Chapter 70: Seeking Confirmation from Boss Chu

Chu Mu regarded Lady Zheng with a cold indifference. He disliked any woman touching him except for Ah Zhao. Ever since Lin Jiaojiao's false accusations, he had developed a shadow in his heart toward women who reached out to him.

Shen Zhao’s thoughts were much simpler. Lady Zheng’s intentions were written plainly on her face—clearly, she harbored no good will. The less contact with her, the better.

But Lady Zheng was oblivious to these reasons. Was she really so frightening? Why did both her third brother-in-law and his wife guard themselves against her, their elder sister-in-law, so warily?

Witnessing this, Lady Zheng felt a surge of frustration. If Shen Zhao was this guarded, how could she hope to befriend her and carry out her plans? Seeing how the third brother shielded Shen Zhao only added to her bitterness—it was a taste she could hardly bear.

She and the eldest brother of the Chu family had always been courteous but distant. He had treated her with respect, never making things difficult for her even though she had not borne him a son, nor had he ever taken concubines. Yet she knew there was no love between husband and wife; he had married her simply to fulfill the duty of taking a wife and producing heirs.

In the past, she had even felt secretly pleased, believing that among the three daughters-in-law in the Chu family, she had the most comfortable life. The second brother was a scoundrel, treating Lady Liu poorly, with a full house of concubines and frequenting brothels. The third brother was said to be cold and heartless toward Shen Zhao—less than a year into marriage, they slept in separate rooms, and he had tormented her endlessly over a young lady surnamed Lin who had once taken refuge at the General’s Mansion.

But now, the third brother showed none of that so-called indifference. Quite the opposite—he was fiercely protective.

She had even heard that the third brother had punished one of the old madam’s favored servants for Shen Zhao’s sake, and had caned the second brother on her behalf. The third brother was known for his deep familial affection; for him to strike the second brother over Shen Zhao, it spoke volumes about her standing in his heart.

They had all married into the Chu family—so why was she, despite all her advantages, not cherished by her husband, while Shen Zhao, whom she deemed inferior in every way, was so fiercely guarded?

Just now, when she and Miao Miao returned to their rooms, Chu Renqing, cold as ever, ordered them to pack up and return to Jinzhou immediately. Yet she had come to the capital with no intention of going back—not only to help Miao Miao escape her betrothal, but also because Jinzhou could never compare to the capital.

Why should the old madam be allowed to reside in the General’s Mansion, and the second brother’s family be taken in and provided for by the third brother, while her own household could not?

She knew well the situation Shen Zhao faced in the General’s Mansion: disliked by both the old madam and the second household, bullied by a mere orphan girl. She had planned to offer Shen Zhao an olive branch, to form an alliance, and have her speak a good word in the third brother’s ear—perhaps persuade the eldest brother to stay in the capital. After all, the eldest brother cared for no one but his youngest brother; if the third brother begged him to remain, he could not refuse.

But now, Shen Zhao avoided her as if she were the plague, and Lady Zheng could not help but resent her. How ungrateful—no wonder she was so unlikable!

If Shen Zhao proved uncooperative, there was always the old madam to turn to.

Withdrawing her hand, Lady Zheng lost all pretense of warmth. Already filled with grievances, and now treated so coldly by Shen Zhao and the third brother, she could not even be bothered to keep up appearances. She said flatly to Shen Zhao and Chu Mu, “You must be here to see your eldest brother. Miao Miao and I have come all the way from Jinzhou, weary and worn by the journey. I won’t trouble myself to entertain you—please forgive your sister-in-law’s lack of courtesy. We’ll retire to rest for a while.”

With that, she led Chu Miao away toward the other wing.

Shen Zhao could not help but sneer inwardly. She could see through Lady Zheng’s schemes—her eldest sister-in-law was hardly the type to sit quietly on the sidelines.

She and Chu Mu stepped into the main hall where the eldest brother resided. As soon as they entered, they saw the eldest brother slumped in a chair, his honest face now frosted with coldness. His hands hung limply, his whole spirit depleted.

Upon seeing Shen Zhao and Chu Mu, he collected himself and greeted them with a gentle smile. “Ah Mu, back from your duties? Come, let your big brother have a good look at you.”

He rose and approached Shen Zhao, his eyes brimming with excitement and joy. “You’ve lost quite a bit of weight these past two years,” he said, his smile fading as guilt slowly clouded his expression.

He knew all too well what their mother had done in the General’s Mansion, and that Chu Mu and Shen Zhao had been sleeping apart. He was deeply aware of Shen Zhao’s place in Chu Mu’s heart—Chu Mu was not one to express himself easily, keeping all his feelings hidden. He cared for Shen Zhao more than anyone, but could not articulate it. Life had not been easy for either of them these past two years.

On the journey to the capital, he had heard much of Chu Mu’s reputation—how arduous his life at court had been, far from the glory imagined by outsiders.

He reached out, intending to give Chu Mu a hearty pat on the shoulder as he always had, but Shen Zhao instinctively dodged his touch. Though she now wore Chu Mu’s face, she still recoiled from the eldest brother’s touch in her heart. To her, the Chu family was full of villains—there was not a good one among them.

Chu Mu, too, subconsciously pulled Shen Zhao’s sleeve away. Even if it was his elder brother, he could not bear to see another man touch his Zhao.

The eldest brother’s hand froze mid-air.

So the third brother was avoiding him!

This realization brought a flash of hurt to his eyes. Crestfallen, he let his hand fall.

The third brother had always respected him as an elder brother. Their mother must have caused so much harm that even Chu Mu now viewed him with suspicion.

It was the last thing he wished to see. The debt of guilt he owed the third brother was one he could never repay in this lifetime.

Seeing that wounded look in his brother’s eyes, Chu Mu was at a loss for words. Though his brother had lived far away in Jinzhou for many years, he knew the eldest brother cherished him most. Every New Year and festival, he sent lavish gifts from Jinzhou, always picking out the rarest, most precious ones for Chu Mu—much more than anyone else received. In every letter home, the eldest brother’s concern was for him, his name appearing more than all the others combined.

Even if he truly was not a son of the Chu family, Chu Mu would still acknowledge him as his brother.

A sour ache filled the eldest brother’s chest, and his voice grew helpless and bitter. “Ah Mu, you and your wife must live well. This time, I’ll take Mother and the second brother’s family back to Jinzhou with me—I won’t let them trouble you any longer. I know Mother has done many unforgivable things over the years, but for her sake as your mother, I hope you both can forgive her past actions. From now on, I’ll keep her in line—she won’t meddle in the General’s Mansion again.”

He glanced apologetically at Chu Mu, then said earnestly, “I’m sorry, sister-in-law, for all the hardships you’ve endured these years. Don’t blame Ah Mu—he’s never been good with words. What you see on the surface is not how he truly feels. From now on, I hope you two will live a peaceful, happy life together.”

The third brother must be disappointed in Mother now, and Shen Zhao must be disappointed in the third brother as well. Everything that had happened these past days, all the things Mother had said—surely, they had wounded Chu Mu deeply. His former indifference toward Shen Zhao must have broken her heart.

Chu Mu had always respected Mother above all, but, alas, she did not cherish her blessings.

The eldest brother’s words only left Chu Mu feeling more unsettled.

Shen Zhao, watching the eldest brother’s demeanor, saw that his care for Chu Mu was genuine and heartfelt. Perhaps it was time to take a chance.

She sighed softly. “Big Brother… Perhaps I was never truly worthy of bearing the Chu name. But in my heart, you will always be my dearest brother.”

At these words, the eldest brother’s face changed, a flicker of panic and pain flashing in his eyes. He was worthy—more worthy than any of them! Had the third brother discovered something?