Chapter 301: Why would women make things difficult for other women?

Translator: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

The First Born said quickly, “My mommy told us that you are a year older than us. Plus, our mother and aunty Li are now sisters. That would make you our older sister.”

The other three nodded, “That’s right. We will think of you as our sister going forward.

Hu Lingxue was overjoyed. She grabbed a couple of boxes from one of the servants and said to the four little ones, “Inside are the sugar and clay figurines that you liked so much last time. There’s also a roly-poly. Since I’m visiting today, these are considered gifts.”

The four little ones truly did like Hu Lingxue’s toys a lot and were happy to hear she had brought them. In unison, they thanked her, “Thank you, sister Xiaoxiao. You’re so great.”

Hu Lingxue smiled and handed over the gifts.

The adults in the room were happy to see the children blending together so well.

Zhao Yuluo however, was not so happy. She glared at Hu Lingxue and then said to the four little ones, “I have a lot of toys too. If you compliment me, I can give you gifts as well.”

Sadly, the four little ones merely said, “You are rude. We don’t want your gifts.”

Zhao Yuluo almost cried again then.

To stop her, Lu Jiao quickly said, “Zhao Yuluo, do you want to play with the boys or not? If you do, then you are not allowed to cry. Nobody would play with you if you cried.”

Zhao Yuluo forced herself to stop then. Though she was still unhappy, at least she wasn’t crying loudly.

Lu Jiao then instructed the four little ones, “Take sister Xiaoxiao and Yuluo and go play in the back courtyard.”

The boys only liked Hu Lingxue and didn’t like Zhao Yuluo, so they resisted.

Lu Jiao lectured, “Even if she is impolite, she’s still your guest. It is your duty as the host to treat your guests well.”

Being petty wasn’t a good trait. They should be more generous and understanding.

Lu Jiao then turned to Zhao Yuluo and said in a serious tone, “At my house, you must be respectful towards others. Or else nobody would play with you.”

Zhao Yuluo seemed to have accepted her fate since nobody here listened to her demands and nobody voluntarily comforted her. She had no choice but to endure.

“I got it.”

Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to take the children and keep an eye on them.

Lu Gui did as told.

Lu Jiao then suggested to Hu Shan and Xie Yunjin, “I’ll take my sister and Ping An to the back courtyard to chat. You guys can stay here.”

Hu Shan nodded, “Thank you, Lady Lu.”

“No problem.”

Lu Jiao led the way to the back courtyard. In the front courtyard, Hu Shan told Xie Yunjin the purpose of his trip today. The magistrate had sent him to once again offer Xie Yunjin the assistant position.

Xie Yunjin thought about it, “Okay. I will meet magistrate Hu to discuss this sometime.”

Xie Yunjin’s response made Hu Shan think he heard it wrong. He had prepared lots of sweet words to convince Xie Yunjin and they were now useless.

The conversations that ensued were much friendlier.

In the back courtyard, Lu Jiao and Li Yuyao were having an even better time. The two of them chatted and laughed like best friends.

The main reason for that was that Lu Jiao could sense Li Yuyao’s sincerity and had started viewing Li Yuyao as her sworn sister. The atmosphere in the room was very warm.

When Li Yuyao asked the wet nurse to feed Ping An, Lu Jiao suggested, “Why don’t you breastfeed him yourself?”

This topic was one that Li Yuyao was annoyed about. She sighed at Lu Jiao, “Honestly, I want to breastfeed my own son. But my mother-in-law prohibits it.”

Lu Jiao was shocked, “Why not? Breastfeeding helps the mother’s uterus to heal

anu HULL ILIUUS Lile UdUY. nnpuL IL Helps Eleaue a bond between the mother and the child. Your son would feel safer if you breastfed.’

Li Yuyao’s expression was getting more and more sullen. She whispered, “Jiaojiao, let me tell you… my mother-in-law is a countryside woman but she continues to fake it and pretends she grew up wealthy and educated. Whatever chance she gets, she talks about the ‘rules’. For example, she proactively suggested that my father-in-law should get concubines. Did you know that we have two girls with concubine mothers in the house? One is named Hu Yingyue, and the other is named Hu Yingxiang. The younger one is only seven this year.

Those two were the direct result of my mother-in-law interfering. She says matriarchs all voluntarily get concubines for their husbands. Therefore, the moment my father-in-law passed his exams and became the magistrate, my mother-in-law got him two concubines. The mothers of Hu Yingyue and Hu Yingxiang.

When it came to her son, she tried to do the same thing but my father-in-law stopped her. Though Hu Shan doesn’t have official concubines, he now has two women whose job is to serve him that way.”

In the end, Li Yuyao asked Lu Jiao, “Is your mother-in-law a decent person?” Women from the countryside should be better with this kind of stuff.

Lu Jiao thought of Lady Ruan. So it appeared that all mothers liked to shove women into their sons’ homes.

Luckily, she was going to separate from the four little ones and she was never going to be a mother-in-law. However, Lu Jiao knew that even if she did stay around, she would never find concubines for her sons. Why would women make things difficult for other women?

Lu Jiao whispered, “My mother-in-law is worse, but my father-in-law divorced her. Right now, I have no mother-in-law.”

Li Yuyao was astounded. People from the countryside divorced? However, she soon became jealous of Lu Jiao.

“Jiaojiao, not having a mother-in-law is a great blessing. They’re such a headache. My son, for example… I wanted to breastfeed him because I am producing milk. My mother-in-law, however, claims that no women from wealthy families feed their children themselves. She insists that a wet nurse feeds my son.”

Lu Jiao’s tone was serious when she said, “You cannot allow your mother-in-law to dictate this type of thing. If this continues, your son will feel more and more distant from you. Aren’t you going to be sad if the son you carried and birthed becomes a stranger?”

Only when you raise the children yourself, would they feel close to you.

Those raised by wet nurses bond with their wet nurses.

Lu Jiao thought about it, “If you are no longer producing milk, I can think of a way to help you produce milk again.”

Li Yuyao shook her head, “Not yet. I did sneak around and feed him once or twice so my milk isn’t gone. However, because not much is coming out, they hurt.”

Li Yuyao truly felt like making Lu Jiao her sister was the right decision. Everything Lu Jiao was saying was for her benefit.

Lu Jiao wasn’t at all like her biological sister and mother. When she talked to them about it, they said her mother-in-law was doing the right thing.

Lu Jiao was happy to hear Li Yuyao still produced milk and suggested, “Don’t listen to your mother-in-law for everything. Of course, also don’t argue with her bluntly. You should privately do what feels right for you. When you have milk, you can feed your son yourself. When you’re lacking, you can ask the wet nurse to feed him. You should keep this to yourself though.

Also, regarding those two women serving your husband… You need to find an opportunity to kick them out. To have to share your man… Don’t you feel hurt by that?”

Li Yuyao was surprised by Lu Jiao’s comment. Most people tell her she should be virtuous and help her husband get more concubines. Nobody’s told her to figure out ways to keep her husband for herself. “Jiaojiao, are you against concubinage?”