"What do you mean by 'private engagement'? Isn't that embarrassing?" Dou Zhao was speechless when she heard that.
"But the rumors outside say you two have known each other for a long time and already privately promised to marry!" Miao Ansu blinked and said, "Otherwise, why would the Marquis act like he absolutely wouldn't marry anyone else but you? He even went to his sister and brother-in-law, the Duke of Jing, to ask them to act as matchmakers!"
"Yeah! If he hadn't made up his mind long ago, how could the Marquis be so firm about marrying a woman he'd never even met?" Zhao Zhangru pouted and said, "At the time, I even thought you were being unfair — you met such a good husband in the Marquis and hid it from us..."
"That's really not true! We never met before!" Dou Zhao was also at a loss for words. In this lifetime, the first time she saw Wei Tingyu was actually on their wedding night in the bridal chamber!
Of course, she kept explaining not because she cared about rumors but because these two good sisters in front of her asked, and she didn't want to lie to them.
"Then how come your relationship is so good?" But Miao Ansu's eyes rolled around, then she leaned over to Dou Zhao and nudged her waist twice with her elbow, laughing: "You've only been married for three days… Could it be that the Marquis has some kind of treasure that makes you unable to let go?"
"What did you say... what treasure?" Dou Zhao was stunned and then immediately blushed bright red.
Because what Miao Ansu said was actually an important reason why she had fallen for Wei Tingyu so quickly in just three days — he had a strong 'asset' that made women unable to resist!
"Really has a treasure?" But when Miao Ansu saw Dou Zhao's flushed face, she froze.
"What treasure? Show us then!" Zhao Zhangru was also shocked by Dou Zhao's reaction! She thought just like Miao Ansu — the Marquis's household really had a treasure that even made Dou Zhao so infatuated!
"How can I show you?" Dou Zhao almost rolled her eyes to the sky, but then she realized something.
Apparently, the 'treasure' Miao Ansu and Zhao Zhangru meant was something very different from what she understood by 'treasure'!
So the three of them were basically talking past each other, each having their own meaning, leading to a big misunderstanding!
"What? Still keeping it secret?" Zhao Zhangru pouted when Dou Zhao refused to show them the 'great treasure': "We're going to be part of the Marquis's household soon, can't we take a look?"
"You'll see it naturally once you enter the household!" Dou Zhao twitched her mouth and after stammering for a while finally said that.
"How stingy…" Miao Ansu and Zhao Zhangru exchanged helpless looks upon hearing Dou Zhao really wouldn't show it to them first.
But luckily this secret wouldn't trouble them for long! Once they really joined the Marquis's household, they'd naturally see this great treasure of the Marquis!
At this moment, Wei Tingyu was standing stiffly at the kitchen door. He had just returned and heard from the servants that the three girls had occupied the kitchen early in the morning, so he came over to check.
Just as he was about to push open the door, he overheard their conversation about the 'great treasure.'
For a moment, he was at a loss — he could imagine Dou Zhao must be blushing because he had just misunderstood what Miao Ansu and Zhao Zhangru meant.
Those two naive young girls really didn't understand what Dou Zhao meant by the 'great treasure!'
If he went in now, wouldn't it make the scene even more awkward? So for a moment, he just froze in place.
However, as the conversation grew stranger, Wei Tingyu finally couldn't hold back.
If he let them keep chattering like this, they might say something outrageous!
No way — his two planned concubines were still innocent girls and shouldn't be corrupted before their bridal chamber night…
Thinking this, Wei Tingyu could only sigh and push open the kitchen door.
Sure enough, the three girls were startled by his entrance and turned to look at him in unison.
Once they recognized him, their expressions changed in various ways.
Dou Zhao was happy to see Wei Tingyu, but the moment she remembered what she'd just said, she immediately felt embarrassed.
Miao Ansu stepped forward a bit, secretly pleased, but then realized it would be improper to rush straight into Wei Tingyu's arms.
Besides, she wasn't his concubine yet, so she forced herself to hold back.
Zhao Zhangru looked surprised and nervous but once she saw it was Wei Tingyu, her wariness instantly turned to relief.
You have to admit, this girl was really cut out for martial arts!
She was always alert to her surroundings — such a warrior's heart was rare indeed!
"Marquis is back?!" Dou Zhao was the first to react, quietly bowing to Wei Tingyu, and Zhao Zhangru quickly copied her to bow as well.
"I'm back!" Wei Tingyu smiled and nodded. "I heard from the servants that you three had taken over the kitchen early this morning, leaving the cooks nothing to do."
Pfft! At that, the three girls burst out laughing simultaneously.
"We personally prepared breakfast for the Marquis!" Dou Zhao stepped forward silently and lightly brushed dust off Wei Tingyu's clothes, then wrinkled her nose, frowning slightly: "Marquis, why do you smell like... a woman?"
It wasn't that Dou Zhao deliberately got close to sniff, but the scent was so obvious that she didn't need to get close to recognize it.
Moreover, women tend to be very sensitive to such fragrances.
"Really?" Zhao Zhangru was stunned but then came closer.
She almost pressed her face against Wei Tingyu's and sniffed while saying, "Let me smell! Marquis, have you been keeping a mistress?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Miao Ansu looked at Wei Tingyu nervously, afraid he would get angry.
In her mind, even if Wei Tingyu really had another woman outside, as a future concubine, she definitely couldn't get jealous.
If she wanted to act spoiled and childish, it would only be when she was alone with the Marquis.
Doing so in front of so many people, disrespecting her lord's dignity, was definitely not something a smart concubine should do!