Chapter 185: Bringing Her Back from Her Family’s Home

Chapter 185: Bringing Her Back from Her Family's Home

As soon as Cheng Yunshuo heard that Du Tai had been caught gambling again, his face showed clear disdain and disgust. He remained silent, while Du Yang grew even more anxious and said,

"Brother-in-law, I'm begging you. This time, A'Tai was really duped. He didn't intend to gamble, but someone set him up like a lamb to the slaughter. He truly knows he was wrong. Now, he's tied up and being beaten in the gambling house. Please help me just this once. I promise I'll keep a close eye on him from now on!"

"How much does he owe this time?"

"One thousand taels."

One thousand taels.

Cheng Yunshuo's brows furrowed deeply.

To the Marquis's Mansion, one thousand taels wasn't a significant amount. However, his mother, Lu Lingyun, handled the household finances. If he were to withdraw the money, they would notice.

Ever since the incident with Xing Dairong, Cheng Yunshuo had disliked having to ask for money. His salary and the mansion’s allowances usually covered his daily expenses.

But where was he supposed to get one thousand taels on such short notice?

"Yunshuo! Please help us!" Du Yang pleaded again, "This time, I swear it's the last time. If that brat A'Tai dares to gamble again, I'll break his legs!"

As he spoke, Du Yang was about to kneel before Cheng Yunshuo.

Seeing this, Cheng Yunshuo jumped off his horse and grabbed Du Yang's arm.

"Forget it. I'll borrow the money for you."

Despite his disdain, he still chose to help them.

Cheng Yunshuo didn’t want to ask his mother for the money, so he went back to the mansion. He had taken up a new position in the Imperial Guards and made new colleagues, so he borrowed one thousand taels from them to cover the emergency.

Now serving in the Imperial Guards, his monthly salary was ten taels of silver. Ever since Xing Dairong left, the monthly allowance from the Marquis's Mansion was given to him by Lady Qin. It was one hundred taels a month, so he would slowly repay the one thousand taels.

After borrowing the one thousand taels, he followed Du Yang to the gambling house and paid off Du Tai’s debt.

Throughout the whole ordeal, Cheng Yunshuo kept a stern expression.

"Good brother-in-law, I knew you wouldn't leave me to fend for myself." Du Tai, looking relieved and grateful, turned to Cheng Yunshuo.

"You ungrateful fool, how can you even say that!" Du Yang kicked Du Tai in the butt, punching him hard.

"Brother! I was tricked today too."

"How many times has this been! If this happens again, no one will lift a finger to help you!" Du Yang's fists landed heavily on Du Tai, one after another.

Du Tai didn't dare to make a sound as he took the beating. Finally, it was Cheng Yunshuo who spoke up, "Enough. Let him go."

After being rescued, Du Tai ran to Cheng Yunshuo, "Brother-in-law, I knew you were reliable! My sister marrying you is a blessing for our entire family!"

"Hmph!" Cheng Yunshuo's face was cold, "If you really care about your sister, stop gambling! I won't bail you out a second time."

"I swear, I'll never gamble again." Du Tai's expression was sincere.

Cheng Yunshuo didn’t even bother to listen to his oath. As he was about to leave, Du Tai added,

"By the way, Yunshuo, A'Ruo has been staying at her aunt’s place for the past few days."

"Alright," Cheng Yunshuo said.

A'Ruo's aunt's house.

A'Ruo was having a meal with everyone.

"A'Ruo, when are you returning to the Marquis's Mansion?" A'Ruo's sister-in-law asked cautiously.

"Do you think I'm a burden?" A'Ruo's heart had become increasingly sensitive. She wasn't the carefree girl who used to eat and drink at their house without a second thought.

She had lived at her aunt's house for a long time and had occasionally received disdainful looks from her sister-in-law.

In the past, she had pretended not to notice, remaining carefree and sometimes returning to her brother's house for a temporary escape.

However, after marrying and becoming a concubine, her heart had inevitably become more delicate.

She couldn't ignore the disapproving looks from others as she used to.

"No, you're just being too sensitive," her sister-in-law forced a laugh.

"Am I overthinking, or do you find it burdensome that I eat a few meals at your house?" A'Ruo put down her chopsticks.

"A'Ruo, I really don't mean that. I just feel that now that you're married, you can't always stay at your parents' house."

"Don't say such things. I know very well that you found me burdensome when I lived here before. You couldn't wait to marry me off. You all just wanted to get rid of me!" A'Ruo said angrily.

"There's no such thing. Alright, alright, A'Ruo, if you want to stay, you can stay. No one will ever drive you away," A'Ruo's aunt hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over.

Hearing her mother-in-law's partiality and evasion, A'Ruo's sister-in-law couldn't help but frown and muttered in a low voice, "Now that she's married into the Marquis's Mansion, she thinks she's something special. It's as if she's the primary wife! A concubine acting so imposing! A concubine shouldn't be coming back to her parents' house like this!"

Hearing the muttering, A'Ruo's anger flared up, and she was about to argue with her sister-in-law when the door to the room was pushed open.

"A'Ruo, look who's here!"

"A'Ruo, the Prince has come specially to take you back!"

A'Ruo looked up and saw Cheng Yunshuo returning with Du Yang and Du Tai.

Seeing him, her eyes filled with tears of relief.

"Are you coming back?" Cheng Yunshuo asked, looking at her.

A'Ruo didn't say a word, stood up, and threw herself into Cheng Yunshuo's arms.

It was clear to everyone in the room that A'Ruo was deeply loved.

The Du family members quickly stood up, smiling and trying to win Cheng Yunshuo's favor, urging the couple to reconcile.

"A'Ruo, you're really something. The Prince cares so much about you, yet you're still so willful!"

"The Prince treats you so well!"

"In the future, follow the Prince properly."

"Don't act up anymore."

Hearing their words, A'Ruo felt a bittersweet mix of emotions. She left the Du house with Cheng Yunshuo, and they rode back together on the same horse.

As they left, the Du family watched them go, their eyes shining with admiration.

The villagers couldn’t help but comment.

“A'Ruo is really capable.”

“A'Ruo is very favored!”

Du Ruo’s heart swelled with pride as she listened to their words. She believed Cheng Yunshuo still cared for her. She had assumed Cheng Yunshuo disapproved of her brother, but now she realized it was probably just because her brother wasn’t reliable.

It must be so.

Meanwhile, Cheng Yunshuo, standing behind her, found himself growing more reluctant to visit such a place.

Each member of Du Ruo’s family only deepened his disdain.

Who were these people?

Just then, a voice came from his arms, “Master, why did you come so late!”

Her voice, soft and trembling with hurt, made Cheng Yunshuo forget everything else.

“What’s wrong?”

“You can’t treat me like this in the future, don’t send me back to my natal home. You have no idea what life is like there. I wait every day for you to come.”

Cheng Yunshuo’s heart melted at her words, unable to bear her pain. “I promise I won’t do this again.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I won’t make you angry again.” Seeing how young and vulnerable she looked, he felt guilty for pushing her away.

Relieved, Du Ruo’s face lit up, and all her earlier frustrations melted away. “Master, you’re so kind to me.”