The night deepened, and Wozi Village gradually returned to peace; the neighbors who had gathered around the Old Zhou family’s house had also dispersed. However, the Old Zhou family, caught in the eye of the storm, simply could not find peace.
Except for the child, the whole family was talking in the main room.
Lady Liang, her face the picture of fatigue, was straining to keep up her spirits as she listened to the elders talk. Zhou Xueli, watching her with pity, said, "You’re pregnant. You should go rest first."
She tried to force a smile and shook her head unwillingly.
Old Lady Zhou, seeing her daughter-in-law’s pale face and the effort it took her to sit upright, spoke up, "Second Son’s Wife, you go rest first. There’s nothing here that concerns you."
Even her mother-in-law was saying this, and Lady Liang, truly exhausted, excused herself and went back to her room.
Madam Lu snorted a couple of times, her murmurs nothing but accusations of favoritism, suggesting that the second branch of the family was distancing itself from the situation.
Lady Liang let out a cold laugh, choosing to ignore it, thinking that only such a mother could raise such a son.
"If you can’t say anything nice, then go back to the Lu Family. Our Zhou family can no longer afford to keep a daughter-in-law like you," Old Lady Zhou said, shooting Madam Lu a cold glance.
Madam Lu, upon hearing this, began to dab at her tears. "Mother, it’s hard on your daughter-in-law too. After what’s happened to Dajun, you didn’t see... his very root is rotting away."
Old Lady Zhou’s heart skipped a beat.
Zhou Xueli furrowed his brows but said nothing.
Logically, since Zhou Dajun was of age to marry, it wouldn’t be proper for his mother to inspect such private parts of him; since the distinction between men and women should be maintained.
But on second thought, since he didn’t have a proper wife to look after him, having his mother tend to him and check on him wasn’t entirely inappropriate.
So although the situation was awkward, no one present said anything.
Madam Lu felt no shame. In her view, a mother looking at her son’s body didn’t matter; after all, he was the flesh that had come from her own body, what could be so wrong about looking?
"Mother, what if something bad happens to Dajun in the future? He’s the eldest grandson of our family," Madam Lu cried as she wiped her tears, "Wufu, that little wretch, how could she be so cruel? Does she want our Zhou family to be without an heir?"
"Hold your tongue," Old Lady Zhou couldn’t bear hearing about having no heirs and commanded, "Doctor Cheng said that with care, he will be fine. What’s there to worry about?"
"Everyone knows that doctors always convey hope," Madam Lu said.
She was genuinely worried; if there really was a problem, it would be the end.
"What else can we do? Go find her and seek revenge?" Old Lady Zhou said coldly.
Madam Lu’s crying halted, and she lifted her head, "Are we really just going to let this go?"
"You don’t even know where they’ve moved to. Where would you look for them?" Old Lady Zhou said wearily, "Even if everything Dajun said is true, what can you do? Report it to the officials? I’d be too embarrassed even if you’re not! You’d be able to deal with her if you could even lay a finger on her."
By now, she had come to realize that everything Wufu did was premeditated.
Wufu couldn’t find Dajun, so she trashed the house and left—not because she was acting out of spite or obeying their wish for her to move, and it wasn’t because she was being magnanimous; she had planned everything beforehand.
First moving out, then setting fire to the old house, and in the end, punishing Dajun harshly, bringing disgrace upon the Old Zhou family.
With one incident after another, to call it coincidence was something she refused to believe; it was all orchestrated.
Now, they had left Wozi Village, and the Zhou family had no idea where they had moved to; finding them would take a considerable effort.
Wufu was young, but her actions were calculated. If they provoked her again, what else might she do? Old Lady Zhou was filled with anxiety.