Chapter 7: All the Honor and Devotion Belongs to Her!
This novel is translated and hosted only on Bcatranslation
Madam Yu’s smile stiffened for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure, her expression calm. “The family ran into some sudden issues,” she said without missing a beat. “They had to handle it, but they’ll be back soon.”
Yu Zhi Yi nodded in understanding. “Should Zi Heng help with anything?”
Madam Yu shook her head. “Oh, it’s nothing serious…”
Right as she was speaking, Lord Yu and five members of the Yu family arrived.
Madam Yu stepped forward. “How did things go with the family matter?”
Lord Yu caught on immediately, replying, “It’s all sorted now.”
He then turned to Du Zi Heng. “My dear son-in-law, Zhi Yi, I didn’t expect such sudden trouble. Please, don’t take it to heart.”
Du Zi Heng smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No one wants trouble for their family. How could I blame you, Father-in-law?”
If you took it at face value, it sounded forgiving. But from another angle, it wasn’t necessarily that simple.
Lord Yu didn’t seem to mind any potential hidden meaning, smiling as he welcomed the couple into the house.
Men and women were seated separately.
At the men’s table, the atmosphere was cheerful, and everyone gathered around Du Zi Heng, toasting and praising him.
Meanwhile, Yu Zhi Yi sat gracefully at the women’s table, her radiant red dress making her the center of attention. Everyone had already forgotten the ridiculous claims Yu Jiao Jiao had made just moments ago.
If Young Master Du was willing to give Yu Zhi Yi such an expensive dress, how could he possibly not love her?
Yu Jiao Jiao almost felt blinded by Zhi Yi’s brilliance. She clenched her fists so tightly that her palms nearly broke the skin.
After dinner, Yu Jiao Jiao cornered Yu Zhi Yi at the end of an empty corridor. “You imposter! What kind of trick did you pull to make Du Zi Heng come back with you?”
Yu Zhi Yi looked puzzled. “Isn’t it normal for the groom to accompany his bride back to her family on their return visit?”
Yu Jiao Jiao felt like she’d just taken an arrow to the chest.
“Normal, my foot!” she thought.
In their past life, Du Zi Heng hadn’t come back with her! Not only had he refused to return, but he’d also allowed that vile woman, You Bing Yue, to hurt her and even poisoned her with something that required an antidote, or she’d die!
For a long while, she’d been too afraid to show her face in public, unable to openly seek revenge against that vile woman.
Seeing the disbelief on Yu Jiao Jiao’s face, Yu Zhi Yi chuckled softly to herself. She’d only said it was “normal,” but she hadn’t claimed she hadn’t used any tricks.
If Yu Jiao Jiao misunderstood, well, that wasn’t her fault.
Yu Jiao Jiao finally calmed down, but as she stared at Yu Zhi Yi’s charming face, a flicker of jealousy passed through her eyes.
Du Zi Heng must have been drawn in by this imposter’s beauty.
What nonsense about only loving You Bing Yue—a two-timing scumbag!
Seeing Yu Zhi Yi’s soft and happy smile, Yu Jiao Jiao sneered. “Do you really think Du Zi Heng coming back with you means he loves you? Don’t be naive. He already has a mistress hidden away! That woman is the one he truly loves, while you—you’re just someone he was forced to marry because of pressure from Madam Du!”
“It won’t be long before that woman steps all over you, and then you’ll see just how pathetic you really are!”
Yu Zhi Yi’s smile grew even brighter.
Yu Jiao Jiao scowled. “Are you stupid? How can you still smile after everything I’ve said?”
“I’m touched, of course,” Yu Zhi Yi replied, her voice filled with sweetness. “Sister, you haven’t even sorted out all the concubines around your husband, yet here you are worrying about me. How can I not be moved by your concern?”
Yu Jiao Jiao’s face darkened. “Don’t think I can’t hear your sarcasm!”
Thinking of the annoying women in her own household, her anger flared again. “What do you know? Ever since our marriage, my husband has been changing for the better. Soon enough, he’ll get rid of those women! His heart, his body, everything about him—it all belongs to me alone!”
Thinking of Zhang Tian Shun being titled a duke and only having eyes for her in the future, Yu Jiao Jiao suddenly stopped feeling so angry. She looked at Yu Zhi Yi with a strange pity. “My husband is destined for greatness. If you ever find yourself struggling in the future, come to me. Perhaps I’ll help you, for old times’ sake.”
Yu Zhi Yi covered her nose with her handkerchief, laughing lightly. “Then I’ll wish you good fortune ahead of time, Sister. I hope you can make Brother-in-law settle down soon and live the life you’ve always wanted.”
She turned and walked away.
Yu Jiao Jiao watched her retreating, vibrant figure, feeling a wave of frustration. There was something stuck in her chest that she couldn’t quite swallow.
She’d wanted to shatter that woman’s mask of happiness, to see her crying in despair!
But this imposter was too thick-skinned, completely unphased.
Then again, maybe this was for the best.
Let the imposter think she was truly happy. The more satisfied she was now, the more painful it would be when she learned the truth.
Someone as lowly as that imposter deserved nothing more than to have her heart shattered, to rot in the dirt!
As for herself, the one blessed enough to be reborn, she was destined to rise above, to live a life of steady, secure happiness.
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t even need to look back to know what Yu Jiao Jiao was thinking.
Someone so low as to try and steal someone else’s happiness, thinking they were being clever and subtle, hiding in the shadows, gloating without realizing that fate had already assigned value to each life.
If it wasn’t meant for you, no matter how much you schemed, in the end, it would slip through your fingers like sand.
Even if they managed to hold onto it for a short while, eventually, they’d lose it all, and pay double the price.
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t need to do anything extra—Yu Jiao Jiao would pay for her foolishness on her own.
In the northern regions, tradition had it that newlyweds left the bride’s family before noon on their return visit.
Yu Zhi Yi and Du Zi Heng stood by the carriage as servants from the Yu household loaded their things.
Madam Yu held Yu Zhi Yi’s hands. “Zhi Yi, take everything with you. Don’t be shy with your mother.”
“In the future, live well with your husband. Come back often. The doors of the Yu residence will always be open for you.”
Yu Zhi Yi gently withdrew her hands. “Mother, it’s like you think I’m no longer part of the Yu family just because I’ve married. Did you say the same thing to my sister when she got married?”
Madam Yu’s smile stiffened.
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t pretend to be polite about the gifts—she accepted them all.
The carriage slowly pulled away, soon disappearing from sight.
Fifth Brother Yu Zi Xuan could no longer hold back, spitting, “Did you see her attitude? She’s only married to the son of an official, not the chancellor himself, yet she doesn’t even know her own worth!”
Second Brother Yu Ming Yu frowned darkly. “This is what happens when small people get lucky. She’ll come crawling back to us sooner or later, and then we’ll see if she can still act so smug.”
The Yu family members all nodded in agreement.
Marriage wasn’t just between two individuals—most of the time, it involved both families.
Yu Zhi Yi was just a fake daughter of the Yu family. There was no way the Du family would treat her with the same respect they would a real daughter of a noble house.
Once she realized that, she’d come crawling back, bowing and apologizing.
Inside the carriage, Du Zi Heng had calmed down, but he still couldn’t understand. “What kind of life did you live at the Yu residence for them to not care about your return visit?”
He wasn’t fooled—today’s banquet could barely be called one. It had obviously been thrown together at the last minute.
Yu Zhi Yi chuckled. “It has nothing to do with my status at the Yu residence. After all, even if they don’t respect me, they have to respect you. It’s just that some self-important rat told Lord and Madam Yu what happened at the Du residence, so they assumed I wouldn’t be coming.”
Du Zi Heng frowned. “…”
She was smiling, but why did he feel so guilty?