Luo Erfen peeked over again, unable to believe her eyes.
Shen Zhaozhao quickly wiped her mouth, then stared intently at her book with a perfectly straight face—
“Hello… how are you… thank you…”
Luo Erfen pursed her lips in displeasure, yet found nothing to say. She could only vent her frustration by glaring fiercely at Gu Shichuan, looking utterly disappointed in him.
“Wasting your days doing nothing—what’s the point of learning English? You’re never going abroad anyway.”
“—Forget going abroad, you can’t even leave this village now! You finally got into the army, but within two years you came back injured, lazing around at home like some useless good-for-nothing.”
“We can’t count on you for anything around the house, and now you’re…”
Luo Erfen had meant to scold Shen Zhaozhao too, but caught herself and twisted her words at the last second.
“…and now you’re fooling around with this female educated youth!”
“Learning English just for someone like her? Where was this dedication for anything else?”
“And is she even worth all this trouble? If you’re so eager to put in effort, you’d be better off finding someone else—someone who can work hard and help out at home.”
“You’re already injured and can’t contribute to the family. Are we supposed to let you marry a wife who just eats and lazes about too?”
“We’re your parents, not your personal bank! We can’t support you and your wife for the rest of your lives! You can’t do a single useful thing, you only bring us heartache!”
“I don’t know what they taught you in the army—you didn’t pick up a single good trait, but your taste has gotten worse and worse!”
Not once did Luo Erfen utter Shen Zhaozhao’s name, yet every word dripped with sarcasm aimed right at her.
Gu Shichuan had come back injured, unable to do a thing, lying around home all day—and that was already testing her patience. If Shen Zhaozhao stayed too, she’d go mad!
Shen Zhaozhao listened to the exchange outside and couldn’t help letting out a cold laugh to herself.
This Luo Erfen had never liked the original body. She’d always thought the girl was lazy, unwilling to work, and not hardworking enough to be the kind of daughter-in-law she wanted.
And Luo Erfen’s idea of a “good daughter-in-law”? Someone who saw nothing but chores from dawn till dusk—waiting on her husband, serving her parents-in-law, meek and obedient, never daring to speak up.
If her mother-in-law had a bad day and yelled or hit her, she couldn’t show a single hint of displeasure—she had to be like an old ox, bearing everything without complaint.
Oh, and she couldn’t be too pretty either.
Anyone as young, fair-skinned, and well-figured as Shen Zhaozhao was just a “troublesome seductress” in Luo Erfen’s eyes.
Shen Zhaozhao rolled her eyes.
If you asked her, she wasn’t looking for a daughter-in-law—she was looking for an unpaid servant from the old days!
Luo Erfen didn’t approve of her as a daughter-in-law? Well, she didn’t approve of this sharp-tongued mother-in-law either!
What age was this? Who did she think she was, trying to treat her daughter-in-law like a slave?
Pfft! No one’s going to be your obedient servant!
Luo Erfen called the original body “empty-headed and unruly”—but “unruly” just meant she wasn’t easy to control.
Who said a daughter-in-law had to be a puppet her mother-in-law could beat, scold, and manipulate however she liked?
A woman should love herself first!
Shen Zhaozhao cleared her throat and spoke up louder.
“Ugly! Nasty! Disgusting!”
Luo Erfen frowned.
“What nonsense is she jabbering about?”
Gu Shichuan’s lips twitched faintly, but he turned his head, expression unchanged.
“She’s saying how kind you are.”
Shen Zhaozhao burst out laughing, quickly hiding her face behind her book.
Luo Erfen had been about to say more, but at the thought of Shen Zhaozhao praising her, she pressed her lips shut and held her tongue.
“At least she knows how to speak properly.”
Shen Zhaozhao’s face ached from holding in her laughter.
The neighbors standing at the door didn’t understand a word either—they just looked at one another in confusion.
Had Shen Zhaozhao really changed?
Could she have truly fallen for Gu Shichuan and turned over a new leaf for love?
Seeing Luo Erfen’s mood lighten a little, Gu Guanghui let out a quiet sigh of relief. Putting on his authority as village chief, he waved a hand.
“Alright, alright—nothing more to see here. Everyone go home now, don’t keep the two of them from talking about their marriage and studying.”
Finding there really was nothing more to watch, the crowd drifted away, a little disappointed.
Luo Erfen waited until everyone was gone, then immediately ordered Gu Guanghui to close the door.
The moment she turned back, her face clouded over—dark enough to drip with rain.
She ground her teeth, glaring at the door to the east room.
“Still hiding in there? Come out right now!”
As if they’d been pressed against the door listening the whole time, the brand-new wooden door swung open from the inside the moment she spoke. Fu Shixuan stepped out first.
Wang Yurou followed behind him, her cheeks flushed pink.
She glanced around nervously, then bit her lip shyly, fingers clutching the edge of Fu Shixuan’s sleeve—her face burning brighter, looking every bit the bashful young woman.
Anyone could tell exactly what had happened last night.
Luo Erfen’s already unpleasant expression darkened even further.
She looked at Fu Shixuan with some restraint, but when her gaze fell on Wang Yurou, it was sharp enough to cut flesh.
Her voice turned cold and biting: “What exactly did you do to Shixuan last night? Tell me the truth!”
Shen Zhaozhao stepped out of the room too, glancing between the two of them.
Watching Luo Erfen demand answers with such fury, anyone would think she was Wang Yurou’s own mother-in-law.
Wang Yurou jumped in shock—she hadn’t expected such a strong reaction.
She stammered, unable to think of what to say, frowning helplessly.
Luo Erfen’s anger flared higher. She stepped forward, hands planted firmly on her hips, and asked outright.
“Did you slip breeding medicine to Shixuan?!”
This was far beyond anything Wang Yurou had prepared for.
Realizing things were going badly, she blinked rapidly and pointed straight at Shen Zhaozhao.
“It was Shen Zhaozhao! She’s the one who did it!”
“I saw her hiding that medicine yesterday! As for what happened last night… I don’t remember anything clearly at all.”
“All I know… is that I woke up in Shixuan’s room.”
Her shy look vanished in an instant, replaced by one of deep shame and hurt. She hung her head, biting her lip pitifully.
“Aunt Luo, you know me—I’ve always been proper, never daring to covet anything that isn’t mine.”
“Shixuan is wonderful, I know that—but I also know we’re going back to the city soon. Once we do, our lives will be worlds apart.”
“I could never be good enough for him. I’d already given up on this thought… I never imagined… never imagined…”
Tears glistened in her eyes. She glanced up at Fu Shixuan timidly, then quickly bowed her head and covered her face, sobbing softly.
Shen Zhaozhao’s jaw tightened.
Wow—what a pair of actors!
Fu Shixuan looked at Shen Zhaozhao, his expression more conflicted than she’d ever seen it.
He closed his eyes for a moment.
When he opened them again, his lips pressed into a thin line. After a long pause, he spoke in a low, heavy voice.