Chapter 100: Your progress is really too slow!

"What!?" Lin Jiaojiao was startled. She turned her face to look directly at Guo Shi, her face instantly heating up, "What are you talking about!"

Qingdai's heart tightened: This Lin Guniang is actually still entangled with the current General!!!

Zhu Geer suddenly giggled, as if mocking Lin Jiaojiao. Guo Shi hugged him and teased, "Zhu Geer, your mother's ears must be deaf. Not only can she not hear this, but she also can't see how good General Lu is to her."

"Ever since I started being a wet nurse, I, a spectator, have grown tired. I've seen many incidents happen, but nothing has happened in your story with that General Lu! You are truly either deaf or blind!"

"I know that it is difficult for women in this world, and finding a reliable husband is even harder, but your progress is really too slow!"

Guo Shi spoke as if she were talking to the giggling Zhu Geer, or perhaps to herself, "If this were written into a storybook, it would be too slow-burning. If the protagonist were me, I definitely wouldn't be this kind, letting people bully me time and time again. If that General Lu were the man I had my eye on, I would have pounced on him long ago!"

"What kind of tiger-wolf words are these!" The more Lin Jiaojiao heard, the more she felt her face heating up. She touched her cheeks, which were as red as tomatoes, wanting to cool herself down.

But never mind cooling her cheeks; even her heart was beating uncontrollably, thumping wildly, almost jumping out of her chest!

Just at this moment, they were only two or three steps away from the palace gate, but because Lin Jiaojiao was distracted, she tripped over a protruding stone brick while walking, and she stumbled forward!

Lu Zhenting happened to step forward at this moment, firmly supporting her!

In an instant, their eyes met, and even Qingdai could see the mutual affection hidden in their eyes that could not be concealed!

Even the guards at the gate couldn't bear to look at them, turning their faces away to look elsewhere.

"Cough, cough, cough." Suddenly, a coughing sound came from outside the gate. Lin Jiaojiao looked up and saw Song Fu standing behind the gate, pretending to cough!

Why would Song Fu be here? Doesn't that mean he heard all those tiger-wolf words the wet nurse just said?!

Lin Jiaojiao immediately stood steady with a red face and bowed to Song Fu, "This commoner Lin Jiaojiao pays respects to Uncle Song. How have you been, Uncle?"

"This old man is doing alright," Song Fu straightened his posture and sincerely apologized to Lin Jiaojiao, "Lin Guniang, my son is someone who doesn't understand the feelings between men and women. He actually dissolved the engagement behind our backs. I am truly sorry."

Before Lin Jiaojiao could speak, Song Fu continued, "But you are, after all, a woman recognized by his mother and me. After I discussed it with Ru Niang, we decided to adopt you as our daughter!"

"Although my son is a blockhead, he at least understands human affairs after dissolving the engagement."

"He knows you are now without relatives or support, so he was willing to recognize you as his younger sister. Before setting off for Qingzhou to investigate the case, he went to the ancestral hall on his own and took the liberty of writing your name into the genealogy!"

As he spoke, he took out a jade pendant engraved with the Song Clan's flying eagle pattern and placed it in Lin Jiaojiao's hand, "From now on, you are the adopted daughter of my Song family. No matter what happens, our Song family will definitely do our utmost to protect you and your child for a lifetime!"

"After the unjust case is cleared, our Song Mansion will hold a banquet to recognize our daughter, and at that time, let those pigs and dogs outside know that the Song family's adopted daughter is not someone to be bullied!"

Every word of Song Fu's struck Lin Jiaojiao's heart, leaving her unable to calm her emotions. Without realizing it, tears welled up in her eyes.

Qingdai, standing to the side, felt her heart surging: Lin Guniang has a home now!

In the entire Capital, who didn't know that Old Master Song was a former Prime Minister? Rarely could any woman catch the eye of their Song Mansion, which was why Master Song had been so slow to marry.

Moreover, everyone outside knew that the Song Mansion treated people fairly, and Master Song was now the Dali Temple Junior Minister; his future career would be bright!

Although she didn't know why Lin Guniang and Master Song had dissolved their engagement, she had still entered the Song family in another way and become a family with them!

This was a huge piece of good news!

Guo Shi nudged Lin Jiaojiao and urged, "Hurry up and agree!"

Lin Jiaojiao looked up at Song Fu, only to see his eyes were bright, revealing his wholehearted acceptance of her!

"But I am afraid that if I am deeply involved in the unjust case of the previous dynasty, I will implicate your family..." Lin Jiaojiao was moved to tears, but she was still worried that she would bring disaster upon them...

"Cough, cough. Since we have recognized you as our adopted daughter, from now on we are a family. Don't be a stranger. If there is trouble, we will bear it together. From now on, our Song family is your maiden home, your support." Song Fu couldn't bear to see his newly recognized adopted daughter shed tears. Fortunately, Lu Zhenting had already taken out a handkerchief to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Lu Zhenting's eyes were smiling as he bowed to the Song Mansion, "Since that is the case, I will go to your Song Mansion tomorrow to propose marriage. From now on, I will respectfully call you Father-in-law!"

"Ah?!" Lin Jiaojiao's tears vanished instantly, and she was stunned on the spot!

"What 'ah'? Isn't this what should be done!?" Guo Shi shoved Zhu Geer into Lu Zhenting's arms with dissatisfaction. Zhu Geer touched his silver armor and laughed even more happily!

"How can you, a General, be like a thief?" Song Fu was so angry his beard was blowing.

"Jiaojiao is my Song family's adopted daughter. She hasn't even left the palace to live in my Song Mansion, and you, you've come up to snatch her away! Have you even asked for her wishes?!"

"Lin Guniang," Lu Zhenting held Zhu Geer with one arm, letting the baby's drool rub onto his silver armor, while holding Lin Jiaojiao with the other, looking seriously into her apricot eyes, "I am a martial man. I have never expressed my feelings to you before. Now, taking advantage of the fact that your foster father, Uncle Song, is here, I propose to you. Are you willing to marry into my Lu Mansion?"

Lin Jiaojiao felt the temperature coming from Lu Zhenting's rough palms, her heart thumping wildly, but she said, "I heard from Song Shijie that you have a deceased wife whose name is in the genealogy—"

"Yes," Lu Zhenting nodded in affirmation, "I, Lu, have failed my deceased wife all my life. This is indisputable. But after this incident, I finally understand what love and affection are. My marriage with my deceased wife was arranged by matchmakers; we had no love for each other and could only treat each other with respect. That is why I previously said I disagreed with your engagement to that fellow Song Shijie."

"Because a marriage without feelings is like chewing wax. Before the marriage, she already had her heart set on someone else, and I had no feelings for her either. We wanted to separate, but her maiden family wouldn't accept it. Thinking about it, how miserable her life must have been."

"Later, I took the opportunity of going on an expedition to take her away from the Capital, and on the way, I let her go off with that scholar. To give her maiden family an explanation, I told the outside world that she died in the war, set up a monument for her at home, entered her into the Lu genealogy, and gave her and her maiden family a perfect sense of dignity."

"Outsiders all say that I am deeply affectionate and unregretful toward my deceased wife, but only those involved know the suffering within."

"Tsk, wouldn't it have been better to just say it earlier?!" Guo Shi rolled her eyes at Lu Zhenting. "I thought you were a general who could speak his mind straightforwardly, but it turns out you're just a muddle-headed block of wood who won't open his mouth!"

Lu Zhenting smiled apologetically, "If this matter were told, I fear it would ruin her reputation. But from beginning to end, the only ones who cared about her reputation were her maiden family. In fact, as long as she found the life she wanted to live, that was fine."

"Good, good, it's not some 'white moonlight' (first love/unattainable love)," Lin Jiaojiao muttered to herself. She squeezed Lu Zhenting's calloused hand back, her joy evident.

"This old man didn't know there was such a reason," Song Fu stroked his beard and sighed, "In that case, you lad can be considered a person who can be entrusted."

Although he understood the reason, he still insisted, "This matter still requires my adopted daughter to be willing to marry you before you can propose." ===== CHAPTER 101 =====