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

Chapter 170: Chapter 169: Understanding (Monthly Ticket 340+)

Since Princess An Ran sent an invitation, Du Yunluo had no reason not to go.

Seeing Old Mrs. Xia nod in agreement, she promised with a smile that she would arrange everything that day perfectly.

Mrs. Zhen wrote a reply to Duke Jing Mansion and had someone send it over.

Du Yunuo found an opportunity to visit Anhua Courtyard. While eating mung bean cake, she asked Du Yunluo, "Why did the County Princess suddenly think of inviting you?"

Du Yunluo continued her needlework and said, "Why can’t she invite me?"

"Fifth sister, are you pretending to be confused or are you really confused?" Du Yunuo brushed off the crumbs from her hands and said, "I know, you two don’t have an irreconcilable conflict in private, and can even exchange a few words. In truth, the County Princess surely finds you more agreeable than Princess Hui. But on the surface, others don’t see it that way."

Publicly, it had been less than a year since Princess An Ran had stopped Mu Lianxiao in the street. Even though she was about to marry, people still whispered about her "infatuation" with Mu Lianxiao.

If Du Yunluo didn’t show up, it would be fine; but if she went, she wouldn’t escape being talked about.

Du Yunluo understood this clearly, and the County Princess An Ran should know it too, which was why Du Yunluo was puzzled.

But after thinking it over, she slowly put her mind at ease.

Du Yunluo said with a smile, "You should ask the County Princess the reason behind this, not me. How should I know what she’s thinking? However, when did the County Princess ever care about others’ gossip?"

Du Yunuo paused upon hearing this, and slowly nodded, "That’s true."

If Princess An Ran cared about her reputation, she would not have acted to stop someone in the street, nor would she have pushed and fought with Princess Hui in public.

She even endured the rumors that Huo Ziming first took a concubine into his home, so why would she fear others talking about her relationship with Du Yunluo?

"Fifth sister, could she have other plans..." Du Yunuo mused thoughtfully.

Setting down her embroidery frame, Du Yunluo sighed, "Just to disgust me, she’d ruin her own grand wedding?"

Having known Princess An Ran for so long, Du Yunuo believed she understood her temper. Even in her more glorious days, Du Yunuo thought Princess An Ran wouldn’t dare to do such a thing, let alone now.

She curled her lip and said, "Okay, you have a point."

The two sisters chatted about trivial things for a while, then parted.

A few days later, Mrs. Zhen went to the Shao Family.

Du Yunluo originally wanted to go along, but was stopped by Mrs. Zhen. She asked a few times, but when Mrs. Zhen didn’t relent, she gave up.

Mrs. Zhen left cheerfully, but returned looking worried.

Du Yunluo was startled, "Mother, was eldest sister ignored at the Shao Family? Who was it? Shao Yuanzhou’s sister?"

Du Yunluo was a little anxious; during the New Year, Du Yunru had mentioned that dealing with this sister-in-law was difficult. Could it be that she took advantage of Shao Yuanzhou going to the academy to secretly cause trouble for Du Yunru?

"Nannan," Mrs. Zhen, seeing Du Yunluo so anxious, smiled, pulling her daughter into her embrace. "What nonsense! The Shao Family treats Yunru like a treasure; they would never treat her poorly."

Du Yunluo frowned, looking at Mrs. Zhen, "Then why are you unhappy, Mother?"

"Yunru has been severely nauseous." At the mention, Mrs. Zhen felt a pang of heartache.

Du Yunru was already not plump, and after being tormented by her pregnancy, she looked noticeably thinner.

Forget about eating; even drinking water made her vomit. She had been taking one bowl after another of prenatal medicine, yet she threw up more than she kept down.

"Pregnancy is hard for women. Once Yunru gets through these few months, it will be fine, but as her mother, my heart aches for her." Mrs. Zhen spoke a few more sentences, realizing that Du Yunluo was a young lady who hadn’t married yet and wouldn’t understand the struggles of pregnancy. She intended to drop the subject, but upon reconsideration—since Du Yunluo was less than a year away from marriage—she decided to quietly explain the ten months of pregnancy to her.

"Being the youngest at home, your sister-in-law went to Lindong right after marrying in, so you didn’t get to see her belly grow day by day. Let me tell you, the hardship of pregnancy varies. Yunru was a good child; in my womb, she never troubled me, and Yundi was well-behaved too. Unlike you, you little rascal, I threw up nonstop, and you kicked and punched all day long. At the time, I even thought you were going to be another boy..."

Talking about those days, Mrs. Zhen was quite sentimental, her voice gentle and full of warmth, with a smile in her eyes.

Du Yunluo listened quietly.

Previously, Mrs. Zhen had never spoken to her about these things, and she couldn’t imagine what it felt like to be pregnant.

Although she had seen Jiang Yunuan give birth, and watched stepdaughters carry large bellies as they talked and walked, she was only observing.

She could only ever watch.

Seeing Du Yunluo seem a bit downcast, Mrs. Zhen laughed, "Nothing to worry about—these things, when you get married in the future, you’ll come to know."

Du Yunluo pressed her lips into a smile.

She had been married before, knowing the nausea that comes early, the movement of a child in the belly, the life-threatening nature of childbirth.

Du Yunluo knew all this, yet it was merely knowing.

In the blink of an eye, Princess An Ran’s wedding day arrived.

After dressing up neatly, Du Yunluo went to greet Mrs. Xia in Lianfu Garden, and then followed Mrs. Liao and Du Yunuo to Duke Jing Mansion.

Though Mrs. Liao wasn’t pleased with this marriage, it was, after all, a joyous day, so she put on a smile.

They had expected the outside of Duke Jing Mansion to be lively, but there were far fewer carriages in the alley than anticipated today.

"Yunluo," Mrs. Liao took out a mirror to carefully check her makeup, relieved to find it appropriate, she instructed, "It’s your first time; just stick with Yunuo. You’ve been to Cining Palace; there’s no need to worry about the Duke Mansion’s etiquette."

Du Yunluo nodded.

Carriage stopped at the second gate.

Aunt Liao had someone waiting and welcomed them inside.

After first paying respects to the Old Duke’s wife, Du Yunuo took Du Yunluo to see Princess An Ran.

At Princess An Ran’s place, it was somewhat quiet.

She was already dressed, wearing her red bridal gown, sitting before the vanity, with only a maid, a wedding maid, and Mrs. Quanfu in the room.

Du Yunluo and Du Yunuo exchanged a look.

Princess An Ran arched her phoenix eyes, self-deprecating, "Are you wondering why no one else is here? I didn’t invite many myself; the rest are grandfather’s, grandmother’s, and father’s guests, all keeping them company in their places, not coming to mine."

Du Yunuo sat down on an embroidered stool and said, "On such a joyous day, why not make it more lively?"

"Lively?" Princess An Ran laughed, "Invite them to watch a show about me? Better not to invite them at all."

Du Yunluo was stunned and couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head.

Princess An Ran acted with increasing clarity; hence, she had straightforwardly invited her over. Du Yunluo wouldn’t watch her embarrass herself, and those who liked to gossip and watch the spectacle were kept at bay, and even if they caught wind and wanted to mock, Princess An Ran wouldn’t care.

"Have you been to the palace recently?" suddenly asked Princess An Ran, noticing Du Yunluo shaking her head, she whispered, "The thing I mentioned to you last time seems to have been decided; that person will be leaving the palace soon, and since her family has no one left, though the house wasn’t sold, it will definitely need some refurbishment. She must be sent off from her home."

Princess An Ran didn’t mention her by name, but Du Yunluo understood.

This referred to Princess Nanyan.