Chapter Twenty-One
In the courtyard, you could hear a pin drop, and Zhou Wushi visibly panicked.
But then, Mu Jin finished him off with a fatal blow.
“Mother, if I had bought this cloth, you could have taken it. But this is a gift from Brother Nianjun. It is his thoughtfulness towards me and A-Lin. It’s not that I’m stingy or don’t want to be filial to you.”
Zhou Wu was speechless. She opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say to defend herself.
Mu Qing quietly closed the door she had opened and then went to check her dowry in the chests and cabinets.
Uncle Mu sighed deeply, "I and others have checked, and there are indeed two names embroidered on them. Perhaps you made a mistake when you put the clothes away. Don't be so careless next time."
Zhou Wushi snapped out of her daze, her eyes lit up, and she quickly nodded, "Yes, I made a mistake. These two clothes look so much like the new spring clothes I made for my youngest son."
Uncle Mu gave her a deep look. He was soft-hearted and tried to make amends for her, but he was truly displeased with what she had done.
With the matter cleared up, the two women who had come with them did not linger and returned to the riverbank with Uncle Mu.
The two were in high spirits, looking like they could talk for three days and two nights.
After everyone left, Madam Zhou Wu's face fell, and she glared fiercely at Mu Jin and Zhou Si.
"I was wondering why you've been so diligent! You're really something! Erming! Go! Go find your father and the eldest brother for me!"
Zhou Wu was furious; her eyes were red with anger, and her chest was heaving. She had lost face terribly today!
Zhou Ming dared not delay; this was the first time in his life he had ever seen his mother so angry.
He put on his shoes and hurriedly went out to look for the person.
Mu Jin smiled slightly, calmly waiting for Zhou Laosan and Zhou Lin to return in the courtyard.
Zhou Sixin was a little scared. "Mother, the clothes are still by the river and haven't been brought in yet, I..."
Before she could finish speaking, Zhou Wu's slap landed on her face. "Don't call me mother!"
Zhou Si touched her slapped cheek, her body trembling with fright.
When Zhou Lin was called back, he saw the tense atmosphere in the courtyard and glanced at Mu Jin with confusion.
Seeing his mother's sullen face, he didn't dare to utter a sound and shielded Mu Jin to the side.
"What's wrong?" Zhou Laosan was chatting happily with someone at the edge of the field when he was suddenly called back, his face full of displeasure.
Mu Qing was also summoned from the house to the main room, and even Zhou Qiang, who was studying, was not spared.
Seeing that everyone was present, Zhou Wushi pointed at Mu Jin and said in a deep voice, "Eldest son, I won't waste any more words. Today, you will divorce this troublemaker!"
Zhou Lin was shocked and said in a panic, "Mother, this..."
Zhou Wu interrupted Zhou Lin, "Stop talking nonsense! You can only have one of your mother and this troublemaker! You decide which one you want!"
Not to mention Zhou Lin was completely bewildered by this, Zhou Laosan was also utterly confused.
"Old woman, what's wrong?" Why is she suddenly making a fuss about divorcing her husband?
“What’s wrong! Ever since he married into our family, I’ve had nothing but bad luck. He’s my nemesis. If I let him stay here any longer, I’m afraid I won’t live for many more years!”
Mu Jin scoffed upon hearing this, "Mother, aren't you afraid of biting your tongue for saying that? Taking my husband's dowry without asking and then turning around and blaming me for it when people find out?"
Zhou Wu glared at him hatefully and said, "Don't think everyone else is a fool. If you hadn't framed me today, would so many people know about this?!"
"Tsk, Mother, it's not that I didn't ask you, it's that you said you hadn't seen me, so I went back to my parents' house to ask. Because of this, my uncle got angry with me. If I hadn't accidentally found it while washing clothes today, I wouldn't have known that you took it."
Mu Jin walked down the slope and said to Zhou Lin, "But now that things have come to this, I feel wronged that my dowry has been taken for no reason. I can't stay in this house any longer!"
As she spoke, large tears streamed down her face; she looked utterly wronged.
Zhou Lin was heartbroken; things had come to this point, and he was truly torn.
Zhou Qiang had overheard a bit of the conversation and was quite puzzled to see Zhou Wushi so angry and wanting to divorce his beautiful older brother.
"Mother, didn't I already say that I took the wrong clothes when I was collecting them? Why are you so angry? Why did you have to divorce my eldest brother?"
For the first time, Zhou Wu ignored him and just stared at Zhou Lin, waiting for him to speak.
Mu Qing was secretly pleased. These past few days, despite his pregnancy, he hadn't gotten any benefits from Mu Jin, and he had been annoyed with her for a long time.
Zhou Laosan stroked his beard. Although his eyes were a little cloudy, his mind was as clear as a mirror.
Although he was comforted by Mu Jin, he also knew that his eldest son and husband were not to be underestimated.
I had hoped to use Zhou Wushi's influence to teach him a lesson, so that he would behave himself, listen to the elders in the family, and dedicate himself to the family.
Unexpectedly, they were tricked in such a big way.
His expression darkened, and his gaze towards Mu Jin was quite unfriendly.
Although his wife's actions were unethical, it was not an excuse for his eldest son and husband to make a big scene and ruin the family's reputation.
Mu Jin swayed. She hadn't eaten much these past two days and was feeling weak. She had been forcing herself to stay strong, but then everything went black and she fainted.
"Ah Jin!"
………
When Mu Jin woke up, Zhou Lin was sitting dejectedly on the edge of the bed, holding her hand, seemingly lost in thought.
Seeing that Mu Jin had opened her eyes, Mu Ne's eyes lit up for a moment. "Ah Jin, you're awake. Are you hungry? I'll go get you some food."
Mu Jin tugged at Zhou Lin's sleeve and asked in a hoarse voice, "Is everything settled?"
Zhou Lin knew what Mu Jin was talking about, and his expression was bitter. "Ah Jin, don't force me like this. You and Mother, I... I can't let go of either of them."
Mu Jin let go of his hand, and Zhou Lin hurriedly said, "I'll go get you something to eat. Doctor Mu said you have insufficient qi and blood, so eating more will help."
He then went out of the house and closed the door to prevent any cold draft from getting in.
Mu Jin rolled over, staring at the dilapidated roof above. It would be a lie to say she wasn't disappointed.
Now that things have come to this, there's no turning back; he can no longer stay in the Zhou family.
But there's nothing to worry about. Even if we divorce and he goes home, with his looks, it won't be difficult for him to remarry.
A pang of pain shot through her heart, but Mu Jin closed her eyes and made up her mind.
Zhou Lin, looking unwell, carried a bowl of rice porridge into the house, and Mu Jin took two sips from his hand.
After catching her breath and her throat was no longer so dry, Mu Jin said, "A Lin, give me a divorce agreement and let me go home."
The bowl in Zhou Lin's hand fell to the ground, and he hurriedly said, "Ah Jin, I will never divorce you, not even if I die!"
Mu Jin smiled bitterly: "My mother and I will definitely be like fire and water in this family from now on. How can we live a happy life if the family is not harmonious? I, Mu Jin, do not want to live such a chaotic life, not only having to guard against outsiders, but also having to guard against my own family."
Zhou Lin felt as if he had eaten bitter melon, his mouth filled with an unbearable bitterness.
She got up as if trying to escape, picked up the bowl from the ground, and said, "Uncle Mu brought the clothes over this afternoon and came to check on you. He left after seeing that you were alright."
After saying that, he casually took the bowl to the kitchen.
Zhou Laosan and Zhou Wushi were also discussing at night that they couldn't keep the hibiscus at home.
What the elderly couple needed was a son-in-law like Zhou Lin, obedient and hardworking, not a son-in-law like Mu Jin, who was too cunning.
Zhou Wu gritted her teeth, "I only knew that Mu Jin was an obedient and hardworking person before, but I never thought she was such a wicked person."
Zhou Laosan's face was gloomy. "You handle this matter tomorrow. Go outside and explain to others, kick Mujin out, and say that he was angry with you and framed you. You can throw all the mud at him, but you must not affect your youngest son's career."
Zhou Wu nodded, then, as if thinking of something, said resentfully, "That scoundrel Zhou Si must have gotten involved in this matter as well."
“My son is all grown up now, it’s time for him to get married,” Zhou Laosan said slowly.
The moon is bright and the stars are few. It's almost the fifteenth of the lunar month, and the moon is getting rounder and rounder, but people are almost gone.
Zhou Lin sat on a wooden bench in the courtyard, gazing at the nearly full moon in the distance, feeling desolate and unsure of what to do.
"Brother, aren't you going to stay with me tonight? Why are you out here alone admiring the moon?"
Zhou Lin looked distressed, glanced at Zhou Si, shook his head, and sighed inwardly.
Zhou Si smiled helplessly, but he was also feeling uneasy. Now that this had happened, he didn't know how Zhou Wushi would arrange his marriage.
Sitting down next to Zhou Lin, the two brothers in misfortune gazed at the moon for a while.
Zhou Si slowly opened his mouth and said, "Brother, all these years, I have never had a heart-to-heart talk with you. You have been working in the fields and then doing odd jobs in town. Except for a short rest before the New Year, you have never stopped. You and Mu Sheng are the same age, but you look several years older than him. Every tile and every piece of wood in our house was earned with your blood and sweat."
Zhou Si glanced at Zhou Lin, who hadn't made a sound, and continued, "Second brother is always lazy, not to mention fourth brother. Mother spoils and protects him. His hands are a hundred times more delicate than mine and even my eldest brother's. Mother, she is really biased."
Zhou Lin then spoke up, saying, "Our youngest son is capable and good at studying, so it's only right that his mother dotes on him more. As the eldest brother, it's also my duty to do these things for the family."
"Yes, elder brother, you were right to be the eldest brother before, but now that you're married and your second brother is married too, you should think about your elder brother and start planning for your own little family."
Zhou Lin looked dejected. "I've given A-Jin everything I have."
Zhou Si shook her head and sighed, "Brother, tomorrow morning, Mother might send you away. Are you really going to abandon me for Mother's sake?"
Zhou Lin's eyes reddened. He was extremely reluctant to part with his mother and could only try his best to persuade her to calm down.
"Brother, I have a plan. Would you like to hear it?"
Zhou Lin abruptly turned his head towards him, "What method?"
"Separate the family."
"A family split up?!"
Zhou Si nodded. "Yes, separate the family. Only in this way can you protect your elder brother. Even if the family is separated, it won't stop you from being filial to our parents. It's just a matter of eating separately. But elder brother, when you separate the family, you must take me with you."
"Take you with me?" Zhou Lin sighed. "Even if I don't take you, my parents won't agree to separate the family. It's simply not going to work out."
Zhou Si smiled and said, "Big brother, go back to the room and talk to him. He's smart; he'll definitely have a solution."
Zhou Lin was somewhat tempted. He could avoid divorcing A Jin and still fulfill his filial duties to his parents, killing two birds with one stone.
"Si'er, thank you. I'll go back to my room and talk to your older brother."
The moonlight was like water, and Zhou Si's lips curled up. If he could separate from his elder brother and the others, he would no longer be afraid of marrying a bad man.
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