Rebirth: Splendid Marriage in the 80s Chapter 2421 - 2357: The Air of a Mistress of the House

"How's it going?"

The moment Chiang Xiao caught him answering the call with those words, she hesitated, puzzled over his exact meaning.

Ah Liu let out a light laugh before clarifying, "When you were chatting with Lu Shuangshuang on the line, I stepped aside on purpose for a bit. That probably made her feel more at ease to open up. Notice anything unusual?"

"Dad, you left the room deliberately?"

"That's right."

"I figured as much. She was acting all superior like a stepmother around me. Why didn't you stop her?"

"Hmm?"

Acting like a stepmother?

Chiang Xiao went on to describe it, "She mentioned she'd handle the setup for the Jiang Family's courtyard and wondered about my preferred style, if I'd rather plant the flowers myself or have her select some blooms and greenery to place there. She added that we could chat more frequently going forward, and if I needed something, I should just tell her, perhaps even getting a present from her."

Anyone could manage her courtyard, but not Lu Shuangshuang—that was the issue.

Ah Liu replied, "Got it. Still, she's not completely off base with that."

Chiang Xiao felt surprised. "What are you getting at?"

"Your great-grandfather pointed out she's a lady who's detail-oriented and considerate. For the courtyard to end up well-organized and lovely, a woman's perspective might truly be required. He fretted that I might not manage it or lack the spare moments, so during today's meal, he assigned it to her."

A wave of discomfort washed over Chiang Xiao all at once.

"So, she was just carrying out instructions?"

Had she gotten the wrong idea about Lu Shuangshuang?

She wasn't deliberately playing the role of the lady of the house; instead, she was simply honoring Old Master Jiang's directive?

Hearing this, Ah Liu couldn't suppress a chuckle.

"I intended to discuss it with your great-grandfather come morning. Obviously, your courtyard falls to me to set up, not outsiders. Relax; your dad's no idiot."

At last, Chiang Xiao broke into a grin.

"I trusted you'd take charge yourself. I even mentioned to her that my father surely understands what I favor."

"Exactly, the kind of setup my dear girl adores ought to come from Dad's personal effort, isn't that so?"

"Spot on!"

In the end, the shades or varieties of blossoms weren't the key point. The real importance lay in her father putting thought into it, which would make her adore it no matter what.

On top of that, she had faith in Ah Liu's sense of style.

"You little rascal."

"Dad, judging by your words, you never planned to wed her at all, huh?"

Chiang Xiao hadn't posed this query earlier, yet with Lu Shuangshuang now residing in the Jiang Family home, she believed it was time to clear the air.

Ah Liu answered instantly, without a second's pause, "Naturally not. Marrying her never crossed my mind. I simply sensed some unresolved connection from the past that escaped my memory, something elusive that kept me silent on the matter."

"Dad, have the memories come back to you now?"

Around Chiang Xiao, Ah Liu found he could share freely, free of any shame.

"Yeah, it's all clear now. Turns out, prior to that big event years back, I'd penned a message to send to Pingzhou, containing a notice to end the betrothal. Back then, I was set on breaking off the engagement with Lu Shuangshuang. The messenger came back confirming he'd given it straight to her, so the betrothal must have been dissolved."

Chiang Xiao sat there, dumbfounded.

Could something like that truly have happened?

"Dad, is ending a betrothal really that straightforward? A single letter seals it?"

"Things weren't so tangled up in those days. With the breakup letter, we of course returned the betrothal gifts we'd swapped. If they accepted, they'd send my gift back, and that settled everything."