My Wife is a Frustrating Genius!!! - Chapter 39

When Lu Zhengliang finally regained his composure, he narrowed his eyes and scrutinized his youngest son from head to toe.

He was overjoyed inside, thinking that this once “rebellious” brat had finally come to his senses and understood the deep care and effort of his old father.

“If you want to marry Miss Cheng, I don’t oppose it, but do you truly like her and want to marry her?” Lu Zhengliang was worried that his son might have been coerced or threatened by Cheng Yi, which was why he had rushed over early in the morning to announce his intention to marry.

“Did she force you? If you were pressured, just tell me. Your father will stand up for you. There are plenty of other girls out there, why should we fear her?”

“No.” Lu Jiahe admitted to himself that he had a slight fondness for Cheng Yi, but it wasn’t quite love yet. Still, compared to marrying a stranger, he actually preferred the idea of being with Cheng Yi.

Lu Zhengliang stared at his son for a long while, and seeing that he wasn’t speaking against his true feelings, he waved his hand and agreed to the marriage.

His quick agreement wasn’t because he was particularly satisfied with Cheng Yi as his daughter-in-law, but because he was genuinely afraid of her. Last time, she had nearly made him choke on his anger, and since that woman always stood up for his son, and his own son seemed to have taken a liking to her, there was nothing more he could do!

“Today, I’ll send someone to bring the old scholar back to the estate and have him calculate your birthdates to set a wedding date.” Lu Zhengliang was determined to have the two married before they left for the capital. “Your eldest and second brothers will accompany you to the capital for the exams this time, so the three of you can look out for each other.”

Lu Jiahe frowned as she listened. In the past, whenever she went out with Lu Jiazheng and Lu Jiahao, the two would often humiliate her with their words. Her eldest sister-in-law was even worse, to please her husband and his family, she went further than her brothers in mistreating her.

However, compared to the three of them, Lu Jiahe’s second sister-in-law treated her quite well. Whenever she returned from shopping, she would always send some pastries to Lu Jiahe’s courtyard. The last time Lu Jiahe had a falling-out with Lu Zhengliang, it was only her second sister-in-law and the people from Madam Lu’s courtyard who stood up for her.

“Oh.”

Lu Jiahe sat in her chair, responding softly before falling silent, making no move to leave.

Seeing her like this, Lu Zhengliang grew puzzled. He gave her another once-over and asked, “What’s wrong? Is there something else you want to tell me?”

“Well, I.” Lu Jiahe hesitated, looking at Lu Zhengliang. She actually wanted to ask him for the money she had earned from copying books, intending to use it as a dowry for Cheng Yi. However, when her book-copying had been discovered, all the money had been confiscated. Now, she wasn’t sure if he would give it back to her.

Noticing her hesitation, Lu Zhengliang picked up the teapot and poured her another cup of tea. “Just say it. I’m your father, how could I possibly harm you?”

“Can I have the money from copying books?”

“Good morning, Father-in-law.”

Lu Jiahe had mustered all her courage and swallowed her pride to bring up the matter, but before she could get an answer, a familiar voice sounded from behind her.

Lu Zhengliang turned at the sound and saw it was his second son and daughter-in-law coming to pay their respects. He quickly said, “Hao’er and Sister He, why have you come so early too?” As he spoke, he waved for them to sit down.

“Today, my wife and I are going to Shangshan Temple to offer incense, and we have quite a few preparations to make, so we thought we’d come early to pay our respects,” Lu Jiahao said, sitting in a chair and glancing at Lu Jiahe before picking up the teapot to fill everyone’s cups.

“Hmm, it’s good to go and pray. Look at your elder brother now, ah!” Lu Zhengliang shook his head at the thought of his eldest son’s obsession with Taoist cultivation. “You’ve come at the right time. Jiahe and Miss Cheng plan to hold their wedding before heading to the capital. You’ve both been through this before, so make sure to help them during this period, understand?”

“Father, rest assured. Since you’ve spoken, my wife and I will certainly help my younger brother with the arrangements.” Lu Jiahao raised an eyebrow and gave Lu Jiahe a sly, provocative look.

Noticing the look in his eyes, Lu Jiahe frowned. He sensed that Lu Jiahao would surely cause trouble for him during this time and declined, “There’s no need. Yi’er and I will handle our wedding preparations ourselves.”

“Hah.” Lu Jiahao let out a soft snort. “Little brother, this is your first time getting married. There are many intricacies involved, do you really think you can manage on your own?”

Ever since entering the Lu residence, Lu Jiahao had harbored animosity toward Lu Jiahe, always looking for ways to trip him up.

Hearing this, the second sister-in-law tugged at her husband’s sleeve. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

“Jiahe, your second brother and I have been through this before. Although the wedding day itself may seem simple, the preparations beforehand are extensive. With me keeping an eye on him and helping you with the arrangements, wouldn’t it ease your mind a bit?”

As she spoke, the second sister-in-law picked up a piece of pastry from the table, stood up, and placed it on the plate in front of Lu Jiahe. Her gaze toward him softened noticeably.

Cheng Yi, who had been secretly watching from outside the courtyard gate, narrowed her eyes when she saw the woman’s intense, almost predatory gaze fixed on Lu Jiahe. She muttered under her breath, “How impressive! Revealing your true nature in just one night! ‘Nothing tastes better than dumplings, nothing is more fun than dumplings,’ is that it?”

An icy, bone-chilling aura radiated from Cheng Yi, causing all living creatures nearby to retreat three feet away.

The servant who had been standing guard by the door and had intended to join the commotion was so frightened that he immediately scurried away, afraid of getting caught up in trouble.

Cheng Yi couldn’t take it anymore!

She flung the door knocker she had been gripping tightly, producing a loud ‘bang!’ that made everyone in the courtyard jump in fright.

“Oh my! There’s no need to trouble yourselves with the wedding preparations. Jiahe and I are deeply in love, and we have our own plans for our marriage.” Cheng Yi walked into the courtyard with a bright smile and placed her hand on Lu Jiahe’s shoulder.

“Ouch!” Lu Jiahe felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and turned to see Cheng Yi’s knuckles white from gripping him so tightly. He slowly looked up and met her smiling yet dagger-sharp gaze.

What did I do to upset her this time?

Lu Jiahe pursed his lips and began to wonder if he had done something to annoy her. Could it be because I didn’t wake her up this morning?

“Miss Cheng, please have a seat.” Although Lu Zhengliang still felt somewhat intimidated seeing Cheng Yi, since she was about to marry his youngest son, he would do his best to maintain proper etiquette for Lu Jiahe’s sake.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yi gave Lu Zhengliang a faint smile. She rested her hand on Lu Jiahe’s shoulder as she sat down beside him, all while discreetly observing the woman who was eyeing Lu Jiahe with obvious interest.

“You two…”

“Jiahe, I want some pastries. Feed me, please!”

Just as Lu Zhengliang was about to speak, Cheng Yi interrupted him. He watched as she shyly grabbed his son’s arm, shaking it while batting her eyelashes. Instantly, his nostrils flared, and his breathing grew noticeably heavier.

Cheng Yi’s behavior not only disgusted Old Master Lu but also left Lu Jiahao and Second Sister-in-law Lu speechless as they sat nearby.

“Huh? What?” Lu Jiahe turned to look at Cheng Yi, both frightened and embarrassed, his toes curling tightly inside his boots as if he wished he could dig a hole to hide in.

“I want this piece. Feed me.” Seeing that Lu Jiahe was staring blankly at her without moving, Cheng Yi pointed to the pastry on her plate, continuing to hint at him.

“Oh, okay, here you go.” Lu Jiahe glanced apologetically at the others, then picked up the pastry and fed it to Cheng Yi.

Well done!

This was the first time since Lu Jiahe’s mother passed away that Lu Zhengliang had seen his son behave like this. He scrutinized Cheng Yi, unable to help but admire how she had managed to tame his stubborn, mule-like son into such an obedient state.

At the moment, Cheng Yi was solely focused on nipping Lu Jiahe’s “dumpling literature” in the bud, completely unaware that her image in Lu Zhengliang’s eyes was skyrocketing.

“Mmm, the pastries you feed me are the most delicious!” Cheng Yi smiled at Lu Jiahe as if no one else were around, even playfully tapping his arm with a series of light punches.

Lu Jiahao and Second Sister-in-law Lu could hardly bear to watch. During their first meal together, Cheng Yi had seemed impulsive and irritable, and it didn’t appear she had much affection for Lu Jiahe. How had their relationship progressed so rapidly in just a few days?

“Ahem! Ahem!”

Lu Zhengliang cleared his throat behind his hand, signaling that the scene between Cheng Yi and Lu Jiahe was not suitable for public viewing.

Hearing this, Cheng Yi glanced at Lu Zhengliang and was surprised to find him smiling kindly and giving her a meaningful look. To be honest, it startled her.

“Oh, you! I was so lost in you that I forgot everyone else was here!” Cheng Yi pushed Lu Jiahe playfully, feigning embarrassment.

Goodness! This is too intense. I’m about to be scared out of my wits.

Lu Jiahe gripped Cheng Yi’s arm firmly, then turned to his father, intending to continue discussing the wedding arrangements.

His intention was to get her to act normally, but in Cheng Yi’s eyes, given the current situation, his gesture implied that something was going on between him and his second sister-in-law!

Masking her emotions, Cheng Yi shot a subtle glance at the woman across from her and began mentally comparing herself to her rival.

“Alright, you two can decide the marriage matters yourselves, but the date must be set only after the old master finishes the calculations. If you need anything, just come and tell me. For any expenses, go directly to the accountant to get the money.” Lu Zhengliang felt that Lu Jiahe had indeed changed a lot after meeting Cheng Yi, so he decided to let him follow his own heart and not interfere too much.

After everyone dispersed, Cheng Yi and Lu Jiahe returned to the courtyard to have breakfast. The moment they stepped through the courtyard gate, the previously shy and bashful person immediately changed his expression, becoming even more intimidating than before, cold and indifferent!