Chapter 427
As soon as she returned, Mrs. Liang called several times to invite Wang Jiazhi to dinner, but she refused. If she had agreed to an invitation, it would have been endless. It was also because they kept their location a secret; otherwise, the constant stream of visitors would have made it impossible to live in peace.
This time, Mrs. Liang invited her to play cards at her home again, and deliberately said, "Mrs. Ma is also going."
That means that this is Mrs. Ma’s first appearance after her disfigurement, so why not go and see the fun?
That day, there were Ms. Qiao, Mrs. Ma, Mrs. Liao, the two sisters of the Liao family, and the two sisters of the Liang family, and there were exactly two mahjong tables.
Mrs. Ma had hit her head and had been hiding at home for more than half a month, but she couldn't bear it anymore. She loved the hustle and bustle, so even if she went out and was laughed at, it was better than staying at home.
Mrs. Ma changed her hairstyle, the kind of hand-pushed waves pasted on her face could cover the scars on her forehead. This hairstyle also suited her bright face, like an upside-down pointed bud, the wavy hair seemed to be covering the bud's embryo-shaped calyx underneath.
But that was in the past, not now. Everyone was amazed at how Mrs. Ma had aged so much in just two or three years. She loved wearing heavy makeup, so her wrinkles were hard to spot. But now, even the thickest makeup couldn't hide the wrinkles around her eyes, especially when she smiled.
As long as a person has a good attitude, even if they are exposed to the wind and sun, even if their appearance has aged, their spirit can still be very prosperous. In the case of Mrs. Ma, not only is her appearance frighteningly aged, but her spirit is also far less degraded than before. Although she still puts on a brave face in front of others, the dual aging of her appearance and spirit is very terrifying.
Wang Jiazhi was very surprised. She wondered what Mrs. Ma had been through. Except for the half year or so when she was away to give birth to a child, she had been there all the time. She had never heard of anything that had happened to her that would cause her to become like this. How could she be getting worse day by day?
Mrs. Liao didn't know that her eldest daughter had also been invited. When she saw her eldest daughter was also there, she immediately looked sullen.
Mrs. Liang did not sit at the table, but just kept busy. Originally, the four elders sat at one table, and the four younger ones sat at another.
Mrs. Liang said, "There's no such thing as a mother and daughter holding grudges overnight. You're always quarreling with your mother, and why don't you just sit down and be affectionate with her?"
Everyone felt helpless and resentful in their hearts: "If you don't speak, no one will think you are dumb."
Whenever the mother and daughter got together, there would be a big fight. At first, people were enthusiastic about watching the fun, but after a while, they really felt that they were disturbing the public.
Finally, thanks to Mrs. Liang's "warmth and thoughtfulness", Ms. Qiao at this table was replaced by Sister Liao.
At the card table, Sister Liao talked about Wang Jiazhi's latest novel, which tells the story of a family that only has nine daughters, all of whom are beauties. The father always wants to marry his daughters to rich men, and he goes to great lengths to find them, but the result is counterproductive. He is so angry that he is on his last breath, thinking that he will not live long.
Sister Liao said, "I don't think that father is a bad person. Although he wanted his daughters to marry into a wealthy family, he never forced them to marry the man he chose. His second daughter married a poor man, and although he was angry, he still bought her a dowry. He didn't want his daughter to suffer living with her mother-in-law and the rest of the family, so he also paid for them to find a house and furniture so that they could live on their own. He's a very responsible father."
Mrs. Liao glared at her daughter fiercely. In fact, she might not understand what her daughter meant, but Mrs. Liao was used to it. Whenever her eldest daughter spoke, she would glare at her reflexively.
Wang Jiazhi didn't respond. The mother and daughter were both powder kegs that would explode at the slightest spark.
This time, Sister Liao's appearance was even more shocking than Mrs. Ma's. She was so thin that her eye sockets were sunken. Her eyes, originally round and large like her mother's, looked even larger and emptier now, more like a skull. A faint mark of bruise remained on one eye. Wang Jiazhi couldn't help but glance at Mrs. Liao. Her own daughter had been abused like this...
Mrs. Liang also realized how foolish her "understanding" was. Because the mother and daughter were at the same table, everyone else was silent and tense.
After playing a few rounds, Ms. Qiao pretended to complain: "My luck is not good. Who of you wants to play with me? I want to try my luck."
Sister Liao said, "I'll trade with you. I'm not lucky here, and I can't afford to lose."
"Bullshit, you disgraceful thing!"
As soon as Mrs. Liao said this, the others could no longer endure it, and Sister Liao laughed the loudest.
Mrs. Liao's family is looked down upon. Besides the way the couple behaves, the more important point is that they are more timid than anyone else in public, but they become domineering at home.
Although Sister Liao married into a wealthy family, the higher the status, the more etiquette and dignity are expected. Initially, it was her husband who was too much, and Sister Liao had a temper tantrum. Her in-laws, knowing they were in the wrong, tried to appease her. But when Mrs. Liao arrived, she scolded her daughter without any reason, and she kept apologizing, almost kneeling before her son-in-law.
This made Sister Liao's fuss even worse. Her in-laws, realizing she was isolated and helpless, completely lost their fear. Sister Liao grew increasingly frantic, and the Liao family became increasingly fawning and servile, leading to even more bullying from her in-laws. Some people become addicted to bullying. Initially, her in-laws felt a bit guilty, but gradually, they became addicted. A few days without Sister Liao would lead to a huge fight. Without Mrs. Liao coming to their house to apologize, terrified and apology-seeking, life was completely devoid of joy.
Over time, they too were brainwashed by Mrs. Liao, believing her daughter-in-law was the most vicious and troublemaker in the world. Even her own mother said so, and that their torture was justified and justified, and that they themselves had done nothing wrong. Or, even when they were clearly abusing someone, not only was no one to blame them, but someone even came to apologize like a dog, and asked fearfully if they had hurt their hands. This kind of thing was simply too exciting.
This vicious cycle continued, and Sister Liao's reputation as a mentally ill woman who disrespected her parents-in-law spread. Her in-laws also became increasingly interested in studying ways to mentally torture her.
Mrs. Liang sat next to Wang Jiazhi, flattering her to the utmost.
Wang Jiazhi felt very uncomfortable and thought to herself, "I'm not Mrs. Yi, so I won't fall for this."
In the past, Mrs. Liao had relied on currying favor with Mrs. Yi, often asking her to intercede for their family in front of Old Yi. Old Yi, despite flirting with women in front of Mrs. Yi, always gave her enough face in public. Mrs. Liang's husband was an old acquaintance and a relatively reliable person, so she secured the lucrative rice management job for him.
Later, because Wang Jiazhi disliked Mrs. Liang, Lao Yi stopped caring about their family and almost lost his job managing the rice. The family asked Lao Yi several times to promote some of their relatives and friends, but he was always rejected with excuses.
Because the Xiao and Liao sisters were very good friends with Wang Jiazhi, Mrs. Xiao had never joined others in targeting Wang Jiazhi since she first arrived. She was always polite to him and helped Old Xiao a lot. Sister Liao's in-laws also helped with several things.
Because of this, Mrs. Liang's husband also had some complaints about her, so Mrs. Liang tried so hard to make amends. She felt that people of all ages like to flatter.
But Wang Jiazhi is not that kind of person. Once she hates someone, there will be no room for compromise.
At the card table, everyone was talking about the lady who went bankrupt because of keeping an actor.
Ms. Qiao said, "You're already old and have seen all kinds of men. But you've been ripped off by a gigolo and lost everything. You're a laughing stock."
Mrs. Liang said, "I've already bought him a house and a car, and give him a lot of money every month, but he's still not satisfied. He insisted on tricking her into buying that company's stock. I don't believe he didn't give him any benefits. He's really wicked!"
Wang Jiazhi thought that at least her ex-husband was not too heartless to her. He had already paid the alimony, and seeing that she had lost everything, he was still willing to give her living expenses every month.
Mrs. Ma said, "She was the one who insisted on getting a divorce. It seems this actor was the one who instigated it. She wouldn't have gotten that much money if she hadn't gotten a divorce."
Wang Jiazhi was curious, what kind of man could be so bewitching? That lady was simply hopelessly stupid.
In her previous life, Mrs. Yi was in the same situation. She finally got the money and could live the life she had always dreamed of, like Wu Zetian. In the first few days, she did nothing because she was still immersed in incredible fear and surprise.
When she realized that all this was not a dream... those little actors were fawning over her, but she remained conscious. Then she was caught by one of them.
With that much money, even if she could afford ten, let alone one, it would be enough to last her many years. But she felt uneasy seeing her money going out without coming in, even though she knew it would be enough to last a lifetime. She also wanted to invest in some business, but she was bewitched by the actor and invested most of it in that unlucky stock. She lost money and tried to make it back, but lost again, then invested again, and so on... If Lao Yi were still alive, he wouldn't have let her starve to death, but Lao Yi was gone by then...
Now she was thinking about using her private money to speculate in the countryside, hoping to make more money from it. However, she had no connections and did not dare to act rashly.
At present, she is extremely bored in the countryside. Apart from inviting people to her home to perform and listening to some flattery to comfort herself, she is more keen on playing tricks.
People told her that there was a woman who was extremely ugly, but because of witchcraft, she seduced all the great men who made a name for herself. Wang Jiazhi must have used witchcraft as well, and if she could ask someone to decipher it, Old Yi would definitely be able to "change his mind" and return to his former self.
Asking someone to perform a ritual at home and pretending to be ghosts costs just as much as spending it here.
However, the people who followed him quickly reported to Lao Yi, and the shaman was driven away.
"Is your dress new?" asked Ms. Qiao.
Wang Jiazhi smiled and said, "Yes."
When Wang Jiazhi entered the house today, she was wearing an orange-red and black wicker cheongsam. Her hair was a similar orange-red color, and she had pinned a round orange-red chrysanthemum with wide petals. She was truly dazzling.
Wang Jiazhi made clothes out of the quilt covers she bought in the countryside.
Ms. Qiao asked, "Is it... cotton?"
Wang Jiazhi said, "My mother brought back some quilt covers from the countryside. I thought they looked nice, so I made some clothes."
Four people from another table came over and surrounded her, touching her clothes.
"Quilt cover? It can also be used to make clothes. It's pretty."
"This is much cheaper than buying a piece of clothing material."
"You really can't tell if you don't tell me."
Ms. Qiao walked over and said with a smile, "You are really creative."
Mrs. Liang and Mrs. Ma hated Wang Jiazhi and would always do something naughty and break the rules to attract attention.
In her previous life, Wang Jiazhi would not have dared to do this because she was too self-conscious and feared that she would be looked down upon if she dressed too poorly.
But after more experiences, I have become more open-minded and aware of many things. Why bother about what others think? Life is short, so live your life to your heart's content.
Besides, dignity depends on true confidence. Even if I wear the same expensive clothes and jewelry as them, they will still look down on me. If I have enough confidence, they won't dare to look down on me even if I wear coarse linen clothes.
Now, even if I wear a dress made of country cloth, Mrs. Ma and Mrs. Liang still fawn over me, praising my originality. In the past, huh! I'd lose tons of money playing mahjong to them, treat them to meals, and flatter them in every way, but they wouldn't even look me in the eye. They'd openly mock me for being a worldly-wise merchant wife.
The day before his death, he was ridiculed at the dinner table by his wife because he had never been to Shuyu. The next day, while playing cards, Mrs. Yi still felt it wasn't enough. Seeing that Mrs. Ma didn't know, she deliberately told her. Knowing that Mrs. Ma knew, she naturally wanted to ridicule him again. Despite their usual disagreements, the two of them did have a tacit understanding on some matters.
Fortunately, he didn't bring it up after he came back. He said he was treating her, and Mrs. Ma said in front of him that Shuyu was cheap and she always chose expensive places to treat her. She said this deliberately to herself, saying that she and Shuyu were similar, both cheap and unworthy of him, but she had never been to such a cheap place. Fortunately, he didn't hear the meaning of this.
She found Mrs. Liao pathetic and ridiculous. She thought that by trying hard to maintain superficial material equality with them, she could maintain her dignity. However, the more she did so, the more they looked down on her.
Speaking of Mrs. Liao, she had been so restless after losing a few rounds of cards that she barely spoke a word. This time, she lost again, and I could only watch her face turn pale.
Ms. Qiao smiled and said, "You don't look well, are you sick?"
Mrs. Liao reluctantly said, "No, I just feel a little dizzy."
Ms. Qiao pretended to be nervous and said, "Don't worry, you're just spinning. Go eat some candy and rest for a while."
Mrs. Liao had just gone downstairs when the maid brought her a cup of sugar water. She drank it and sat on the sofa. Mrs. Liang came up to help her.
Mrs. Liao sat down, pretending to be weak, and said, "People say diabetes is hereditary. I heard about it, and I remember that my mother had it, but she was old, so she didn't take it seriously and didn't go to see a doctor."
Mrs. Liang said, "He's old, so it's hard to be sure. He really needs to be careful. There are more and more new diseases these days."
To prove she wasn't guilty, Mrs. Liao, perhaps genuinely experiencing hypoglycemia, launched into a lengthy, earnest rant about diabetes. She thought she could pull a fast one, but everyone knew the truth. Her relentless rants were annoying, and she figured she was giving them a way out, so they stopped treating them like fools.
Her eldest daughter finally lost her patience and said sternly, "That's enough. Stop talking so much. How come I haven't heard that my grandparents have diabetes?"
"You dirty scoundrel, how old are you? I don't know as much about my parents' affairs as you do."
Sister Liao smiled and said, "Of course, you know the most about your parents' affairs. No one knows my parents' affairs better than me, so don't ask me to say something nice about them."
Seeing that the mother and daughter were about to explode again, everyone rushed to persuade them.
Mrs. Liao sat for a while and then said she was still feeling a little unwell and wanted to leave. The others did not try to keep her, saying that it was not a good idea and that she should go back and rest quickly.
Seeing that the Liao sisters did not move when they heard their mother was leaving, Mrs. Liang said, "Your mother is not feeling well. You should take her back."
The two sisters had no choice but to get up.
I heard Sister Liao mutter quietly, "It's rare that I'm lucky today."
Sister Liao said to Wang Jiazhi, "I originally had something to tell you."
Wang Jiazhi knew that she had recently published several short stories, which must be about this again.
Everyone sent them to the car and then went back.
Mrs. Liao's current position among the wives was similar to that of her eldest daughter in her husband's family. While she wouldn't abuse her, she felt like something was missing from her life if she didn't make a fool of herself every now and then. But if she went too far, everyone would get annoyed, so she had to keep it within certain limits.
As soon as the car drove away, they immediately went in, chatting and laughing. On the way back from the yard, they talked about the news about Mrs. Liao.
As a result, the ladies happened to sit at the same table, with Mrs. Liang's two daughters looking after them. Mrs. Liang sat next to Wang Jiazhi, and her two daughters sat next to her, just close to Wang Jiazhi, and they chatted attentively about novels and movies.
Mrs. Liang wanted to emulate the Xiao and Liao families, angry at herself for not having thought of using her daughter as a diplomatic tool. Her own daughter, raised by her, was just like herself, generous and understanding, but not a hundred times better than the daughters of those two families. Instead, it would have been better for them to find another way and get ahead of them.
Mrs. Liao and Mrs. Yi were of the same ilk, always unwilling to admit any difference between themselves and younger girls. In particular, they viewed Wang Jiazhi's first-rate porcelain as merely a piece fresh from a folk kiln last week, crudely crafted and fleetingly bright. They, themselves, were antiques meticulously crafted from the five renowned official kilns of Ru, Guan, Ge, Ding, and Jun, dating back thousands of years. Their value grew with age, their appreciation grew ever more significant. How could they be compared to those shabby folk porcelains? They were antiques, their daughters were antiques. Antiques should only be treated with antiques, not with cheap bottles and jars.
In reality, they are the burnt-out bricks and tiles left behind by abandoned tile kilns, with the daughter being the small broken tiles. Only mischievous children would scrape off a few pieces for playtime, but they could easily scratch their hands. A deep cut would inevitably result in a scolding parental trip to the clinic, costing the price of a tetanus shot. If a family desperate enough dug up these pieces to build a house, they'd only expect the house to collapse.
At that time, Wang Jiazhi had not been with Lao Yi for long, and the other ladies still looked down on her. Mrs. Liao's daughter took the initiative to ask her out twice after they met, and she was the first among the young ladies to make friends with her. Mrs. Xiao's two daughters saw that she was talented and wanted to make friends with her.
But the most important thing is that, no matter what, they are more genuine, unlike the Liang sisters, who are too hypocritical and make people feel uncomfortable. Usually, I am afraid of this kind of vain and overly deliberate flattery and reasonableness, which is too fake and makes people feel uncomfortable.
Mrs. Liang wanted to curry favor, but there was no chance. Wang Jiazhi was having a particularly good day. She didn't know how she had become so skilled at mahjong, and she felt embarrassed. It was so boring to win all the time. Even playing half-heartedly was still a win. How boring.
After returning and sitting down, Mrs. Liang smiled and said, "Do you know? I heard that Mrs. Liang went to borrow money from her two in-laws. The eldest daughter's family directly drove her out with cold words, and the second daughter told her in-laws to ignore her and that she would never be able to pay it back even if she borrowed money."
Mrs. Ma laughed and said, "I heard that he spent a lot of money on marrying his daughter-in-law. He lost a lot of money buying stocks a while ago. Lao Liao said that his daughter-in-law insisted on marrying him. The money was owed by her. It has nothing to do with him, so he doesn't care. He is very strict with money now. He even skimps on the money for the side dishes. He also complains that the food is not good enough and complains about the chef embezzling money every day. He has changed two chefs so far."
Ms. Qiao laughed and said, "What's the point of having a few dollars left over for food? Isn't that just a drop in the bucket?"
Mrs. Liang said, "Did you see? The car she used this time wasn't her family's at all. She rented it temporarily. She probably doesn't use it when she goes out normally, so she saved money for gas. She came to see us and had to put on airs and show off."
Mrs. Ma said, "I heard she's a vegetarian now and doesn't eat meat anymore. But her daughter-in-law..." At this point, she couldn't help laughing and said, "Her daughter-in-law is really an old sow. She eats as much as a pig. Pigs can only eat slop, but her daughter-in-law can't even afford a full meal of fish and meat. Their family's food expenses are several times more than others."
Wang Jiazhi said, "A family like her daughter-in-law's would definitely give her some money."
Mrs. Liang spoke first, "Don't you know? My daughter-in-law's family doesn't pay. They paid for everything, and they asked for a small dowry. They did give her a dowry, but they said my daughter was honest, but she's actually a fool. They were afraid her in-laws would take the dowry, so they said they would keep it for her first and return it when she had children and they were older."
"ah?"
Mrs. Liang continued, "My daughter-in-law's family comes every few days to see if my daughter has been wronged. She can't afford to eat or drink anything, and she eats so much, yet she still complains that they don't serve her well enough. That's just for three meals, and clothing and other necessities are another thing to consider. There are also several servants brought over from her parents' family, and their food, clothing, and other expenses are different from those of the servants at home, and the servants at home are making a fuss. Anyway, her parents' family has no money at all, and money is even tighter. Her son doesn't come home, and he has someone else to support outside, and she has to support another family. Old Ma doesn't give him any money, but her son calls every few days to ask for money."
Wang Jiazhi felt suffocated when she heard this. When she had no money, she had to count every penny. When she lived with Lao Yi, the pocket money he gave her was so much that she didn't know how to spend it. She didn't have much else to spend the money on, so she just saved it up in large sums. Although the Liao family was certainly much wealthier than them, they were high-ranking officials after all, and it was unbelievable that their family was unable to make ends meet. But then she thought about it again, with Lao Liao's salary, he had to support several families outside his own, and several families outside his son's, so how many families were there inside and out? And he also had to maintain a decent appearance. Thinking about it this way, she felt that Lao Liao's salary was very limited.
From this perspective, Lao Yi just changes women frequently and gives each woman a piece of jewelry, so his spending is really limited.
Out of boredom, she listened to the gossip of the ladies to get material for her thoughts while she let her thoughts wander.
Mrs. Liao's daughter looked truly terrifying today. I thought back to when I first met Sister Liao. After a long pause, I finally remembered: she wasn't married then, and she was on a blind date with a group of people. She was still beautiful, gentle, and a little melancholy. How could she have become a ghost in just two years?
Suddenly, a little boy of three or four years old appeared, holding a half-eaten apple in his hand. Juice was flowing out from between his fingers, spreading onto his arm in several streaks.
The nanny hurried out from behind. Mrs. Liang said nothing and glared at the nanny. The nanny picked up the child and retreated awkwardly. Mrs. Liang immediately put on a smile again and started chatting and laughing with others.
Mrs. Ma said she had something to do and left early, so Sister Liang came over to make up for it.
As soon as Mrs. Ma left, Mrs. Liang said, "Mrs. Ma is so young, how could she look so old?"
Ms. Qiao said, "It's also because of worry."
Mrs. Liang said, "She knows she's afraid of Lao Ma now. Think about how proud she was when she first got married. It's not the same anymore. She's been married twice, and getting divorced again won't be easy."
Mrs. Liang immediately realized that Ms. Qiao had been married twice.
Ms. Qiao seemed indifferent and said, "She has also followed Mrs. Liao's daughter's lead and converted to Christianity."
Mrs. Liang said, "Why do you think she believes that? It's creepy."
Ms. Qiao noticed Wang Jiazhi's astonishment and said with a smile, "Don't you know she's divorced?"
Wang Jiazhi shook her head.
"Even I know. She hooked up with a man at the age of sixteen, who held a high position. After waiting for his wife to divorce, she married her, but they divorced again after just two years. Then she hooked up with Lao Ma."
Wang Jiazhi exclaimed, what a remarkable person he is.
Mrs. Liang and the others talked about how Mrs. Ma had recently joined the church, started learning cooking and flower arranging, and had also found a Chinese teacher to learn Chinese.
Wang Jiazhi was very surprised that she would be interested in these things.
Mrs. Liang said, "In short, they have other intentions than drinking."
She understood that these were the places where she could best meet the ladies and wives of wealthy families. She could keep an eye on the men behind them, make friends with them, and not be afraid of not being able to meet the men in their families.
Women in the church can always emulate the purity and fortitude of Joan of Arc. If they are good at cooking, like flowers and plants, understand poetry and songs, and can have romantic relationships with men, men will of course like them.
Thinking of this, she felt a sense of déjà vu, but it was only a fleeting thought and she didn't think about it any further.
Xi Shi held her heart, which attracted Dong Shi to follow her example.
Dugu Xin was a handsome man. When he came back from hunting, he didn't realize that his hat was scratched. The next day, all the men in the city wore their hats scratched.
When potatoes were first introduced to France, people refused to plant them because they thought the taste was strange and worried that they were poisonous. The queen then wore potato flowers every day, changing them several times a day. Soon, every household was planting potatoes.
Mrs. Ma aged quickly, not because her husband treated her badly. In fact, he had treated her badly for a long time; she had gotten used to it from her previous husband. The key to her rapid decline was her lack of self-confidence.
People are supported by their energy and spirit. If it disappears, they will be useless.
Mrs. Ma was once a prominent figure in this circle, having achieved remarkable success since the age of sixteen. She was able to convince two high-ranking officials to abandon their wives for her and marry her despite pressure. Old Ma didn't mind her divorce at the time. Later, she hooked up with Old Yi, becoming the most popular woman in the world.
But ever since Lao Yi dumped her, things have been going downhill. After all, Lao Yi was known for changing women like he changed clothes, so it wasn't surprising that she'd fallen out of favor. Besides, she'd been favored more than the other women before, which was already very glorious. It was a perfect ending.
Even if he dumped her because of Wang Jiazhi, youth can cover up a hundred uglinesses, and after being a fairy for a long time, she is not as fresh as a sow.
This is how Mrs. Ma comforted herself and she also firmly believed it.
But Lao Yi didn't get rid of Wang Jiazhi like changing clothes, and the situation today has evolved.
Mrs. Ma was greatly frustrated and her popularity in the circle dropped significantly.
Women of powerful figures are blessed by power and wealth, never lacking in popularity. In the Jin Ping Mei, a beautiful young woman would cost at most five or six taels of silver. Pan Jinlian married three times, had countless lovers, and even poisoned her husband. Everyone knew about it, yet she was still highly sought after. Even when her price reached a hundred taels, men still flocked to buy her.
Originally, with two husbands and three victories with the influential Old Yi, Mrs. Ma had no shortage of good men to cling to. But ever since Wang Jiazhi won Old Yi over, people started to talk about Mrs. Ma as a mere vulgar woman. Even though she had tricked two husbands into abandoning their first wives and marrying her, she would fall out of favor within two years. Even though she had hooked up with Old Yi, and there were many who had hooked up with him, she still fell out of favor, no different from any other woman. Mrs. Ma's status had declined, and the men she hooked up with were becoming increasingly inferior.
The annoying thing is that since getting married, Lao Ma's official position has been getting lower and lower. It's really unlucky. If I can hook up with another official with a higher position and become his wife, then there will be hope.
Seeing Wang Jiazhi's record, she was even more unwilling to give up. It turns out that not all men change their hearts within two years.
Wang Jiazhi was average looking, couldn't flirt, was a wooden blockhead, and a country bumpkin who hadn't seen the world. How could I accept losing to her?
But the more unwilling and anxious she was, the less likely she was to find a good one. If she wanted to defeat Wang Jiazhi, she had to find an official position at least as high as Lao Yi's.
The more setbacks you face, the faster you age. Wang Jiazhi has a baby face and already looks younger than her peers. After spending time with Old Yi, she looks even younger. This makes Mrs. Ma even more worried and older, making it harder to catch a good fish. They used to be close in age, practically the same age, but now, it's hard to describe.
Kuang Yumin had never thought highly of Wang Jiazhi in the beginning, and after she was abused, he despised her even more. Ever since Wang Jiazhi was "blessed" by Old Yi, Kuang Yumin, who claimed to be unworthy of anyone other than a noble lady, rushed back to try to win her back.
In movies and novels, when a poor heroine is shown to be outstanding, a rich man must fall in love with her, as if a young, well-behaved, and promising poor man falls in love with her, her outstandingness will be undermined. Alas!
There have been rumors that Lao Yi has a special relationship with a popular female writer.
"Based on her talent, she is a Zhu Bajie, and it is an honor for Lao Yi to be paired with him."
When Mrs. Ma heard this, she suddenly understood. Isn't it true? With his talent, even Zhu Bajie is worthy of a great figure like Lao Yi, let alone Wang Jiazhi.
She remembered how the daughters of Wang Jiazhi and Liao Xiao loved to discuss Chinese literature. Clearly, this was a trend among the upper classes. She, too, began to pursue her endless pursuit of knowledge. Flower arranging and cooking were manageable, but Chinese literature, a subject she'd always lost in Chinese class, would only open a copy of Tang and Song poetry, read half a sentence, and then abandon the book, feeling sleepy.
They had originally planned to go out for dinner after playing cards today, with Mrs. Liang treating. However, Wang Jiazhi had won so much that she insisted on treating herself. After a long argument, Mrs. Liang, seeing her resolute attitude, gave up.
It wasn't that Wang Jiazhi disliked Sichuan cuisine; she simply couldn't handle it if it was too spicy. She didn't know how these wives of officials could handle spicy food so well, always ordering it hot and spicy.
This time, when we went to eat Sichuan cuisine, we unexpectedly ran into Mrs. Ma. Everyone was wondering who she was meeting. We didn't know if it was just a psychological effect or if Mrs. Ma genuinely looked different, but we all felt she was a little guilty. But this person, who never blushes or gets run into by men, how could she have changed her ways?
"A lady I know from church said she'd invite everyone here for dinner today. But she stood us up at the last minute. I told everyone, and when I called her home, I wasn't home. It was all a wasted trip."
Mrs. Liang said, "That's true. I was playing cards well, but it's not worth it for her."
"Who says it isn't?"
Mrs. Ma joined them for dinner.
This Sichuan restaurant is expensive, but the food is small portions. When we sat down to order, Mrs. Liang said, "Less spicy, just a little is enough. We have wives here who can't handle spicy food."
Wang Jiazhi smiled and said, "You don't have to accommodate me. Sichuan food is not delicious if it's not spicy enough."
Mrs. Liang said, "We can't eat spicy food either. It's because of that one person who likes spicy food and insists on forcing others to eat with her. We always get so pissed off by the spicy food."
That one refers to Mrs. Yi.
Wang Jiazhi thought to herself, "Aren't you afraid of retribution for saying such shameful things? Every time I see you eating, you seem to be enjoying it."
She didn't understand how they could taste something so spicy and numbing. Every time she ate it, she felt both pain and numbness.
After ordering, Mrs. Ma said to the waiter, "Bring a bowl of water when the dishes are served." She then said to her, "It's still too spicy. Just rinse it and it will be fine."
Wang Jiazhi was curious about how they knew her habit of eating Sichuan cuisine.
When they went out to eat together, they always ate Sichuan cuisine. Sometimes they couldn't stand the spice, so they rinsed the food in water before eating it, and it was just right. It must have been my mother who told them, because they remembered it.
Wang Jiazhi didn't enjoy this feeling. She thought these people were terrifying and disgusting. If she got upset one day, she didn't know how they would take advantage of her.
He was already home when we got home. I shouldn't have chatted with them for so long. As soon as I entered the room, I saw him cuddling the kitten, fast asleep. Outside the window, on the balcony, a family of magpies was also fast asleep in their nest. The withered yellow leaves on the balcony swayed in the wind, scraping against the ground with a crisp, shattering sound.
Lao Yi was slacking off at work today and read a short story. There was a line in it: In broad daylight, two people were naked in the room. The woman was on top, with disheveled hair, looking like a lioness.
Oh my god, Chi Jing is a big lioness, but with just a few words, she is portrayed so vividly and intensely, how can it be so funny to read.
Speaking of the ferocity of a lioness, it was hard for him not to think of the little wild cat at home. Lions are also cats...
When she still had her hair permed... that lush, messy, curly hair... like that... a lioness... no... the one with the messy hair is a male lion...
Maybe those women in the past were too afraid of him, so...there was never anything like her...
After dinner that evening, he showed her the novel, and Wang Jiazhi also found that passage very interesting. This kind of earthy, folk language was really more interesting.
For example, in "Jin Ping Mei", it is said that Pan Jinlian had played with so many men, a handful of millet.
When someone advised Meng Yulou not to marry Ximen Qing, saying that he had too many wives, concubines, and maids, Meng Yulou replied, "Too many boats won't block the way."
They turned off the lights and prepared to sleep. After a moment's silence, his "lioness" quietly and lightly crept to the bedside, turned on the bedside lamp, and then began her nightly hunt... A bouquet of white chrysanthemums stood in a vase beside the bed, emitting a faint, cool fragrance in the late autumn night, making the scent feel light and airy...
Lions are carnivores. There is no reason why they wouldn't eat their prey when they sleep with them.
Wang Jiazhi had a dream at night.
In the hall, he looked like his youth, with two pointed, furry white ears sprouting from his head. Nine large, beautiful, furry, snow-white tails drooped limply behind him, like a haggard and beautiful Crinum strychnifolium. He looked sickly, uttering pitiful, low moans. Suddenly, he spat out a mouthful of blood, leaving bright red stains at the corners of his mouth. It was heartbreaking.
She panicked, "What's wrong with you?"
She went up to him, pressed her lips against his back, and touched his big furry tail. She started crying anxiously, tears streaming down her face. She wiped her tears with the tail in her hand.
Secretary Zhang said, "He often suffers from heart pain, and a single attack can be fatal. There's a doctor in Jizhou named Zhang Yuan, who's a brilliant doctor. He has a piece of Linglong Heart, boiled in water and consumed, and the pain will heal instantly."
Zhou Zhi said, "Send the order to summon Zhang Yuan, the doctor from Jizhou."
Secretary Zhang said, "How far is the journey from Chaoge to Jizhou? The journey would take at least a month. How can we save him if we delay him? Unless someone in Chaoge has a delicate heart, we can take a piece of it and save him instantly. If not, he will die in a moment."
She looked at His Highness, and saw people like Old Wu and Kuang Yumin.
Jiao Zhuo said: "Among the civil and military officials in the court, who has a delicate heart?"
He coughed lightly a few times, looking weak and haggard, and said, "The same is true for those who have lost all conscience and are full of evil."
She smiled happily and said, "So, the whole court is full of civil and military officials."
Then he said to the six, "Please lend me a piece of my heart to make a soup. If it cures the disease, it will be a great deed."
Old Wu said, "What is the heart? The heart is the master of the body. It is free from all evil, but once it is invaded, it will lead to death. If the heart is right, the hands and feet will be right; if the heart is not right, the hands and feet will not be right. If my heart is hurt, how can I survive!"
She said impatiently, "Your heart has never been right since birth, how can you have so many excuses?"
He ordered all six of them to be taken away to investigate.
Meng Shunying advised: "Just give the poison a little bit, why kill so many people?"
She said, "These six people are very short of heart and lungs. Their six hearts may not be worth one of an ordinary person. Dig them all out to ensure accuracy. Don't delay the treatment."
The others shuddered and wailed. Old Wu howled, "Ah!!! The fox demon has deceived the ruler and murdered loyal officials. The country is collapsing and will no longer exist!!!"
She said disdainfully, "Just you, loyal minister! Drink!"
In her dream, she wondered why Old Wu said that. It was because Kuang Yumin's Chinese was so poor that he didn't even understand the meaning of "encourage" and "agitate". It would be strange if he could make a few serious and impassioned speeches.
When six bowls of black medicinal soup were served, he suddenly recovered as before and said, "I'm suddenly all better. I don't want to drink this disgusting soup anymore."
Wang Jiazhi giggled in her dreams, and the slightest movement could wake him up. He woke up drowsily and saw her curled up in his arms, giggling. He wondered what she had dreamed about to be so happy.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
