Second Zhou’s legs were numb from kneeling, but he didn’t feel any discomfort. He was drenched in sweat from fear. In the Zhou family, he was the Second Master Zhou. Once adopted, he would be a member of the clan. The difference was too great, especially since his father was highly regarded by the Emperor. His father’s future was bright, and it wasn’t impossible for him to hold a high position and great power.

Time passed slowly. Zhulan was reading a book and eating pine nuts outside. It was good to have Zhou Shuren; she didn’t have to worry about anything.

The courtyards of the eldest and second branches were next to each other. Boss Zhou and Li Shi were talking about Second Zhou. Second Zhou followed his parents back to the main courtyard. It was getting late, and he didn’t hear the sound of the gate next door closing.

Li Shi’s intuition was accurate. “Husband, Mother sent Yu Shuang to stay in the main courtyard. Did Second Brother do something today? I have a feeling something’s not right.”

Boss Zhou also felt something was off; his wife and mother spent the most time together. “What do you think is wrong?”

Li Shi lowered her voice. “Although Mother and I were chatting and laughing, I just felt that Mother wasn’t happy, or rather, very unhappy.”

Boss Zhou calculated the time. “Second Brother has been gone for almost half an hour, and he still hasn’t returned. I guess something serious has happened.”

Li Shi pouted. “If Second Brother has really offended Father and Mother, I won’t plead for Zhao Shi.”

Boss Zhou smiled. “Alright.”

In the second branch, Zhao Shi paced around the room. She had a bad feeling, and as time went by, she became more and more uneasy.

Yu Shuang was dizzy from what she saw. She didn’t know what her parents had done, but based on her understanding of her Nai nai, she was sure she would address the issue objectively. She wasn’t worried at all. “Mother, Father is fine.”

Zhao Shi’s eyes lit up when she saw her daughter. She took her daughter’s hand. “Your Nai Nai likes you. Go to the main courtyard and see your father.”

Yu Shuang frowned. “Mother, Nai Nai won’t like me going there.”

Zhao Shi was anxious and wanted to say something to Yu Shuang, but she didn’t dare to speak. Her daughter would be living in the main courtyard in the future, and she was counting on her daughter to speak up for the second branch of the family.

Yu Shuang wasn’t stupid. She didn’t know what her parents had done, but she knew it was all because of her waipo. She pursed her lips, unhappy. After dinner, her waipo went back to her room. Yu Shuang saw it clearly. Her waipo’s face was deathly pale. Her waipo didn’t even acknowledge her mother when she spoke to her.

In the third branch, Chang Lian and Dong Shi were chatting. This was a habit he had developed after talking things out with Dong Shi. Every day before going to bed, he would talk to Dong Shi. Today, they were talking about the second branch of the family.

Dong Shi asked, “Husband, what’s the matter that Second Brother is going back with Father and Mother for?”

Chang Lian replied quietly, “You’ll find out tomorrow.”

Of all the Zhou family members, he disliked Second Brother the most, even though Second Brother had no presence before.

About an hour later, Zhou Shuren opened his eyes and looked at Second Zhou, who was still kneeling. “Go back.”

Second Zhou’s legs were numb. He staggered to his feet, finally managing to stand by holding onto the table. He stood there for a long time without moving, his legs numb and painful. “Father, I’ll stand for a while before going back.”

Zhou Shuren stood up and nodded. He tidied up the tea set on the table. After he had finished tidying up, Second Zhou was able to walk, but he was limping.

Zhulan heard the noise and glanced over. Second Zhou’s voice was particularly nasal. “Mother.”

Zhulan waved her hand. “Go back.”

Second Zhou didn’t want his mother to plead for him; he just felt grateful to have a mother. “Mother, you should rest early too.”

With that, Second Zhou slowly walked out. When he returned to the second room, Zhao Shi saw her husband limping and her eyes were red. “It’s all because of me.”

Second Zhou waved his hand. “It has nothing to do with you. It’s all my fault. But go ask your mother-in-law how much she took from the Qian family. This time I…”

“When I go to Pingzhou, I’ll help return what my mother-in-law doesn’t deserve.”

Zhao Shi was stunned. “Husband, what did you say?”

Second Zhou said, “If you don’t know, just ask your mother. By the way, I’ll buy a house in Chuanzhou before I leave. When I go to Pingzhou, you should pack your things. When I come back, we’ll go to Chuanzhou.”

Zhao Shi panicked. “Husband, why do we have to go to Chuanzhou?”

Second Zhou looked at Zhao Shi. Zhao Shi was very thoughtful, so he decided to explain everything to her to avoid her overthinking. Second Zhou recounted what his father had told him.

Zhao Shi’s heart pounded. Her in-laws thought her husband was cold-hearted, but wasn’t she the same? Her saozi had been good to her, but how had she treated her saozi? Her mother-in-law had been good to her, but how had she let her down? She was cold-hearted, too!

The next morning, Zhulan and Zhou Shuren had a good rest. Zhulan wholeheartedly supported Zhou Shuren’s decision. On the other hand, the second branch’s wife and her husband had dark circles under their eyes; they hadn’t slept all night.

Zhou Shuren didn’t care about Second Zhou’s face at all. Face was something you had to earn yourself; once you’ve made your decision, that was what mattered.

The Zhou brothers were all shocked. The eldest son was stunned; he couldn’t understand what his second son had done to make his father allow him and his wife to live separately.

Chang Lian glanced at his second brother; his brother must have crossed their parents’ line. He should be happy that their parents had shown him leniency.

Zhou Shuren, however, hadn’t mentioned adoption to save face for his second son. Dressed in his official robes, Zhou Shuren exuded even more authority. “Alright, eat.”

The second son lowered his head; he truly couldn’t eat. This felt like being exiled, and he didn’t know when he could go home.

Zhao Shi’s eyes were red-rimmed. Last night, she had questioned her mother through the night, and only then did she realize just how excessive her mother’s actions had been. Even her husband did not dare use the family’s reputation to handle matters, so how had her mother dared to do so? The Qian family had always treated her in-laws with great respect, yet her mother had used her father-in-law’s name to obtain more than half of the Qian family’s property. Was this not pushing her father-in-law into acting unrighteously? Now that her mother had come to seek refuge with her, who knew what the Qian family must be saying about the Zhou family? It was practically no different from becoming enemies.

Zhao Shi regretted it deeply. She regretted not asking her mother beforehand and regretted losing face in the process.

Fang Shi didn’t dare eat breakfast.

Zhao Shi lowered her head, tears falling into her bowl. Li Shi saw this and tried to speak several times, but her mother-in-law stopped her with a look. Li Shi felt terrible, completely forgetting her promise not to speak up for Zhao Shi the night before.

After breakfast, Second Zhou went to Chuanzhou to buy a house.

Zhao Shi didn’t dare approach Zhulan, and Fang Shi shrank back, not daring to come out.

Zhulan felt a little stuffy in the house, so she wandered around the garden. Winter had passed, spring had arrived, and the garden was green again, which made Zhulan feel much better.

Zhulan looked helplessly at Li Shi, following behind her. “How long are you going to follow me?”

Li Shi, heavily pregnant, was quite tired after walking for a while. “Mother, do my second brother and Zhao Shi really have to go to Chuanzhou? Can’t they not go? It’s so nice for the whole family to be together.”

Zhulan’s eyes were full of smiles, and Li Shi’s heart softened. “They absolutely have to go. It’s your father’s wish.”

Li Shi was stunned. She was truly afraid of her father-in-law; in this family, only her mother-in-law wasn’t afraid of him.

Dong Shi followed behind, looking up at her saozi. She finally understood. It would be strange if her mother-in-law didn’t favor her Eldest sǎo. She regretted treating her Eldest sǎo that way in Pingzhou.

Zhulan went back after strolling around for a while. Yu Shuang should have moved in by now; she wanted to go see her.

Li Shi was also tired and wanted to return to her courtyard. She had done right by Zhao Shi, and her heart felt lighter, and her steps became much lighter.

Dong Shi hurriedly chased after her. “Eldest sǎo!”

Li Shi turned back in confusion. “Third dìmèi, is something the matter?”

Dong Shi bowed, “Eldest sǎo, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have acted that way in Pingzhou.”

Being young was no excuse; she was wrong, and that was that. Her apologies before weren’t sincere, but this time they were genuine. She was truly impressed by her Eldest sǎo.

Li Shi was stunned for a moment, then smiled happily, “I’ve long forgotten. You were young then, and I really didn’t take it to heart.”

Besides, her mother-in-law had stood up for her!

Dong Shi believed her Eldest sǎo’s words and smiled, “Thank you, Eldest sǎo.”

Zhulan returned to the main courtyard. Yu Shuang was tidying up her jewelry box. Seeing her Nainai, she said, “Grandma, I’m almost done.”

Zhulan looked at Yu Shuang’s reddened eyes and gently stroked her face. “Nǎinai and Yéye are doing this for a reason.”

Yu Shuang hugged her Nǎinai, “Nǎinai, I’m not young anymore, I know everything.”

She had overheard her mother and Waipo’s conversation when she went to find her mother. She understood that her grandparents were educating her father, just like they were educating her third Shushu.

Zhulan stroked Yu Shuang’s hair. She realized that the women of the Zhou family were all sensible.

(End of Chapter)

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