Chapter 45: They Were Nothing More Than Dogs
Lu Liangwei turned her head abruptly only to see Lu Hetian’s originally borderline-pleasant expression suddenly darkening. There was a visible flash of pain in his pitch-dark eyes.
Only then did Ji Qingyuan seem to realize that he had said something he should not have, and he turned his head away without another word.
Lu Liangwei glanced at Ji Qingyuan thoughtfully.
Lihua was Madam Ling’s maiden name.
It seemed that Ji Qingyuan was rather familiar with Madam Ling.
His remarks against Lu Hetian just now appeared to be defending the late Madam Ling against some unknown injustice.
However, why would Madam Ling be disappointed in Lu Hetian? What wrong did he commit against her?
Burying the curious questions deep inside her heart, Lu Liangwei could not bear to see Lu Hetian in such a dejected state, so she took his arm and called him affectionately, “Daddy.”
Seeing how meek his daughter was, Lu Hetian gave her a reluctant smile.
He raised his hand and stroked her head, but felt as if there was a gaping hole in his heart.
“Sit here for a while, my girl. I need to go out for a bit.”
Lu Liangwei knew that he was probably thinking of Madam Ling but wanted to refrain from showing his emotions in front of a younger person, so she nodded. “Okay.”
After Lu Hetian left, Ji Qingyuan was also somewhat dispirited and left after exchanging a few more words with Lu Liangwei.
Lu Liangwei sat alone in her seat, thinking about the matter between Lu Hetian and Madam Ling.
At this moment, a girl in a pink dress came over.
When she opened her mouth to speak, every word was dripping with sarcasm and seemed to have no intention of being respectful. “Lu Liangwei, how can you have the gall to show up after all your shameless acts?”
Lu Liangwei raised her head and glanced at her, realizing quickly that she was Lu Yunshuang’s close friend Lin Qingyuan—the Minister of Revenue’s daughter.
Before Lu Liangwei could reply, another girl in a green dress walked up to them and joined the conversation in a taunting manner. “What could she possibly be incapable of? If she had the tiniest bit of shame, she wouldn’t have done those things. How impressive for Second Miss Lu to attempt at seducing her brother-in-law!”
“What a shame it is that the Crown Prince only has eyes for the Crown Princess. It’s useless no matter how hard the peasants try,” Lin Qingyuan sneered, showing her contempt for Lu Liangwei in every single word.
Both of them spoke quite loudly, and their voices quickly attracted the attention of others in the hall.
Those people were already very scornful of Lu Liangwei and, hearing someone criticize her, much to their satisfaction, they started picking on her as well.
Seeing Lu Liangwei sitting still without a word, the girl in the green dress snickered, “Does Second Miss Lu have nothing else to say?”
Lu Liangwei glanced at her, remembering that this girl was also a good friend of Lu Yunshuang. She was always following Lu Yunshuang around and being ordered about like an attendant.
Now that Lu Yunshuang had become the Crown Princess, she stuck even closer to her.
Her current demeanor was just for the sake of currying favor with Lu Yunshuang.
However, they had no idea that they were nothing more than dogs in Lu Yunshuang’s eyes.
The corners of Lu Liangwei’s mouth curved slightly without any sign of anger. “Were both of you talking to me? I thought that I was looking at some marketplace shrews, but it turned out to be Miss Lin and Miss Qin—how disrespectful of me.”
When Lin Qingyuan and Qin Wanru heard this, their expressions changed drastically and they both glared at Lu Liangwei viciously.
“Lu Liangwei, who are you calling a shrew?”
Lu Liangwei stood up, looked theatrically around the hall, then back at them with an unwavering smile on her face. “Other than you two, do you see anyone else in the hall behaving like a shrew?”
Both their faces flushed with anger at being countered in such a manner, and they snarled through gritted teeth, “Lu Liangwei!”
Lu Liangwei had not the slightest regard for them. Seeing that Lu Hetian had not yet come back after such a long time, she decided to go out and take a look, but she had only taken a step before being pulled by someone.
“Lu Liangwei, don’t you dare leave without making yourself clear!” The person grabbing onto her arm was Lin Qingyuan.
Lu Liangwei turned and glanced at her. “Then what other comments does Miss Lin want to make?” After saying that, she was no longer in a hurry to leave, and with a light shake of her arm, she walked back to her seat and sat down once more.