Novel All
Chapter 226
If Li Xin was accused of not caring about other things, she might accept it. But if someone said she didn't care about Cao Dabao, she couldn't agree. Cao Dabao was the child she had longed for years; how could she not care for and love him?
"Sister, I didn't say you don't care about Dabao," Li Xia handed her a handkerchief.
"Xia, I never thought you'd see me the same way others do," Li Xin was very upset.
"Sister, I shouldn't have said that about you," Li Xia apologized, admitting her mistake to Li Xin.
Seeing his mother cry, Cao Erbao reached out to hit Li Xia. He was making "ah ah" sounds, as if saying Li Xia shouldn't bully his mother.
"You're so protective of your mother, even hitting your aunt," Li Xia pinched Cao Erbao's little nose.
"Erbao, you can't hit your aunt," Li Xin said, about to reach out to hold Cao Erbao. At this moment, Cao Dabao came out of the room, "Aunt, is my cake ready?"
"It's ready, come and eat your cake." Li Xia called Cao Dabao to eat. This was the promised reward for Cao Dabao's diligent martial arts practice. Cao Dabao took the spoon from Li Xia's hand and started eating the cake.
Li Xin watched Cao Dabao eating the cake earnestly, "Eat slowly, don't choke." She said while wiping Cao Dabao's mouth.
Cao Dafu nodded, eating seriously.
Seeing his brother eating deliciously, Cao Erbao reached out and opened his mouth, wanting some too. Li Xia stopped Cao Erbao's movement, not letting him touch.
Li Xin took Cao Erbao from Li Xia's arms and held him, "Erbao, what's wrong?"
Cao Erbao was making "ah ah" sounds. Li Xin smiled and comforted Cao Dafu. Seeing he was hungry too, she asked the wet nurse to prepare some supplementary food for Cao Erbao. The wet nurse brought the food, and Li Xin fed him with a small spoon, not paying any attention to Cao Dabao throughout.
Cao Dabao, with cake on his mouth, called out, "Mother."
"Dabao, be good. Mother needs to take care of your brother, you go play by yourself for now," Li Xin said without looking up.
Cao Dabao didn't say anything, just lowered his head and continued eating the cake.
Li Xia handed over a handkerchief, and Cao Dabao took it, wiping haphazardly, smearing cake all over his face. Li Xin looked up and saw, "Dabao, how did you get cake all over your face? How are you eating?"
After scolding Cao Dabao, she then reprimanded the maid beside him, "How are you doing your job? Don't you know how to take care of the young master?"
"Qiu Shui, take Dabao to wash his face," Li Xia spoke up. Qiu Shui came forward and took Cao Dabao to wash his face.
"Dabao had just a little on his mouth when he called you. You were only focused on Erbao, so he had to wipe it himself messily, getting it all over his face," Li Xia calmly recounted what had just happened.
"I have to take care of Erbao, how can I pay attention to everything about Dabao? Some oversight is inevitable. He has maids and nannies to look after him. Erbao is so young, how can I not keep an eye on him?" Li Xin's voice of rebuttal grew louder.
"Sister, how have you changed so much?" Li Xia couldn't believe how much Li Xin had changed. "You weren't like this before. Now, how have you become so good at making excuses for yourself? Is it so hard to admit you've done something wrong?"
"I'm not as capable as you, how impressive you are. Everyone in the Capital City knows you, Li Xia, Lady of the Marquis of Pingnan, the second female general of this dynasty, Super First-Rank Lady. You're the pride of the Li family's daughters, you're the most capable," Li Xin spoke with increasing agitation. Her extreme emotion made Cao Erbao start crying.
Li Xia's smile faded as she looked at Li Xin for a while, "Is what others say so important?"
Li Xin ignored her and just comforted Cao Erbao. After a while, Cao Dabao came in, "Mother, I've washed my face."
"We're going home," Li Xin said, holding Cao Erbao and pulling Cao Dabao along. Cao Dabao wanted to say something to Li Xia, but was pulled away tightly by Li Xin.
Li Xia just quietly watched Li Xin leave with her three children.
"My lady," Qiu Shui approached worriedly.
"Qiu Shui, am I meddling too much?" Li Xia asked Qiu Shui if she was overstepping.
"Of course not, it's the eldest miss who's being unreasonable," Qiu Shui was entirely on Li Xia's side. In her view, Li Xin was wrong, getting angry at her lady for no reason was completely unreasonable.
"I'll go rest in my room for a while," Li Xia got up to rest in her room.
Qiu Shui watched Li Xia's departing figure with concern. In her heart, she felt it was unfair to her mistress. The eldest miss had received so much help from her young miss. Now, just because of a few casual remarks from outsiders, she blamed her mistress. It was truly ungrateful.
Concerned about Li Xia, Qiu Shui told people to be careful not to disturb the mistress. She then went to wait at the front and back gate for Lu XuanNing to return.
When Lu XuanNing returned, he saw Qiu Shui waiting at the front and back gate.
"My lord, you're back." Qiu Shui stepped forward to speak, but seeing people beside Lu XuanNing, she hesitated. Lu XuanNing waved for the others to step away, and Qiu Shui came forward to calmly and quietly explain what had happened today.
After listening, Lu XuanNing walked into the room. He saw Li Xia leaning on the bed silently. He went over and pulled Li Xia into his arms, which had become Lu XuanNing's favorite thing to do recently.
"Qiu Shui told you," Li Xia said, leaning in Lu XuanNing's arms, listening to her husband's steady heartbeat, her mood improved a bit.
"She's just worried about you," Lu XuanNing defended Qiu Shui.
"I know, from childhood to adulthood. Qiu Shui has always made protecting me her top priority," Li Xia didn't mean to blame Qiu Shui.
"I'll go beat up Cao Fugui to make you feel better," Lu XuanNing held Li Xia's hand and suggested.
"Then the next day, the Capital City would surely be buzzing about why the two Li family sons-in-law are at each other's throats," Li Xia chuckled lightly.
Seeing Li Xia laugh, Lu XuanNing also relaxed, "You always have me and Cheng Cheng by your side."
"Having you father and son by my side is my greatest happiness. Don't worry, I'm not angry. I'm not resentful either, just lamenting how easily people's hearts can change," Li Xia mused on how Li Xin, once so cultured, graceful, and beautiful, could become so complaining, angry, and even jealous.
"Xia Xia, you just need to know that I will never change, I will always be by your side," Lu XuanNing said, planting a kiss on Li Xia's head to express his feelings.
"Lu XuanNing, have I ever told you that meeting you is the luckiest thing in my life?" Li Xia was warmed by Lu XuanNing's words. This man had always been fulfilling his promises, taking care of her and being considerate.
"Meeting you is the luckiest thing in my life," A quiet tenderness flowed between the couple. Until Lu Liucheng, returning from the Beining Marquis Manor, interrupted the two.
"Father, Mother, Grandfather said he wants to take me and Uncle hunting on the next day off," Lu Liucheng said excitedly.
"You need a bow and arrow for hunting. Do you have a bow and arrow?" Li Xia wasn't particularly interested in hunting.
"Yes, Grandfather has prepared bows and arrows for me and Uncle, and he'll teach me how to shoot arrows then," Lu Liucheng was still young and hadn't learned how to use a bow yet.
"When you go hunting, listen to your grandfather. Don't run off, and always take someone with you wherever you go," Lu XuanNing instructed Lu Liucheng.
"Father, Mother, aren't you coming?" Lu Liucheng quite wanted his parents to come along.
"Next time, this time we're going to Qingyue Street." Calculating the time, the Chang'an Princess was about to give birth. On Lu XuanNing's next day off, the two of them needed to go to Qingyue Street to check on her.
"Then Mother, please send my regards to Grandmother and Cousin Hui," Lu Liucheng, wise beyond his years, instructed.
"Alright," Li Xia agreed to pass on his message.
"Where's Dabao? Why hasn't he come for dinner?" Lu Liucheng looked around and asked when he didn't see Cao Dabao.