Xia Zhe stood at the side and looked at Xia He quietly. “Elder sister, are you regretting your decision?”
Xia He understood what her brother was referring to.
“No regrets. We definitely have to split up.” Xia He lowered her head and sighed. When she looked up again, her eyes were filled with determination.
In the evening, when Professor Zhu and the others needed to leave, Kong Lu’s hard labor also came to an end.
“Let’s go. Mother and the others are waiting for us at home,” Xia Wen said.
Kong Lu stood behind them with his face covered in dirt. Xia He could not bear to see him like this and pointed towards the side room. “You can go over there and wash up.”
“Alright, I’ll be right back.” Kong Lu smiled happily and hurried to the side room.
Kong Lu had thought that the Xia family would definitely blame and scold him while he was in the capital this time, but as long as he apologized properly, Xia He would change her mind. Before he left, Old Madam Kong told him that there was no such thing as an overnight feud between husband and wife. As long as they talked things out, the matter would pass.
Xia Wen drove all of them back to Xu Lan’s place. Liu Fen and the helper were busy cooking. Xu Lan and Zhou Hua did not enjoy each other’s company and were in their rooms.
“Second Aunt-in-law, where’s my mother?” Xia Wen asked with a smile.
“Oh, you’re all back. Your mother is upstairs. Since you’re back, go and call her. I still have work to do!” Liu Fen said and went back into the kitchen.
Xia Wen looked at Xia He. After all, he was the son and it was not convenient for him to go upstairs when his father was not at home.
Xia He went upstairs to call the two elders downstairs. Xu Lan was still working on some paperwork for the military art troupe and said she would go down a little later.
When Zhou Hua came down and saw Kong Lu, she said with a laugh, “Oh my, why is it that you look so fresh in the morning but so dusty when you come back at night? What did you do?”
“Third Aunt-in-law, I got into this state by accident,” Kong Lu said with an awkward smile.
Zhou Hua glanced at Xia He and said, “If you ask me, it’s still my family’s Xiao Hui who is sensible. Your husband is covered in dirt, yet you have not made the preparations for him to take a shower? What kind of wife are you?”
Xia He was speechless. At this moment, she did not want to have an argument with Zhou Hua. She only wanted to resolve this matter quickly and not have anything to do with the Kong family anymore.
“Come with me,” Xia He said coldly.
This house had two floors. The guest room and store were on the first floor, and the master bedroom and the three children’s bedrooms were on the second floor, together with a study room. Xia He’s room was not big. As she had grown up in the military art troupe, she had always stayed in the dormitory and did not spend much time at home, so her room was not decorated in a feminine style like other girls’ rooms.
The furnishings in the room were all old furniture that had been brought over from the old house.
“That’s the bathroom over there. Hurry up and wash up and then go down to eat. Don’t let my mother wait too long. You brought your own clothes, right?” Xia He asked.
“Yes, yes I did. I’ll go now.” Kong Lu immediately took off his clothes in the room. He felt that there was nothing wrong about that since they had been married for a long time.
If it was in the past, Xia He would still feel shy or would tease him. However, right now, she only had a feeling of endless disdain and annoyance.
“I’m going out.” Xia He quickly walked out the door and closed it.
The dishes were ready very quickly and the family sat around the dining table to eat. Other than Zhou Hua and Liu Fen, everyone else was very quiet. Liu Fen kept putting food into Kong Lu’s bowl while Zhou Hua watched from the side.
“Xiao Kong, eat more!” Liu Fen said with a smile as she took more food for Kong Lu.
“Enough, enough. Second Aunt-in-law, you eat too. I have enough,” Kong Lu said.
“Second Sister-in-law, do you think he’s a three-year-old child? Do you have to send food to his bowl? Even Eldest Sister-in-law isn’t so solicitous, yet you’re so enthusiastic,” Zhou Hua said mockingly.
Liu Fen snorted coldly and said, “I’m happy to do it. Since Xiao Kong is here, we have to treat him well. Xiao Kong, try this again.”
Kong Lu nodded repeatedly and did not dare to raise his head to look at Zhou Hua and Liu Fen. Xu Lan, who had kept quiet all this while, snorted coldly at this moment. Back then, she thought that this kid was talented and was a soldier with a promising future. Now, she felt that he was just an idiot.