Chapter 442: Chapter 441: She Debases Herself—Why Should I Let It Go?
"Miss Shen!"
Ms. Ge exclaimed in shock, hurrying forward to stop her.
"We can talk this out, why resort to violence?"
"Talk it out?"
Shen Hua wore a cold sneer.
"I’m not asking for your sympathy towards my plight, but you treat it as a laughingstock, all for a moment’s satisfaction in banter. She debases herself; why should I overlook it?"
She grabbed Zhou Zhizhi by the hair and yanked backward, forcing her to look up.
Zhou Zhizhi’s eyes welled with tears from the pain, yet she dared not struggle too fiercely for fear of harming her pregnancy.
After marriage, she merely carried the title of a Scholar’s wife, which might seem glorious, but in reality, her life was far from satisfactory.
Her mother-in-law was fierce, and while He Chu was at school, he couldn’t wait to impose rules on her daily. When He Chu returned home, he would closely monitor his wife’s conduct with him. Any instance of light-hearted teasing would invite accusations that she shamelessly clung to her young man, hindering his studies.
How could she not feel aggrieved?
Yet He Chu never took action.
— My father passed away early, and Mama struggled to bring me up; it has not been easy for her. She simply wishes for me to become a scholar to bring honor to our family name. Zhi Niang, as a daughter-in-law, you should not quarrel with her.
No matter what she did, her mother-in-law would always find fault.
Not to mention, without the Shen Family’s aid, the expenses of books and study materials, and the ’shiuxiu’ fee charged to fathers and sons, all required money. After marrying her, the He Family became even poorer.
— Chu Lang, many of your classmates scribe articles at bookshops to support their families; perhaps you could...
She was quickly shushed by Mrs. He.
— Shut your mouth! You’re so shortsighted; Chu will become a high-ranking official in the future. How can his writings be distributed casually?
All scholars from a poor family endure hardship, even Magistrate Wang did in his youth. Why can he, but He Chu cannot?
She and Mrs. He washing and ironing clothes together—how much could they earn?
She wished He Chu could step down to earth, yet He Chu looked at her with difficulty.
— Mama makes a good point. Zhi Niang, you and Mama will have to endure the hardship for now.
It was just a few months ago during the father’s longevity celebration, when her mother-in-law rummaged through the basket of meat and vegetables she prepared, deeply afraid she would play the thief and embezzle silver for her maternal family.
How could Zhou Zhizhi not feel resentful? Yet, she longed more than anyone for He Chu to succeed, as she would become the scholar’s wife.
Moreover, He Chu was someone she had snatched from Shen Hua’s hands. After becoming pregnant, her mother-in-law finally showed kindness, indulging her with good food and drink, reluctant to let her do heavy chores.
She, Zhou Zhizhi, was the happiest girl in the world!
"Miss Shen, I am already married to Chu Lang, and even if you are jealous of me, I accept it. I know you hold a grudge against me, but you mustn’t resort to violence."
Shen Hua pressed her against the wall.
"Xiaoqi, go fetch Doctor Ni."
Her voice was cold: "I despise you. I said I would kick you, and I will—no going back on my word. But I am also kind-hearted; I cannot harm an innocent child. Rest assured, with Doctor Ni present, his medical skills will ensure you won’t miscarry."
Zhou Zhizhi looked pitiful.
"Shen Hua! Don’t you overdo it!"
The ladies, who had recently been flattering Ms. Ge, now looked at each other, but none of them moved. Anyone who could be here possessed similar cunning. Some of them had even been upbraided by Shen Hua themselves when they previously tried to intervene; who would dare step forward and invite trouble?
They still remembered the little girl with the rosy lips and white teeth, beautiful and delicate, yet she offended others with her upturned chin.
— Hey, I’m giving you a chance. Slap yourselves. The one who slaps the loudest, I will spare.
Yet Ms. Ge had no choice but to intervene, despite her reluctance.
"It’s because you were not virtuous enough that my cousin broke off the engagement. Miss Shen, one should reflect on oneself instead of finding fault with my cousin. How does this make sense?"
"Losing a marital match is due to your own incompetence."
"Even if her previous words were inappropriate, it was all out of consideration for you."
"Pah!"
Zheng Qianyu spat out disdainfully.
"Just as expected of cousins, a nest of unruly women. Shen Hua isn’t even your ancestor, why should you be beholden to her?"
She blocked Ms. Ge’s path and heavily jabbed a finger towards her chest.
"When she left Fengzhou, Zhou Zhizhi, that scoundrel, was quick to say that Shen Hua had no shame, and ran off with a man. Now that she’s back, I certainly don’t believe her lips haven’t been touched by any talk of being discarded by a noble."
"Your petty households have to save for ages just to buy a hairpin, and with a mere lift of her hand, Shen Hua could take over an entire shop, hence, you’ve long harbored dissatisfaction towards her."
"And this talk of noble family lineage and talent. It’s nothing but clinging to cultured elegance to feign loftiness, I say she’s no different from the common women in the street market."
"If Zhou Zhizhi is not a good woman, what good are you then!"
Zheng Qianyu had long wanted to get these words off her chest.
Ms. Ge kept retreating until she nearly stumbled and fell.
Yet Shen Hua just smiled, the amusement in her eyes extremely faint.
She watched the Little White Lotus before her with savoring eyes.
"Zhou Zhizhi, do you still find joy in using those tattered things you’ve picked up?"
The girl spoke with a tone of pity.
"Look at your skirt, washed until it’s almost turned white. Life must be hard for you, and no wonder. Mrs. He is stingy and venomous, driven by self-interest. A mere scholar’s wife, yet she parades around as the mother of an official, looking down on others with slanted eyes. Under her thumb, how could your life not be wasted away?"
She sneered lightly.
"You never did rough work even when you were in the boudoir. Now that you’re married, your hands are covered with calluses."
"Don’t you dare sow discord."
Zhou Zhizhi felt like her scalp was being ripped off.
Tears of grievance fell from her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly, stirring pity in anyone’s heart.
She remembered what her mother-in-law and He Chu had privately discussed the day before.
——If only I had known that bitch Shen Hua would come to such fortune, why would I have terminated your engagement? Otherwise, that embroidery workshop would’ve been yours.
——Every time I think of this, my heart aches. Since that wife of yours got pregnant, she’s been utterly unreasonable. Bursting into tears over a scolding, as if she could be devoured alive.
After He Chu returned to his room, he was indifferent at night and did not hold her again.
He must have regrets as well.
Zhou Zhizhi was on high alert.
Ms. Ge could no longer contain her anger.
"Shen Hua, Wang Xu is on his way here. You’re domineering and tyrannical, and though I can’t deal with you, he will certainly stand up for me!"
The girl smiled but did not smile.
"Wang Xu is engaged to you?"
Ms. Ge thought she had frightened her: "Soon, Mrs. Wang is extremely fond of me."
"He is the Magistrate’s legitimate son, with boundless prospects. If you persist in being obstinate, you will be offending the Wan Family!"
As she spoke, her eyes lit up.
Zheng Qianyu followed her gaze and immediately her expression changed. She quickly leaned into Shen Hua’s ear.
"It’s all over, Wang Xu really is here! Last time your issue was cleared up by Magistrate Wang’s upright and honest reputation, we can’t afford to offend them now."
"The Wang Family is famously overprotective, we might as well run while we still can."
"Mr. Wang. Why did it take you so long to get here?" Ms. Ge hurried over.
Upon seeing her aggrieved look, Wang Xu furrowed his brows: "What happened?"
"Someone bullied me. Mr. Wang knows, I never argue with others in peacetime."
"It’s good that you’re here, I feel reassured, otherwise I truly wouldn’t know what to do."