Jiang Fuying suddenly sat up straight.
Given the characters of the Second and Third Branches, what good could they possibly have in mind when coming here at this moment?
But since they were already at the door, if she avoided seeing them, she would surely be labeled as disrespectful to her elders.
Jiang Fuying rubbed her temples wearily. "Please show them in."
"Yes."
"Fuying, tell your Second Aunt. Did you run into any difficulties with opening the shop?" The Second Lady's voice came before she did.
The Third Lady chimed in. "If you have any problems, just tell your Second Aunt and me. We're your elders and will surely help you figure something out! Why did you take the shop deed without even going to take a look?"
Jiang Fuying could easily detect the mockery in their words.
"Thank you both for your concern. I'm still thinking about opening the shop."
Hearing this, the Second Lady quickly asked, "So how's your thinking going?"
"I won't hide it from you both. Opening a shop is no easy task. I haven't sorted out my thoughts yet." Jiang Fuying saw through their schemes and deliberately shook her head helplessly.
Hearing her say this, the Second and Third Ladies exchanged a sly look, both seeing a hint of schadenfreude in each other's eyes.
They knew it! Jiang Fuying simply didn't have the ability to open a shop!
Now they didn't even bother to hide their mockery and laughed brazenly.
"Fuying, don't blame us elders for speaking bluntly. Look at the shop you chose. All around it are silk, jewelry, and rouge shops. In such an environment, even if you were the God of Wealth himself, you couldn't run a successful shop!" The Second Lady, still resentful of being tricked by Jiang Fuying that day, deliberately taunted her.
"Moreover, in this location, unless you can hire master craftsmen to design jewelry and clothing, how can you stand out?" The Third Lady was even more venomous. "I almost forgot. Not to mention hiring craftsmen, I'm afraid you can't even find a source for your goods!"
Facing their ridicule, Jiang Fuying remained calm, with a faint smile always on her lips.
But the more they spoke, the nastier their words became. "Fuying, stop daydreaming. We're all family. If you give up now, your Third Aunt and I won't laugh at you!"
Treat her as family and not laugh at her?
Then what was this? Their mouths were as foul as a pigsty!
A glint of coldness flashed in her autumn - water eyes. Jiang Fuying parted her red lips slightly. "You two aunts are joking. How can you know the result if you don't try opening a shop?"
"What if I'm blessed by the gods and manage to run the shop successfully?"
The Second and Third Ladies' faces immediately darkened.
So all their painstaking words had just gone in one ear and out the other for Jiang Fuying?
This wouldn't do!
The main purpose of their visit today was to mock and humiliate Jiang Fuying!
The two exchanged a look and deliberately changed the topic.
"They say a woman should follow her husband wherever he goes, but you somehow ended up marrying Huai Zhou."
The Second Lady let out a long sigh. Seemingly speaking on her behalf, but her words were actually full of schadenfreude. "Fuying, your Second Aunt knows you must be feeling bad now. Huai Zhou is such an idle - good - for - nothing with the reputation of a playboy."
"We can't bear to hide it from you. Huai Zhou has never been reliable since he was a child. He loved to run out of the mansion and made a whole bunch of bad friends..."
Jiang Fuying remained silent.
In their mouths, Lu Huai Zhou seemed to be extremely unworthy.
And she seemed to be burdened by Lu Huai Zhou's reputation and only deserved to be laughed at.
But was that really the case?
Not to mention whether Lu Huai Zhou was really the playboy the outside world said he was. Just because he had helped her several times, she wouldn't allow outsiders to talk about him like this!
She, Jiang Fuying - stood up for her own!
Since they were being so rude, she didn't need to smile and play nice anymore. Jiang Fuying's eyes turned as cold as ice. She asked in a deep voice, "Did you two aunts come here today just to gossip?"
The Second and Third Ladies' expressions froze.
When had they ever been spoken to like this by a junior?
If word got out, where would their reputations and dignity as elders be?
The Third Lady was about to scold Jiang Fuying, but the Second Lady tugged at the corner of her sleeve.
The Second Lady gave her a look. "Look at the door!"
The Third Lady looked up and saw a figure in luxurious clothes standing outside the door.
Who else could it be but Lu Huai Zhou?
The Third Lady immediately had an idea. Compared to scolding Jiang Fuying, it was more important to sow discord between the couple!
Jiang Fuying was sitting with her back to the door. She only saw their expressions change several times, and finally, they even forced out a smile.
"Fuying, as women, we can understand that you look down on Huai Zhou and think he's nowhere near as good as the Marquis of Pingning's heir you were supposed to marry..."
The Second Lady deliberately lowered her voice, pretending to be on her side. "If you really can't stand Huai Zhou, you can find an opportunity to get a divorce from him in a few years. If..."
When they got to this point, if Jiang Fuying still couldn't see their intention to sow discord, she would be wasting her ten - year experience as the mistress of the family in her previous life!
"Please don't say any more, aunts." She interrupted them rudely.
"I've heard that both of your husbands have several concubines in their backyards, and you two aunts often feel troubled because of this. If you really can't stand your husbands, I can understand."
She imitated their words and threw them back at them. "You two aunts can propose a divorce to your husbands in a few years or even now. I'll surely support you!"
Hearing this, Lu Huai Zhou standing outside the door almost burst out laughing.
Miss Jiang had a sharp tongue. She was worthy of being the one in charge of the First Branch!
In all these years, it was the first time he had seen the Second and Third Ladies, who were always up to no good, being retorted like this.
Look at their expressions. It was probably worse than eating in the dirtiest latrine for three days!
"You aunts are elders, so I won't argue with you." Jiang Fuying said firmly, word by word. "But please remember clearly: Since I've married my husband, I'll only recognize him in this life and will never be estranged from him!"
"If you aunts say such words to slander my husband's reputation next time, you might as well say them outside! Go to the palace and question His Majesty why he arranged this marriage!"
At least, before she avenged her great hatred, the Young Master Lu would be a good partner for her. He had been kind to her, and she would surely protect him!
Of course, Jiang Fuying didn't say the last part out loud.
But Lu Huai Zhou outside the door was suddenly stunned.
A fierce flame seemed to ignite in his chest, swallowing his reason.
He was even used to his reputation as a "playboy".
But he had never expected that besides his closest family members, there would be a woman who called herself his "wife" to protect his reputation so much in front of outsiders.
What was even rarer was that she not only protected him with words but also in actions.
Jiang Fuying suddenly stood up and pointed at the Second and Third Ladies. "You aunts don't seem to be sincere guests, so I won't keep you."
"Caipu, Caizhi, see the guests out!"