’s nothing I can do about it.” She quickly shifted the blame to Lu Jiahe, who was, after all, the old woman’s own granddaughter.

“I just need one word from you,” Old Lady Lu said calmly. “Don’t worry about Jiahe, I have my ways to persuade her.”

In any era, Cheng Yi had never been pressured into marriage, until she met Lu Jiahe. Heavens above, the pressure just keeps coming!

“I can marry her, but I need to set three conditions. After all, we don’t know each other well yet and should take time to understand one another first.” Cheng Yi wasn’t entirely opposed to being with someone of the same gender, but Lu Jiahe could be stubborn at times, and Cheng Yi wasn’t quite sure how the other felt about same-sex intimacy.

Old Madame Lu considered her words carefully, her affection for the girl growing stronger. She had thought Cheng Yi agreed only for the Lu family’s power and wealth, but now she realized the girl was thoughtful and sincere.

“Very well,” she said with satisfaction. “The wedding preparations will take time. In the coming days, I’ll have someone take your identification documents to the authorities to register the marriage. Consider it a form of security for you.”

Cheng Yi glanced at her from the corner of her eye. Security for me? More like insurance against me running away!

“In the meantime,” Old Lady Lu continued, “you and Jiahe should visit a few shops together. It’ll give you two a chance to spend time with one another. Once she starts attending the academy, you won’t have many opportunities to meet.”

Without waiting for Cheng Yi’s response, she summoned an elderly maid to bring over the land deed for the potato field Cheng Yi was renting outside the city.

“Take this,” Old Lady Lu said, placing it before her. “Consider it a meeting gift from me.”

“This…” Cheng Yi looked down at the document. She couldn’t read traditional script perfectly, but she could guess its meaning. “I can’t accept this. It’s too valuable. Jiahe and I haven’t known each other long. I really shouldn’t.”

Seeing her sincerity, Old Lady Lu insisted, “Keep it. Think of it as me entrusting it to you. You’re at a disadvantage in this marriage arrangement. If you don’t accept, I’ll feel guilty.”

In the end, Cheng Yi had no choice but to tuck the deed into her pocket.

After breakfast, Old Madame Lu sent her away and summoned Lu Jiahe. She recounted her conversation with Cheng Yi and to her surprise, Jiahe actually agreed to the marriage.

Looking at her increasingly cheerful granddaughter, the old woman couldn’t help but smile. It seemed Cheng Yi truly was, as the fortune-teller had predicted, Lu Jiahe’s destined partner and the Lu family’s lucky star.

Old Lady Lu pulled out a stack of banknotes and pressed them into Lu Jiahe’s hands. “Take her to look at shops these next few days. If you find a suitable one, secure it for opening a restaurant.”

Lu Jiahe looked down at the thick wad of notes in her arms. “Grandmother, neither of us knows anything about running a business. With this much money invested in a shop, wouldn’t we be guaranteed to lose it?”

Truth be told, she didn’t fully trust that Cheng Yi could successfully manage a large restaurant. After all, Bianjing had numerous established eateries that had been operating for over a decade, each with their own signature specialties. What chance did two complete novices have against such competition?

“You, you.” Old Lady Lu tapped Lu Jiahe’s forehead with her finger. “Miss Cheng is far more capable than you realize. Just listen to her.”

Lu Jiahe frowned, gazing down at the money in her hand. She couldn’t help wondering if her grandmother’s generosity toward Cheng Yi had more to do with her than with the supposed “lucky star.”