Chapter 555: Chapter 555 Old Lady Zhou Scolds Her Son
Old Lady Zhou finally calmed down with her youngest sonâs comforting, only to look coldly at Zhou Xuennian and Madam Lu, who was pretending to be submissive behind him.
If Old Lady Zhouâs gaze towards Zhou Xuennian was one of disappointment, then the look she gave Madam Lu was as if it was laced with poison.
Feeling inexplicably guilty and scared by her mother-in-lawâs gaze, Madam Lu swallowed hard and dared not speak.
"Mother..."
"Where have you been?" Old Lady Zhou coldly asked.
Zhou Xuennianâs gaze flickered as he said, "Mother, didnât we just come back from Madam Luâs family home?"
"Did you come back from the Lu Family or from the county?" Old Lady Zhou scoffed.
Zhou Xuennian felt a jolt of alarm and his face showed his discomfort.
"Mother, what are you talking about, we..." Madam Lu began in haste.
"Shut your mouth!" Old Lady Zhou stopped her coldly. "If you speak again, Iâm afraid I wonât be able to resist writing a divorce letter on behalf of your eldest brother to send you back to the Lu Family!"
"Mother!" Both husband and wife were shocked. A divorce letter?
Madam Lu immediately began to make a scene, wailing loudly, "Mother, what did I do wrong? You treat me this way when I have borne two sons for the Old Zhou family..."
"Silence!" Zhou Xueli shouted furiously.
Madam Luâs rant was abruptly cut off, and she began to fake cry, "Husband, I canât live through this. They say an elder sister-in-law is like a mother; I donât expect my younger brother-in-law to regard me as one, but I am still your legitimately wedded wife. How can he dare to be fierce with me!"
Zhou Xuennianâs expression soured as he turned to Zhou Xueli, "Apologize to your sister-in-law."
Zhou Xueli returned the look, "She doesnât deserve it!"
"Zhou Xueli, you..."
"If you, my big brother, want to see your wife anger our mother to death, let her continue spewing garbage!" Zhou Xueli stared down Madam Lu fiercely. "If she really causes anything to happen to our mother, I will fight with my life to make her pay!"
Madam Lu, frightened by his ferocious look, stepped back two steps, hiding behind Zhou Xuennian.
Zhou Xuennian, feeling humiliated, pursed his lips into a straight line.
Seeing Madam Lu intimidated by her youngest son, Old Lady Zhou was somewhat pacified. She looked at Zhou Xuennian, her eyes full of disappointment, "Iâm asking you, did you go to the county? To that home?"
Zhou Xuennian opened his mouth.
"So itâs true. You lied to me saying you were going to the Yue Family to give gifts. Ha, eldest son, do you think your mother has become senile?" Old Lady Zhou said, laughing blankly.
Since there was no rounding it out, Zhou Xuennian stopped hiding the truth, "Mother, with the New Year approaching, Ying Mei hadnât sent any New Yearâs gifts, so we went to deliver ours."
"Was it to give New Yearâs gifts or to beg for fortune? You know very well!" Old Lady Zhou pointed out bluntly without mincing words.
Zhou Xuennianâs face flushed red with embarrassment; the phrase "beg for fortune" deeply wounded his pride as a scholar.
"Mother, how can you say that? We and Ying Mei are, after all, relatives. Thereâs nothing wrong with keeping in touch," Madam Lu couldnât help but retort.
"Relatives? You dare claim that!" Old Lady Zhou sneered. "It was you, wasnât it? You, the greedy, oblivious wife who encouraged your husband to go there, right?"
"Mother!"
"Silence!" Old Lady Zhou interrupted Zhou Xuennian, "The true nature of both of you, I, this old bag of bones, can see it clear as day. You simply coveted their wealth, and thatâs why you have this so-called idea of relatives needing to keep in touch, donât you?"
Zhou Xuennian was extremely embarrassed. Before he could refute, Old Lady Zhou spoke again, her voice dripping with scorn, "You want to beg for fortune, and thatâs fine. But eldest son, let me tell you, do you not know what deal we struck with Wufu for you to get out of the big jail?"