Five years without pregnancy means you're too weak; I remarried a powerful man and had triplets

Those large hands were laid out flat in front of her, palms facing upwards, waiting quietly.

Lu Zichuan watched her quietly, neither urging nor in a hurry. His eyes, which were a bit more indifferent than those of ordinary people, reflected only her image at this moment; no matter how lively the others were, they did not catch his eye.

"Yes, yes, dinner's ready! Zichuan, come and bring Zhizhi over to sit down."

He Wenshu finally ignored Yuan Jiaqin and her daughter, who were frozen to the side, and turned to beckon Shen Zhiyi and Lu Zichuan to walk towards the restaurant.

At the dining table, Lu Zhentian and Lu Xiaojing sat at opposite ends. Lu Xiaojing doted on Shen Zhiyi, so she let her sit to her right, and Lu Zichuan naturally sat down next to her. Opposite them were Lu Ziyang and Bai Qinghua, with a small stool added next to them, which was Lu Han's reserved seat.

He Wenshu sat down next to them, eager to talk to Shen Zhiyi as much as possible.

The two furthest seats at the table were empty, as if they were deliberately reserved for Yuan Jiaqin and her daughter.

Yuan Hongsu stood there, her face turning pale and then red.

In the past, every time she came, she would sit in the same spot next to Lu Zichuan.

Seeing Shen Zhiyi sitting there peacefully, her eyes instantly reddened. She reached out and tugged at her mother's sleeve, her voice trembling with grievance: "Mom, we came at the wrong time today... Why don't we go back?"

Yuan Jiaqin glared at her daughter fiercely, her eyes filled with utter disdain.

She pulled Yuan Hongsu straight to Shen Zhiyi's side, pointed to the dish on the table closest to Shen Zhiyi, and said in a deliberately warm tone, "Oh, this is Susu's favorite dish since she was little. Miss, could you perhaps switch seats with Susu? It's a bit far over there, and it's inconvenient for her to reach it."

Shen Zhiyi was stunned as soon as she heard the words.

As a guest, she shouldn't have argued with the host for a seat, especially since tonight was just a formality and it didn't matter to her where she sat.

Just as she was about to agree, a voice spoke first.

"If you can't grab it, stand up and grab it."

Lu Xiaojing's voice rang out, unhurried yet carrying an undeniable weight.

The old lady didn't even lift her eyelids, her tone as calm as if she were talking about something perfectly ordinary: "Zhizhi is sitting here, close to me, so it's convenient for us to talk."

Yuan Jiaqin's face stiffened.

She wasn't afraid of Lu Xiaojing. Having frequented the Lu family for many years, she knew this old lady all too well; she was tough on the outside but soft on the inside, and would never really kick someone out because of blood ties.

So instead of backing down, she smiled and took another half step forward: "Auntie, you can't say that. Who stands up to pick up food while eating? It's so undignified. Besides, Susu almost suffered so much today, you should feel sorry for her and comfort her."

As she spoke, she turned to look at Shen Zhiyi, her eyes conveying a silent pressure: "I'm sure this young lady won't mind, will she?"

Shen Zhiyi was caught in the middle and inexplicably felt that the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder.

She didn't know whether to say "mind" or "don't mind." In her heart, she really felt that she could sit anywhere, but Lu Xiaojing had just spoken up for her. If she backed down now, it would seem like she was slapping the old lady in the face.

As she hesitated, He Wenshu across from her spoke up: "Xiaoqin, it doesn't matter where you sit. Susu likes this dish, so just have someone bring it over. Hurry up and sit down to eat."

As she spoke, she gestured to the maid, "Come, move this dish over there."

The dishes were quickly removed, and Yuan Jiaqin's excuse suddenly vanished. But her expression only froze for a moment before she turned and came up with a new idea.

"The fortune teller said that Susu's fate this year is in conflict with the west. Today's accident happened because of this conflict."

She stared directly at Shen Zhiyi, her tone almost pleading with moral blackmail, "Miss, you should be able to understand a mother's heart, right? I just want my daughter to be safe."

Shen Zhiyi: "..."

Now she understood completely.

Yuan Jiaqin wasn't asking her; she was pressuring her.

Moreover, not only she understood it, but everyone else at the table understood it as well.

Lu Xiaojing's face darkened.

Across from him, Lu Zhentian stopped holding his teacup, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.

This Yuan Jiaqin was spoiled rotten by her brothers since childhood. She has to snatch whatever she wants. It was one thing to fight openly and secretly before, but now she even tries to bully the girlfriend that Zichuan finally brought back.

He Wenshu and Lu Jianzhong's expressions also froze.

No one expected that this cousin would be so disrespectful, insisting on taking the position in front of the whole family.

Lu Jianzhong put down his chopsticks, which he had just picked up, and said in a low voice, "Xiaoqin, sit down and eat. If you don't want to eat, I'll have someone take you home."

He paused, his tone growing even colder: "Don't bring those superstitious things here."

This is a silent warning.

Lu Jianzhong has always been extremely good to Yuan Jiaqin since she was a child.

The two practically grew up together, and whenever she called him in trouble, he was never late, and he never missed a single opportunity to clean up her messes.

But today, for the first time, he was so serious with her.

Yuan Jiaqin froze for a moment, then covered her mouth and burst into tears.

Shen Zhiyi had seen Su Manman act before and thought that the woman was quite skilled.

Compared to the person in front of her, Su Manman was nothing.

"My parents passed away early, and my husband also died young after I got married... People say I have a tough fate, that I'll bring bad luck to my family and husband."

Yuan Jiaqin spoke between sobs, each word trembling with emotion, yet so clear that every syllable was audible: "Susu is my only daughter. If I can't even protect her, what's the point of my life..."

"It's just a position, I'm not fighting for anything. I just want my child to be safe. You may not understand, but you can't deny me this much respect, can you?"

"Susu is my life. I raised her from infancy, changing her every need..."

Her singing was so natural and fluid, and her tears flowed so easily that Shen Zhiyi even wondered if she had formally studied acting.

If this continues, no one will be able to enjoy their meal in peace.

Seeing the increasingly grim expressions on the Lu family's faces, Shen Zhiyi felt a pang of pity. They had been so good to her; she couldn't let them suffer because of her.

She hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said gently, "Aunt, please don't cry. I'll let you sit. I can sit anywhere."

But as soon as she stood up, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by a large hand.

The force wasn't strong, but it was impossible to break free.

"Sit still."

Lu Zichuan's voice came from beside him, deep and calm, yet carrying a power that made people dare not disobey.

He didn't even look at her; his gaze was fixed on Yuan Jiaqin and her daughter, his eyes filled with a deep, coldness, like a frozen lake in the dead of winter.

"The dishes have been changed. The seating arrangement is out of the question."

"Clashing with the west?" A faint, mocking smile played on his lips. "The Lu family's old residence happens to be located to the west. If Aunt is truly worried, she should bring her daughter here less often in the future. Otherwise, she might later say that we've brought bad luck to you."

"Now,"

His voice was not loud, but every word was clear:

"Either sit down and eat, or leave. If you cause any more trouble, I'll have you thrown out."