Yueyao touched Mingzhu’s belly, which was round and plump: "It’s only been a few days, and it’s gotten so big." This belly sure grows fast. Mingzhu also touched her own belly: "Yeah, it changes every day. You have no idea, I might just have eaten, but now I eat nonstop all day. I wonder if this kid will be a foodie in the future." Yueyao looked up at Mingzhu and said: "Hasn’t Niu Yanghui given you a hard time?" Mingzhu made a sound of surprise: "Why would he give me a hard time?" Yueyao teased: "Just with your mouth, babbling on about food, if it were me, I’d have dealt with you already. Don’t think the baby in your belly can’t hear it; they might just turn out to be a real foodie when born, and you’ll have regrets then." Mingzhu gasped: "What you say is true?" She had just spoken casually, not thought so much about it! Follow current novels on 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭⚑𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥 Yueyao nodded confidently, and Mingzhu quickly vowed: "I won’t talk nonsense anymore." She didn’t want her son to really be a foodie in the future. Yueyao smiled and mentioned her reason for visiting this time: "The earliest I might return is at the end of the year, and at the latest by February next year, but don’t worry, I’ll definitely be back before you give birth." The matter of the Fourth Prince wanting to make Yueyao a consort had also reached Mingzhu’s ears, and she angrily said: "What about admiring your talents, that person is most false, sinister, and vicious, who knows what bad schemes he’s up to. It’s good for you to stay at Zhaohua Temple for a while; once you’re gone, those gossips will have nothing to say. By the time you’re back, the storm will likely be over. Yueyao spent most of the day with Mingzhu before returning in the afternoon. Once back, she received an invitation from the Li Mansion, inviting Yueyao to visit. Naturally, Yueyao declined, telling the messenger that she would be staying at Zhaohua Temple for a while and was busy packing these days, leaving her no time to visit the Li Mansion. Lady Li, upon seeing the centennial ginseng, felt a twinge of regret, thinking she had been too hasty. She had hoped to invite Yueyao over to explain things properly but, learning that Yueyao was going to Zhaohua Temple, decided to put the matter aside. There were many affairs in the Li Mansion, and even with her daughter-in-law’s help, they were still overwhelming. Yuebing sent a note over, wanting to see Yueyao, but heard that Yueyao had gone to Zhaohua Temple. Yuebing quickly asked: "Gone to Zhaohua Temple to offer incense?" The maid replied: "No, I heard from people at the Ma’s Mansion that the Third Young Lady went to Zhaohua Temple to stay for a while. She might not return until the New Year." Yuebing frowned and waved the maid away. Nanny Cui, standing by, said: "It’s good for the Third Young Lady to avoid attention now that rumors are spreading wildly outside." The Third Young Lady is smart; the best action now is to evade, not confront head-on. Yuebing frowned and said: "Why doesn’t anything go smoothly for the third younger sister?" Just when she’s of marriage age, an incident greatly complicates her marriage prospects. Nanny Cui laughed and said: "It’s not that severe. Once the fuss dies down, this matter will dissipate too." Others might have trouble, but Yueyao has the Marquis Jingning’s Residence backing her. When they are willing to step out to arrange a marriage, she won’t have trouble marrying off. Yuebing sighed slightly: "None of our sisters’ marriages seem to go smoothly." Her own marriage was already distressing; Yuehuan’s marriage was even more unfair. As for Yueying, Yuebing didn’t even want to talk about it. Now with Yueyao in such a situation, Yuebing felt a sense of shared misfortune. Nanny Cui promptly interrupted Yuebing: "Miss, you can’t say that. Once married, if you manage well, things will only get better and better." Even as a stepmother, once you have a firm footing, you can strategize for other things slowly. If you feel wronged now, letting the Marquis and the Old Madam find out after marriage could spell disaster. Yuebing replied with a bitter smile: "I’m just saying." Her marriage was already settled, and with little more than a month before wedlock, any grievance must be swallowed, and she must manage her marriage well. Nanny Cui reminded Yuebing: "You can’t even say that. Once at the Marquis’ household, it’s even more important not to say that." Once in someone else’s house, everything must be handled with caution. An Zhichen learned that Yueyao had gone to reside long-term at Zhaohua Temple due to the rumors, so he went to see Luo Shao at the Marquis’ household, intending to have Luo Shao send a message to Yueyao, expressing that his feelings remain unchanged and won’t be deterred by these incidents. Luo Shao smiled and deliberately said: "Are you picking a fight with the Fourth Prince? Aren’t you afraid of the Fourth Prince’s retaliation?" In truth, Luo Shao didn’t take the rumors outside seriously. The notion that no one would dare propose and she’d be unmarried for life was laughable.