Chapter Thirty-Nine: Go back to your father-in-law Li's family!
Zhang Chunxue's smile seemed to freeze for a moment, and her eyes darted around slightly. She paused, her hand holding the spatula hesitantly, before saying somewhat awkwardly, "Oh, it's in town..."
She paused, as if organizing her thoughts or trying to hide something.
"When I was looking for a job for your second sister-in-law, I asked at a few shops, and just then... just then I ran into Secretary Song."
Her tone was somewhat ambiguous, and she didn't dare to look directly into Xiaoxiao's probing eyes. She quickly added, "He was also going to town on business."
This was indeed true, but because of Zhang Chunxue's change in mindset, she seemed inexplicably guilty when talking about Song Xingzhi. To Zhong Xiaoxiao, it sounded like she had made it up on the spot.
Zhong Xiaoxiao's heart pounded even louder. She was just about to ponder the deeper meaning and ask, "What a coincidence, Mom?", when the words were cut short—
"mom!"
Zhou Mingli burst into tears, dropping the vegetables in her hand and splashing mud on the ground.
She grabbed Zhang Chunxue's arm, her eyes red and her voice choked with emotion, "Mom, thank you so much! You've gone to so much trouble for me, running around everywhere... I... I really don't know what to say!"
When Zhang Chunxue saw her crying, she quickly put down the spatula, patted the back of her hand, and sighed.
"Silly child, why are you crying?" Her voice was a little hoarse, and her eyes were filled with guilt and pity as she looked at Zhou Mingli, as if she were looking at her own daughter who had been wronged. "In the end, it is our Zhong family that has wronged you."
Zhang Chunxue gently patted Zhou Mingli's head, her voice so tender it could melt your heart: "I know he owes you something. If he's not good to you, then I have to be extra good to you, so that I can have peace of mind."
These words, simple and unadorned, acted like a key, instantly unlocking the floodgates of Zhou Mingli's emotions and touching the softest spot in her heart.
She was already excited about work, and now, listening to her mother-in-law's heartfelt words, she was even more moved.
"Mom..." Zhou Mingli cried even harder, clinging to Zhang Chunxue's arm, sobbing uncontrollably, "Please don't say that... You've been so good to me... I'm just not lucky enough... Waaah..."
For a moment, the only sounds in the kitchen were Zhou Mingli's suppressed sobs and Zhang Chunxue's gentle comforting voices. The flames in the stove flickered, illuminating the faces of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
Zhong Xiaoxiao watched from the side, and she had a lot of questions she wanted to ask her mother and Teacher Song about how they "coincidentally" met, and what the details of that "coincidental" meeting were. But she was interrupted by this sudden heartwarming scene.
Looking at her second sister-in-law, who was crying with tears streaming down her face, and then at her mother, who was looking at her with pity, the words that were on the tip of her tongue seemed to be blocked by something, and she swallowed them back down.
When it was time for dinner, the food had just been served, and the kitchen was still filled with the aroma of cabbage and tofu.
Zhong Chengfa's disappointing figure appeared at the kitchen doorway, holding a little boy's hand—his son, Zhong Hongqing.
The flames in the stove flickered, illuminating the bubbling cabbage and tofu in the pot, a warm and cozy mealtime.
But the moment Zhang Chunxue saw Zhong Chengfa and his son, the warmth on her face vanished completely, leaving her face ashen.
Zhong Xiaoxiao and Zhou Mingli also stopped eating, and the atmosphere in the kitchen instantly froze.
Zhong Chengfa had a fawning smile on his face; it was clear he had ulterior motives.
He nudged Zhong Hongqing's small frame.
"Hongqing, hurry up, call her Grandma, call her Grandma!" he urged, his voice carrying a hint of unnatural flattery.
These past few days, Zhong Hongqing has been at his maternal grandmother Li Hongjuan's house, where his ears have been filled with bad things said about Zhang Chunxue. The child doesn't know how to distinguish right from wrong, and he only feels that the grandmother in front of him is repulsive.
He pouted, tossed his head away, turned to the side, and refused to say a word, even hiding behind Zhong Chengfa.
Zhang Chunxue didn't say anything, just stared coldly at the father and son, her eyes as cold as icicles in the twelfth lunar month, making Zhong Chengfa feel uneasy.
Zhong Chengfa lost face and became a little anxious, so he raised his hand and gave Zhong Hongqing's buttocks a couple of light pats.
"You child, how can you be so disobedient! Call her Grandma right now!" He lowered his voice, his tone threatening.
Zhong Hongqing was already holding back his anger, and when his father hit him, he felt even more aggrieved. He burst into tears with a shrill cry, shattering the temporary tranquility of the kitchen.
Zhang Chunxue sneered, her voice devoid of any warmth: "Zhong Chengfa, you brought him here on purpose to disgust me, didn't you?"
Her gaze swept across Zhong Chengfa's face like a knife.
"I told you to go and get a divorce from Li Hongjuan, and what did you do? You didn't get a divorce, but instead brought her son back to me? What do you mean by that?"
Zhong Chengfa's face flushed red and then turned pale as he frantically protested, "Mom! This is my son too! Your own grandson!"
He tried to move Zhang Chunxue with his family ties, his tone full of grievance.
Zhang Chunxue didn't even bother to lift her eyelids, and said in a nonchalant tone, "He won't even call me 'Grandma,' so I don't acknowledge this grandson."
Zhong Hongqing continued to cry, his small body twitching.
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengfa became even more agitated, feeling that his mother was deliberately making things difficult for him, and that Zhong Hongqing was really being unreasonable. He raised his hand and smacked Zhong Hongqing's buttocks a few more times, this time with noticeably more force.
"Speak up, you little brat! Call me Grandma right now!" he roared angrily.
Zhong Hongqing cried even louder, gasping for breath, his little face turning bright red.
Zhang Chunxue frowned even more deeply, and finally spoke: "Alright, Zhong Chengfa, stop putting on an act for me. Don't make things difficult for the child."
Her voice remained cold, revealing neither joy nor anger.
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengfa was overjoyed, thinking that his mother had softened and was about to give in, and the anxiety on his face eased a bit.
He was just about to take advantage of the situation and say a few kind words when Zhang Chunxue suddenly changed her tone, her voice as cold as ice.
"Since you cherish your son so much and can't bear to part with your troublesome wife, then take your good son and get out of here!"
"Go back to your father-in-law Li's house!"
Zhang Chunxue pointed to the door and scolded mercilessly, "I told you long ago, if you can't bear to part with Li Hongjuan, then get out of here and become a live-in son-in-law in the Li family! Don't stay in my Zhong family and get in my way!"
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengfa was completely dumbfounded. He hadn't expected his mother to be so determined this time, showing no mercy whatsoever.
The color drained from his face, and he opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word for a long time.
He hurriedly gave Zhong Chengyi, who was eating silently beside him, a meaningful look, hoping that his younger brother could say something on his behalf to ease the tension.
Zhong Chengyi, however, seemed not to see anything. He kept his head down, picking at the rice in his bowl, without even lifting his eyelids, as if everything around him was irrelevant.
Seeing that Zhong Chengfa was still standing there motionless, Zhang Chunxue's expression turned even uglier. She suddenly stood up, turned around, and walked towards the corner where she usually kept fire pokers.
That posture clearly indicated they were about to grab weapons and drive people away.
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