Zhou Shaojin was afraid that his sister would suffer, so he hurriedly followed.
Mrs. Dong was kneeling and crying, hugging Mrs. Guan's legs. Mrs. Guan was sitting on the bed, looking at Mrs. Dong with a feeling of helplessness and displeasure, and she seemed to have a headache.
Zhou Shaojin was furious when she saw this, but before she could say anything, Zhou Chujin had already called out "Mrs. Bai" and said with a half-smile, "When did you come? I didn't expect that we sisters would meet you when we came to pay our respects to our grandmother. What bad things have happened to you? You cried so much that your makeup is smudged, your eyes are red, and your hair is messed up." As he spoke, he stepped forward to help Dong, and said unhappily to Si'er who followed in, "Sister Si'er, you too, Mrs. Bai is in such a state, why don't you ask the maids to fetch water for her to wash her face!" Then he pulled Dong and said, "Is there anything you can't say to my aunt? You have to cry in front of the old lady. It's New Year's Day, how unlucky! People who know you will say that you and my grandmother are as close as mother and daughter, and you will come to tell my grandmother if you have anything to say, without paying attention to these customs; people who don't know will think that someone in your family has died..."
Cursing their family for death or fire, Cheng Lu had not yet returned home safely on his way home for the New Year. It was also the New Year, and Zhou Chujin was still a junior. How could Dong bear it any longer? She jumped up and said, "What are you talking about, little girl? You also know that the New Year is coming soon. Death or fire, is that something you can say..."
Zhou Chujin smiled and said, "I didn't mean it. I heard the maids outside talking about it, so I thought something really happened in your family. I said something wrong. Please forgive me this time. Since your family is safe, why are you crying so sadly? You've caused everyone outside to talk about it..."
Dong was stunned and saw Zhou Shaojin.
She couldn't help but blush.
In front of Zhou Shaojin, she was always dignified, generous, reserved and solemn...
Dong glared at Zhou Chujin hatefully.
Cheng Bai did such a shameful thing, she could cry like this so that everyone knew about it, and let others talk about Cheng Bai's ruthlessness behind his back, but she couldn't admit it in front of everyone. It was reasonable and emotional for her to bring her son to apologize to Zhou Shaojin and her sister, and to the Zhou family. Wouldn't that confirm Cheng Bai's scandal? How could his son hold his head up and live with this stigma in the future? How could he talk about marrying a wife
She thought about it again and again at home, thinking that she was at least one generation older than the Zhou sisters, and that it was not easy for her to raise a child alone. If she cried and complained to Mrs. Guan about her shame, Mrs. Guan might soften her heart and let the matter go. When Cheng Lu came back, she would prepare a generous gift to Cheng Mian as an apology. Could Cheng Mian still offend Mrs. Guan? Everyone tacitly agreed not to mention the matter again.
We won’t pursue the matter regarding the fourth room, so what right do the other room heads have to talk about irresponsible things
As for the Zhou family, Old Lady Guan did not pursue the matter. Cheng Bai had been dead for so many years, and it would not do any good for Zhuang to tell the truth. She compensated the Zhou family with the thirty acres of top-quality farmland at the foot of Zhongshan Mountain. For the sake of the Cheng family's face, the Zhou family would probably not pursue the matter any further.
But she never expected that this time Mrs. Guan was determined not to give in. She kept saying that this was a matter between the Cheng and Zhou families, and that as a former mother-in-law, she couldn't use the opportunity to repay the favor just because she had taken care of two children for the Zhou family... That's why she couldn't cry anymore.
Now that Zhou Shaojin has seen through it, I’m afraid it will be difficult for me to act like an elder in front of her in the future.
Zhou Shaojin felt even more uncomfortable when he saw his sister being glared at.
Was it in vain that she used to think that Mrs. Dong was an amiable elder
I can’t really blame anyone else for ending up like that in my previous life!
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but said, "You don't have to glare at my sister. Anyone who sees you crying and making a fuss like this would think something big happened in your family! My sister is just concerned about you. If it were someone else, my sister would have turned around and walked away pretending she knew nothing. Anyway, my grandmother is responsible for your problem, so why are you targeting us sisters?"
Mrs. Dong has always known that Zhou Chujin is smart and capable. She was a little scared of Zhou Chujin in her heart. At this time, Zhou Shaojin interrupted her and she remembered Zhou Shaojin's disrespect during the birthday celebration of the second house's ancestor. She also thought that her son intended to marry her but she didn't know how to respect him. She was immediately a little angry and thought, "If I can't deal with Zhou Chujin, I can deal with you, Zhou Shaojin. I didn't think much about it and said, "Shaojin, when did you learn to be so sharp-tongued from others? Our Xiangqing always praised you in front of me, saying that you are virtuous, gentle and honest, and a rare good girl..."
When Zhou Shaojin heard her mention Cheng Lu, he became so angry that his whole body trembled.
No wonder the mother and son didn’t take her seriously in her previous life. Maybe they thought she was kind-hearted and easy to bully!
She was furious and didn't care about the seniority. She interrupted Dong coldly, "What are you talking about? I am a girl in the boudoir. How could my cousin Lu talk about me in private? I think my cousin Lu is a gentleman. He is respectful and polite to his brothers and also takes good care of us cousins. Why is it that he seems to be a different person when he talks about me? Could it be that we have misjudged my cousin Lu? But in private, my cousin Lu is a person who likes to criticize others..."
After hearing this, Mrs. Dong became so angry that she felt dizzy.
With all the big hats Zhou Shaojin put on me, how can my son continue to live as a human being in the future
The key is that she didn't believe that these words were said by Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin has always been weak and incompetent. There must be someone backing her up, so she dares to go against me like this.
"Shao Jin, you look like a lady from a noble family now, how can you still be like that?" Dong opened her eyes wide and said in great pain, "Stop talking. If others hear this, they will think you like to gossip and show off your sharp tongue..."
After listening to this, Zhou Chujin took a few steps forward and was about to argue with Dong.
Zhou Shaojin knew that people like to pick on the weak, and she was that weak in the past, so naturally Dong would pick on her. Unless she wanted to hide behind her sister forever like in her previous life, she would have to stand up and deal with Dong herself, letting Dong know that although she had a good temper, she was not without principles and bottom line.
"I don't agree with what Madam Bai said." She grabbed her sister and interrupted Dong. "I have a grandmother above me and an aunt below me. My grandmother and aunt haven't said anything. I don't know when I need you to take care of my upbringing and morality? Or do you think that you are more respectable than my grandmother or aunt because you raised a son who passed the imperial examination? If you really want this respectability, I advise you to take care of your own family affairs first! Otherwise, you will stand at the door and point fingers at other people's affairs, but the grape trellis in your backyard will fall down, and people will laugh at you for nothing."
Dong had just said in front of Mrs. Guan that she didn't know what Cheng Bai had done, but now Zhou Shaojin mocked her for being confused and incompetent. She felt ashamed and angry, her face flushed red, and she opened her mouth to argue with Zhou Shaojin. Who knew that Mrs. Guan shouted "Shao Jin" loudly, "Why don't you apologize to Mrs. Bai! You young people are not allowed to discuss the affairs of the elders?" After that, without waiting for Zhou Shaojin to apologize to Dong, she smiled and said to Dong: "She is a child and doesn't know what's going on. You are the elder, so don't argue with her." Then she shouted at Zhou Shaojin: "What are you still standing here for? Aren't you going to Hanbi Mountain House to copy scriptures this afternoon? It's rare that Mrs. Guo thinks so highly of you, you should also strive for excellence. I don't ask you to be timid, but you should be punctual according to the rules..."
This is not a scolding of Zhou Shaojin, this is clearly shielding Zhou Shaojin.
Mrs. Dong could hear it, and so could Zhou Shaojin and her sister.
Zhou Chujin hurriedly pulled his sister back.
Mrs. Dong was so angry that her face turned purple, but when she thought about how Old Lady Guan had threatened her with "Hanbi Shanfang" and "Old Madam Guo", her liver began to ache.
Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin were laughing in the tea room. Zhou Shaojin was particularly happy because she could say whatever she wanted to say for the first time. She suddenly remembered the story that Jiying told her that day.
Should you keep your head down and obey orders for your whole life just to seek honor after death? Or should you follow your heart and do what you like in order to make the most of your life
Zhou Shaojin was in a daze until Old Lady Guan sent Mrs. Dong away and invited the sisters over, then she came to her senses.
"Shaojin also knows how to protect his grandmother." Old Mrs. Guan took Zhou Shaojin's hand and patted the back of her hand gently, feeling very emotional.
Zhou Chujin and she are related by blood, but Zhou Shaojin is only her granddaughter in name, so she dares to control Zhou Chujin but doesn't dare to discipline Zhou Shaojin like Zhou Chujin. But she didn't expect that Zhou Shaojin is so sensible and will protect her like her own granddaughter one day. She feels that all the hard work she has put into raising Zhou Shaojin over the years is worth it.
Old Madam Guan couldn't help but say, "Don't argue with others anymore. No matter what, Madam Bai is your elder. If others see you, they will think you are intolerant and wrong. If you encounter this kind of thing again, just cry loudly. If she says anything bad about you again, it will be her fault."
Zhou Shaojin's eyes were filled with tears.
This is what I really think.
In her previous life, she had longed for it. But in this life, it fell upon her so easily.
She smiled with tears in her eyes and said, "I can see that we are in your room and there is no one outside. If we were outside, I would definitely not talk to her like this."
Old Lady Guan could see that she was touched. She felt that Zhou Shaojin was more like Zhuang, knowing how to repay kindness. She liked her more and more, so she smiled and said, "You should remember the past. You must not confront others head-on. Even if you win, you will offend them. As the saying goes, it is better to offend a gentleman than a villain. You don't know whether that person is a gentleman or a villain, so you'd better be careful and cautious in everything."
Zhou Shaojin nodded repeatedly.
Old Madam Guan laughed a few times and said, "Okay, I won't bother you here anymore. I should only be responsible for making you happy. Disciplining you is your aunt's job!"
Zhou Shaojin pursed his lips and smiled.
Zhou Chujin said coquettishly: "Grandma is trying to shirk responsibility again!"
Old Mrs. Guan laughed out loud.
The servants in the room also laughed.
※
I am not from Wuhan. Yesterday, I invited my fellow Wuhan native Leiden to be my guide to entertain the editors of the publishing house. Not only did the discussion go smoothly, but we all had a great time. Leiden, in particular, was very knowledgeable about the history of Wuhan and told us about it in a very eloquent way. He also took us to eat authentic Chu cuisine—even I, a Hubei native, don’t know the origins and stories of these dishes… ⊙﹏⊙b sweat… However, next time my friends come, I can follow his example.
O(∩_∩)O Haha~
Thank you for your understanding, I had a very enjoyable weekend.
Keep updating starting tomorrow!
※(To be continued)