Wufu’s house caught fire, which shocked the entire Wozi Village. You know, they had moved away for less than a day. They left that day and it caught fire that night?
This made the hearts of the villagers in Wozi Village all a bit uneasy, and everyone was speculating whether Wufu’s departure and the fire might be particularly connected.
Looking at the site now reduced to ruins, with broken walls and rubble, all felt an uneasy apprehension.
The Zhou family was there too, unable to believe their eyes as they watched the wood that was still smoking, not yet completely burnt through.
Old Lady Zhou felt her body sway, her head buzzing and spinning with dizziness.
"Let’s, let’s go back," Old Lady Zhou tightly clutched her youngest son’s arm.
Zhou Xueli gazed at the old residence beyond repair before him, feeling a twinge of pain in his heart.
This old house had been renovated by their father when they lived there, and never had they thought it would become a pile of waste.
Back at the Old Zhou family home, Old Lady Zhou collapsed onto the bed, gasping for air in deep breaths.
"It must have been that worthless Wufu, it must have been her," Madam Lu gasped out.
Lady Liang offered tea to her mother-in-law and, looking disdainfully at Madam Lu, said, "Elder Sister-in-Law, please say less. Without evidence, how can you falsely accuse someone? Everyone saw them leave yesterday, clear as day."
"Who else could it be if not her? Isn’t it too much of a coincidence? They left yesterday, and a fire happened at night?" Madam Lu snorted.
"Who knows? Maybe the heavens couldn’t look on and let it pass, sending down a bolt of heavenly fire or something," Lady Liang sneered.
"All of you, shut your mouths," Old Lady Zhou angrily interrupted her daughters-in-law, saying coldly, "If you want to argue, go outside to the courtyard, don’t yell in my ear."
"Mother, I wasn’t arguing with her. What the wife of Xueli said, does that seem reasonable to you?" Madam Lu, unable to contain her indignation, said, "A perfectly fine house, just burned down. If we’d gathered up what remained, maybe we could have rented it out to someone else."
They hadn’t finished salvaging things from the house, not knowing if anything usable remained inside.
"That house was too remote, hardly anyone would rent it," Zhou Xueli said. "It was just about preserving a memory, who would have thought..."
Yes, it was all about a memory, and now it was gone.
Old Lady Zhou’s eyes were sore, and tears slid down from the corners of her eyes.
"That girl, she really is ruthless," she murmured to herself.
All because the eldest drove her away, she chose to be utterly destroyed rather than left incomplete, they wouldn’t live there, and nobody else would get the house either.
"Maybe we should report this to the officials," Madam Lu suggested.
Lady Liang rolled her eyes.
"Where’s your evidence to report to the authorities? Just stay put," Zhou Xuennian glared at his wife. These past few days, his mind had been preoccupied, always pondering Wufu’s words about having connections with the Lord County Magistrate?
If that were true, he would be in trouble.
And now it seemed, that spiteful girl indeed was not one to leave things be. That house on the mountain, it must have been her handiwork.
"The house was dilapidated anyway, destroyed is destroyed," Zhou Xuennian said. "Now that the mother and daughter have moved away and the house has burned down, let’s call it an act of God and leave it at that. From now on, it’s not to be mentioned again."
"Husband, what about Dajun?" Madam Lu asked. "Should we let Dajun come back now?"
Zhou Xuennian hesitated for a moment before saying, "Wait a little longer."
He too couldn’t quite discern Wufu’s true intentions; who knew if she was just venting her anger? If not, wouldn’t Dajun be in danger?
Lady Liang nudged Zhou Xueli and gave him a meaningful glance.
Zhou Xueli pursed his lips and, gathering his courage, said, "Mother, about what I mentioned before, what do you think?"
Old Lady Zhou’s eyes shot towards him. Were they so eager to divide the family that they kept bringing it up?