Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

24. Dowager Xiao is Back

Translator: Sissy That Walk

Dowager Xiao didn’t inform anyone the news that she was coming back in advance, when Lady Lu heard Dowager Xiao’s carriage was approaching the gate, she soon organized everyone except Cao Mo and Xiao Yi to welcome outside by the gate.

Moqi, who used to serve Liu Heng and now was assigned to serve Cao Mo by Liu Heng, was a smart one, he hurried off to Magnolia House on the sly once he got the news.

Cao Mo just finished the templates and was grinding the ink, Xiao Yi pulled him from the table anxiously, “We need to leave now, greeting grandmother is our first priority at the moment, otherwise people will call us names and say we are unfilial!”

The two then ran towards the gate, soon Xiao Yi was panting, “Mo, you go first, it’s no big deal if I’m late, they will understand, but you, you cannot be late.”

Cao Mo kept on running yet he was still late, Auntie Lu was supporting Dowager Xiao with her hands and walking to the mansion when Cao Mo arrived.

Cao Mo kowtowed in the middle of the road, “Welcome home, grandmother!”

Cao Mo had no idea about the traditional custom of welcoming an elder back home, but he knew he better speak less and kowtow more.

Dowager Xiao’s face darkened, “Who is this young boy?”

Cao Mo raised his head and beamed, “To reply to grandmother, I am… …”

Lady Lu lowered her head and chimed in, “I’m so sorry Your Ladyship, he is Cao Mo, the concubine I looked for Yi to to drive away his disease and bring him good luck.”

Cao Mo’s face changed, there was a huge difference between ‘wife’ and ‘concubine’, he knew Lady Lu was setting him up, then he couldn’t help but wonder what Lady Lu was up to.

Cao Mo looked around, he sensed something unusual, he got the vibe that Dowager Xiao had no idea his grandson married him.

Dowager Xiao’s face said it all.

Cao Mo’s face darkened, ‘Lady Lu deliberately didn’t inform me to come welcome Dowager Xiao, is there some inside information that she was trying to hide?’

Dowager Xiao was the most sophisticated in the family, she also realized there was something going on under the table, she sneered at Lady Lu and looked at Cao Mo, “Good kid, please rise. Good job on taking care of Yi for us, hmm, a little reminder though, I just saw your etiquette was not that presentable, spring festival is coming, you may as well learn the right way from the mammies. It will only do you good.”

Xiao Li who was standing behind Dowager Xiao now chimed in, “Grandmother, my new brother-in-law is spoiled by my brother, he has always been ignorant to the etiquette.”

Xiao Li hated Cao Mo to his guts for she had got freckles on her face due to smallpox, she decided she was going to use every opportunity to tear Cao Mo down.

Seeing the smug smile on Xiao Li’s face, Cao Mo wanted to scream, why Xiao Li couldn’t give him a break! He had done nothing wrong to this girl, why would she be so excited to see him suffering!

Cao Mo’s fists clenched tightly, he tried so hard to suppress the anger.

Dowager Xiao, however, didn’t give Cao Mo a hard time. Auntie Lu now looked at her sister and said, “Oh? Since when has Mo becomes a concubine? He is marred into our house in an open, correct manner, he is the legit wife, isn’t he?”

Dowager Xiao stared at Lady Lu and asked her in a demanding tone, “Is that so?”

Lady Lu chuckled to hide her nervousness, “Sister, the marriage contract says the first son Cao Le, but they sent us their second son Cao Mo, of course he can’t be the wife, isn’t that right, Mo?”

Cao Mo now realized Lady Lu was trying to deny the fact that he was Xiao Yi’s wife, resorting to extreme measures.

Cao Mo gave a cold smile.

Liu Heng was afraid that Cao Mo might be seized with a sudden impulse and act rashly, so he stepped towards Dowager Xiao and explained, “Let’s ask Xiao Yi about this, all I know is ever since Mo is married into our family, Yi is getting better and better every day. The marriage contract is fixable, but let’s just not make it widely known in case others say Lady Lu took Xiao Yi’s marriage lightly and made such a mistake.”

Dowager Xiao nodded in approval, she glared at Lady Lu, “I heard the hearsay already, people say two Cao boys were striving for a Young Master’s favor, the two brothers treated the Young Master like a food and the younger brother ended up winning the battle and marrying into the family.”

Auntie Lu enjoyed this good show, Liu Heng looked well collected and poised, Lady Lu on the other hand was feeling so guilty that she wished she could hide away.

Lady Lu hated Cao Mo even more for she didn’t expect Cao Mo bought over Liu Heng on his side, and everyone was ganging up against her and making fun of her in front of so many people, she wished she could get rid of this boy soon.

Dowager Xiao nodded, “Good kid, don’t worry. Your mother-in-law is just being cautious, for a family like ours, there were so many people had their eyes on us and ready to see us sink, so your mother-in-law is not wrong by being cautious. But you are the Young Madam in our family now that you and Yi have already performed the formal wedding ceremony, don’t worry.”

Cao Mo felt his elder lady very intimidating even though she was saying supportive things to him.

Cao Mo now raised his head and took a close look at Dowager Xiao and the people who were behind her, there was a nanny who was holding three-year-old Xiao Qian, Concubine Fang’s son.

Xiao Qian was raised by Dowager Xiao since he was born, Concubine Fang now finally saw her son and reached out her hands trying to hold her son into her arms.

“Never mind, you are in poor health, I can take care of Qian for you.” demanded Dowager Xiao.

Liu Heng now was supporting Cao Mo to rise, he whispered at Cao Mo’s ear, “Alas, Concubine Fang misses her son, but she is a concubine, Dowager Xiao is not going to give Xiao Qian back to his mother.”