On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Chen Cui took Mu Erpang back to her parents' home, while Zhou of course returned to her own parents' home, which was her brother's home in the city.
After entering the city, the three of them separated and agreed to meet at the city gate at an approximate time and return to the village together.
This time when they went to Chahu Lane, Chen Cui had no place to hide. Zheng pulled her to the door of the inner room and directly grabbed her ear.
Just like when Shen Cui occasionally lifted Mu Erpang, she didn't use any strength. Zheng was not as tall as Shen Cui, so Shen Cui had to lower her body half way and let Zheng carry her into the house.
Zheng pulled her onto the kang and angrily scolded her, "How dare you run away yesterday? If you have the guts today, don't come back!"
Hearing Shen Cui's exaggerated inhalation, Zheng snorted again, but still let go of her hand.
The original body had delicate skin and tender flesh. After Chen Cui came here, she purchased daily necessities in the system from time to time. The most expensive skin care products in the future, one bottle is just enough for one month, and the price is only 10 points.
Chen Cui could resist eating any spicy strips, but she couldn't resist the temptation, so like sanitary products, she also used skin care products on a daily basis. It was only used for the previous month when Wei Xi was given medicine, and it has not been used since.
So Zheng felt that she didn't use much strength, but Chen Cui's ears and back still turned red.
Zheng's stern face relaxed a little.
Seeing that she was not so angry anymore, Shen Cui stopped rubbing her ear which didn't hurt much to begin with, and said with a smile, "I know I was wrong, I won't run away next time. But wasn't Zhou here yesterday? After all, I am her mother-in-law, and it was somewhat embarrassing for me to be scolded by my own mother in front of her."
"Then why did you bring her here?"
"She is my daughter-in-law. I don't have any relatives in the Mu family. Now we live together, it would be unreasonable to leave her behind. So I brought her here with me."
This is the logic, but Zheng obviously knew that she was not telling the truth, and said unhappily: "She said that you had taken her to study, write and do business before, and yesterday you even belittled yourself to praise her. It is obvious that you took her to gain experience and knowledge, not just 'by the way'."
"You can see that I am trying to guide her. She is indeed capable of guiding me. Didn't she protect me when she spoke to me yesterday?"
After what happened yesterday, Zheng naturally knew that Zhou was indeed good. Although not better than Li, she was definitely much better than Chen.
If this was her granddaughter-in-law, Zheng would be so fond of her that she wouldn't need Shen Cui to do anything. She should figure out how to make Zhou successful and support the family.
Zheng looked at Chen Cui with a look of disappointment, "What good will it do you if you bring her out? Yes, as Er Pang said, now she lives with you, and she will not forget you when she makes money. What about the future..."
"In the future, Erpang will have to take the imperial examinations. Once he passes, he will no longer need Zhou's subsidies."
"Don't play dumb with me. Husband and wife are one. Will she side with her husband or with you, her stepmother-in-law?"
Seeing that this topic could not be avoided, Shen Cui said seriously: "I have been with her for quite a while. She is kind and simple, but she doesn't have a strong opinion. I want to cultivate her to have a strong opinion, so that when she really encounters that kind of situation in the future, she will know that who she supports is not based on the person, but on the situation."
"You've been studying with Erpang, and your eloquence has become more powerful and you've become more opinionated. I can't argue with you." Zheng sighed, "Son, I really miss you. How nice it would have been if you had been so thoughtful earlier? I told you a long time ago that for Mu Yunchuan, you either had to be cruel enough to cut off his path to success, or you had to treat him well, at least to win his heart... But you let him study and didn't treat him well. What can I say? It was also because your eldest brother and second brother's jobs in the city were just starting to pick up, and I only wanted to bring the whole family to the city to settle down, so I didn't pay much attention to you."
Shen Cui quite agreed with this statement. The things her original body had done were really annoying, but the things that happened before were not something she, a time traveler, could control. She had no choice but to admit it and said, "I was confused before."
But since it has come to this, Shen Cui asked tentatively: "What if Mu Yunchuan really becomes very successful in the future, what should I do to him?"
Zheng said, "What else can I do to him? No matter what, if he calls you 'mother', you have to respect you for the rest of your life. Even if I am uneducated, I know that filial piety is the most important virtue. Even if he has resentment in his heart, can he rebel against heaven?"
Well, this is still the plot of the original book. After Mu Yunchuan becomes successful, Zheng will instigate her to get close to him to get benefits.
Chen Cui touched her face in embarrassment, wondering how long it would take to convince Zheng to change her mind and just stay away from Mu Yunchuan like her. But there is still time, there is no need to rush.
Zheng sighed again and said, "I hope it's true as you said, that Zhou is a person who knows how to repay kindness... Don't just sit there like an idiot, go eat!"
After talking, the mother and daughter returned to the main room.
Although Mu Erpang was playing with his little cousin, his eyes were always fixed on the direction of the inner room.
Seeing his mother coming out, Mu Erpang immediately cast an inquiring look at her.
Shen Cui nodded slightly at him and winked at him.
Mu Erpang put down the toy in his hand, walked over and gently took Zheng's hand, saying, "Grandma, I have learned a lot of books this year. Let me recite a passage for you."
Over the past year, in order not to disturb Mu Erpang's studies, Zheng went to see him like a thief, taking a sneak peek and then leaving. She had been missing him so much.
Hearing this, Zheng immediately smiled and said three good things.
After the meal, Mu Erpang made Zheng laugh so hard that she couldn't stop smiling, and the little worry she had before was completely gone.
In the afternoon, Chen and Li both returned from their parents' homes.
When Shen Cui saw Chen coming towards her, she thought that this sister-in-law must have been influenced by her own mother when she returned home and was planning something new.
Anyway, it was not long before the time she and Zhou had agreed to return to the village, so she stood up and said goodbye without giving Chen a chance to speak.
Zheng chased out from the kitchen carrying a food box, "Master Lao is alone at the academy, and he, a grown man, can't even cook. Since you're staying so late today, bring some food from home so you don't have to cook again when you go back... The bottom layer is the tofu box I made myself. I saw the child eat a little more yesterday, so I brought some more for you. Just put a little oil in the pan and fry it when you get home."
She said in the morning that it was unwise to bring Zhou out, but she still remembered what she liked to eat.
Shen Cui felt weak in the heart and called her "mother".
"Go away, go away. Don't get in my way." Zheng pushed her out of the house.
…………
Because it was still early, Shen Cui and Mu Erpang walked slowly to the city gate.
However, they didn't expect that when they came over, Zhou was already standing there.
The streets are very busy today. Every household with a little extra money will bring their families out for a stroll and buy some small things.
Zhou was holding a candied haws in her hand, but the sugar coating had melted a little under the midday sun.
And after approaching, Shen Cui took a look at Zhou's face. Her face looked normal, but a little paler than usual.
Zhou and the others laughed, "Why did you come so early, mother? I was thinking that grandma should keep you a little longer."
She seemed to be in a bad mood, but Zhou went back to her parents' home today, so what caught her off guard must be something related to her parents' home.
It's not a good idea to interfere in such household affairs.
Shen Cui pretended not to know for the time being and replied, "My sister-in-law looked like she had something to talk to me about. I guessed that she probably wanted her children from her mother's family to come to school, so I left early."
Mu Erpang pretended not to notice and asked Zhou: "Did sister-in-law buy me the candied haws?"
Zhou subconsciously said "yes", Mu Erpang reached out to take it and thanked her.
Zhou then noticed that there was a lot of melted sugar on her hands, and she quickly said, "This one has melted, it's not good, I'll buy you another one."
Mu Erpang bit off a candied haws and chewed it with a crunching sound. He ate it with great relish. "No need, this one is great. It's not bad, and we can eat it just the same!"
There were many people on the street, and the three of them stood at the city gate, and were more or less swept up in the crowd. Chen Cui urged them to walk while talking.
The three of them walked home together as they did when they came. Zhou was still a little distraught. It was quite some time since she left the city before she realized that Shen Cui was holding a food box and was vying for her to carry it.
Chen Cui teased her deliberately and said, "Do you smell the aroma of stuffed tofu? My mother just said that you ate a few more chopsticks yesterday. You must like it, so I brought it specially for you."
"Grandma is a great cook. The stuffed tofu has crispy tofu skin and sweet meat filling..." As she spoke, Zhou's eyes suddenly turned red.
Shen Cui turned her head to look at Mu Erpang. The fat son tactfully quickened his pace and walked a few steps ahead of the two of them. This way he could avoid it and Chen Cui wouldn't have to worry about him getting lost.
"Tell me, was it your sister-in-law or your brother who bullied you? Or were they both together?"
Zhou wanted to turn around and wipe her eyes, but when she was asked this, her tears started to fall like beads from a broken string.
She was choking with sobs, but Shen Cui didn't rush her and stroked her back with her hand.
After she calmed down, Zhou slowly told her what happened in the morning.
It turned out that she went to her brother's house that day, and thinking that she had earned some money now, she prepared New Year's money for her nephew. In addition, she happened to meet someone selling candied haws, so she bought one specially.
But she didn't expect to go there at an inopportune time. Just as she reached the entrance of the alley, she saw her younger brother and sister-in-law coming out of the house holding her nephew.
His brother was a little hesitant and said, "You are going back to your mother's house today. Why don't you go back alone? If my sister comes home, we can't leave her alone."
His sister-in-law immediately yelled, "Other people go back to their parents' home with their families, why should I go back alone with my children?"
"This... Isn't it that my family's situation is special? There are no elders in the family. Didn't you know this before you married me?"
"How can this be considered her family home? Zhou Heng, don't forget that this is the house that my family paid for... She knew not to come to ask for money last year, and she may not come this year either. She's gone."
Although the situation was somewhat awkward and what the sister-in-law said was not pleasant, it was true. Zhou just thought that she came at an inopportune time, so she should just avoid her.
She found a corner to stand in. Because she was wearing a loose and large coat and they hadn't seen each other for a long time, her brother didn't recognize her from behind.
When the couple passed by him, Zhou heard his brother say, "Even if it's not for my sister, what if it's for my brother-in-law? My brother-in-law is a scholar who won the 'Little Three Prizes' and entered the provincial school. His future is limitless. Who wouldn't give our family some face if we tell others about it?"
Her sister-in-law sneered, "It would be better if you didn't mention this. If you did, I would be worried about your sister. You said it yourself, your brother-in-law has won the 'Little Three Prizes' and has a promising future. How can a man like him live with your sister for the rest of her life?"
Zhou was furious when she heard this, but her brother quickly agreed, "It's better for us to know this among ourselves. After all, my sister is now the wife of a scholar, and as long as my brother-in-law doesn't divorce her, our family and the Mu family are legitimate relatives."
"I know, I know. I will be polite to her next time I see her. Let's go. Anyway, she may not come today. If she comes and finds that we are not at home, she will not be angry with us."
The young couple left while talking.
Zhou was angry and aggrieved, but she had been making a living on her own for many years, and she would not cry her heart out over some gossip. She adjusted her mood later.
But I don’t know what happened. When Shen Cui asked, her tears flowed like a river bank with the floodgates opened.
After Shen Cui heard what she had roughly said, she wasn't surprised. If Zhou's younger brother was useful, he would not let Zhou suffer so much at the hands of her original self. She kept it to herself and didn't say anything, so how could her own brother really have no idea about her situation? Obviously he just didn't take it seriously.
Moreover, in the plot of the original book, Zhou's younger brother and his family did not have many roles. It was only after Zhou passed away that his younger brother and his family came to mourn and cried their hearts out.
Mu Yunchuan knew that his brother was being hypocritical, but for the sake of the deceased Zhou, he still gave him some compensation and found him a small job.
With such a family, Shen Cui would not be surprised if they said anything irritating.
"You..." Shen Cui sighed in distress, "I praised you in front of my mother today, saying that you are smart and clever, and you have improved a lot under my guidance. How could I be bullied for a mistake?"
Zhou blushed, but she quickly realized that Shen Cui was not really talking about her, but was encouraging her. She is not alone now, she has family to support her!
Zhou thought for a while and reflected, "I shouldn't have hidden myself. The house in the city was bought by my sister-in-law, and I didn't have the ability to buy a decent betrothal gift for my brother when they got married. So she didn't receive any favors from me, and she doesn't have to respect me. Since we can't get along, I should just avoid seeing each other in the future... But when my parents passed away, my brother was not as old as the current second fat man. I raised him, but he didn't respect me, the eldest sister, at all. I should settle accounts with him."
She had indeed improved a lot compared to before. Seeing that she had figured it out, Shen Cui didn't need to say much. She just asked her, "What should I do if Er Pang grows up and is unfilial to me and plots against me with his wife behind my back?"
Mu Erpang had not walked far when he vaguely heard these words. He immediately retorted in his heart, how could he be unfilial to his mother? ! Don’t worry about it, just kill him with a thunder!
However, since his mother and sister-in-law were having a heart-to-heart talk, he did not interfere and took two steps forward.
"Er Pang is not that kind of kid... If that day ever comes, I will accompany you to beat him with a cane!"
These words were passed on to Mu Erpang's ears, so he walked away a little further.
After walking for a while, Zhou wiped her face and apologized, "Mom and Erpang go back first, I have something else to do."
Shen Cui asked her to go, and after Zhou left, Mu Erpang came over and asked his sister-in-law what she had been doing?
Shen Cui smiled and said, "Maybe he went to buy rattan?"
Mu Erpang: “Ah?”
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