This book is first published on TaDu & Novel app — Free, ad-free, and pop-up-free, allowing you to interact with other readers.

The overwhelming thoughts swirling in Hongying's mind were unknown to anyone but herself.

Erzhuzi is now lying in bed, tormented by remorse. He feels like a complete coward.

He knew that Hongying was right; Xu Lanzhi was a dream that was out of his reach.

For a moment, he thought he didn't care about anything else and just wanted to have a wild time with Hongying, thus ending his unrealistic fantasies.

But for some reason, Xu Lanzhi's gentle smile suddenly appeared in his mind, and the uncontrollable flutter disappeared into thin air. He had no choice but to flee in panic!

Now, he lay motionless on the bed, feeling extremely guilty. Hongying was, after all, a woman, and his sudden abandonment today was truly hurtful.

He wanted to comfort Hongying, but then he thought about how she was sitting naked in the bathtub and felt it was inappropriate. So he just curled up on the bed like a turtle, not knowing what to do!

Hongying didn't know how long she sat in the bathtub until the warm water turned as cold as her heart. She couldn't help but shiver before slowly getting out.

At this moment, her state of mind had undergone a complete transformation.

She dressed and walked expressionlessly to Erzhuzi's bedside. She reached under Erzhuzi's pillow and took out the fifty taels of silver that Erzhuzi had offered her earlier.

口口五六37四三六七伍

She said coldly, "Erzhuzi, consider this silver ingot as payment for my hard work taking care of you these past few days. From now on, we're even!"

Erzhuzi struggled to sit up and said apologetically, "Hongying, I didn't mean to hurt you. Just think of me as incompetent and not a real man!"

Hongying said expressionlessly, "The medicine is still on the stove. Be careful with the heat. I made a lot of steamed buns this morning. Heat them up and eat them yourself. I'm leaving!"

Erzhuzi felt particularly bad. The passionate Hongying was now like a piece of ice, chilling him to the bone. It was all his own doing!

“Hongying, you are a good woman. I am not good enough for you. You will definitely find someone who truly loves you!” Erzhuzi said.

"Good woman, huh? Erzhuzi, do you even consider me a woman?" Hongying said with a cold laugh, then stuffed the silver into her pocket and walked away in the rain.

By this time, Xu Lanzhi had stumbled home, and the umbrella in her hand was nowhere to be found.

Wang scolded her for being too reckless, saying that she was such a grown-up and couldn't even keep an eye on her umbrella, getting herself soaked to the bone.

Xu Lanzhi felt confused and inexplicably agitated when she thought about what she had heard at Erzhuzi's house.

She didn't hear a single word Wang said to her.

Discussion group 563743675

She thought she was mentally prepared; Erzhuzi couldn't be a bachelor forever, and Hongying really cared about Erzhuzi, so she should be happy.

However, knowing that they were really together again made her feel particularly uneasy.

She had gotten used to turning to Erzhuzi whenever she needed something, used to him being available whenever she called, and used to him nervously rubbing his hands as he listened to her instructions.

During the most difficult times, Erzhuzi stayed by his side. He would rather go hungry himself than not give the sweet potatoes he dug up to the children.

When Master Qian started plotting against him, Erzhu silently stood guard outside the courtyard all night.

He doted on his seven daughters as if they were his own children, and treated Wang Shi with the same filial piety as his own mother. So how did he see himself? Xu Lanzhi suddenly couldn't understand.

Looking back now, it seems that Erzhuzi was always hiding something from me; he always seemed to have something to say but held back.

Xu Lanzhi rubbed her temples, trying to banish Erzhuzi from her mind, but the more she tried not to think about him, the more he unreasonably occupied her thoughts.

Xu Lanzhi laughed self-deprecatingly. She had always considered Erzhuzi as a brother, and she told others the same thing, as well as to herself.

However, even after Dongsheng left, Erzhuzi has been everywhere.

QQ: 563743675

Ignoring gossip, he helped me guard the chicken farm. Once the chicken farm was stable, he then devoted himself to managing my planting base.

Erzhuzi did all the hard and tiring work. She was able to become the respectable Mrs. Xu because Erzhuzi was carrying the burden for her!

Just these past few days, Erzhuzi was injured, and all she did was arrange for everyone to drain the water from the fields. It was such a simple task, but she couldn't even manage it properly and it took her a lot of effort to finish it.

I went to see him today in high spirits, just to tell him that things in the fields were settled and he could focus on recovering!

Unexpectedly, that incident occurred.

Xu Lanzhi sighed. Oh well, who can she blame? Erzhuzi had clearly asked her for help, but she insisted on putting on airs and letting him and Hongying be together.

As Xu Lanzhi thought about it, her heart ached, and tears welled up in her eyes!

Fortunately, Wang was preoccupied with Hongying's three children and did not notice her unusual behavior.

Suddenly, the door creaked open and Hongying rushed in, soaking wet.

Madam Wang frowned again and scolded, "What's going on today? Why is everyone carrying an umbrella? It's so easy to get soaked in this rain!"

口口五六37四三六七伍

Hongying remained silent. The three children, who hadn't seen their mother for several days, ran over and hugged her affectionately.

Hongying felt extremely annoyed. She greeted Wang Shi and then dragged the children back into the house.

Xu Lanzhi didn't know why Hongying had suddenly returned. She wanted to ask, "Now that you're back, what will happen to Erzhuzi?"

Then he felt that it was a bit superfluous for him to care about Erzhuzi at this moment, so he closed his mouth again and said nothing in the end.

Hongying noticed Xu Lanzhi's unusual behavior. She wanted to tell Xu Lanzhi that she would no longer serve Erzhuzi, but then she remembered the humiliation she had suffered at Erzhuzi's hands. She hardened her heart and thought, why should they be so proud and let them be together? She would not allow it.

So Hongying turned around and said excitedly, "Mrs. Xu, Brother Zhuzi said I haven't seen the children in a long time and asked me to come back and see them. I've made all the arrangements on his end, and I'll go over there first thing tomorrow morning!"

When Hongying's youngest son heard that his mother was leaving again, he said unhappily, "Mother, don't go! I miss you!"

Hongying said with a smile, "Then tomorrow, Mom will take you to see Uncle Zhuzi. Uncle Zhuzi said he wants to see you!"

"Great! We can be with Mother again!" The children cheered, but Xu Lanzhi felt a chill run through her.

Hongying is asserting her sovereignty; she wants to take the children to be with Erzhuzi.

TaDu Novels [email protected] offers more high-quality free novels, ad-free online reading! >^>

Seeing that Xu Lanzhi was silent and inexplicably angry, Hongying said, "Madam Xu, Brother Zhuzi was a bit too active today, and his wound is worse now. I'm afraid he won't be able to get out of bed for the next few days!"

Xu Lanzhi was lost in thought and didn't react at all.

"Lanzhi, Hongying is talking to you!" Madam Wang nudged her.

"Mother, what's wrong? I'm fine!" Xu Lanzhi said in a panic.

Wang asked with concern, "What's wrong with you? You looked so lost when you came back. Is it because of the rain that the fields suffered too much damage?"

"The fields are fine, and so am I! I'm just tired, I'm going to take a nap!" Xu Lanzhi said absentmindedly.

Seeing Xu Lanzhi's distraught state, Hongying felt extremely pleased; she simply didn't want Xu Lanzhi to have an easy time.

She even rekindled her fighting spirit. So what if Erzhuzi didn't like her? She was determined to have him and couldn't let Xu Lanzhi have her way. Hongying was already brewing her next plan in her mind.

Xu Lanzhi returned to her room, her heart filled with mixed emotions. The thought that Erzhuzi would never again stay by her side like before made her extremely sad.

He and Hongying have probably already consummated their relationship, and even if he is unwilling, he has no choice but to accept it.

Reader ID Card - 563743675

Xu Lanzhi lay down on the bed, feeling cold all over and her heart was also ice-cold.

She didn't know how much time had passed before she finally drifted off to sleep. In her dream, she saw Erzhuzi smilingly walking towards her with the silver hairpin in his hand. He put the hairpin in her hair and said, "Lanzhi, this hairpin is our token of love!"

She reached out to grab Erzhuzi, but his face changed back to Dongsheng. Dongsheng kicked Erzhuzi away and said to her, "Lanzhi, I'm back!"

Erzhuzi kept chasing after her with the hairpin. Xu Lanzhi wanted to wait for him, but Dongsheng kept pulling her along.

"Let go of me, I'm going to find Erzhuzi!" Xu Lanzhi broke free from Dongsheng and ran towards Erzhuzi, but Erzhuzi was already holding Hongying's hand, and beside them were Hongying's three children!