The Laid-back Life of a Stepmother

Chapter 83

Since Wen Ye was conferred a title of noble lady, the West Courtyard has been receiving numerous invitations to events such as autumn chrysanthemum festivals and poetry competitions.

Being bestowed a noble title is not unusual in Sheng Jing City, where many ladies hold such titles, most of which are granted upon request by their husbands or sons.

Those who earned the title through their own merits are few and far between.

Wen Ye is now like an unpolished gem, ‘plopping’ into a stagnant lake, stirring up waves.

Everyone wants to be the first to claim this gem.

The families sending the invitations are mostly unknown to Wen Ye, and she has no intention of making their acquaintance.

After all, those who send invitations directly to her, bypassing Madam Lu, are not worth associating with.

Such behavior is either outright foolish or intending to sow discord between her and Madam Lu.

Given her current status, one might think Madam Lu would already be jealous of her.

However, Wen Ye has no intention of following the usual path. Instead, she directly took a stack of invitations to Madam Lu's main courtyard.

Madam Lu stared at the pile of invitations on the table, momentarily speechless. "If you don't want to go, just decline them. What's the point of bringing them to me?"

Wen Ye gestured for her to look at the content of the invitations. "Look at the content, Madam Lu. Lady Ma's invitation has some hidden meanings."

Madam Lu was skeptical, wondering who would write something ambiguous in an invitation, practically handing over a weapon to the recipient.

With some hesitation, she opened the top invitation and read it through, her eyes narrowing.

In fact, Wen Ye had deliberately chosen this invitation. She had learned that Lady Ma's brother had been caught cheating on his military salary by Duke Xu, a substantial sum, though this happened during the reign of the previous emperor.

To undermine the prestige of the Duke Xu mansion, the previous emperor had not severely punished Lady Ma's brother.

As a result, the feud between the Duke Xu mansion and Lady Ma's family ran deep.

Though both were military families, their relationship was not amicable.

At first glance, Lady Ma's invitation seemed unremarkable, with just a few more flattering remarks about Wen Ye than others.

But under Wen Ye's subtle guidance and considering the past animosity between the two families, Madam Lu naturally sensed something untoward.

The invitation seemed to subtly encourage Wen Ye to compare herself with Madam Lu, clearly harboring ill intentions.

Both Lady Ma's husband's family and her own family had been in decline since the current emperor ascended the throne.

Madam Lu hadn't seen Lady Ma at any social gatherings for years, and if Wen Ye hadn't brought this invitation, she might have forgotten about her entirely.

Madam Lu closed the invitation. "From now on, any invitations from families close to the Ma family or Lady Ma's own family should be ignored."

Their schemes had reached out to her, and if Wen Ye attended such a gathering, who knew what slander she might hear.

Madam Lu wasn't stupid. She quickly understood why Wen Ye had brought these invitations to her.

"You really don't hide your intentions at all," she said.

Wen Ye smiled shyly. "Why hide anything from Madam Lu?"

In the Duke Xu mansion, though the families were separate, the household remained unified. This matter didn’t strictly need to be brought up with Madam Lu, as Wen Ye could handle it herself.

She came here because she wanted Madam Lu to get used to her reliance on her for every little thing.

Madam Lu could see through Wen Ye's schemes, but seeing her instinctively seek her out whenever there was trouble, she couldn't help but soften.

"Alright," Madam Lu sighed. "Go and find a reasonable excuse to decline the invitations."

Who wouldn't want to find a strong ally? Wen Ye's actions were understandable.

Besides, who else could Wen Ye rely on if not Madam Lu? She certainly couldn't count on Deputy Xu, who was half a block of wood at best.

Recently, however, he had shown some improvement. This time when he returned from Orchid City, he even remembered to bring gifts for the family, albeit just a dried rabbit. But it was still a gesture of thoughtfulness.

Wen Ye jumped at the opportunity. "Shall I say I was a bit traumatized in Orchid City and need some time to recover?"

Madam Lu, hearing her unhesitating tone, realized she had already thought of the excuse. She couldn’t help but chuckle in exasperation. "Do as you please, but don't complain if it brings bad luck."

Wen Ye wasn’t superstitious. "I don't know any of those ladies, and even if I went, it would just be exchanging formalities. It's better to stay home and spend more time with Madam Lu."

Madam Lu felt pleased but acted nonchalant. "You’re full of sweet words to charm people."

Wen ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Ye gently rebutted, "Is that so? I sent Madam Lu over ten rabbit furs yesterday, which I personally hunted."

Madam Lu rolled her eyes at this. "Yes, and you tricked Xu Yuxuan into thinking you brought him a living, fluffy rabbit. He happily went to the kitchen, expecting to see a live rabbit, only to find over a dozen dried ones."

Wen Ye defended herself stoutly. "That was his own imagination. I never said the rabbits were alive."

Moreover, she later made amends by giving Xu Yuxuan his share of the dried rabbits, even cooking one for him the same night.

He ate it with great enjoyment, though he cried as he ate. After finishing, he secretly buried the bones in the yard, marking them with a small wooden stick with a crooked rabbit drawing.

Wen Ye later checked and found the little stick, amused by the scene.

Madam Lu didn’t want to argue about this. "Today is Deputy Xu's birthday. Don't loiter around me anymore. Go back now."

Wen Ye replied, "Alright, I'll head back."

She had arrived early, and it was still just past seven in the morning.

Returning from Madam Lu's main courtyard, Wen Ye habitually fussed over Xu Yuxuan before stepping into the west side study.

Deputy Xu's rapid rise in rank was no accident; even on his day off, he still worked tirelessly.

Xu Yuxuan followed him around, savvily using his father's birthday as an excuse to take a break from his studies at the Pine Mountain Academy.

Deputy Xu had been copying for nearly an hour and had just turned the first page.

He glanced at Wen Ye and said, “You're back.”

Wen Ye sat down across from him, holding the deed to a hot spring manor in a silk box. She bluntly said, “Yes, back to celebrate my husband’s birthday.”

Deputy Xu's pen paused momentarily.

Wen Ye spread the deed on the desk, pointing at the text quite proudly, “If you ever want to soak in a hot spring, you can go here.”

Deputy Xu looked up. "If I recall, you said the same to Madam Lu a couple of days ago."

How many people has she promised this hot spring manor to? She probably doesn’t even remember herself.

Wen Ye didn’t forget; she explained, “There are two pools, one for you and one for me and Madam Lu.”

Xu Yuxuan, who had barely managed to drag a chair over and climb onto it, heard this and quickly protested, “What about me?”

Wen Ye almost forgot about him. She stroked the child’s head while saying to Deputy Xu, “You won’t be lonely; Xu Yuxuan will be with you.”

Deputy Xu's gaze shifted downward, meeting Xu Yuxuan’s bright eyes. He remained silent.

Xu Yuxuan, oblivious to his father’s reaction, enthusiastically added, “I’ll help father scrub his back!”

Wen Ye chimed in, “See, what a filial son.”

Deputy Xu glanced at his son. "He’s too young for hot springs."

"True," Wen Ye agreed. "We’ll wait until he’s older."

The couple chatted idly, and despite this, Deputy Xu still hadn’t turned to the second page.

Occasionally, he glanced out the window, feeling that this day seemed unusually long.

*

After dinner, Xu Yuxuan brought out the birthday present he had prepared early.

It was his first calligraphy piece, covered in smudges and marks that had spilled beyond the lines. With a serious expression, he held it aloft. “It’s the thought that counts, Father. Happy birthday~”

Wen Ye struggled to hold back her laughter.

To make it more presentable, Xu Yuxuan had found a silk box to hold it. Now, he held both the box and the paper reverently, waiting for his father’s response.

Wen Ye teasingly prompted, “Your husband?”

Deputy Xu glanced at her before taking the box, saying, “Thank you, I’ve received your gift.”

Xu Yuxuan pursed his lips, clearly pleased.

With his gift delivered, he happily left.

The room was now left to Deputy Xu and Wen Ye.

Wen Ye had been observing closely. Although Xu Yuejia's reaction to Xu Yuxuan's birthday gift was lukewarm, he still carefully folded the large character and placed it into the brocade box.

She compared it to her own preparation, and no matter how she looked at it, hers seemed far superior to Xu Yuxuan's.

Xu Yuejia shouldn't be disappointed, right?

As Wen Ye pondered, she suddenly caught Xu Yuejia's expectant gaze. She slightly raised an eyebrow and said, "I'll go get it."

With that, she stood up and walked into the western side study, returning with a small wooden box from a corner Xu Yuejia had never set foot in.

She placed the small wooden box on the table and said, "It's all here, my birthday gift for my husband."

Xu Yuejia recognized this box. It was the one her maidservant had been carrying that day when they left the Pine Mountain Academy's library.

Wen Ye urged, "Go ahead, open it and take a look."

The box wasn't locked, so Xu Yuejia easily lifted the lid. His gaze swept over it, revealing neatly stacked books.

Wen Ye explained, "I noticed my husband seemed to be looking for books related to the compilation of laws from the previous dynasties before the Great Jin Dynasty. I thought since the Pine Mountain Academy's library has a history of several hundred years, there might be some you haven't read.

It turns out I was right, and I found these books. Do you like them?"

Xu Yuejia gently flipped through one of the books, then after a while, looked up to confirm with her, "This is your birthday gift?"

Wen Ye nodded, "Yes."

She had just mentioned it.

"But you can only keep them for a month," Wen Ye borrowed them for only a month and would have to return them later.

Xu Yuejia: "……"

He had imagined countless possibilities for the birthday gift, yet it still surprised him.

After a while, he asked, "When did you realize I was looking for books about the compilation of laws?"

Wen Ye could hardly tell the truth, "Of course, it's because I'm very attentive."

Xu Yuejia recalled the few but increasingly plump servants in the front yard and felt reassured.

"Do you like it, husband?"

"I like it."

No surprise, no disappointment, it seemed quite ordinary.

Wen Ye tried to probe, "It's getting late?"

Xu Yuejia closed the box and replied, "I'll go wash up."

Wen Ye: "…Okay."

About two hours later, Xu Yuejia sat on the bed, holding a Buddhist scripture.

Wen Ye emerged from the side room and had just taken a few steps toward the bed when she noticed it.

The scripture in the man's hand was the one she had been reading earlier.

Perhaps hearing her footsteps, Xu Yuejia quietly put down the scripture and lifted his eyes to meet hers.

On such a great day, they should celebrate with something special.

…

Wen Ye felt that tonight Xu Yuejia was a bit reserved in every way.

So, was he dissatisfied with her birthday gift?

Thinking about it, Wen Ye said, "Actually, I prepared a second birthday gift for my husband."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuejia's gaze silently fell on her.

Wen Ye: "…It's not me."

Her arms loosening around his neck, Wen Ye reached to the inside corner of the bed, pulled out the bunny ears she had made earlier, and put them on her head, asking, "Are they cute?"

Xu Yuejia's eyes clearly changed.

But the next moment, the bunny ears were on his head.

"But I think they look better on you, husband," said Wen Ye, revealing her specially prepared surprise.

Xu Yuejia: "......"

Though immensely ridiculous, his heart truly landed at that moment.

Her first birthday gift had been far too serious, making it feel unreal.

Xu Yuejia, wearing a pair of bunny ears, lifted his eyes to look at her: "Is it cute?"

Wen Ye honestly shook her head: "Not really."

"But it's fun."

She made a double entendre.

Xu Yuejia paused for a moment before saying, "I'm on leave tomorrow."

Wen Ye: "......"

Who taught him to talk like that?

But from Xu Yuejia's reaction, it seemed he preferred her surprise gift even more. :??.