Li Shi felt a chill on her back, and she always felt bad. She took a peek at her mother and said, “Fourth Wang agreed but Wang Ru will give the Wang family twenty taels of silver every month. My dear, Twenty taels a month, two hundred and forty taels a year, Wang Ru is too rich.”
Zhao Shi interjected, “Wang Ru didn’t agree, sister-in-law, just tell us the result!”
The more she got to know her, the more she knew. She was someone who didn’t like to listen to nonsense!
Li Shi didn’t dare to fight against Zhao Shi anymore, she had just offended her mother, “Wang Ru gave them two hundred taels of silver at once and a set of gold jewelry to Sun Shi. Fourth Wang agreed, and Wang Ru moved to Qian’s house. She will wait until Wang Ru’s new house is ready before moving out.”
Zhulan said coolly: “Wang Ru is so cruel!”
Li Shi didn’t understand, “Mother, why is Wang Ru so cruel?”
She obviously gave a large sum of money. Yes, there was also gold jewelry. She had no use for any gold jewelry. It was time for Sun Shi to show off to the whole village!
Zhao Shi, who had experienced natural disasters and had to flee, had a deep understanding of human nature. Her heart tightened as she said, “Wang Ru has severed ties with Fourth Wang’s family. Without the protection of Shi Gongzi, and being expelled from their own clan, local thieves will surely target Fourth Wang’s house. Wang Ru openly gave him two hundred taels in front of everyone. There are only a few families in the village that can save a hundred taels of silver. This money is going to bring trouble!”
Li Shi understood and added, “Wang Ru is too ruthless, and she’s probably planning something even worse.”
Zhulan noticed that Li Shi had become more cautious and warned her, “In the future, be more discerning. People have their own motives, and you never know if someone is trying to deceive you. Don’t end up being harmed without realizing it.”
Li Shi had long realized that she was not a smart person, but this time she was really frightened, how could such a small child be so cruel, she shrank and said, “Mom, I will remember.”
Zhulan was satisfied, and said quietly: “I’m afraid that someone will not just think about stealing money.”
Zhao Shi felt a sudden tension in her heart and said, “I’m afraid someone might take advantage of the situation. Wang Ru’s eldest daughter has been raised for almost a year, and she’s grown up. Though she might not be exceptionally pretty, with the right clothing and grooming, she can be quite pleasant. If she’s taken advantage of, her life could be ruined forever.”
Li Shi shivered. There was a girl in her natal village who was taken advantage of by a scoundrel. The scoundrel came to the door and made a fuss. This family wanted to save the whole family. For the reputation of the family, the girl was cruelly drowned in the river. She was only six years old at the time, and she had nightmares for a long time, “Wang Ru is willing to sacrifice her two sisters for her own benefit.”
Zhulan was very ashamed of Wang Ru, this was too selfish and cruel.
At noon, Zhou Shuren came back, bringing back not just a visiting gift, but also brought back a baggage. Zhulan was very curious, “What’s inside?”
Zhou Shuren was a little flattered, “Guess.”
Zhulan looked at the shape of the baggage carefully, “Clothes?”
Zhou Shuren knew that he couldn’t hide it from Zhulan, so he neatly opened the bag, “Aren’t you coming with me for this visit? I passed by a clothing store and saw this outfit at a glance. It must be suitable for you, so I bought it. Why don’t you try it on?”
Zhulan looked at the dark blue dress. The pattern was embroidered with yellow embroidery thread, which was the finishing touch. The clothes looked less dull. Zhulan liked it at first sight and hugged her. “I’ll put it on for you to see.”
Zhou Shuren sat outside and waited, looking expectantly at the bedroom door. After waiting for two minutes, Zhulan came out of the room. Zhou Shuren’s eyes were filled with surprise. He had long discovered that Zhulan was particularly suitable for the color blue. He never expected that it would be so suitable. Staring at Zhulan’s face, he had been raising Zhulan for almost a year and she was getting younger and younger, especially after the cows at home had milk for their calves. Not only did she use milk to wash her face, but she also used milk to bathe now and then. Her skin was very smooth and tender.
He still remembered that when he first came here, Zhulan’s face was sallow, her hair was dry, and her skin was very rough. She didn’t look like she was thirty-six years old, but she looked like she was in her forties.
Now Zhulan has silky hair, smooth skin, and a layer of powder. She looks like a woman in her early thirties. The change was really not small. If it weren’t for Wang Ru, Zhulan wouldn’t have to disguise herself every day. Zhulan would have become famous in the village for her beauty a long time ago.
Zhulan was embarrassed to be looked at by Zhou Shuren, and Zhou Shuren’s gaze was too hot. “Are you going to stare at me forever?”
Zhou Shuren smiled, “I can’t see you enough in my life.”
Zhulan suppressed her laughter and turned around, ” How is it? Does it look good?”
Zhou Shuren’s eyes were full of admiration, “It looks good, this dress seems to be specially made for you.”
Zhulan originally prepared clothes for the visit, but now she had something more suitable, and she also was someone who loved to dress beautifully. She smiled and said, “Then I’ll wear this outfit the day after tomorrow.”
Zhou Shuren said, “Okay.”
Zhulan went back and changed her clothes to avoid them getting dirty and not looking the same after washing.
Zhou Shuren followed her into the house and saw Zhulan change her clothes and sat meditating, “What are you thinking about?”
Zhulan expressed her concerns about the potential misery that Wang Ru’s adoption and the fate of the two Wang family girls could lead to. She said, “I can’t be as heartless as Wang Ru. In ancient times, for women, losing their virtue was more terrifying than death. I’m not a saint; I’m just a modern person, and I can’t help feeling upset about it.”
In her eyes, Wang Ru was not the original child, and it was Wang Ru’s own actions that led to her fate. Even if Wang Ru made her own life miserable, Zhulan wouldn’t be affected by it. However, the two other girls were too young, equivalent to junior high school students in modern times. Considering the news of various violations against women in modern times, Zhulan felt even more uncomfortable. Regardless of the era, the treatment of women was often harsh.
Seeing Zhulan staring at him, Zhou Shuren felt soft in his heart. He was a hard-hearted person. The environment had created him. His heart was small. Only those who fell into his heart were the people he cared for and was happy for them. Others, he really didn’t care. Zhulan always had goodwill in her heart, “What do you want to tell me?”
Zhulan acknowledged that she couldn’t hide anything from Zhou Shuren and playfully poked his finger, saying, “I just wanted to give you a little reminder. You see, both of us are irritated by Wang Ru, and it’s frustrating to watch her dance in front of our eyes due to her vulnerability. Now, why not give a heads-up to the two Wang family girls? Wang Erya is quite clever and will naturally keep Wang Ru in check. With someone caring for her, Wang Ru might also behave more honestly. You see, you can kill two birds with one stone. How about it?”
Zhou Shuren pinched Zhulan’s nose, his eyes full of doting. This will really kill two birds with one stone, “I will remind them quietly and won’t expose us.”
Zhulan hugged Zhou Shuren’s arm, “Then I will leave this to you.”
Zhou Shuren sought his own benefits and touched Zhulan’s skin with his fingertips, marveling at how soft it was. He wasn’t even willing to touch her with his rough hands. Feeling a bit depressed, he realized that if it weren’t for his beard covering his face, Zhulan, who took good care of herself, would look significantly younger than him even from a facial perspective. He decided that he also needed to take care of his skin!
The next morning, Zhou Shuren went out and came back quickly. He came back and told Zhulan, “It’s done.”
Zhulan was curious, “How did you do it?”
Zhou Shuren raised an eyebrow and explained, “It was simple. I paid a visit to the clan leader’s house and engaged in some casual conversation. During the lively evening, the clan leader brought up Wang Ru’s visit to set up a female household for Shuli, and the offer was ten taels as a benefit. The clan leader’s wife happened to be present, and she commented on Wang Ru’s cruelty. I casually mentioned that the reputation of Zhoujia Village should not be tarnished. Seeing that the younger generation of the family was about to get involved, the overall reputation of the village was very important. It’s better not to let a small problem affect it. The clan leader’s wife hurriedly went out.”
Zhulan praised Zhou Shuren’s clever approach, noting that even those who were present wouldn’t suspect him of being the mastermind. He had effectively portrayed the situation as a matter of righteousness. The head of the clan not only held the position of the Zhou family’s clan leader but also had a son in an influential role. If any issues arose, the clan leader’s family would still be held responsible, and it could lead to a messy situation. It was better to cut off the problem at the source, and Zhulan commended Zhou Shuren, saying, “Well done.”
Zhou Shuren rejoiced, “Just wait and watch the show!”
Li Shi felt a chill on her back, and she always felt bad. She took a peek at her mother and said, “Fourth Wang agreed but Wang Ru will give the Wang family twenty taels of silver every month. My dear, Twenty taels a month, two hundred and forty taels a year, Wang Ru is too rich.”
Zhao Shi interjected, “Wang Ru didn’t agree, sister-in-law, just tell us the result!”
The more she got to know her, the more she knew. She was someone who didn’t like to listen to nonsense!
Li Shi didn’t dare to fight against Zhao Shi anymore, she had just offended her mother, “Wang Ru gave them two hundred taels of silver at once and a set of gold jewelry to Sun Shi. Fourth Wang agreed, and Wang Ru moved to Qian’s house. She will wait until Wang Ru’s new house is ready before moving out.”
Zhulan said coolly: “Wang Ru is so cruel!”
Li Shi didn’t understand, “Mother, why is Wang Ru so cruel?”
She obviously gave a large sum of money. Yes, there was also gold jewelry. She had no use for any gold jewelry. It was time for Sun Shi to show off to the whole village!
Zhao Shi, who had experienced natural disasters and had to flee, had a deep understanding of human nature. Her heart tightened as she said, “Wang Ru has severed ties with Fourth Wang’s family. Without the protection of Shi Gongzi, and being expelled from their own clan, local thieves will surely target Fourth Wang’s house. Wang Ru openly gave him two hundred taels in front of everyone. There are only a few families in the village that can save a hundred taels of silver. This money is going to bring trouble!”
Li Shi understood and added, “Wang Ru is too ruthless, and she’s probably planning something even worse.”
Zhulan noticed that Li Shi had become more cautious and warned her, “In the future, be more discerning. People have their own motives, and you never know if someone is trying to deceive you. Don’t end up being harmed without realizing it.”
Li Shi had long realized that she was not a smart person, but this time she was really frightened, how could such a small child be so cruel, she shrank and said, “Mom, I will remember.”
Zhulan was satisfied, and said quietly: “I’m afraid that someone will not just think about stealing money.”
Zhao Shi felt a sudden tension in her heart and said, “I’m afraid someone might take advantage of the situation. Wang Ru’s eldest daughter has been raised for almost a year, and she’s grown up. Though she might not be exceptionally pretty, with the right clothing and grooming, she can be quite pleasant. If she’s taken advantage of, her life could be ruined forever.”
Li Shi shivered. There was a girl in her natal village who was taken advantage of by a scoundrel. The scoundrel came to the door and made a fuss. This family wanted to save the whole family. For the reputation of the family, the girl was cruelly drowned in the river. She was only six years old at the time, and she had nightmares for a long time, “Wang Ru is willing to sacrifice her two sisters for her own benefit.”
Zhulan was very ashamed of Wang Ru, this was too selfish and cruel.
At noon, Zhou Shuren came back, bringing back not just a visiting gift, but also brought back a baggage. Zhulan was very curious, “What’s inside?”
Zhou Shuren was a little flattered, “Guess.”
Zhulan looked at the shape of the baggage carefully, “Clothes?”
Zhou Shuren knew that he couldn’t hide it from Zhulan, so he neatly opened the bag, “Aren’t you coming with me for this visit? I passed by a clothing store and saw this outfit at a glance. It must be suitable for you, so I bought it. Why don’t you try it on?”
Zhulan looked at the dark blue dress. The pattern was embroidered with yellow embroidery thread, which was the finishing touch. The clothes looked less dull. Zhulan liked it at first sight and hugged her. “I’ll put it on for you to see.”
Zhou Shuren sat outside and waited, looking expectantly at the bedroom door. After waiting for two minutes, Zhulan came out of the room. Zhou Shuren’s eyes were filled with surprise. He had long discovered that Zhulan was particularly suitable for the color blue. He never expected that it would be so suitable. Staring at Zhulan’s face, he had been raising Zhulan for almost a year and she was getting younger and younger, especially after the cows at home had milk for their calves. Not only did she use milk to wash her face, but she also used milk to bathe now and then. Her skin was very smooth and tender.
He still remembered that when he first came here, Zhulan’s face was sallow, her hair was dry, and her skin was very rough. She didn’t look like she was thirty-six years old, but she looked like she was in her forties.
Now Zhulan has silky hair, smooth skin, and a layer of powder. She looks like a woman in her early thirties. The change was really not small. If it weren’t for Wang Ru, Zhulan wouldn’t have to disguise herself every day. Zhulan would have become famous in the village for her beauty a long time ago.
Zhulan was embarrassed to be looked at by Zhou Shuren, and Zhou Shuren’s gaze was too hot. “Are you going to stare at me forever?”
Zhou Shuren smiled, “I can’t see you enough in my life.”
Zhulan suppressed her laughter and turned around, ” How is it? Does it look good?”
Zhou Shuren’s eyes were full of admiration, “It looks good, this dress seems to be specially made for you.”
Zhulan originally prepared clothes for the visit, but now she had something more suitable, and she also was someone who loved to dress beautifully. She smiled and said, “Then I’ll wear this outfit the day after tomorrow.”
Zhou Shuren said, “Okay.”
Zhulan went back and changed her clothes to avoid them getting dirty and not looking the same after washing.
Zhou Shuren followed her into the house and saw Zhulan change her clothes and sat meditating, “What are you thinking about?”
Zhulan expressed her concerns about the potential misery that Wang Ru’s adoption and the fate of the two Wang family girls could lead to. She said, “I can’t be as heartless as Wang Ru. In ancient times, for women, losing their virtue was more terrifying than death. I’m not a saint; I’m just a modern person, and I can’t help feeling upset about it.”
In her eyes, Wang Ru was not the original child, and it was Wang Ru’s own actions that led to her fate. Even if Wang Ru made her own life miserable, Zhulan wouldn’t be affected by it. However, the two other girls were too young, equivalent to junior high school students in modern times. Considering the news of various violations against women in modern times, Zhulan felt even more uncomfortable. Regardless of the era, the treatment of women was often harsh.
Seeing Zhulan staring at him, Zhou Shuren felt soft in his heart. He was a hard-hearted person. The environment had created him. His heart was small. Only those who fell into his heart were the people he cared for and was happy for them. Others, he really didn’t care. Zhulan always had goodwill in her heart, “What do you want to tell me?”
Zhulan acknowledged that she couldn’t hide anything from Zhou Shuren and playfully poked his finger, saying, “I just wanted to give you a little reminder. You see, both of us are irritated by Wang Ru, and it’s frustrating to watch her dance in front of our eyes due to her vulnerability. Now, why not give a heads-up to the two Wang family girls? Wang Erya is quite clever and will naturally keep Wang Ru in check. With someone caring for her, Wang Ru might also behave more honestly. You see, you can kill two birds with one stone. How about it?”
Zhou Shuren pinched Zhulan’s nose, his eyes full of doting. This will really kill two birds with one stone, “I will remind them quietly and won’t expose us.”
Zhulan hugged Zhou Shuren’s arm, “Then I will leave this to you.”
Zhou Shuren sought his own benefits and touched Zhulan’s skin with his fingertips, marveling at how soft it was. He wasn’t even willing to touch her with his rough hands. Feeling a bit depressed, he realized that if it weren’t for his beard covering his face, Zhulan, who took good care of herself, would look significantly younger than him even from a facial perspective. He decided that he also needed to take care of his skin!
The next morning, Zhou Shuren went out and came back quickly. He came back and told Zhulan, “It’s done.”
Zhulan was curious, “How did you do it?”
Zhou Shuren raised an eyebrow and explained, “It was simple. I paid a visit to the clan leader’s house and engaged in some casual conversation. During the lively evening, the clan leader brought up Wang Ru’s visit to set up a female household for Shuli, and the offer was ten taels as a benefit. The clan leader’s wife happened to be present, and she commented on Wang Ru’s cruelty. I casually mentioned that the reputation of Zhoujia Village should not be tarnished. Seeing that the younger generation of the family was about to get involved, the overall reputation of the village was very important. It’s better not to let a small problem affect it. The clan leader’s wife hurriedly went out.”
Zhulan praised Zhou Shuren’s clever approach, noting that even those who were present wouldn’t suspect him of being the mastermind. He had effectively portrayed the situation as a matter of righteousness. The head of the clan not only held the position of the Zhou family’s clan leader but also had a son in an influential role. If any issues arose, the clan leader’s family would still be held responsible, and it could lead to a messy situation. It was better to cut off the problem at the source, and Zhulan commended Zhou Shuren, saying, “Well done.”
Zhou Shuren rejoiced, “Just wait and watch the show!”
