Chapter 111

The wooden bath was very spacious, so Jun Zishu and Luo Minghuan didn't need to stick to each other while inside it. Yet, despite this being the case, Jun Zishu purposefully sat closely to Luo Minghuan, leaving only a small gap between them as they sat facing each other.

When Luo Minghuan looked at Jun Zishu through the curtain of steam, she found that a faint layer of red had colored the little dummy's cheeks. Those plump and pinkish cheeks looked just like a pair of peaches, and Luo Minghuan couldn't help but have the urge to pinch those cute little things. However, when it came time to take action, her hands hesitated to move.

"I'll wipe your back for you, Husband."

The water rippled as Jun Zishu moved around to Luo Minghuan's back.

Luo Mignhuan felt a new heat source moving closer to her body, followed by something soft sticking to her back. It only took her a moment to figure out what those soft objects were.

Luo Minghuan blushed slightly and tried her best not to turn around and look at Jun Zishu. Even though she didn't know what she was feeling embarrassed over, her breathing still subconsciously hastened.

Jun Zishu behaved like normal as she used her towel to wipe Luo Minghuan's back with great gusto.

More than once, Luo Minghuan tried to stop Jun Zishu's actions. However, as many times as she tried, her hand would always retract itself before it could grab onto Jun Zishu's eager hands. Even her mouth had seemingly gained a mind of its own as it refused to open no matter what.

"Help me wipe my back as well, Husband."

Jun Zishu placed the towel on the water's surface and turned her back towards Luo Minghuan. Then, she moved her wet hair to her front, exposing her pristine back to Luo Minghuan.

"Husband."

The girl called out sweetly again, her voice sounding almost flirtatious.

Luo Minghuan frowned as she picked up the towel.

She was legally the little dummy's husband, so it was only normal for the little dummy to call her "husband." It was also normal for husband and wife to behave intimately. So, there was no reason why she should feel embarrassed.

After Luo Minghuan helped wipe Jun Zishu's back, Jun Zishu turned around and sat facing Luo Minghuan again, the atmosphere surrounding them becoming ambiguous inadvertently.

After the two were done with their bath, they laid down on the bed, and the ambiguous atmosphere between them disappeared.

Luo Minghuan fell asleep while embracing her soft and warm pillow.

The scene looked both perverse and perfectly normal at the same time.

…

The manor became lively again the next day because the Second Madam and Ninth Young Miss were found dead.

Outsiders couldn't help but lament the Luo Manor's fate since one of the manor's young masters had just died from illness a few days ago. Yet, as soon as his funeral parlor ended, a concubine and a young miss had been bitten to death by snakes.

As to why there were venomous snakes in the manor and why they had so coincidentally entered the concubine's and young miss's rooms, the situation looked quite strange when everyone thought about it. However, everyone merely voiced their suspicions in secret since it was none of their business.

As such, the Luo Manor raised the white banner and set up the funeral parlor once more.

However, out of everyone in the Luo Manor, only the Sixth Young Master had bothered to spend a night guarding the funeral parlor.

…

When Jun Zishu and Luo Minghuan arrived hand in hand at the dining hall, a somber atmosphere surrounded the table.

Everyone merely stared at their bowls and chopsticks while occasionally sneaking a glance or two at Luo Minghuan.

Some of the servants might not know the underlying cause of the Second Madam's and Ninth Young Miss's deaths, but there was no way Madam Luo and the other concubines did not know. They also knew about the Second Madam having someone release a snake to bite Jun Zishu.

What truly shocked them was that Luo Minghuan would be so bold as to kill both the Second Madam and Ninth Young Miss in retaliation.

What was even more shocking was Lord Luo's indifference to this matter.

While Jun Zishu obediently ate her meal, her eyes occasionally scanned the people around her. She could roughly guess what kind of thoughts these people had.

They must've felt that the Second Madam and Ninth Young Miss were people holding similar positions to them, in which their lives were considered lives while the lives of servants and Jun Zishu were not.

Jun Zishu's eyelashes trembled slightly as she hid her thoughts and lifted her head, revealing a confused expression to everyone.

As for Luo Minghuan, she behaved as calmly as usual.

If Luo Minghuan had to point out what had changed in her after experiencing this situation, it would have to be that her affection for Jun Zishu had grown even greater. Now, she would take the initiative to place some of Jun Zishu's favorite dishes in Jun Zishu's bowl from time to time, feeding Jun Zishu to satisfaction.

After the meal, Lord Luo called Luo Minghuan to his study once more. Meanwhile, Jun Zishu returned to the courtyard with Ruyun.

On the way back, Jun Zishu saw Luo Ziqi walking past her from behind and standing in front of her.

Luo Ziqi wore a complicated expression on her face as she looked at Jun Zishu, looking like she was hesitating to say something.

"Are you crossing? If not, please make way."

Jun Zishu did not understand what Luo Ziqi was trying to do, but the other party was in her way.

"You…"

Luo Ziqi couldn't understand why Luo Minghuan placed so much importance on this idiot in front of her.

Based on Luo Minghuan's actions thus far, it would seem that she intended to kill everyone who dared to lay their hands on Jun Zishu.

Could Luo Minghuan have lost her mind?

Even though they had hoped for Luo Minghuan to die an early death in the past, none of them had actually taken action against her. Though, a large part of the reason was that they couldn't afford to let Luo Minghuan die yet.

However, now that Luo Minghuan could fearlessly kill off the Second Madam and her children, what was to say that she wouldn't take action against them tomorrow?

No… Luo Minghuan wouldn't dare to lay her hands on me… My mother is the main wife. How could mere concubines compare to her? Luo Ziqi deluded herself.

"Do you have something to say to me?" Luo Ziqi asked with a confused look on her face.

In reality, the original owner wasn't a very patient person. It was especially true when others were ignoring her.

"How did you… Never mind, forget it," Luo Ziqi said before leaving with her maid.

In reality, Luo Ziqi wanted to ask how Jun Zishu had managed to win Luo Minghuan's favor. After all, Luo Minghuan had behaved coldly to everyone in the past, never putting anyone in her eyes.

Jun Zishu mentally clicked her tongue as she looked at Luo Ziqi's departing back. Failing to figure out what the girl wanted to say, she continued making her way back to her courtyard.

…

Lord Luo silently paced around the room, his complexion looking more tired than when he had summoned Luo Minghuan to his study previously.

"You've overdone things this time, Minghuan."

"I have already said that I won't take action against them if they knew how to keep their thoughts in check," Luo Minghuan coldly said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. It looked like she felt dissatisfied with having to repeat herself.

Lord Luo sat down on his chair and looked at Luo Minghuan with a foreign and complicated gaze.

This whole matter might seem like an independent case, but he knew that it wasn't as simple as it seemed. He knew that many things had come together to result in this situation.

"Minghuan, have you already grown tired of this family?" Lord Luo asked.

Luo Minghuan did not answer, simply clenching her fists as she looked at her father.

"Your mother has taught you well," Lord Luo said ruefully, the emotions in his eyes complex and hard to discern.

"I won't allow you to speak about my mother," Luo Minghuan said, her words filled with hatred.

However, Lord Luo was amused by Luo Minghuan's reaction. Then, he helplessly shook his head and asked, "Minghuan, do you plan on not showing mercy at all?"

"Everyone has to be responsible for the things they've done," Luo Minghuan said after reigning in her emotions. Though, a hint of sadness still lingered between her eyebrows.

Their conversation looked nothing like a conversation between a father and his daughter. Yet, it didn't look like they were mortal enemies, either.

Luo Minghuan wanted to kill her father. However, the hesitance in her heart prevented her from doing so.

As for the concubine, little brother, and little sister she killed, they were of no significance in her eyes. In her opinion, even Ruyun's life was many times more valuable than theirs.

But killing her father… She…

"That's right. Everyone must take responsibility for their actions," Lord Luo said with a deep and strange smile. However, that smile quickly faded as he lightly asked, "You've lived with them for more than ten years. Do you not feel saddened at the slightest?"

After a slight pause, a hint of amusement and indifference appeared on his face as he continued, "When your mother brought those people into the family in the past, I went along with her wishes. Now that you've killed them, I am also letting you do as you wish. What else do you want from me?"

"You truly are heartless."

"Does that make you otherwise?"

"At the very least, I am better than you," Luo Minghuan said, sneering.

"I have never killed people without hesitation, so you are above me in this regard," Lord Luo said sarcastically. When he saw that his most beloved daughter was also the person who hated him the most, he couldn't help but feel powerless.

The discussion ended on an unhappy note. Lord Luo did not reprimand Luo Minghuan, nor did he punish her. On the contrary, he even sent some quality medicinal herbs to her.

Lord Luo's actions caused the hearts of everyone else in the family to grow cold.

…

"Mother, how can Father let her get away with this?!" Luo Ziqi asked in confusion as she paced around her mother's room.

The people who died weren't mere servants but the Second Madam and her children instead.

"Behave a little. Make sure not to provoke her from now on. All you need to do is visit your father more often and earn his favor," Madam Luo said as she took a sip of tea. She also couldn't help but frown at her daughter's unbecoming behavior.

"I understand."

Luo Ziqi pouted and nodded. Her little brother standing beside her also nodded.

"You, on the other hand, just need to study hard and learn how to do business from your father as soon as possible," Madam Luo said expectantly as she rubbed her son's head.

"Mother, I still don't understand," Luo Ziqi said as she stamped her feet and gripped her embroidered handkerchief.

"What's so confusing? She is that dead person's daughter. She also possesses such talent in doing business. If she was born a boy… No, if she was born healthy, she would've long since become the decision-maker in this family. So, what is so strange that your father favors her?"

"But… Doesn't Father care about Second Mother in the slightest?"

"Men have always been fickle when it comes to matters of romance."

"What about you, Mother? Father must care about you, right? He must love you the most, right? He had already brought you into the manor even before that person left," Luo Ziqi asked in an unreconciled tone. However, she still felt rather confident in her question.

Madam Luo simply responded with an ambiguous smile, the way she held her teacup looking inexplicably profound.

Meanwhile, Luo Ziqi already got her answer when she saw her mother's reaction.

…

Jun Zishu knew about everything that had taken place in the manor. However, she paid no heed to any of them.

On the surface, Jun Zishu continued pretending to be a fool. In secret, though, she continued clinging to Luo Minghuan as she moved closer and closer to success. Now, she was only quietly waiting for the right opportunity.

…

On December the eighth, the sky started snowing.

Today was Luo Minghuan's mother's death anniversary.

Luo Minghuan carefully draped a fox-fur cloak around Jun Zishu, ensuring that her little dummy remained warm and comfortable.

"Where are we going, Husband?"

"To meet my mother."

Jun Zishu nodded in a daze, seemingly understanding yet not understanding Luo Minghuan's words at the same time.

Luo Minghuan wore a red cloak today, which set off her pale skin color.

"Will Husband's mother like me?"

"She will. Yuanyuan is so cute; there is no way she wouldn't like you," Luo Minghuan said, smiling as she held up an umbrella in one hand and Jun Zishu's hand in her other.

Snow still fell from the sky, so Ruyun held an umbrella as she followed after her two masters, her other hand carrying a box wrapped in cloth.

As the trio walked, their feet left visible footprints on the snowy ground.