Arrogant and domineering because of his good looks: His Majesty always pretends to be righteous

Xia Rongliu ran in from outside the gate, covered in sweat, and Lin called out to her, "Come here, let me change your clothes."

Xia Rongliu's eyes lit up: "Mom, where are we going?"

Lin said, "Let's go to your Aunt He's house."

The leaves on Xia Rongliu's head immediately wilted. "I don't chant Buddhist scriptures or eat vegetarian food, so I don't want to go."

But Xia Rongliu had no choice in the matter. It was true that Madam Lin was gentle and kind, but that did not contradict her efficiency and decisiveness. She took Xia Rongliu back to the house and quickly changed her into a pink wisteria-covered dress. She then took a bag of pastries from Qingyu Lane and went out.

Xia Rongliu had a bitter face. This Aunt He was a well-known chaste woman in the Xia family. Her husband died less than three days after she married into the family, but she did not remarry. First, she went to serve her parents-in-law, and then she returned to her parents' home to continue being a widow, living alone. The clan even erected a chastity arch for her. She burned incense and prayed to Buddha every day. None of these things were of interest to Xia Rongliu.

Although Xia Rongliu was a lady from a prominent family in her previous life, her father was too lazy to care for her, and she grew up on her own. She had a kind of wild and unrestrained nature. She respected and pitied this kind of woman who was dressed in a shell, but she did not like to associate with her.

Unfortunately, Xia Rongliu is now young and powerless, so she could only whine to her mother, "Mother, are you going to follow Aunt He to learn Buddhism?"

Lin ignored her nonsense, "What are you doing! Your pout looks like you could hang an oil bottle on your lips!"

"Mom, my shoes seem too small, my feet hurt." Xia Rongliu rolled her eyes and found another excuse for herself.

Lin finally laughed in anger: "Are you going to obediently come with me, or am I going to slap you a few times before you leave?"

To be honest, Xia Rongliu is really spoiled and arrogant now. Madam Lin is often so angry at her that her hands itch. When Xia Rongliu sees that her gentle mother is really angry, she knows when to back down.

Madam Lin felt sorry for the little girl again, sighed and picked her up: "What do you know? Your Aunt He is a very kind person. You will know how good she is once you spend time with her."

"What's so good about it?" Xia Rongliu wondered to herself, but nodded obediently on her face.

Aunt He and the Xia family lived not far apart. The mother and daughter arrived in a quarter of an hour. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by a faint fragrance. After passing the screen wall, they came into view a lush green area. Upon closer inspection, they found it to be a large trellis of wisteria. Aunt He, who was keen on vegetarianism and chanting Buddhist scriptures, was lying in a rocking chair under the wisteria trellis, fanning herself with a banana leaf fan and enjoying the cool air.

Aunt He stopped fanning herself when she saw Madam Lin, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes, but she was still very friendly: "Why are you here?"

"It just so happens that the lotus seeds are ripe at this time of year. I have a small pond at home, and I picked some of the best ones to give to you. Also, I have a small favor to ask of you." Madam Lin presented the gifts and said, "My mother-in-law's birthday is coming up, and I copied some scriptures to offer to the Bodhisattva. However, we don't worship the Bodhisattva at home. I've heard that you are a Buddhist, so I've come to bother you!"

This was really a small matter, and besides, what Lin brought wasn't anything valuable, and she spoke frankly and openly, so Aunt He really couldn't refuse. "It's really kind of you to show such filial piety." She had the maid take the things and brought over a few snacks.

Lin was delighted and pulled Xia Rongliu to greet Aunt He.

Aunt He was a quiet person, and because of her special status, she usually stayed at home and didn't like to socialize. She only had a nodding acquaintance with Madam Lin. However, everyone has feelings. Aunt He had been a widow for many years and was cold and indifferent to adults, but she liked children very much.

In addition, Xia Rongliu is cute and clever, and even the modest Lin Shi dared to say that there was absolutely no one else in the surrounding area who could compare to her.

That's right, the Lin family is that confident!

Sure enough, Aunt He smiled as soon as she saw the well-behaved and adorable Xia Rongliu. She beckoned the little girl to come closer, stroked her smooth and soft hair, and said, "I knew you had a daughter, but I didn't expect her to grow up so big. She's really pretty. Is her name Rongliu?"

Mrs. Lin smiled and said, "Yes, her father named her that."

Aunt He nodded: "It's a good name." She picked up a piece of red bean cake from the table, "Does the child like red beans?"

Mrs. Lin said with a smile, "She's not picky about food. She's been teething lately and her gums are sore from grinding, so she's been eating a lot more."

Xia Rongliu was quite embarrassed. Luckily, she was young, otherwise her gluttony would have been incredibly shameful if word got out.

It's not Xia Rongliu's fault. In her previous life, she had to eat delicacies and drink bitter medicine. In this life, she can taste all the flavors of life. Coupled with the self-control of a child, she became a little greedy.

Fortunately, Aunt He didn't care about these things and laughed as she listened: "Being able to eat is a blessing. You look like a lucky person. Just remember not to lick your teeth after they grow in, or they will become crooked and look bad."

And so, Xia Rongliu used her face to help her mother and Aunt He open the first door.

Madam Lin was a clever woman. She would occasionally bring Xia Rongliu over, only talking about amusing children, which would bring a smile to Aunt He's face, and she wouldn't say anything else. As for Xia Rongliu, she was only responsible for eating snacks and drinking flower tea, acting cute and innocent—her life was quite decadent!

She could also see that Aunt He was not as bitter and resentful as she had imagined; on the contrary, Aunt He was living a very comfortable life.

Although most of the clothes were dark-colored and plain, the quality was excellent. Aunt He often held Xia Rongliu, and the fabric was soft and smooth, no less than silk. New clothes were rarely seen; they had a clean, fresh feel after washing, giving them a refined and understated elegance. The flowers and plants in the courtyard, the furniture and furnishings inside the house, were all exquisitely arranged. The pastries were all from Qingyu Lane, which was one of the best in Qingzhou. The Xia family only bought a little bit of these pastries during festivals.

Aunt He was a gentle and aloof person, and she often spoke with insightful words. Xia Rongliu vaguely felt that her widowhood was not because she loved her deceased husband much, nor because she adhered to the virtues of a woman, but simply because she loved this free and unrestrained life.

While eating pastries, Xia Rongliu rarely used her little brain to think about problems.

When they got home that evening, Lin said to Xia's mother, "I think there is no one in the whole Changshui Town who is more loved than Aunt He. Not only should we wives learn from Aunt He's virtue, but even if Rongliu learns even a little bit, it would be a blessing."

Old Lady Xia finally nodded, and after a few breaths, she asked, "You gave birth to Rongliu more than a year ago, almost two years ago. Why is there still no sign of pregnancy? Have you seen a doctor?"

Lin's smile remained unchanged: "I've seen the doctor, and he said there's nothing seriously wrong with my health. It's just that having a child is a matter of fate, something that can't be forced. The more anxious you are, the less likely it is to happen."

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Xia's face darkened, but seeing Xia Rongliu staring at her with wide eyes, she instinctively couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh. She simply snorted and waved for Madam Lin to go and rest.

On the way back to the house, Xia Rongliu quietly said to Lin Shi, "I'm really afraid that Grandma will go crazy thinking about her grandson."

Lin glared at her fiercely: "Shut up!"