Chapter 92 Getting Rid Of

"It's nothing. My mother prefers quiet. Just arrange for her to stay in the private room I used to use," Xue Huai'an said, finding her anxious expression somewhat intriguing, but still giving her the answer she wanted.

Old Mrs. Zhou returned to the village with a livid face and gave Zhou Lao Er a good scolding before she could finally breathe a sigh of relief and went to discuss Zhou Chengyu's matter with the Zhou family elders.

Zhou Lao Er was scolded but did not react. He made some food for Zhou Chengli and moved him outside to bask in the sun.

"Father, do the Wei family not want to come back?" Zhou Chengli knew from hearing Old Madam Zhou's angry shouts that they had indeed not gotten the result they wanted this time.

“It’s my fault for being useless. We’ll think of other ways,” Zhou Lao Er said, feeling guilty as he looked at his son’s increasingly gaunt face.

"It's not Father's fault. I misjudged people back then, and I acted too impulsively. Now we still have one last way..."

Zhao Yuzhi was enjoying a comfortable life at the Xu residence. She had stayed in the residence before the New Year and gained Xu Qingyan's favor. Now she was transferred to serve Xu Qingyan. The relationship between the two had long been seen through by the people in the residence.

The old woman who used to scold her whenever she saw her now smiled so hard her face was stiff. Even after Zhao Yuzhi picked on her a few times, she still had to smile and be polite. Now everyone knew that Zhao Yuzhi was the most popular person in front of Young Master Xu.

"Pah! What a lowly wretch! She must have slept with the young master. Otherwise, with her abilities, how could she have been transferred to serve him? I heard she even has a lame man at home! If you ask me, she should be dragged out and drowned!" The old woman, who had been bowing and scraping, cursed a few more times as she watched her walk away.

"Who told you to always insult others? Now that they've become high up, they won't tolerate you anymore," another old woman retorted, her tone neither too harsh nor too blunt.

"So what? I don't believe you'll dare take her back then! She's just a plaything!"

Although Zhao Yuzhi is now using Xu Qingyan's influence to vent her anger on the old woman who bullied her, she knows in her heart that with her background and appearance, it is almost impossible for her to stay by Xu Qingyan's side, not to mention that she and Zhou Chengli are now husband and wife.

Having done something outrageous, she naturally knew that this young master Xu was not as gentle and polite as he appeared; on the contrary, he was rather wicked and only had a fleeting interest in her. But she was not content and always wanted more.

"Madam Zhao, someone outside is looking for you. He says his surname is Zhou," the maid in the mansion said politely to Zhao Yuzhi, after all, she was currently favored by Xu Qingyan.

Knowing that this was bound to happen sooner or later, Zhao Yuzhi calmed herself down and went out of the mansion to face the impending trouble.

Zhou Chengli was willing to come out despite the strange looks from those around him because he wanted to settle things with Zhao Yuzhi, but seeing her dressed so elegantly as she came out of the wealthy family still felt like an eyesore.

"Let's find a place to sit down," Zhao Yuzhi said, treating Zhou Chengyu and his son like complete strangers, as if they had no relation whatsoever.

"No, let's stay here. If you want to fly high, I can sign a divorce agreement, as long as you can come up with a hundred taels, cough cough!" Zhou Chengli knew that he looked pathetic and poor, but so what? He was too short of money. At this time, dignity was not so important to him.

“One hundred taels? That’s too much,” Zhao Yuzhi hesitated.

"I gave you twenty taels of silver when I married you, and if it weren't for your Zhao family, would I be in this state? Zhao Yuzhi, this is what you owe me. If you can't pay it back, you will forever be a member of the Zhou family!"

Zhou Chengli spoke these words with a somewhat ferocious expression, his eyes filled with deep hatred for the Zhao family.

"I promise you! But I can't raise enough money right now. I'll come to you when I do. I just hope you won't bother the Xu family again."

Seeing that he was becoming increasingly infatuated, Zhao Yuzhi dared not delay any longer. Now she only wanted to get rid of her relationship with the Zhou family as soon as possible. After saying that, she turned around and went into the Xu residence without looking back.

"I hope you keep your word," Zhou Chengli murmured, watching her retreating figure.

"Go back. You've been out for too long; your body might not be able to take it," said Zhou Lao Er, who had been keeping silent and letting Zhou Chengli handle things with Zhao Yuzhi on his own. Now that Zhou Chengli was gone, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to hold on.

After learning that Zhao Yuzhi was at the Xu residence, Zhou Lao Er understood everything. He was able to work at Taixing Restaurant because of Zhao Yuzhi, but he never expected that the owner of Taixing Restaurant would be related to Zhao Yuzhi. Now that Zhao Yuzhi had climbed up to a wealthy family, why would she still be willing to stay in the village to take care of Zhou Chengli?

If they could get the money to treat Zhou Chengli's illness this time, that would be fine. But if they couldn't and angered the Xu family, the father and son would probably be in big trouble. But he was still willing to come with Zhou Chengli. They had nothing now, so what did they have to be afraid of?

"Has Zhao Yuzhi left the mansion to see the Zhou family?"

"Yes, young master, if Madam Zhao is a restless woman, perhaps..."

“I knew she was married long ago. If she minded, she wouldn’t even be allowed to enter the Xu residence. I’m not that kind of old-fashioned person. You’ve been by my side for so long, don’t you know what kind of person I am?” Xu Qingyan had a subordinate report on Zhao Yuzhi’s situation as soon as he returned to the residence, but he didn’t care.

"Your subordinate is foolish and begs for punishment, young master!" Seeing that he showed no anger, the subordinate knew he had spoken out of turn. He should not have accepted the money from the young master's concubines in the backyard. If he had displeased the young master, he would not have had an easy time either.

"Alright, I'll give you a chance to make amends. Go see if Zhao Niangzi needs any help. If you can, help her with it. She's my woman after all. It's not right for her to be using someone else's name," Xu Qingyan knew what the women in his backyard were up to, but he didn't blame his subordinate. He just told him to help Zhao Yuzhi.

Zhao Yuzhi was originally thinking about how to raise a hundred taels, but now she only had thirty taels of silver in hand, which was impossible to raise in a short time. She was also worried that if Zhou Chengli waited too long, he would make a big fuss and lose face. How could she still have the face to stay in the Xu family?

"Madam Zhao, the young master sent me to help you..."

Zhao Yuzhi never expected that the problem that had been troubling her would be solved in just one day, until the man who claimed to be Xu Gongzi's subordinate took out a divorce agreement.

Zhou Chengli didn't expect the Xu family to send someone over so quickly. He originally thought it would take some more time for Zhao Yuzhi to raise enough money. Now it seems that Zhao Yuzhi is indeed more favored than he imagined.

“Young Master Zhou, once you sign the divorce papers, you and Madam Zhao will have no further dealings. From now on, do not bother Madam Zhao anymore. You should know what you should and shouldn’t say.”

After leaving those words, the man took the divorce papers and left the Zhou family.

Zhou Chengli stared blankly at the hundred-tael silver note, feeling a mix of relief and melancholy. After all, he and Zhao Yuzhi had been sincere with each other back then, but now one had lost his future and the other had found a better match. Truly, life is unpredictable.