The neighbors instantly perked up, their eyes gleaming as they joined in the gossip.
Who exactly did she share the wedding night with?
Just hearing that question was scandalous enough.
The compound courtyard had been too quiet for too long, and they absolutely loved this kind of juicy news.
The Zhou family, which had just celebrated the lively wedding of two brides yesterday, was already in trouble today?
The younger daughter-in-law slept with the elder brother-in-law?
Didn’t that mean the elder daughter-in-law slept with the younger brother-in-law?
Goodness, was this the kind of news they could hear without paying a penny?
Everyone immediately turned their attention to Meng Zhizhi.
The two consecutive questions had truly left Meng Zhizhi at a loss for how to answer.
Since crossing over, she had no memory of the original body’s past.
She only knew scattered bits of the plot and characters from the book, but according to the book’s arrangement, she was supposed to marry the villainous younger brother, Zhou Ye.
Strangely, though, she had ended up in the east room—the room of the elder brother and male lead, Zhou Shechuan.
As for how she ended up in the east room, she truly had no idea. Her only memory was that after crossing over, she found herself directly on the wedding bed.
At the time, she was unbearably hot, and the wedding room was dark with no lights on. Suddenly, she touched something as cold as ice.
After the two of them fumbled through the wedding night in a daze,
Meng Zhizhi naturally never saw the other person’s face.
Of course, she suspected that Zhou Shechuan probably hadn’t seen her face either.
After all, in name, she was Zhou Shechuan’s sister-in-law.
If Zhou Shechuan had known her true identity, he would have definitely refused to share the wedding night with her last night.
In other words,
on her first day crossing over, she married the villain but ended up sleeping with the male lead.
Seeing her lost in thought and remaining silent,
Mother Zhou understood everything.
She abruptly stood up, wailing and crying, “I told you drinking leads to trouble, drinking leads to trouble! Last night, I told you not to compete with Zhao Mingzhu in drinking, but you two insisted on it, determined to win. Now look what happened—you even ended up sleeping with the wrong groom on your wedding night!”
“Heavens, you even slept with the wrong groom!”
She repeated it twice.
At this point,
Mother Zhou’s voice grew shrill, tinged with panic and urgency as she pressed, “Meng Zhizhi, you were supposed to marry the second son, but you slept with the eldest. What are we going to do now?”
Meng Zhizhi lowered her head, staring at her toes, thinking to herself, “As expected of a rival.”
Given how drunk they were, it was already impressive that they managed to enter the Zhou family’s wedding room.
At least they didn’t end up in someone else’s room.
However, if the situation weren’t so inappropriate, she could have laughed out loud.
It’s good that things fell apart.
Right after crossing over, the plot had already gone completely off the rails.
Didn’t this mean her fate could also be changed?
Seeing Mother Zhou crying as if her parents had died,
her voice practically hammering against Meng Zhizhi’s eardrums,
buzzing incessantly,
Meng Zhizhi found it annoying and handed her a handkerchief, saying considerately, “Mom, wipe your tears quickly. Crying like this can harm your health. If you cry yourself sick, I’ll be heartbroken.”
Mother Zhou’s crying paused. Looking at the handkerchief, she took it and wiped her tears.
She even thought to herself that this daughter-in-law didn’t seem entirely useless?
But was she really this considerate?
Then, she heard Meng Zhizhi continue to comfort her, “Even if we ended up in the wrong wedding room, it’s fine. After all, it’s still your son either way. It’s not like we went out and slept with some random man. Your Zhou family hasn’t lost anything.”
Hearing the first half, Mother Zhou genuinely felt that the daughter-in-law she had chosen was quite good.
She knew how to care for her.
However, after hearing the latter part, Mother Zhou initially found it somewhat reasonable, but quickly realized the truth.
Her voice turned sharp and piercing, like a broken gong suddenly struck, “What do you mean no loss? I paid a hundred yuan in bride price to marry you, and two hundred yuan to marry Zhao Mingzhu!”
“The eldest daughter-in-law I wanted was Zhao Mingzhu!!”
Although Zhao Mingzhu’s family had fallen from their capitalist status, her upbringing was different. Moreover, as the eldest daughter, she had a fiery temperament and was clearly capable of managing the household—unlike Meng Zhizhi, who was delicate and frail like a little white flower, crying at the slightest trouble.
How could someone like her be suitable as the eldest daughter-in-law?
She was only fit to marry the second son, as both of them were playful and carefree, neither able to criticize the other.
Meng Zhizhi, who had been gently and considerately comforting her, suddenly changed her expression and snatched back the handkerchief she had handed to Mother Zhou.
It was like a reflex reaction.
“Zhao Mingzhu’s bride price is a hundred yuan more than mine? What makes her worth a hundred yuan more?”
This was the “Meng Zhizhi” she knew when faced with Zhao Mingzhu.
Mother Zhou had initially been suspicious—her younger daughter-in-law would never be so considerate toward her.
But upon seeing Meng Zhizhi’s reaction, those suspicions vanished instantly.
Instead, she felt even more headache.
She had forgotten that these two daughters-in-law were sworn enemies.
Once the difference in bride prices was revealed, trouble was bound to follow.
Sure enough, what she feared came to pass.
The next second, Meng Zhizhi lowered her head, her eyes darting slightly as a plan quickly formed in her mind.
She hadn’t seen a single cent of the original bride price of a hundred yuan.
But she intended to claim the remaining hundred yuan for herself, as a safeguard. In this era of scarcity and unfamiliarity, being penniless would surely lead to her demise.
With this thought, Meng Zhizhi pinched her thigh hard. When she looked up again, her eyes were red, filled with restrained yet resolute emotion. “Uncles and aunties, please judge for me.”
“I am no less attractive than Zhao Mingzhu, and we entered the Zhou family as daughters-in-law on the same day.”
“Why is the Zhou family treating me so unfairly? Giving Zhao Mingzhu two hundred yuan in bride price while only giving me a hundred?”
“Isn’t this just bullying?”
As she spoke, tears streamed down Meng Zhizhi’s face like they cost nothing, and she turned to go inside and pack her belongings.
“I won’t live like this anymore!!” Her voice carried a note of determination.
Seeing the new bride about to run away on her very first day, the neighbors, who had been gossiping nearby, stepped forward to intervene. “Alright, alright, Little Meng, don’t rush off. Let your mother-in-law come up with a solution.”
Meng Zhizhi stopped, one foot inside the door and the other outside, turning to look at Mother Zhou with hopeful eyes.
Mother Zhou was now in complete disarray.
First, there was the problem of entering the wrong bridal chamber and sleeping with the wrong person.
Now, Meng Zhizhi was demanding the remaining bride price and threatening to leave.
Seeing that Mother Zhou offered no solution, Meng Zhizhi cried even more pitifully, rubbing her reddened eyes. “Mom, I truly regarded you as my own mother.”
“But you treat me like this. I’m so hurt, so heartbroken.”
“I don’t care. If you gave Zhao Mingzhu two hundred yuan in bride price, you must give me two hundred yuan too.”
“Otherwise—”
Meng Zhizhi wept as delicately as pear blossoms in the rain, but her words were sharp and aggressive, “I’ll take the child in my womb and marry your second son.”
“Let him wear a green hat every day!”
Mother Zhou, “…”
What a vicious scheme.
She took a deep breath, pacing anxiously in circles, even slipping into an intimate address in her urgency, “Zhizhi, don’t rush just yet. How about we call Zhao Mingzhu out and discuss this together?”
Meng Zhizhi wasn’t very willing.
If Zhao Mingzhu was her close friend, then asking for a hundred yuan in bride price from her pocket to give to herself would be like taking money from one pocket and putting it into another.
In the end, wouldn’t she still be out a hundred yuan?
Seeing her remain silent.
“Is this acceptable?”
Mother Zhou sighed, tugging at her hair in distress, her face full of worry. “Zhizhi, don’t rush to leave just yet. Let me call everyone in the Zhou family back first, and we’ll figure out a solution for you, okay?”
“The matter of entering the wrong bridal chamber must be resolved.”
“And the issue of the bride price—I will definitely resolve that for you.”
Otherwise, if Meng Zhizhi really left the Zhou family and returned to her parents’ home on the second day of her marriage because of this, Zhao Mingzhu would likely follow suit.
After all, to arrange marriages for her two sons, she had spent her entire life savings.
Only then had she managed to scrape together three hundred yuan to secure agreements from the Meng and Zhao families.
If both of them really left, it would be a complete disaster.
Meng Zhizhi stood at the doorway, her eyes red, leaning on Mother Zhou as she cried, “Mom, I think of you as my own mother. I’ll trust you one more time.”
Mother Zhou’s expression softened slightly. She patted Meng Zhizhi’s shoulder and was about to send someone to the cannery with a message when, unexpectedly, Zhou Hongying happened to return. Seeing Meng Zhizhi leaning on her mother, she immediately bristled like a ruffled chicken. “Why are you leaning on my mom? Meng Zhizhi, have you no shame?”
“Get off my mom right now.”
Before Meng Zhizhi could speak, Mother Zhou glanced back at her, afraid that Meng Zhizhi might impulsively decide to leave and abandon the marriage.
She immediately scolded her most beloved youngest daughter, “Hongying, how dare you speak to your sister-in-law like that? Go to the factory and call your father back. Tell him something has happened at home, something serious.”
Zhou Hongying, scolded by her mother, found the fried dough stick in her mouth tasteless and felt somewhat wronged. But seeing her mother’s stern expression, she was deeply upset. “Yesterday you said daughters-in-law are outsiders, and today it’s your own daughter who’s the outsider.”
With that, she turned and ran off.
Mother Zhou looked embarrassed, cursing inwardly: That foolish, rebellious child, daring to say such private words out loud.
Meng Zhizhi pretended not to hear, acting as if she hadn’t noticed.
About ten minutes later.
Father Zhou hurried back from the workshop in a fluster. He worked in the cannery workshop, but he wasn’t responsible for canning—he repaired machinery instead.
So his clothes were stained with black machine oil, making him look quite disheveled.
“What’s going on?”
Meng Zhizhi was still leaning on Mother Zhou’s shoulder. Seeing her husband return, Mother Zhou finally felt she had someone to rely on.
“Two things.”
“First, Meng Zhizhi entered the wrong bridal chamber last night. This morning, she came out of the eldest son’s room.”
Father Zhou nearly choked on his breath.
“How could that happen?”
He frowned, his old face flushing red as he asked Meng Zhizhi, “Do you know who you slept with last night?”
Meng Zhizhi looked bewildered, her eyes as red as a rabbit’s. “I don’t know.”
“It was too dark to see anything.”
Her skin was pale, even revealing the bluish-purple veins beneath her eyelids, so tender it seemed as if water could be squeezed from it.
Yet she was the type who only knew how to cry when faced with trouble.
Father Zhou scratched his head, inadvertently pulling out several strands of hair.
He then glared at Mother Zhou. “I told you to be frugal, but you even hide the kerosene lamp at night, too stingy to light it. Now something big has happened, hasn’t it?”
The younger daughter-in-law slept with the eldest son.
If word got out, they’d be laughed to death.
Mother Zhou was in a difficult position, unable to voice her grievances.
How could she have known that being frugal would lead to such a mess?
How could someone enter the wrong bridal chamber on their wedding night?
It was truly the strangest thing under the sun.
Father Zhou didn’t settle scores with her just yet. He stood in place, pacing back and forth, and finally made a decision. “Call Zhao Mingzhu out and ask her who she slept with last night.”
Upon hearing this, Meng Zhizhi suddenly looked up, quite satisfied.
This was exactly in line with her goal.
She had always wanted to knock on the door next door, but given the original owner’s hostile relationship with Zhao Mingzhu, it wasn’t appropriate for her to take the initiative to look for Zhao Mingzhu.
Now that Father Zhou had brought it up, Mother Zhou said, “If I could call her out, I would have done it long ago.”
“With all the commotion outside, she’s been quiet inside and hasn’t opened the door.”
At this point, she glanced subtly at Meng Zhizhi. “I’m afraid they might have had quite a row last night too.”
“That’s why they didn’t hear anything.”
There was a deeper implication here.
It meant that Zhao Mingzhu and the second son had also consummated their marriage last night, and it had been so intense that Zhao Mingzhu was exhausted and passed out.
Father Zhou felt a headache coming on. He couldn’t very well go knock on the door himself, so he turned to Meng Zhizhi. “Xiao Meng, you go knock on the door.”
Meng Zhizhi bit her lip and remained silent, her delicate, pale face looking bewildered and innocent.
Seeing her lack of response, Father Zhou sighed and coaxed gently, “Your mother can’t get her out, and neither can I. You go. Otherwise, we won’t be able to resolve this matter today.”
Meng Zhizhi hummed in acknowledgment. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go—she was just nervous.
She was afraid to knock on that door, afraid that the person behind it wouldn’t be her best friend—Zhao Mingzhu—but the Zhao Mingzhu of this era.
If that were the case, it would mean she was the only one who had traveled to this era.
This was the outcome Meng Zhizhi could least accept.
But she also knew that whether she faced it or avoided it, the truth would come out. Only by opening the door would she know if the person inside was Zhao Mingzhu.
With this thought, Meng Zhizhi took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and tried to compose herself as best she could.
She then walked from the entrance of the east room to the west room. Looking at the peeling wooden door, she took another deep breath, raised her hand, and knocked forcefully. “Zhao Mingzhu, it’s Meng Zhizhi. Come out here.”
Whether the person inside was her best friend Zhao Mingzhu or not, the other party would surely come out upon hearing this.
Zhao Mingzhu cared about Meng Zhizhi.
Similarly, her rival Zhao Mingzhu hated Meng Zhizhi.
Whether it was the former or the latter, upon hearing the name “Meng Zhizhi,” she should come out.
However, to Meng Zhizhi’s disappointment, after she knocked and called out, there was still no movement inside.
This wasn’t right.
After all, they had been making noise outside the door for nearly half an hour early in the morning. Not to mention, Mother Zhou had been shouting outside for quite some time earlier.
At this thought, Meng Zhizhi had only one idea.
—Something must have happened to the person inside.
“Break the door down!”
She quickly made a decision and said to Father Zhou, “Call a few strong men over to break the door down!”
Only by forcing the door open could they find out what was happening inside.
Father Zhou also sensed something was wrong. He nodded and called over the neighbor from the courtyard, He Dazhuang. “Dazhuang, come and break the door down.”
He Dazhuang hesitated. “Uncle Zhou, if I break the door down, you won’t try to make me pay for it, will you?”
Hearing this, Meng Zhizhi sighed softly, thinking to herself, What kind of family have I married into?
Of course, this was also a good thing.
If she had married into a decent family, all her scheming would have nowhere to go.
Father Zhou was also speechless. “Your Uncle Zhou isn’t that kind of person. Go ahead and break it down without worry. Besides, there are so many witnesses here—no one will make you pay.”
With that reassurance, He Dazhuang rolled up his sleeves and began ramming the wooden door with all his might.
After three forceful impacts, the door crashed open with a bang, falling to the ground.
The scene inside was revealed.
Lying quietly on the bed was Zhao Mingzhu.
When Meng Zhizhi saw the motionless figure on the bed, her heart skipped a beat. She rushed over in a few quick steps, checking under Zhao Mingzhu’s nose—there was still breath.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she whispered, “Zhao Mingzhu? Are you okay?”
Afraid the onlookers might notice something amiss, Meng Zhizhi pounded the bed frame loudly, her eyes reddening. “If you die, what will happen to my betrothal gifts?”
The noise and the familiar voice made Zhao Mingzhu’s eyes snap open.
In the next moment, their gazes met.
Zhao Mingzhu’s stunning face held a hint of uncertainty as her red lips parted slightly. “How er you?”
Author’s Note:
Zhizhi: Speak human language.
Please collect, comment, and give nutrient solution—I really need them!
P.S.: Chapter comments are open, feel free to leave a message!
P.P.S.: Red envelopes for the first two chapters have been sent out, and there are still plenty left. Please actively collect, comment, and give nutrient solution, or I won’t even be able to give out a hundred red envelopes (covers face and cries).
Chapter 3: The Good Friend Has Also Crossed Over
Chapter 3
The neighbors instantly perked up, their eyes gleaming as they joined in the gossip.
Who exactly did she share the wedding night with?
Just hearing that question was scandalous enough.
The compound courtyard had been too quiet for too long, and they absolutely loved this kind of juicy news.
The Zhou family, which had just celebrated the lively wedding of two brides yesterday, was already in trouble today?
The younger daughter-in-law slept with the elder brother-in-law?
Didn’t that mean the elder daughter-in-law slept with the younger brother-in-law?
Goodness, was this the kind of news they could hear without paying a penny?
Everyone immediately turned their attention to Meng Zhizhi.
The two consecutive questions had truly left Meng Zhizhi at a loss for how to answer.
Since crossing over, she had no memory of the original body’s past.
She only knew scattered bits of the plot and characters from the book, but according to the book’s arrangement, she was supposed to marry the villainous younger brother, Zhou Ye.
Strangely, though, she had ended up in the east room—the room of the elder brother and male lead, Zhou Shechuan.
As for how she ended up in the east room, she truly had no idea. Her only memory was that after crossing over, she found herself directly on the wedding bed.
At the time, she was unbearably hot, and the wedding room was dark with no lights on. Suddenly, she touched something as cold as ice.
After the two of them fumbled through the wedding night in a daze,
Meng Zhizhi naturally never saw the other person’s face.
Of course, she suspected that Zhou Shechuan probably hadn’t seen her face either.
After all, in name, she was Zhou Shechuan’s sister-in-law.
If Zhou Shechuan had known her true identity, he would have definitely refused to share the wedding night with her last night.
In other words,
on her first day crossing over, she married the villain but ended up sleeping with the male lead.
Seeing her lost in thought and remaining silent,
Mother Zhou understood everything.
She abruptly stood up, wailing and crying, “I told you drinking leads to trouble, drinking leads to trouble! Last night, I told you not to compete with Zhao Mingzhu in drinking, but you two insisted on it, determined to win. Now look what happened—you even ended up sleeping with the wrong groom on your wedding night!”
“Heavens, you even slept with the wrong groom!”
She repeated it twice.
At this point,
Mother Zhou’s voice grew shrill, tinged with panic and urgency as she pressed, “Meng Zhizhi, you were supposed to marry the second son, but you slept with the eldest. What are we going to do now?”
Meng Zhizhi lowered her head, staring at her toes, thinking to herself, “As expected of a rival.”
Given how drunk they were, it was already impressive that they managed to enter the Zhou family’s wedding room.
At least they didn’t end up in someone else’s room.
However, if the situation weren’t so inappropriate, she could have laughed out loud.
It’s good that things fell apart.
Right after crossing over, the plot had already gone completely off the rails.
Didn’t this mean her fate could also be changed?
Seeing Mother Zhou crying as if her parents had died,
her voice practically hammering against Meng Zhizhi’s eardrums,
buzzing incessantly,
Meng Zhizhi found it annoying and handed her a handkerchief, saying considerately, “Mom, wipe your tears quickly. Crying like this can harm your health. If you cry yourself sick, I’ll be heartbroken.”
Mother Zhou’s crying paused. Looking at the handkerchief, she took it and wiped her tears.
She even thought to herself that this daughter-in-law didn’t seem entirely useless?
But was she really this considerate?
Then, she heard Meng Zhizhi continue to comfort her, “Even if we ended up in the wrong wedding room, it’s fine. After all, it’s still your son either way. It’s not like we went out and slept with some random man. Your Zhou family hasn’t lost anything.”
Hearing the first half, Mother Zhou genuinely felt that the daughter-in-law she had chosen was quite good.
She knew how to care for her.
However, after hearing the latter part, Mother Zhou initially found it somewhat reasonable, but quickly realized the truth.
Her voice turned sharp and piercing, like a broken gong suddenly struck, “What do you mean no loss? I paid a hundred yuan in bride price to marry you, and two hundred yuan to marry Zhao Mingzhu!”
“The eldest daughter-in-law I wanted was Zhao Mingzhu!!”
Although Zhao Mingzhu’s family had fallen from their capitalist status, her upbringing was different. Moreover, as the eldest daughter, she had a fiery temperament and was clearly capable of managing the household—unlike Meng Zhizhi, who was delicate and frail like a little white flower, crying at the slightest trouble.
How could someone like her be suitable as the eldest daughter-in-law?
She was only fit to marry the second son, as both of them were playful and carefree, neither able to criticize the other.
Meng Zhizhi, who had been gently and considerately comforting her, suddenly changed her expression and snatched back the handkerchief she had handed to Mother Zhou.
It was like a reflex reaction.
“Zhao Mingzhu’s bride price is a hundred yuan more than mine? What makes her worth a hundred yuan more?”
This was the “Meng Zhizhi” she knew when faced with Zhao Mingzhu.
Mother Zhou had initially been suspicious—her younger daughter-in-law would never be so considerate toward her.
But upon seeing Meng Zhizhi’s reaction, those suspicions vanished instantly.
Instead, she felt even more headache.
She had forgotten that these two daughters-in-law were sworn enemies.
Once the difference in bride prices was revealed, trouble was bound to follow.
Sure enough, what she feared came to pass.
The next second, Meng Zhizhi lowered her head, her eyes darting slightly as a plan quickly formed in her mind.
She hadn’t seen a single cent of the original bride price of a hundred yuan.
But she intended to claim the remaining hundred yuan for herself, as a safeguard. In this era of scarcity and unfamiliarity, being penniless would surely lead to her demise.
With this thought, Meng Zhizhi pinched her thigh hard. When she looked up again, her eyes were red, filled with restrained yet resolute emotion. “Uncles and aunties, please judge for me.”
“I am no less attractive than Zhao Mingzhu, and we entered the Zhou family as daughters-in-law on the same day.”
“Why is the Zhou family treating me so unfairly? Giving Zhao Mingzhu two hundred yuan in bride price while only giving me a hundred?”
“Isn’t this just bullying?”
As she spoke, tears streamed down Meng Zhizhi’s face like they cost nothing, and she turned to go inside and pack her belongings.
“I won’t live like this anymore!!” Her voice carried a note of determination.
Seeing the new bride about to run away on her very first day, the neighbors, who had been gossiping nearby, stepped forward to intervene. “Alright, alright, Little Meng, don’t rush off. Let your mother-in-law come up with a solution.”
Meng Zhizhi stopped, one foot inside the door and the other outside, turning to look at Mother Zhou with hopeful eyes.
Mother Zhou was now in complete disarray.
First, there was the problem of entering the wrong bridal chamber and sleeping with the wrong person.
Now, Meng Zhizhi was demanding the remaining bride price and threatening to leave.
Seeing that Mother Zhou offered no solution, Meng Zhizhi cried even more pitifully, rubbing her reddened eyes. “Mom, I truly regarded you as my own mother.”
“But you treat me like this. I’m so hurt, so heartbroken.”
“I don’t care. If you gave Zhao Mingzhu two hundred yuan in bride price, you must give me two hundred yuan too.”
“Otherwise—”
Meng Zhizhi wept as delicately as pear blossoms in the rain, but her words were sharp and aggressive, “I’ll take the child in my womb and marry your second son.”
“Let him wear a green hat every day!”
Mother Zhou, “…”
What a vicious scheme.
She took a deep breath, pacing anxiously in circles, even slipping into an intimate address in her urgency, “Zhizhi, don’t rush just yet. How about we call Zhao Mingzhu out and discuss this together?”
Meng Zhizhi wasn’t very willing.
If Zhao Mingzhu was her close friend, then asking for a hundred yuan in bride price from her pocket to give to herself would be like taking money from one pocket and putting it into another.
In the end, wouldn’t she still be out a hundred yuan?
Seeing her remain silent.
“Is this acceptable?”
Mother Zhou sighed, tugging at her hair in distress, her face full of worry. “Zhizhi, don’t rush to leave just yet. Let me call everyone in the Zhou family back first, and we’ll figure out a solution for you, okay?”
“The matter of entering the wrong bridal chamber must be resolved.”
“And the issue of the bride price—I will definitely resolve that for you.”
Otherwise, if Meng Zhizhi really left the Zhou family and returned to her parents’ home on the second day of her marriage because of this, Zhao Mingzhu would likely follow suit.
After all, to arrange marriages for her two sons, she had spent her entire life savings.
Only then had she managed to scrape together three hundred yuan to secure agreements from the Meng and Zhao families.
If both of them really left, it would be a complete disaster.
Meng Zhizhi stood at the doorway, her eyes red, leaning on Mother Zhou as she cried, “Mom, I think of you as my own mother. I’ll trust you one more time.”
Mother Zhou’s expression softened slightly. She patted Meng Zhizhi’s shoulder and was about to send someone to the cannery with a message when, unexpectedly, Zhou Hongying happened to return. Seeing Meng Zhizhi leaning on her mother, she immediately bristled like a ruffled chicken. “Why are you leaning on my mom? Meng Zhizhi, have you no shame?”
“Get off my mom right now.”
Before Meng Zhizhi could speak, Mother Zhou glanced back at her, afraid that Meng Zhizhi might impulsively decide to leave and abandon the marriage.
She immediately scolded her most beloved youngest daughter, “Hongying, how dare you speak to your sister-in-law like that? Go to the factory and call your father back. Tell him something has happened at home, something serious.”
Zhou Hongying, scolded by her mother, found the fried dough stick in her mouth tasteless and felt somewhat wronged. But seeing her mother’s stern expression, she was deeply upset. “Yesterday you said daughters-in-law are outsiders, and today it’s your own daughter who’s the outsider.”
With that, she turned and ran off.
Mother Zhou looked embarrassed, cursing inwardly: That foolish, rebellious child, daring to say such private words out loud.
Meng Zhizhi pretended not to hear, acting as if she hadn’t noticed.
About ten minutes later.
Father Zhou hurried back from the workshop in a fluster. He worked in the cannery workshop, but he wasn’t responsible for canning—he repaired machinery instead.
So his clothes were stained with black machine oil, making him look quite disheveled.
“What’s going on?”
Meng Zhizhi was still leaning on Mother Zhou’s shoulder. Seeing her husband return, Mother Zhou finally felt she had someone to rely on.
“Two things.”
“First, Meng Zhizhi entered the wrong bridal chamber last night. This morning, she came out of the eldest son’s room.”
Father Zhou nearly choked on his breath.
“How could that happen?”
He frowned, his old face flushing red as he asked Meng Zhizhi, “Do you know who you slept with last night?”
Meng Zhizhi looked bewildered, her eyes as red as a rabbit’s. “I don’t know.”
“It was too dark to see anything.”
Her skin was pale, even revealing the bluish-purple veins beneath her eyelids, so tender it seemed as if water could be squeezed from it.
Yet she was the type who only knew how to cry when faced with trouble.
Father Zhou scratched his head, inadvertently pulling out several strands of hair.
He then glared at Mother Zhou. “I told you to be frugal, but you even hide the kerosene lamp at night, too stingy to light it. Now something big has happened, hasn’t it?”
The younger daughter-in-law slept with the eldest son.
If word got out, they’d be laughed to death.
Mother Zhou was in a difficult position, unable to voice her grievances.
How could she have known that being frugal would lead to such a mess?
How could someone enter the wrong bridal chamber on their wedding night?
It was truly the strangest thing under the sun.
Father Zhou didn’t settle scores with her just yet. He stood in place, pacing back and forth, and finally made a decision. “Call Zhao Mingzhu out and ask her who she slept with last night.”
Upon hearing this, Meng Zhizhi suddenly looked up, quite satisfied.
This was exactly in line with her goal.
She had always wanted to knock on the door next door, but given the original owner’s hostile relationship with Zhao Mingzhu, it wasn’t appropriate for her to take the initiative to look for Zhao Mingzhu.
Now that Father Zhou had brought it up, Mother Zhou said, “If I could call her out, I would have done it long ago.”
“With all the commotion outside, she’s been quiet inside and hasn’t opened the door.”
At this point, she glanced subtly at Meng Zhizhi. “I’m afraid they might have had quite a row last night too.”
“That’s why they didn’t hear anything.”
There was a deeper implication here.
It meant that Zhao Mingzhu and the second son had also consummated their marriage last night, and it had been so intense that Zhao Mingzhu was exhausted and passed out.
Father Zhou felt a headache coming on. He couldn’t very well go knock on the door himself, so he turned to Meng Zhizhi. “Xiao Meng, you go knock on the door.”
Meng Zhizhi bit her lip and remained silent, her delicate, pale face looking bewildered and innocent.
Seeing her lack of response, Father Zhou sighed and coaxed gently, “Your mother can’t get her out, and neither can I. You go. Otherwise, we won’t be able to resolve this matter today.”
Meng Zhizhi hummed in acknowledgment. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go—she was just nervous.
She was afraid to knock on that door, afraid that the person behind it wouldn’t be her best friend—Zhao Mingzhu—but the Zhao Mingzhu of this era.
If that were the case, it would mean she was the only one who had traveled to this era.
This was the outcome Meng Zhizhi could least accept.
But she also knew that whether she faced it or avoided it, the truth would come out. Only by opening the door would she know if the person inside was Zhao Mingzhu.
With this thought, Meng Zhizhi took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and tried to compose herself as best she could.
She then walked from the entrance of the east room to the west room. Looking at the peeling wooden door, she took another deep breath, raised her hand, and knocked forcefully. “Zhao Mingzhu, it’s Meng Zhizhi. Come out here.”
Whether the person inside was her best friend Zhao Mingzhu or not, the other party would surely come out upon hearing this.
Zhao Mingzhu cared about Meng Zhizhi.
Similarly, her rival Zhao Mingzhu hated Meng Zhizhi.
Whether it was the former or the latter, upon hearing the name “Meng Zhizhi,” she should come out.
However, to Meng Zhizhi’s disappointment, after she knocked and called out, there was still no movement inside.
This wasn’t right.
After all, they had been making noise outside the door for nearly half an hour early in the morning. Not to mention, Mother Zhou had been shouting outside for quite some time earlier.
At this thought, Meng Zhizhi had only one idea.
—Something must have happened to the person inside.
“Break the door down!”
She quickly made a decision and said to Father Zhou, “Call a few strong men over to break the door down!”
Only by forcing the door open could they find out what was happening inside.
Father Zhou also sensed something was wrong. He nodded and called over the neighbor from the courtyard, He Dazhuang. “Dazhuang, come and break the door down.”
He Dazhuang hesitated. “Uncle Zhou, if I break the door down, you won’t try to make me pay for it, will you?”
Hearing this, Meng Zhizhi sighed softly, thinking to herself, What kind of family have I married into?
Of course, this was also a good thing.
If she had married into a decent family, all her scheming would have nowhere to go.
Father Zhou was also speechless. “Your Uncle Zhou isn’t that kind of person. Go ahead and break it down without worry. Besides, there are so many witnesses here—no one will make you pay.”
With that reassurance, He Dazhuang rolled up his sleeves and began ramming the wooden door with all his might.
After three forceful impacts, the door crashed open with a bang, falling to the ground.
The scene inside was revealed.
Lying quietly on the bed was Zhao Mingzhu.
When Meng Zhizhi saw the motionless figure on the bed, her heart skipped a beat. She rushed over in a few quick steps, checking under Zhao Mingzhu’s nose—there was still breath.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she whispered, “Zhao Mingzhu? Are you okay?”
Afraid the onlookers might notice something amiss, Meng Zhizhi pounded the bed frame loudly, her eyes reddening. “If you die, what will happen to my betrothal gifts?”
The noise and the familiar voice made Zhao Mingzhu’s eyes snap open.
In the next moment, their gazes met.
Zhao Mingzhu’s stunning face held a hint of uncertainty as her red lips parted slightly. “How er you?”
Author’s Note:
Zhizhi: Speak human language.
Please collect, comment, and give nutrient solution—I really need them!
P.S.: Chapter comments are open, feel free to leave a message!
P.P.S.: Red envelopes for the first two chapters have been sent out, and there are still plenty left. Please actively collect, comment, and give nutrient solution, or I won’t even be able to give out a hundred red envelopes (covers face and cries).
Chapter 3: The Good Friend Has Also Crossed Over
Chapter 3
The neighbors instantly perked up, their eyes gleaming as they joined in the gossip.
Who exactly did she share the wedding night with?
Just hearing that question was scandalous enough.
The compound courtyard had been too quiet for too long, and they absolutely loved this kind of juicy news.
The Zhou family, which had just celebrated the lively wedding of two brides yesterday, was already in trouble today?
The younger daughter-in-law slept with the elder brother-in-law?
Didn’t that mean the elder daughter-in-law slept with the younger brother-in-law?
Goodness, was this the kind of news they could hear without paying a penny?
Everyone immediately turned their attention to Meng Zhizhi.
The two consecutive questions had truly left Meng Zhizhi at a loss for how to answer.
Since crossing over, she had no memory of the original body’s past.
She only knew scattered bits of the plot and characters from the book, but according to the book’s arrangement, she was supposed to marry the villainous younger brother, Zhou Ye.
Strangely, though, she had ended up in the east room—the room of the elder brother and male lead, Zhou Shechuan.
As for how she ended up in the east room, she truly had no idea. Her only memory was that after crossing over, she found herself directly on the wedding bed.
At the time, she was unbearably hot, and the wedding room was dark with no lights on. Suddenly, she touched something as cold as ice.
After the two of them fumbled through the wedding night in a daze,
Meng Zhizhi naturally never saw the other person’s face.
Of course, she suspected that Zhou Shechuan probably hadn’t seen her face either.
After all, in name, she was Zhou Shechuan’s sister-in-law.
If Zhou Shechuan had known her true identity, he would have definitely refused to share the wedding night with her last night.
In other words,
on her first day crossing over, she married the villain but ended up sleeping with the male lead.
Seeing her lost in thought and remaining silent,
Mother Zhou understood everything.
She abruptly stood up, wailing and crying, “I told you drinking leads to trouble, drinking leads to trouble! Last night, I told you not to compete with Zhao Mingzhu in drinking, but you two insisted on it, determined to win. Now look what happened—you even ended up sleeping with the wrong groom on your wedding night!”
“Heavens, you even slept with the wrong groom!”
She repeated it twice.
At this point,
Mother Zhou’s voice grew shrill, tinged with panic and urgency as she pressed, “Meng Zhizhi, you were supposed to marry the second son, but you slept with the eldest. What are we going to do now?”
Meng Zhizhi lowered her head, staring at her toes, thinking to herself, “As expected of a rival.”
Given how drunk they were, it was already impressive that they managed to enter the Zhou family’s wedding room.
At least they didn’t end up in someone else’s room.
However, if the situation weren’t so inappropriate, she could have laughed out loud.
It’s good that things fell apart.
Right after crossing over, the plot had already gone completely off the rails.
Didn’t this mean her fate could also be changed?
Seeing Mother Zhou crying as if her parents had died,
her voice practically hammering against Meng Zhizhi’s eardrums,
buzzing incessantly,
Meng Zhizhi found it annoying and handed her a handkerchief, saying considerately, “Mom, wipe your tears quickly. Crying like this can harm your health. If you cry yourself sick, I’ll be heartbroken.”
Mother Zhou’s crying paused. Looking at the handkerchief, she took it and wiped her tears.
She even thought to herself that this daughter-in-law didn’t seem entirely useless?
But was she really this considerate?
Then, she heard Meng Zhizhi continue to comfort her, “Even if we ended up in the wrong wedding room, it’s fine. After all, it’s still your son either way. It’s not like we went out and slept with some random man. Your Zhou family hasn’t lost anything.”
Hearing the first half, Mother Zhou genuinely felt that the daughter-in-law she had chosen was quite good.
She knew how to care for her.
However, after hearing the latter part, Mother Zhou initially found it somewhat reasonable, but quickly realized the truth.
Her voice turned sharp and piercing, like a broken gong suddenly struck, “What do you mean no loss? I paid a hundred yuan in bride price to marry you, and two hundred yuan to marry Zhao Mingzhu!”
“The eldest daughter-in-law I wanted was Zhao Mingzhu!!”
Although Zhao Mingzhu’s family had fallen from their capitalist status, her upbringing was different. Moreover, as the eldest daughter, she had a fiery temperament and was clearly capable of managing the household—unlike Meng Zhizhi, who was delicate and frail like a little white flower, crying at the slightest trouble.
How could someone like her be suitable as the eldest daughter-in-law?
She was only fit to marry the second son, as both of them were playful and carefree, neither able to criticize the other.
Meng Zhizhi, who had been gently and considerately comforting her, suddenly changed her expression and snatched back the handkerchief she had handed to Mother Zhou.
It was like a reflex reaction.
“Zhao Mingzhu’s bride price is a hundred yuan more than mine? What makes her worth a hundred yuan more?”
This was the “Meng Zhizhi” she knew when faced with Zhao Mingzhu.
Mother Zhou had initially been suspicious—her younger daughter-in-law would never be so considerate toward her.
But upon seeing Meng Zhizhi’s reaction, those suspicions vanished instantly.
Instead, she felt even more headache.
She had forgotten that these two daughters-in-law were sworn enemies.
Once the difference in bride prices was revealed, trouble was bound to follow.
Sure enough, what she feared came to pass.
The next second, Meng Zhizhi lowered her head, her eyes darting slightly as a plan quickly formed in her mind.
She hadn’t seen a single cent of the original bride price of a hundred yuan.
But she intended to claim the remaining hundred yuan for herself, as a safeguard. In this era of scarcity and unfamiliarity, being penniless would surely lead to her demise.
With this thought, Meng Zhizhi pinched her thigh hard. When she looked up again, her eyes were red, filled with restrained yet resolute emotion. “Uncles and aunties, please judge for me.”
“I am no less attractive than Zhao Mingzhu, and we entered the Zhou family as daughters-in-law on the same day.”
“Why is the Zhou family treating me so unfairly? Giving Zhao Mingzhu two hundred yuan in bride price while only giving me a hundred?”
“Isn’t this just bullying?”
As she spoke, tears streamed down Meng Zhizhi’s face like they cost nothing, and she turned to go inside and pack her belongings.
“I won’t live like this anymore!!” Her voice carried a note of determination.
Seeing the new bride about to run away on her very first day, the neighbors, who had been gossiping nearby, stepped forward to intervene. “Alright, alright, Little Meng, don’t rush off. Let your mother-in-law come up with a solution.”
Meng Zhizhi stopped, one foot inside the door and the other outside, turning to look at Mother Zhou with hopeful eyes.
Mother Zhou was now in complete disarray.
First, there was the problem of entering the wrong bridal chamber and sleeping with the wrong person.
Now, Meng Zhizhi was demanding the remaining bride price and threatening to leave.
Seeing that Mother Zhou offered no solution, Meng Zhizhi cried even more pitifully, rubbing her reddened eyes. “Mom, I truly regarded you as my own mother.”
“But you treat me like this. I’m so hurt, so heartbroken.”
“I don’t care. If you gave Zhao Mingzhu two hundred yuan in bride price, you must give me two hundred yuan too.”
“Otherwise—”
Meng Zhizhi wept as delicately as pear blossoms in the rain, but her words were sharp and aggressive, “I’ll take the child in my womb and marry your second son.”
“Let him wear a green hat every day!”
Mother Zhou, “…”
What a vicious scheme.
She took a deep breath, pacing anxiously in circles, even slipping into an intimate address in her urgency, “Zhizhi, don’t rush just yet. How about we call Zhao Mingzhu out and discuss this together?”
Meng Zhizhi wasn’t very willing.
If Zhao Mingzhu was her close friend, then asking for a hundred yuan in bride price from her pocket to give to herself would be like taking money from one pocket and putting it into another.
In the end, wouldn’t she still be out a hundred yuan?
Seeing her remain silent.
“Is this acceptable?”
Mother Zhou sighed, tugging at her hair in distress, her face full of worry. “Zhizhi, don’t rush to leave just yet. Let me call everyone in the Zhou family back first, and we’ll figure out a solution for you, okay?”
“The matter of entering the wrong bridal chamber must be resolved.”
“And the issue of the bride price—I will definitely resolve that for you.”
Otherwise, if Meng Zhizhi really left the Zhou family and returned to her parents’ home on the second day of her marriage because of this, Zhao Mingzhu would likely follow suit.
After all, to arrange marriages for her two sons, she had spent her entire life savings.
Only then had she managed to scrape together three hundred yuan to secure agreements from the Meng and Zhao families.
If both of them really left, it would be a complete disaster.
Meng Zhizhi stood at the doorway, her eyes red, leaning on Mother Zhou as she cried, “Mom, I think of you as my own mother. I’ll trust you one more time.”
Mother Zhou’s expression softened slightly. She patted Meng Zhizhi’s shoulder and was about to send someone to the cannery with a message when, unexpectedly, Zhou Hongying happened to return. Seeing Meng Zhizhi leaning on her mother, she immediately bristled like a ruffled chicken. “Why are you leaning on my mom? Meng Zhizhi, have you no shame?”
“Get off my mom right now.”
Before Meng Zhizhi could speak, Mother Zhou glanced back at her, afraid that Meng Zhizhi might impulsively decide to leave and abandon the marriage.
She immediately scolded her most beloved youngest daughter, “Hongying, how dare you speak to your sister-in-law like that? Go to the factory and call your father back. Tell him something has happened at home, something serious.”
Zhou Hongying, scolded by her mother, found the fried dough stick in her mouth tasteless and felt somewhat wronged. But seeing her mother’s stern expression, she was deeply upset. “Yesterday you said daughters-in-law are outsiders, and today it’s your own daughter who’s the outsider.”
With that, she turned and ran off.
Mother Zhou looked embarrassed, cursing inwardly: That foolish, rebellious child, daring to say such private words out loud.
Meng Zhizhi pretended not to hear, acting as if she hadn’t noticed.
About ten minutes later.
Father Zhou hurried back from the workshop in a fluster. He worked in the cannery workshop, but he wasn’t responsible for canning—he repaired machinery instead.
So his clothes were stained with black machine oil, making him look quite disheveled.
“What’s going on?”
Meng Zhizhi was still leaning on Mother Zhou’s shoulder. Seeing her husband return, Mother Zhou finally felt she had someone to rely on.
“Two things.”
“First, Meng Zhizhi entered the wrong bridal chamber last night. This morning, she came out of the eldest son’s room.”
Father Zhou nearly choked on his breath.
“How could that happen?”
He frowned, his old face flushing red as he asked Meng Zhizhi, “Do you know who you slept with last night?”
Meng Zhizhi looked bewildered, her eyes as red as a rabbit’s. “I don’t know.”
“It was too dark to see anything.”
Her skin was pale, even revealing the bluish-purple veins beneath her eyelids, so tender it seemed as if water could be squeezed from it.
Yet she was the type who only knew how to cry when faced with trouble.
Father Zhou scratched his head, inadvertently pulling out several strands of hair.
He then glared at Mother Zhou. “I told you to be frugal, but you even hide the kerosene lamp at night, too stingy to light it. Now something big has happened, hasn’t it?”
The younger daughter-in-law slept with the eldest son.
If word got out, they’d be laughed to death.
Mother Zhou was in a difficult position, unable to voice her grievances.
How could she have known that being frugal would lead to such a mess?
How could someone enter the wrong bridal chamber on their wedding night?
It was truly the strangest thing under the sun.
Father Zhou didn’t settle scores with her just yet. He stood in place, pacing back and forth, and finally made a decision. “Call Zhao Mingzhu out and ask her who she slept with last night.”
Upon hearing this, Meng Zhizhi suddenly looked up, quite satisfied.
This was exactly in line with her goal.
She had always wanted to knock on the door next door, but given the original owner’s hostile relationship with Zhao Mingzhu, it wasn’t appropriate for her to take the initiative to look for Zhao Mingzhu.
Now that Father Zhou had brought it up, Mother Zhou said, “If I could call her out, I would have done it long ago.”
“With all the commotion outside, she’s been quiet inside and hasn’t opened the door.”
At this point, she glanced subtly at Meng Zhizhi. “I’m afraid they might have had quite a row last night too.”
“That’s why they didn’t hear anything.”
There was a deeper implication here.
It meant that Zhao Mingzhu and the second son had also consummated their marriage last night, and it had been so intense that Zhao Mingzhu was exhausted and passed out.
Father Zhou felt a headache coming on. He couldn’t very well go knock on the door himself, so he turned to Meng Zhizhi. “Xiao Meng, you go knock on the door.”
Meng Zhizhi bit her lip and remained silent, her delicate, pale face looking bewildered and innocent.
Seeing her lack of response, Father Zhou sighed and coaxed gently, “Your mother can’t get her out, and neither can I. You go. Otherwise, we won’t be able to resolve this matter today.”
Meng Zhizhi hummed in acknowledgment. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go—she was just nervous.
She was afraid to knock on that door, afraid that the person behind it wouldn’t be her best friend—Zhao Mingzhu—but the Zhao Mingzhu of this era.
If that were the case, it would mean she was the only one who had traveled to this era.
This was the outcome Meng Zhizhi could least accept.
But she also knew that whether she faced it or avoided it, the truth would come out. Only by opening the door would she know if the person inside was Zhao Mingzhu.
With this thought, Meng Zhizhi took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and tried to compose herself as best she could.
She then walked from the entrance of the east room to the west room. Looking at the peeling wooden door, she took another deep breath, raised her hand, and knocked forcefully. “Zhao Mingzhu, it’s Meng Zhizhi. Come out here.”
Whether the person inside was her best friend Zhao Mingzhu or not, the other party would surely come out upon hearing this.
Zhao Mingzhu cared about Meng Zhizhi.
Similarly, her rival Zhao Mingzhu hated Meng Zhizhi.
Whether it was the former or the latter, upon hearing the name “Meng Zhizhi,” she should come out.
However, to Meng Zhizhi’s disappointment, after she knocked and called out, there was still no movement inside.
This wasn’t right.
After all, they had been making noise outside the door for nearly half an hour early in the morning. Not to mention, Mother Zhou had been shouting outside for quite some time earlier.
At this thought, Meng Zhizhi had only one idea.
—Something must have happened to the person inside.
“Break the door down!”
She quickly made a decision and said to Father Zhou, “Call a few strong men over to break the door down!”
Only by forcing the door open could they find out what was happening inside.
Father Zhou also sensed something was wrong. He nodded and called over the neighbor from the courtyard, He Dazhuang. “Dazhuang, come and break the door down.”
He Dazhuang hesitated. “Uncle Zhou, if I break the door down, you won’t try to make me pay for it, will you?”
Hearing this, Meng Zhizhi sighed softly, thinking to herself, What kind of family have I married into?
Of course, this was also a good thing.
If she had married into a decent family, all her scheming would have nowhere to go.
Father Zhou was also speechless. “Your Uncle Zhou isn’t that kind of person. Go ahead and break it down without worry. Besides, there are so many witnesses here—no one will make you pay.”
With that reassurance, He Dazhuang rolled up his sleeves and began ramming the wooden door with all his might.
After three forceful impacts, the door crashed open with a bang, falling to the ground.
The scene inside was revealed.
Lying quietly on the bed was Zhao Mingzhu.
When Meng Zhizhi saw the motionless figure on the bed, her heart skipped a beat. She rushed over in a few quick steps, checking under Zhao Mingzhu’s nose—there was still breath.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she whispered, “Zhao Mingzhu? Are you okay?”
Afraid the onlookers might notice something amiss, Meng Zhizhi pounded the bed frame loudly, her eyes reddening. “If you die, what will happen to my betrothal gifts?”
The noise and the familiar voice made Zhao Mingzhu’s eyes snap open.
In the next moment, their gazes met.
Zhao Mingzhu’s stunning face held a hint of uncertainty as her red lips parted slightly. “How er you?”