When Zhou Xiaodong saw Zhou Xiaomai, she immediately rushed over and wrapped her arms around her waist, tears already welling up in her eyes.
“Big sister, they said you were divorced by your husband’s family. Is it true?”
Zhou Xiaomai lowered her gaze to look at the little girl clinging to her and crying.
At eleven years old, she looked no older than eight or nine, painfully thin.
Malnutrition had left her unruly hair slightly yellowish.
In contrast, Zhou Jiwang from the eldest branch of the family, who was a year younger than her, was sturdy and robust—a rarity in these times of food scarcity.
Zhou Xiaomai had only inherited the original owner’s memories, not her emotions.
She felt like an observer, watching the brief life of the original owner.
Being hugged by Zhou Xiaodong made her uncomfortable.
It was only because she sensed Zhou Xiaodong’s kindness that she didn’t push her away.
Zhou Xiaomai patted the messy little bun on her head and said indifferently:
“Divorced or not, your big sister wasn’t happy living with the Han family anyway.”
“A girl’s duty after marriage is to bear children for her husband’s family and manage the household. After two years with no sign of pregnancy, it’s no wonder they divorced you!”
The speaker was Zhou Xiaomai’s father, Zhou Xiang.
Today was also Zhou Xiaomai’s first time meeting the original owner’s family.
They were not just poor—they reeked of poverty from head to toe.
Everyone wore coarse, patched clothes, especially Liu Caixia and Zhou Xiaodong. Their garments were so heavily mended that it was hard to tell where to even add another patch!
In contrast, Old Mrs. Jiang and the eldest branch, who had entered together behind them, also wore coarse clothes but without a single patch.
Zhou Xiaomai sneered at Zhou Xiang: “Your daughter has been wronged, and instead of showing any concern, you blame her for not bearing children for the Han family. A year ago, Han Yi was still a sickly invalid. Did you want your daughter to bear him a child so the three of them could keep each other company on the road to the underworld?”
Zhou Xiang sat down on a low stool, assuming the authority of a father, his tone full of disappointment.
“If I’d known you’d turn out to be such a disgrace, I should have strangled you at birth.”
Zhou Xiang couldn’t elaborate further on the topic of women bearing children, but he continued to blame Zhou Xiaomai.
In short, it was all his daughter’s fault.
Zhou Xiaomai scoffed coldly: “Things are already like this. What do you plan to do about it?”
Zhou Xiang pointed toward the door: “You go back to the Han family immediately and apologize. From now on, be diligent and keep your eyes open for work. Listen to whatever your husband says. At the very least, you can’t disgrace the village with the title of a divorced woman.”
Zhou Xiaomai thought Zhou Xiang’s mind was a bit muddled!
“Is the Han family lacking a servant? What the Han family lacks is a dignified, virtuous, well-bred, and talented young mistress! Among the qualities the Han family requires, which ones can you provide me with?”
As children, if parents lack the means, they shouldn’t be resented.
But a father like Zhou Xiang had far too narrow a perspective.
The families were mismatched, there was no mutual affection, and no love had grown over time.
Setting aside the Han family’s lack of humanity for now, Zhou Xiang never stopped to consider what his daughter had to offer that could match such a high threshold?
At its core, this marriage was nothing more than a transaction.
For two years, the Zhou and Han families had had no interaction whatsoever.
Deep down, the Han family had never regarded the Zhou family as in-laws.
Zhou Xiang’s face flushed bright red, though it was unclear whether from anger or because he couldn’t refute Zhou Xiaomai’s words.
Zhou Xiaomai stared wide-eyed, as if overpowering her in demeanor could display a father’s authority.
“I raised you to this age, that’s a heaven-sent favor to you! You owe me for life!”
Leaning against the wall with arms crossed, Zhou Xiaomai watched Zhou Xiang’s furious outburst without any trace of her former panic or fear.
Old Mrs. Jiang had already witnessed this attitude, but the others hadn’t, and they all felt a momentary surprise in their hearts.
Upon second thought, everyone understood.
Zhou Xiaomai must have been so disgraced by being divorced that she had given up entirely.
Liu Caixia sobbed as she tried to persuade Zhou Xiang: “Our daughter must be heartbroken after what happened. Please don’t say such things—”
Before she could finish, Zhou Xiang roared at her: “Shut up! Indulgent mothers ruin their children. Look what you’ve spoiled her into! Does she even see me as her father anymore?”
Liu Caixia shuddered and dared not speak further, standing inconspicuously to the side with her second daughter, Zhou Xiaomin.
Zhou Xiaomai glanced at Liu Caixia. Though she had spoken in her defense, Zhou Xiaomai felt no gratitude.
Liu Caixia did protect her three daughters, but she had never stood firm even once.
They say motherhood makes one strong, but in Liu Caixia’s case, not a trace of it could be seen.
The original host had been stubborn, believing that marrying Han Yi was a lifelong commitment. Even knowing she wasn’t a good match, she would rather torment herself than agree to a He-li (mutual divorce).
This was directly related to Liu Caixia’s upbringing.
Zhou Xiaomai said: “Spoiled me? Dad, you sound like a drunkard who’s had too much. In this family, which of us from the third branch has ever been pampered even once?”
The main room couldn’t seat everyone, so Zhou Ji and his wife Lu Hui sat on the doorstep.
Old Mrs. Jiang sat beside Zhou Xiang, pointing indignantly at Zhou Xiaomai: “Third son, before you came back, she spoke to me like this and even dared to lay hands on me—she pushed me, and my arm hit the door panel. It still hurts now.”
Zhou Xiaomai cursed inwardly: Why didn’t it knock you dead, you old hag!
Hearing this, Zhou Xiang stood up from the low stool: “Did you just lay hands on your grandmother?”
Zhou Xiaomai thought she wouldn’t fear this family even if she admitted it.
But reputation was something one needed to preserve, at least a little.
Being divorced was already a disgrace; adding an unfilial charge on top of it was truly unnecessary.
Still, Zhou Xiaomai’s tongue wasn’t entirely tame. She said, infuriatingly enough to kill without consequence:
“Dad, don’t you know what kind of person Grandma is? She tells eight lies with every breath. If I dared to lay hands on her, wouldn’t she be wailing and clamoring to go find Grandpa?”
Zhou Xiaodong was timid but knew to side with her eldest sister, adding weakly:
“Big sister is right. Grandma is always lying, loves turning black into white, and won’t reason with you. If you disagree with her, she hits you right away!”
Old Mrs. Jiang’s face flushed crimson!!
With the old man gone, she was the head of the household, the person of highest seniority.
Shouldn’t the whole family listen to her?
Who would like others defying them?
Old Mrs. Jiang was seething inside, but with both granddaughters saying this, she couldn’t delve deeper into the topic.
“Third son, did you hear that? Your daughters have grown up and think their wings are strong enough to disrespect their grandmother.”
Zhou Xiaomai said: “I wonder how much more respect Grandma wants. Should I kneel and kowtow to you right now?”
Zhou Jiwang, never one to shy away from stirring up trouble, clapped his hands and cheered, “Great, great! Zhou Xiaomai, hurry up and kneel down to kowtow. Make it a hundred kowtows.”
Some kids are just born unlikable.
Like Zhou Jiwang!
Zhou Xiaomai thought to herself, she would definitely find a time to give him a good, solid beating.