Chapter 38 The Moon of Yesteryear
"I heard that she arrived in Shanghai some time ago, just when the fighting broke out and things were very chaotic. She happened to be spotted by Mrs. An, who took her to her home. It is said that she even went to the front lines to provide assistance."
"What does he look like and what is his temperament like?" Old Madam Zhang's mind began to wander.
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Zhang immediately understood. "Her appearance is 90% similar to Mr. Xie's. She must be a beauty. Her temperament is also extremely gentle. She has the same demeanor as her brother in dealing with people. She speaks fluent French and English, which shows that she has studied abroad. She has both the demeanor of a lady from a prominent family and the temperament of a modern woman."
"Very well, Changning is a good girl, and Miss Xie is not much worse. I really want to meet her. When should I pay my respects?"
That way she can call her eldest son back to meet him; maybe they'll hit it off.
"I haven't said yet, but it'll be in the next couple of days. Miss Xie is a polite person, she'll call in advance..."
"Second Madam, Second Madam!"
The maid, who rushed over in a fluster, said, "Aunt Ruan says she has a persistent stomachache and needs to call a doctor."
Madam Zhang scolded, "Just call a doctor, why are you in such a panic?"
"No, Madam, Aunt Ruan said she wants to invite the doctor who treated her before, and that doctor is Japanese..."
Madam Zhang smashed her teacup in anger. "That good-for-nothing!"
"She just finished fighting the Japanese, and her brother-in-law is still at the front line and hasn't returned yet, and she's already inviting the Japanese to her door. What is she trying to do? If word gets out, will our Zhang family lose all face?"
"Come on, wasn't it a stomachache? It's obvious you can't eat good food. Lock yourself in the Buddhist hall, give yourself three steamed buns a day, and the pain will be gone in less than seven days!"
Madam Zhang the Second didn't say anything, but patted Madam Zhang's back to help her calm down. "Mother, don't be angry. You know she's ignorant and short-sighted. Your daughter-in-law will discipline her properly. Don't get upset."
If we really invite her today, not only will the Zhang family lose face, but Zhang Congzhi will also be talked about outside, and the relationship between the two brothers will deteriorate. What a ridiculous thing.
Zhang Congzhi often indulged her because she had lost her child, but he never expected that the more he indulged her, the worse she became. He didn't know how Zhang Congzhi could have fallen for such a brainless thing. At this moment, Zhang's second wife began to doubt her husband's brain.
Ruan Xue didn't care about any of that. She just sat on the floor of the hall and cried, crying for her child, until Zhang Congzhi came back. Seeing that her eyes were swollen from crying, Zhang Congzhi was too lazy to argue with Ruan Xue's brainless actions. He picked her up and took her back to her room.
Old Mrs. Zhang cursed inwardly, "What bad luck!"
This son's mind is getting worse and worse.
Inside the room, Ruan Xue hugged Zhang Congzhi's waist, sobbing softly. She lamented, "Congzhi, I just wanted to see a doctor. Before, after losing my baby, I had intermittent abdominal pain. I saw you were busy and didn't dare disturb you, just silently enduring it. But today the pain was unbearable, so I thought of asking Dr. Fujita, who treated me before, to come and see me. But...but the old lady and the second wife said I was being disrespectful...I sob sob...I know, without my child, I'm nothing, but my child..."
Ruan Xue's face is extremely beautiful; otherwise, Zhang Congzhi would not have taken a liking to her and kept her outside.
His face was etched with tears, making him even more pitiful.
"Alright, I know what you mean, but the situation is special right now. If you really want to see a doctor, have the driver take you to the hospital. It's better not to invite people home. I'll talk to Mom. It's too chaotic outside, so it's better to be careful."
After saying this, Zhang Congzhi did not want to stay any longer, saying, "You are not feeling well, so you should rest well."
If he had stayed at Ruan Xue's place tonight, the second wife would have slapped him across the face tomorrow. However, although Zhang Congzhi did not stay at Ruan Xue's place, the second wife still kicked him.
"Don't be so busy with your business all day. You should teach the concubine you brought back yourself. I don't have time to manage her. If you're too lenient, she'll get cocky. If you're too strict, she'll cry in front of you like her parents died. No, she didn't shed many tears when her mother died."
Zhang Congzhi didn't see it, but she saw it clearly.
"That's appropriate! That's too harsh."
Seeing Zhang Congzhi's dark expression, Madam Zhang was not afraid. She just snorted and didn't say anything more. No matter what, it's never good to talk about someone's parents.
Zhang Congzhi put his arm around Madam Zhang's shoulder and gently advised, "Heyi, she's just being unreasonable. You should also try to persuade your mother not to always hold grudges. After all, she lost a child, so her temperament is a bit extreme. Just ignore her."
Mrs. Zhang slapped Zhang Congzhi's hand, saying, "We wouldn't dare touch your precious darling."
"Look at you, saying such hurtful things again. You should talk to your mother about it tomorrow. I really don't have time to deal with these things. You know I'm very busy with the handover of business lately."
Zhang Congzhi sounded exhausted. He was truly tired. If he had known there would be so many things to do today, he should have controlled his desires back then. But it was too late to say anything now. He couldn't very well be irresponsible. Ruan Xue wasn't the kind of prostitute who would do anything for money. She was a respectable girl from a respectable family before she met him.
Seeing Zhang Congzhi's dark circles under his eyes, Madam Zhang finally softened. "Alright, alright, I'll go and plead with Mother tomorrow."
He then got up and rubbed Zhang Congzhi's forehead, saying, "Do we really have to leave at this time? Our elder brother is still on the front lines."
“It is necessary and appropriate. The Zhang family already has a son named Xu Guo. I have to take care of the family. My father and mother are getting old. Besides, going abroad doesn’t necessarily mean I can’t help our country. My mother is old, and there are many things to do outside. I can’t take care of both. You are the only one in the family who can shoulder the burden. Thank you for your hard work.”
A warm palm enveloped Mrs. Zhang's hand. Zhang Congzhi had always been like this. He was clearly a womanizer outside, and he even brought back Ruan Xue to slap her in the face. Mrs. Zhang had once thought about whether she should follow others and register her divorce in the newspaper to make herself feel better.
However, the Zhang family treated her well. Her mother-in-law and father-in-law respected her. Ruan Xue's entry into the family was with her consent. Zhang Congzhi may not love her enough, but he respects her extremely. He will talk to her about big and small matters outside, ask for her opinion, and teach her carefully if she doesn't know something. He treats her as a person who stands shoulder to shoulder with him.
She was never treated as an ignorant woman and confined to the inner quarters of the house. Compared to the other ladies, she was among the best off.
That's why she's conflicted.
Having missed out on Zhang Congzhi, she might not be able to marry anyone better than him even if she remarried.
In the chilly spring breeze, the magnolia tree stretches its branches at an angle, leafless and green, with its pure white petals quietly blooming on the branches, emitting a faint, delicate fragrance that is almost imperceptible, drifting gently in the air.
Although these were words she kept hidden in her heart, for some reason she confided them to Xie Ning. Perhaps she wanted to hear the thoughts of this person, whose life was completely opposite to hers since childhood in the mansion.
Xie Ning opened her clear, bright eyes, her light pupils appearing soft in the sunlight. "If it were me, I would get a divorce. A woman's life is not only complete when she gets married and has children."
Marriage is not a prison; self-imposed confinement is what creates a self-imposed prison. It's better to step out and live the life you want, not the life you're supposed to live.
The sunlight gradually fell into Madam Zhang's eyes; she had always been an intelligent woman.
“You’re right, but I won’t get a divorce. He’s a very good person in my heart, he was before and he is now. My feelings for him are still there. I don’t have enough courage to go to a place without him, but it’s enough to support me to stand by his side.”
Previously, I adhered to the teachings of a young lady, content to remain behind him. But I truly longed to stand shoulder to shoulder with him—no, to be able to go out and do business like him. If I could use the money I earned to contribute to the country, then I would not have wasted my life being born on this land.
Although she had not received a modern education, she was a well-educated young lady from a prominent family who had been well-versed in classical texts since childhood. She understood the principles of patriotism and had always secretly admired those who saved the country. Perhaps she could become one of those she admired in the past.
Xie Ning gently placed his hand on Mrs. Zhang's hand, "One day, people will not call you Mrs. Zhang, but Ms. Chen Heyi."
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