Chapter 1145: Chapter 1143: Playing the Villain
Old Lady Zhou watched as Madam Zhou dismissed the maid, her demeanor becoming more and more like that of the madam of the house. She saw her sipping tea slowly, sitting upright and dignified, and then said, "You now have quite the bearing of a madam of the house!"
Just that discerning gaze and quick wit already sets you apart from others.
Madam Zhou was slightly stunned: "Mother..."
Old Lady Zhou didnât intend to press on, she merely lowered her eyelids and asked, "You just said Wu Lihong has returned, what are you planning to do?"
Madam Zhou felt a slight stir in her mind, pursed her lips, and said, "That is one reason why I came to visit you today. Wufu is now doing business in Changan and has said he wants to settle there, calling for someone to take me over. I donât know when I will get the chance to come back again, so before setting off, I came to visit you."
Old Lady Zhou was taken aback: "Youâre going to Changan? You wonât come back?"
Madam Zhou nodded, saying, "The departure date has been set for May 26."
Upon hearing this, Old Lady Zhou counted with her fingers and realized that there were only a few days left.
"Going to Changan, do you intend to take Wufu to that manâs family?"
Madam Zhouâs fingers slightly trembled, she hung her head, and after a long pause said, "I..."
"Have you thought about your own and your daughterâs social status when you rejoin that family?" Old Lady Zhou looked at her piercingly, "That man is already married. Iâve heard that he has several children? In such a family, you would only be a young wife, your daughter, a concubine-born daughter."
Madam Zhouâs complexion paled a bit, and she said, "I know."
"You know, and yet you still want to go?" Old Lady Zhou said harshly, "I wonât say much, but you, mother and daughter, lack nothing now; you have food, drink, land, possessions, and you run your own household. Yet you insist on going to be subservient to others, dragging your daughter down to a lower stature?"
This series of questions almost caused Madam Zhou to lose her composure. Her tea cup nearly slipped from her hand, her face turning ashen as she looked at Old Lady Zhou, seemingly recalling her strictness and harshness from childhood. Her body slightly trembled.
That was fear.
Upon seeing this, Old Lady Zhouâs eyes flashed with a trace of displeasure, suppressing her anger, she said, "If that person even had a heart, he wouldnât have stayed away for years. I said it a long time ago, you insisted on waiting, and what has that waiting brought you now? Is that man so good that you forgo your pride and dignity just to linger after him?"
"Do you know what a legitimate wife is? She is the respected one. In her presence, no matter how noble others are, they are merely concubines, and beneath her, lesser concubines even have their life and death determined by her. Zhou Meiniang, why must you?" Old Lady Zhou said, "At your age now, the wealth you can enjoy is enough to last you till old age, and you certainly wonât be without a final resting place. Why do you subject yourself to this, dragging your daughter down too?"
Madam Zhouâs tears streamed down, and she caressed her belly, saying, "Mother, I have another child here, I canât let him be born without a good name like his sister was."
Old Lady Zhou glanced at her belly and said blandly, "If you really donât want it, there are plenty of ways to not have it."
Madam Zhouâs expression changed drastically, her hands clutching her belly tightly as she looked at Old Lady Zhou with vigilance; she remembered this was exactly what she had said years ago.
Old Lady Zhou saw this and mockingly smirked, "Look at you, even as a noble lady you remain stubbornly protective just as you were back then. Fine, Iâll be the villain, you just consider I canât stand to see you doing well, wasted words."
Madam Zhouâs lips trembled, wanting to say something but unable to, only crying repeatedly.