Wang Ru took a deep breath. The fifty taels didn’t even make a splash. She felt angry. The Zhou family was driving people away, and she couldn’t stay away. When Shi Qing sent a servant, she didn’t want to arouse Shi Qing’s suspicion. She looked at Zhou Xuehan with a twinkle in her eye and said, “I used to know Xuehan from the village. In the future, if Xuehan happens to come to Pingzhou, she can look for me.”

She had always wanted to know why Zhou Xuehan had appeared in the capital and no longer resembled a village girl. Unfortunately, she was currently in a difficult situation and couldn’t investigate. However, in this life, she could change her approach and take the opportunity to befriend Zhou Xuehan.

Xuehan replied, “You may have hurt your forehead, but not your brain. When did we become acquaintances? We haven’t been in touch for a long time. I am a respectable girl. I hope you won’t speak nonsense.”

Wang Ru was very worried. Angry, she still wanted to grab her before leaving. Wang Ru’s thoughts were really vicious.

Wang Ru remained silent. She forgot that she had ruined her own reputation. She twitched the corner of her mouth and tricked herself. Then her face turned a little dark. Only then did she realize that Zhou Xuehan’s words were really harsh. She nearly accused her of being mentally ill.

Xuehan was unhappy, pursed her lips, and continued, “I hope you will do your duty honestly in the future and stop looking for trouble, so you can do what you want!”

After saying that, Xuehan felt relieved. Wang Ru felt disgusted with her, and she also found Wang Ru disgusting. She deliberately said in front of Shi Gongzi’s servant that when he returned home and learned the truth, he didn’t believe that Wang Ru was honest. No man wanted his woman to cheat on him.

Wang Ru was lucky, but her head felt dizzy again. The Zhou Xuehan in her memory was blurred, and the current Zhou Xuehan was imprinted in her mind. This person was not a good person, and not a word of what she said was nonsense. She thought of Shi Qing’s little boy, pursed her lips, and realized that if she stayed any longer, her efforts these days would be in vain. The Zhou family really defeated her!

Wang Ru stood up and held her forehead. “I’m feeling a little dizzy. Let’s go!”

Zhang Sanni lowered her head and curled her lips, feeling humiliated. At the same time, she envied Zhou Xuehan in her heart. Who in Zhoujia Village didn’t envy Zhou Xuehan!

Before Wang Ru walked out of the door, Li Shi said cheerfully, “The troublemaker is finally leaving. Mom, let’s eat something good today.”

Zhulan teased, “Did you hear what your dàsǎo said? Let’s order some food, and your dàsǎo will pay for it.”

Li Shi became anxious. Last time, she was cheated out of half a tael of silver by her mother-in-law, and she had been upset for a long time. “Mom, why do you only pick me to bully!”

Chang Lian touched his withered purse and said, “That’s because my dàsǎo is the richest person in the family.”

Li Shi’s face darkened. She knew that Chang Lian was unwilling to give her all the money. Feeling anxious, she blurted out, “Our mother is the richest one in the family.”

Second Zhou chuckled, “Is dàsǎo trying to bully our mother?”

Li Shi glared. “Alright, teaming up to bully me, huh?” She clutched the silver tightly. “That’s not what I meant, mother. My intentions toward you are as clear as the sun and moon.”

As Li Shi spoke, she quickly got up and dragged Boss Zhou away.

Chang Lian: “.”

Second Zhou: “.”

Ouch, dàsǎo had learned a lot. She probably took the opportunity to run away!

The smile on Zhulan’s lips could no longer be suppressed. Zhulan curled up her lips and said, “Okay, stop bullying your dàsǎo. I will give you the money to buy a table of good food.”

Chang Lian: “.”

Second Zhou: “.”

Mom, don’t you feel guilty for saying that? It was obviously our mother who started it, and she was also the one who bullied her the most.

Xuehan chuckled, and several of her grandchildren also laughed. With a coaxing sound, everyone in the main hall was happy.

Wang Ru stood outside the gate of Zhou’s house, listening to the laughter in the yard. She felt like there were two worlds. In the yard was the family love she had always longed for but had never gotten. Her face changed with jealousy, and the warmth made her want to be exhausted. Everything is ruined.

Zhang Sanni’s arm was so painful that she couldn’t help but hissed. Wang Ru came back to her senses and said slowly: “Go back.”

Zhang Sanni lowered her head to hide the grudge in her eyes. Wang Ru was still Wang Ru, these days she was just pretending. Although she was weak, her nature would not change, especially the fact that she could coax her sister into signing a death contract. This showed how cruel she was. Her parents were servants, and she had known since she was a child that the fate of servants was not as good as that of dogs. Those who had signed a death contract were worse than pigs and dogs. She just regretted that Wang Ru had deceived her life contract from Shi Gongzi, and she had to be tied to Wang Ru.

With the new addition of fifty taels, Zhulan returned to the house after dinner, holding the silver money. “We’ve saved quite a few ingots at home this month. Look, find a time to exchange them for gold and bring them back.”

Zhou Shuren nodded. “Alright, tomorrow I’ll go to the county’s money exchange to swap them for gold and bring it back.”

Zhulan collected the silver, took out three five-tael silver ingots and two pieces of broken silver, and handed the silver ingots to the second child, “You are most familiar with the nearby villages, you go buy three sheep and kill them to eat when winter comes, so as not to buy them at high prices when winter comes.”

Second Zhou took a breath and said, “Mom, three sheep are too many.”

He estimated that his family had made a lot of money recently, but three sheep were too extravagant.

Zhulan explained, “Our family doesn’t give gifts! Not to mention the distant ones, your grandfather has always been subsidizing our family. Last year’s mutton was also given by your grandfather. This year, we must also give some to your grandfather. Several clan elders in the family also expect to receive one or two kilograms, and the county magistrate’s family also expects a gift. If we give away two sheep for one cent, we won’t have much left for ourselves.”

Second Zhou said: “Mom, didn’t you ask to buy three heads?”

“Keep one for raising. It’ll be used as a dish to show honor at Chang Lian’s wedding banquet next year. This year, we’ll prepare more fodder at home and raise the sheep well. The fat ones will be used for the wedding banquet next year, so we won’t have to rush to buy good sheep.”

Second Zhou smiled and said, “Mom is good in thinking long-term.”

Zhulan said, “We can’t be careless about this. After all, she’s the daughter of the county magistrate’s family. The wedding banquet must be meticulously planned.”

Second Zhou accepted the silver. “Mother, I will definitely buy three good sheep back.”

“Good, I trust you to handle it,” Zhulan affirmed.

Only Second Zhou could cheat anyone, and no one had ever cheated Second Zhou before. She felt particularly relieved.

Zhulan handed two coins to Mrs. Li. “Today’s meal won’t be accounted for. I’ll treat you. With these two silver coins, we’ll prepare two tables of good dishes.” Finally, Wang Ru walked away from the neighboring place, out of sight. Indeed, there was a need for celebration.

Li Shi took the silver money and realized that her mother-in-law was the best, unlike others who bullied her. “Mother is still the best.”

Zhulan,”…”

She forgot. She was the one who started to bully her today. She laughed softly. It’s good that Li Shi’s anger comes and goes quickly. She was not one who held grudges!

(end of this chapter)

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