The “Uncle Wei” Ke Xin mentioned is Company Commander Wei. His wife passed away six years ago, leaving behind a son and a daughter..
In terms of both looks and personality, Zhou Jingran felt that Tu Xiuxiu and Company Commander Wei were not a good match.
Company Commander Wei is meticulous in his work and a reliable comrade-in-arms, but in real life, he would not make a good husband.
His two children are still little devils. If Xiuxiu were to marry into the family with Xinxin, the children would surely bully her.
Zhou Jingran raised his eyebrows and said in a deep voice, “For you, Company Commander Wei is not a good man.”
Xiuxiu is still young, and it’s natural for her to remarry. But she must find a man who can make her happy, love her wholeheartedly, and treat her like his own child.
Tu Xiuxiu twitched her lips and gave a helpless smile. “Aunt Wei was just joking. Company Commander Wei already has a girlfriend. Why would he be interested in a widow like me with a daughter?”
“I won’t let you speak of yourself like that,” Zhou Jingran frowned, his eyes dark and unreadable.
Tu Xiuxiu looked pitiful, her eyes glistening with tears, her fragile appearance tightening Zhou Jingran’s chest. “I am a widow raising my daughter alone. I didn’t make anything up.”
“Mom, don’t cry, Xinxin won’t watch TV anymore.” Seeing her mother cry, Ke Xin felt sad. She broke free from Zhou Jingran’s embrace and ran to hug Tu Xiuxiu’s leg.
“Mom, please don’t cry. It makes me so sad to see you cry.”
Tu Xiuxiu squatted down, hugging Ke Xin. “Okay, Mom won’t cry anymore. Xinxin, don’t be sad.”
Ke Xin nestled into her arms, sobbing softly. “Mom, don’t cry, then Xinxin won’t be sad…”
This scene weighed heavily on Zhou Jingran’s chest.
Something seemed to tug at his heart. He got up, walked to Tu Xiuxiu’s side, gently patted her shoulder, and said, “I’ll buy you a TV.”
Tu Xiuxiu froze.
She looked up at him with teary eyes. “Ah Ran, televisions are expensive, and you need a ticket to buy one.”
“Don’t cry,” Zhou Jingran said, withdrawing his hand. “I’m going back now.”
“Ah Ran…” Tu Xiuxiu watched his tall, straight back, a triumphant smile flashing in her eyes.
She knew Zhou Jingran would keep every promise.
He said he would buy her a TV and he would.
She had inquired and found that a 12-inch black-and-white TV with a receipt would cost 230 yuan.
She had been in the performing arts troupe for many years. Ke Mao had given her all his allowances before he died. After his sacrifice, she also received a pension, which she could afford, but she couldn’t bear to spend it.
That Zhou Jingran was willing to spend so much money on her showed he cared.
But why was he trying to stop Tang Rubao from divorcing?
Tang Rubao was engrossed in writing when a knock on the door interrupted her train of thought. Irritably, she put down her pen, got out of bed, and opened the door.
The dim light fell on Zhou Jingran’s incomparably handsome face.
Tang Rubao was momentarily taken aback.
In her past life, she had been bewitched by his appearance. One glimpse of him could ruin your life.
Now, no matter how handsome a face was, it was just a shell. She looked at him calmly. “Is there something you need?”
“Come out. Let’s talk.”
Tang Rubao gripped the doorknob. “No need. We can just talk here.”
Before she was rebirth, he had never spoken to her much. Now, even though she didn’t want to talk to him, he often knocked on her door wanting to.
Zhou Jingran’s deep gaze lingered on her face for several seconds before he said:
“Xiuxiu didn’t steal your money. She came looking for her skirt and touched your bag thinking you had put it there. When she saw the envelope inside, she thought you had stolen my money, so she took it. What you did today was really too much. Go apologize to her tomorrow so that the people in the residential compound don’t misunderstand and point fingers at her.”
“She comes looking for her skirt, so she has to go through my bag? Does she think I put her skirt in there?” Tang Rubao was amused. She pointed at herself. “Is she trying to frame me for stealing her skirt?”
Zhou Jingran frowned, his tone cold. “Xiuxiu didn’t say that!”
“But that’s what you said!” Tang Rubao’s expression darkened, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “She not only wrongly accused me of stealing her dress, but she also wrongly accused me of stealing your money!”
“Zhou Jingran, have you lost your conscience? She took my money, and I’m supposed to apologize to her? Are you the one with a screw loose, or am I? How can you even say that?”
“Everyone pays the price for their actions. I don’t care what her intentions were in taking my money, I will not apologize to her. Even if she loses face in the compound, it’s her own fault.”
“Enough!” Zhou Jingran watched as Tang Rubao opened and closed her mouth, saying things that angered him. He struggled to suppress the boiling emotions in his chest so he wouldn’t hit her.
His gaze grew even colder. “How did you become so sharp and unforgiving?”
“I’m just not letting this go. What are you going to do about it?” Tang Rubao reached out. “Did you get the money back? Give it to me!”
“Xiuxiu wants to buy a TV. I’ll use this money to buy her one first…”
“Zhou Jingran, I’m giving you three days. If you don’t return the money to me in three days, I’ll go around shouting that Tu Xiuxiu stole my money to buy a TV!”
“Tang Rubao, don’t you have any compassion? Xinxin wanted to watch TV, so what’s wrong with me buying her one?”
“I don’t care how many you buy for her, but I do have a problem if you use my money to buy them.”
Zhou Jingran’s face turned ashen with anger. “That’s money I gave you.”
“Isn’t what you gave me mine?” Tang Rubao looked at him like he was an idiot. “If you haven’t paid me back in three days, so I’m raising the interest. Also, give me another three hundred yuan.”
“Another three hundred?” Zhou Jingran thought he had misheard.
“Yes. This three hundred yuan is the compensation you promised me in the divorce.”
“I don’t agree to a divorce!” Zhou Jingran’s veins bulged.
Thinking that they would part ways in a month, Tang Rubao suddenly spoke in a calm tone: “It’s not up to you to agree or disagree, Zhou Jingran. I’m not arguing with you, I’m seriously informing you that we are definitely getting a divorce.”
“You’re seriously informing me?” Zhou Jingran smiled bitterly. “So you weren’t just playing hard to get when you asked me to divorce you?”
“Playing hard to get with you?” Tang Rubao laughed as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. “Do you think I’m that kind of person with nothing better to do?”
Seeing that she wasn’t joking, Zhou Jingran felt a sudden sense of panic.
He lowered his stance and reached out to take Tang Rubao’s hand. “Rubao, could you—”