Good Ending: She Swears She Will Not Let Him Die!

Chapter 289: Chapter 288: Enduring It

In the soft moonlight, Du Yunluo could only see Mu Lianxiao’s eyes.

His eyelashes were thick and long, making his eyes particularly deep.

Listening to Du Yunluo’s soft hum, a sudden hint of a smile appeared in Mu Lianxiao’s eyes, and his gaze, cool and clear, seemed to have a shimmer.

The smile grew wider, even his lips curled into a grin.

Mu Lianxiao, with an easy demeanor, said in a low voice, ”Because I’ve been watching you all along.”

He kept watching Du Yunluo, watching her stitch shoe insoles for him, her slender fingers moving back and forth before him, simple movements yet exceedingly beautiful.

In a household like the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, would they ever lack insoles or underclothes?

All it would take is a word, and by tomorrow, a whole bundle of insoles could be made.

But Du Yunluo wanted to make them herself, it was all her heartfelt intention.

Just like Mu Lianxiao’s childhood memory of Mrs. Zhou sitting by the table stitching insoles for Mu Yuance.

Mu Yuance said that the underclothes and insoles made by Mrs. Zhou gave him peace of mind.

Mu Lianxiao thought, he too could try the feeling of peace imbued with his wife’s intention.

All his thoughts were focused on watching Du Yunluo, yet he dared not stare so intensely as to make her aware and disturb her work. He carefully stole glances with a book in hand.

In the end, he remembered nothing of the book’s content, all that remained in his mind was Du Yunluo’s silhouette.

Unwavering, longing to hold her in his arms.

And that is what he did.

Mu Lianxiao’s candid words made Du Yunluo’s heart race, his body so close to hers, she could smell the soapy scent on him.

Familiar and comforting.

Du Yunluo smiled, brilliant like a summer flower.

The canopy fell, and Mu Lianxiao wrapped his arms around Du Yunluo’s waist and rolled inward.

Du Yunluo, ticklish, giggled but was quickly silenced with an unexpected kiss, suddenly, all was silent.

The sound of indulgence.

When Du Yunluo awoke, she was alone in the inner chamber again.

She raised her hand to cover her slightly aching eyes, the daylight outside was already bright; if she did not get up soon, she would be late.

As she turned to sit up, a wave of soreness washed over her.

Du Yunluo sighed softly, the first half of last night’s memory was clear, the latter half blurry as if she couldn’t remember when she had fallen asleep.

Jin Rui in the outer room heard the movement and came in to attend to her washing and grooming.

While at the dressing table sketching her brows, Mu Lianxiao returned from training, and she raised her eyes to give him a playful look.

Breakfast still included a bowl of chicken soup.

Du Yunluo ate slowly, then had a bowl of porridge before heading to Jingshui Hall with Mu Lianxiao.

After Mu Lianxiao paid his respects, Mrs. Zhou said, ”You go mind your business, let your wife keep me company for a chat.”

War had broken out at the border, and though Mu Lianxiao had received the imperial decree to head to the battlefield a bit later, there were still matters he needed to handle in the capital.

Du Yunluo saw him out of Jingshui Hall, noticing the concern in his expression, she couldn’t help but smile, ”What’s the matter? Worried about mother being difficult?”

Mu Lianxiao chuckled, ”Mother is kind, why would she trouble you for no reason?”

”I know mother is good, you don’t have to worry,” Du Yunluo replied.

She truly understood that Mrs. Zhou was quite easy to get along with.

In her last life, if not for her own naiveté, Mrs. Zhou wouldn’t have become distant and disliking her.

Du Yunluo still remembered the first conflict between her and Mrs. Zhou.

When she had just married in, Mrs. Zhou was indifferent to her, but towards the antics Du Yunluo pulled in Shaohui Garden, Mrs. Zhou always turned a blind eye.

Mrs. Zhou didn’t argue with her, nor did she bother interfering with her son and daughter-in-law’s household affairs; she wasn’t the type of mother-in-law who wanted to control everything.

With such mutual respect, Du Yunluo and Mrs. Zhou could still get along on the surface.

Until the night before Mu Lianxiao’s expedition.

Du Yunluo cried her heart out in Shaohui Garden, fearing Mu Lianxiao’s departure, fearing the grim prophecies of Du Yunying and Du Yunnuo, fearing he might not return.

Mu Lianxiao comforted her, but she wouldn’t listen.

She actually knew, no matter what, Mu Lianxiao had to go; it was a military order, a duty he must fulfill.

But aside from crying and causing a scene, Du Yunluo didn’t know how else to express her anxiety and unease.

She couldn’t bear the pressure.

That night, Mrs. Zhou, who had never set foot in Shaohui Garden, suddenly came.

Mrs. Zhou simply said to her, ”Everyone in this house can bear it, why can’t you?”

With one sentence, Du Yunluo’s mouth was sealed shut.

As Mrs. Zhou said, who in this household hadn’t tasted the bitterness of sending a loved one to war?

Even the Lian Family, though Mu Yuanmou wasn’t on the battlefield, sent Mu Liancheng off, and thought of her eldest son dearly.

Actually, everyone was afraid, but Du Yunluo expressed it in the most direct way.

She filled Mu Lianxiao with worry.

In Mrs. Zhou’s eyes, this was utterly wrong.

To this day, Du Yunluo was no longer the person who would throw a tantrum and cry, just as Mrs. Zhou said, she could bear it too.

Even if reluctant, she shouldn’t let Mu Lianxiao go off to war burdened with concerns.

What she had to do, was clear away any obstacles in the mansion, not add trouble to him.

Du Yunluo turned and returned to Mrs. Zhou’s room.

Mrs. Zhou smiled and invited her to sit down, then had the maid bring over several account books, saying, ”These are our branch’s accounts. My health now can only handle the basics, relying on the people below to be diligent. Now that you are married here, you should learn to manage them. Don’t worry about not doing well, I have Nanny Su teach you.”

Nanny Su, dressed in a somewhat worn dark blue coat, with neatly slicked hair, her age showed in the wrinkles at her eyes, and her smile deepened them.

Du Yunluo stood and greeted Nanny Su.

In the past, Nanny Su was the one who taught her the affairs of the house, and in the year and more after Mrs. Zhou’s death, it was with her guidance that Du Yunluo sorted out the family affairs.

Through that year of interaction, Du Yunluo knew Nanny Su’s nature well.

Mrs. Zhou laughed, ”Lian Xiao’s wife, don’t blame me for being eager. I’ve been waiting for a daughter-in-law to take over so long, my neck is stretched.”

”With mother letting Nanny Su teach me, I’ll definitely learn well,” Du Yunluo said.

Mrs. Zhou had Du Yunluo sit in the opposite study to look at the account books.

Du Yunluo carefully examined them.

The one managing the accounts under Mrs. Zhou was Nanny Gao, whom Mrs. Zhou trusted immensely, not changing personnel for over ten years.

Though the rules of bookkeeping were fixed, everyone had their own habits to some extent.

With the experience from her past life, Du Yunluo was well aware of Nanny Gao’s bookkeeping habits.

Du Yunluo understood these well, and Nanny Su found it a relief.

”Madam, please go through these first; there are also some shop and estate accounts, as well as some old accounts. Once I have sorted them, I’ll send them to you,” Nanny Su said with a broad smile.

Du Yunluo naturally agreed and listened to Nanny Su talk about the status of the properties under their branch, which she was already familiar with and thus remembered quickly.

Nanny Su left the study, heading to the side room to refill Mrs. Zhou’s tea.

Mrs. Zhou read with her head down and took a sip from her tea cup.

Nanny Su smiled broadly and said, ”Madam, the heir’s wife understands immediately.”

Mrs. Zhou smiled gently, ”That’s good, it’s good that she’s understanding.”