At the Zhou family’s doorstep, Mother Zhou had gotten up early and saw the note left on the Eight Immortals table.
She froze for a moment, then turned to shake Father Zhou awake. “Old man, old man, wake up quickly. The eldest and second son are gone.”
“How could they leave just yesterday after getting married and be gone today?”
Father Zhou had slept late, exhausted from the previous day’s work, and was still drowsy.
But upon hearing Mother Zhou’s words, he instantly woke up.
“What do you mean, gone?”
“The eldest and second son said there’s an urgent mission with the garrison unit, so they’ve returned to duty.”
Father Zhou took the note, glanced down at it, and quickly understood. “If they’re gone, they’re gone. Soldiers have no choice in these matters.”
At this point, he looked at the last line on the note, his old face flushing slightly. “The eldest wrote that his wife was exhausted last night and told us not to wake her.”
Mother Zhou’s expression changed, unwilling to believe it.
Father Zhou handed her the note. Mother Zhou knew a few characters, and when she saw that last line, she immediately cursed, “That vixen!”
“On her first day after marrying into the family, she’s already got the eldest speaking up for her.”
Father Zhou couldn’t stand it and glared at her. “That’s the eldest caring for his wife.”
“Didn’t I treat you the same way back then?”
Mother Zhou had been angry, upset that her son had forgotten his mother after taking a wife, but hearing her husband say this made her old face flush. She pushed him lightly.
Looking around cautiously, she saw that her youngest daughter and youngest son were still asleep on the kang and hadn’t heard anything.
She breathed a sigh of relief and slapped her husband’s back. “What nonsense are you spouting? Don’t let the children hear you, you old fool!”
But after Father Zhou’s interruption, she wasn’t as angry as before.
“Since the eldest said his wife is exhausted, let her rest a bit longer,” Mother Zhou said, her tone unusually calm for once.
“We’ll talk when she wakes up.”
“After all, she’s here to carry on our Zhou family line.”
But this wait stretched from six o’clock to seven, then to seven-thirty. Those going to work and school needed to eat breakfast before leaving.
Now, unable to wait any longer, they started rushing out.
“Mom, you need to teach my two sisters-in-law a lesson. How can they not make breakfast for the whole family on their first day after marrying in?”
The one saying this was Zhou Hongying. Though she was a daughter, the Zhou family had many sons, and sons were considered less valuable.
Daughters were the prized ones, so Zhou Hongying had always been doted on in the Zhou family.
Mother Zhou was also growing impatient from waiting. Hearing her daughter’s words, her face immediately fell. She fished a dime from her pocket and handed it to her. “Meng Zhizhi and Zhao Mingzhu really are unreasonable, not at all like proper wives, making my dear daughter suffer.”
As she spoke, she pulled another dime from her pocket and handed it over. “Go buy a fried dough stick at the alley entrance.”
Zhou Hongying, delighted with the money, turned and went out to buy the fried dough stick.
The third son, Zhou Yushu, said nothing. At home, he was neither as respected as the eldest brother nor as doted on as his younger sister, stuck in an awkward middle position.
Like an invisible presence, he neither voiced an opinion nor spoke, simply following the others out.
Once they left, the house fell silent.
Mother Zhou checked the time. It was already eight-thirty, and there was still no movement from the inner room.
She simply couldn’t hold back any longer, banging a broom against the doorway, deliberately creating a grating noise.
“What kind of newlywed sleeps in on the first day of marriage?”
She had thought that by insinuating and criticizing, the person inside would be unable to bear the humiliation and come out.
But that didn’t happen.
Father Zhou had initially wanted to speak up for his daughter-in-law, but after glancing at his watch and seeing it was almost nine o’clock with no sign of anyone getting up, he changed his mind.
Looking at his wife, who was about to explode, he quickly brushed it off. “I’m going to work.”
Better to make a run for it first.
His act of deserting the battlefield at the last moment only fueled Mother Zhou’s anger. She had been busy since early morning, rushing around.
Yet the new bride was still curled up in bed, sleeping until the sun was high without a care.
The thought of it made Mother Zhou feel life was unfair. She didn’t stop at just banging the broom.
She even brought out an enamel basin and a rolling pin, striking the basin with the rolling pin to create an ear-piercing noise.
Still, there was no movement from the east or west rooms.
This only made Mother Zhou more impatient. She threw down the tools and began pounding on the wooden door of the east room with all her might. “You inside, come out! As the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhou family, is it appropriate for you to sleep in until ten o’clock on your wedding day?”
Inside the east room.
Meng Zhizhi paid no attention to the insinuations and criticisms from outside. Instead, she lay calmly, analyzing her current situation.
She had transmigrated, and there was no going back.
Currently, the original host was married, had consummated the marriage, and had even married the villain.
What was done was done.
But that wasn’t important.
What mattered was that she and her best friend had been in a car accident together.
Had her best friend also transmigrated?
Surely she wouldn’t be left alone in this lonely era.
If Mingzhu had also transmigrated, then life in the 1970s, with no one to rely on, wouldn’t be unbearable.
The top priority was to confirm Mingzhu’s situation.
The original host’s rival and sister-in-law—Zhao Mingzhu.
Was she really her best friend?
After carefully considering her current circumstances and deciding what to do next, Meng Zhizhi finally turned her attention to the person outside the door.
Listening to the banging and shouting, she clicked her tongue.
Since ancient times, mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law have been natural enemies.
That saying really held true, but it didn’t matter—she wasn’t exactly a good person either.
Meng Zhizhi let the other person continue pounding on the door.
She wasn’t in a hurry to open it. Instead, she leisurely draped an indigo floral-patterned cotton jacket over herself and put on a pair of black loose-fitting cotton pants.
Despite the bulky outfit, she had a naturally beautiful appearance—fair skin, bright eyes, gleaming teeth, and a cascade of jet-black hair.
She truly fit the image of an innocent, delicate flower.
Meng Zhizhi glanced at herself in the mirror hanging on the wall, quite satisfied.
“Meng Zhizhi.”
She looked at the person in the mirror, speaking slowly but with certainty. “I will live your life well and change your fate.”
“With me here, you won’t be a mere cannon fodder.”
“You won’t die young, and your life won’t just be a supporting role.”
Whether it was her imagination or not, as soon as she said this, the weight on Meng Zhizhi’s shoulders seemed to lighten considerably.
The banging on the door outside continued, growing louder with each strike.
“Zhao Mingzhu, come out!”
“What kind of daughter-in-law are you?”
Meng Zhizhi frowned slightly, thinking to herself, “This old woman really has a problem. Even first thing in the morning, she can’t even call out the right name.”
She walked unhurriedly to the door, moving without a sound.
Silently accomplishing great deeds!
In the next instant, she abruptly yanked the door open without any warning.
Mother Zhou had been pounding on the door with such force that when it swung open, she stumbled forward from the momentum.
Meng Zhizhi, who had extended her foot, quickly withdrew it and then offered a light, insincere support.
Their eyes met.
Mother Zhou barely managed to steady herself, her anger blazing. She was just about to unleash a torrent of abuse.
But a flicker of admiration flashed in her eyes. Truly, she had chosen this daughter-in-law herself—what a beauty!
Even if her second son hadn’t met her yet, she knew he would surely like her once he did.
However, she quickly snapped back to reality.
This was the east room.
“Meng Zhizhi, why are you coming out of the eldest son’s room!??”
She shrieked like a boiling kettle.
The sound burst forth in rapid succession.
The noise buzzed in Meng Zhizhi’s head, and she instinctively took a step back.
But Mother Zhou grabbed her hand, her tone sharp and severe, “Tell me, why are you coming out of the eldest son’s room?”
She had been guarding this door all morning and had never seen Meng Zhizhi and Zhao Mingzhu switch rooms.
Of course, given how Meng Zhizhi and Zhao Mingzhu clashed whenever they met, it was impossible for them to swap rooms anyway.
Meng Zhizhi didn’t really recognize the old woman in front of her, but she could infer her identity from the malice in the other’s words.
Only a mother-in-law would be so resentful of a daughter-in-law sleeping in.
Meng Zhizhi subtly withdrew her wrist from the other’s grasp, raised her hand to lightly adjust her collar, just enough to reveal the red marks on her neck.
“Mom, I got married last night. If I’m not coming out of the bridal chamber, where else would I come from?”
Her skin was fair and smooth, her features bright and lively. When she smiled, she looked exactly like a sweet, innocent girl.
Even Mother Zhou was momentarily dazed—this girl was truly stunning.
But her eyes fixed on the red marks on Meng Zhizhi’s neck, and her heart skipped a beat. “Meng Zhizhi, explain yourself properly. When did you enter the east room?”
“The east room is clearly the eldest son’s room. You married the second son, so you should be staying in the west room.”
“How could you come out of the east room?”
Only now did Meng Zhizhi fully understand.
She must have entered the wrong bridal chamber and slept with the wrong person.
So, she had married the villain but slept with the male lead?
What about Mingzhu?
Meng Zhizhi was momentarily lost in thought, then met Mother Zhou’s furious gaze.
She touched her neck, pulling her collar up a bit higher, and said lazily, “Naturally, I was staying there since last night.”
As soon as these words fell, Mother Zhou felt dizzy, her legs weak, and she instinctively began to sway, about to collapse to the ground.
Just as she was about to fall toward Meng Zhizhi,
Meng Zhizhi reached out to offer a light, insincere support. “Old lady, don’t faint. If you do, people will say I brought bad luck to my mother-in-law on my very first day here.”
Mother Zhou, “?”
Was this even human speech?
Mother Zhou, unsteady on her feet, was helped by Meng Zhizhi to sit on a chair. “Get me a glass of water.”
Outside the room, neighbors from the compound courtyard were peeking in to watch the commotion.
The words of refusal Meng Zhizhi had been about to utter were instantly swallowed back.
She had just arrived here and wasn’t entirely clear about the situation. At the very least, she couldn’t afford to have enemies on all sides.
Thinking of this, Meng Zhizhi glanced around the room and finally settled her gaze on the tin thermos. “You can’t drink scalding water either, so how about this.”
“Just drink cold water. Cold water refreshes the mind.”
With that, she scooped a ladle of icy water from the water vat and considerately poured it into an enamel mug.
“Mom, drink up. I guarantee you’ll feel instantly awake after one cup.”
Mother Zhou, “…”
If Meng Zhizhi weren’t as innocent as a little white rabbit, she would have thought the other was deliberately playing a trick.
However, Meng Zhizhi wasn’t wrong—she did need cold water to refresh herself. But the moment the cold water touched her lips, she shuddered from the chill.
She couldn’t help trembling all over.
In the bitter cold of winter, drinking a ladle of ice-cold water straight from the vat was truly a torment.
Noticing this, Meng Zhizhi curled her lips slightly, her tone gentle and caring. “Mom, take your time. Don’t drink too fast. I’d feel terrible if you caught a chill.”
Mother Zhou looked up and saw Meng Zhizhi’s concerned and pained expression.
She felt a suffocating frustration.
Something just felt off.
To make matters worse, the neighbors nearby chimed in, “Cuihua, you’re being unreasonable. Your daughter-in-law is so gentle and considerate, treating you so well. How can you bully her like this first thing in the morning?”
“That’s right. We’ve all been daughters-in-law before becoming mothers-in-law. Weren’t you once a daughter-in-law too? Why are you so harsh on your new daughter-in-law?”
Mother Zhou found herself unable to defend her actions.
Meng Zhizhi lowered her eyes, her eyes reddening, looking utterly understanding and obedient. “Uncles and aunties, it’s not my mom’s fault—it’s mine. I shouldn’t have let my husband fool around like that last night, which is why I slept so deeply this morning.”
With that, she apologized to Mother Zhou, “Mom, don’t worry. It won’t happen again. I promise I won’t let my husband fool around like that anymore.”
“When my husband comes back, I’ll take my pillow and sleep in your room. I guarantee I won’t sleep so deeply the next day.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the neighbors’ accusing gazes turned toward Mother Zhou.
“Cuihua, that’s really not right of you. You’re meddling in your son and daughter-in-law’s private affairs?”
“If your daughter-in-law really sleeps with you, it seems like you didn’t marry her for your son but for yourself.”
Mother Zhou flushed with embarrassment, feeling as though she had fallen into the Yellow River and couldn’t wash herself clean.
She took a deep breath, unsure how to respond.
Having achieved her goal, Meng Zhizhi skillfully came to her rescue. “Of course, my mom took a liking to me at first sight, which is why she had me marry Zhou Ye.”
Hearing this, Mother Zhou felt that Meng Zhizhi wasn’t so bad after all.
At least she knew how to save face for her in front of everyone.
But when she heard the second half of the sentence, the memories she had tried to bury came rushing back to haunt her.
She murmured, “That’s right. I had you marry the second son, so why did you come out of the eldest son’s room?”
At this point, Mother Zhou herself felt a surge of panic. “Meng Zhizhi, tell me honestly—who was the person you spent your wedding night with last night?!”
Author’s Note:
Zhizhi: Your son~
Hehehe, please bookmark, leave comments, and send nutrient solutions. I’m begging for them, hoping for better stats and to climb the monthly rankings. Please, my dear readers~
Next chapter, her good friend will time-travel over~
P.S.: This chapter still has 100 red packets to give away.