Chapter 157 (1/2)
”Mother!” Zhou Jingyi was distressed and said, ”But, but there will eventually be a day when I have to return. What you're doing will only make us feel better for now, but how am I going to live with that in the future!”
Old Mistress Zhou snorted, ”What's so difficult? Just divorce if you can't live with that! As the daughter of our Zhou family, do you think you can't find a better family to marry into?”
”But I don't want to!” Zhou Jingyi's expression changed slightly and she said firmly, ”Mother, I…I will never marry again!”
Old Mistress Zhou was very disappointed at her daughter. She poked her daughter's forehead and said, ”Don't tell me that you are still thinking of that heartless man! That b*stard! This daughter of mine, why can't you wake up! A man like him, who would elope with a woman from the tavern, is not reliable! Even if you aren't going to remarry, you definitely won't be able to live with him for the rest of your life! If he can elope with a woman from the tavern, who knows if he would elope with a servant next time? Who knows what else he can do? Are you trying to stop your mother from resting in peace even after death?”
”Mother!” Tears swelled in Zhou Jingyi's eyes and she started crying, ”Mother, please don't say that! I…I…”
Her mother words did not leave her the slightest amount of face. Although she was scolding s.h.i.+ Fengming, he was still her husband and it wasn't any different from scolding her! Zhou Jingyi's face turned red as she felt ashamed and she couldn't stop crying. No matter how bad of a man he was, he was still her husband; furthermore, she was really fond of him.
Old Mistress Zhou sighed and hugged her daughter. She patted her back gently and sobbed, ”You disappointing girl, do you mean to sadden your mother?”
”Mother!” Zhou Jingyi suddenly became anxious and she couldn't help but cry even louder.
”Stop, stop crying!” Old Mistress Zhou loved her daughter the most, so she sighed, ”You shall tell me then, what is it you want? Are you going to follow them back now?”
Go back? Her mother-in-law was definitely up to no good by sending servants to bring her back, she would definitely have to bear all sorts of torment as well as her mother-in-law's anger; only a fool would go back!
”I'm not going back!” Zhou Jingyi wiped her tears and shook her head, she said with a nasal voice, ”I will never go back before my husband returns!”
Old Mistress Zhou was slightly mollified by her word. She thought to herself, luckily, this girl is still rational enough not to make me so angry!
”What if he never comes back? Are you going to live like this forever? Mother isn't saying that I would not acknowledge you, your brother has always cared for you dearly, and your sister-in-law is very virtuous as well; they will never dislike or avoid you even if you stay at home forever. But my dear daughter, it isn't worth it!” Old Mistress Zhou couldn't help but speak of the worst.
”No!” Zhou Jingyi's heart seemed to have received a sudden blow, but she shook her head and said, ”No, he won't, he definitely won't! How can my husband not come back? There is still my father-in-law and mother-in-law; even if he never cares for me, I don't believe that he will stay outside forever! And Brother-in-law Fengju has sent people looking for him for the past two years, we will definitely hear news about him one day!”
Old Mistress Zhou sighed with resignation. ”What if he had already died outside?” Old Mistress Zhou wanted to ask. However, it was too ominous considering that it was going to be the new year. In addition, she couldn't let herself hurt her daughter's heart, so she said something else, ”I hope that's the case! And hopefully, that man will be able to correct his own mistakes! Humph! If he ever shows up, I will never let him leave again even if I have to tie him up with a rope!”
Zhou Jingyi almost laughed after hearing so, but she quickly asked, ”Mother, what about those people from the s.h.i.+ family——”
Old Mistress Zhou rolled her eyes at her daughter and said to Auntie Yang, ”Go and invite them in!”
Nanny Lin and the rest of the servants had been sitting in the sitting room for quite a while. When they did not receive any follow-up, Nanny Lin got worried and she politely asked the gatekeeper to report their arrival again. Who in the Zhou household did not know about their young missy's bitter experiences? They inevitably felt sickened at the sight of the s.h.i.+ family and would not listen to her requests. All they did was put Nanny Li off.
This was someone else's territory; Nanny Lin couldn't say anything else after seeing that all her efforts were in vain and could only wait patiently.
Finally, when a servant came to inform them that Old Mistress Zhou had invited them over, Nanny Lin quickly stood up and tidied up her clothes. She thanked them with a smile and left with the rest.
Old Mistress Zhou was waiting at the hall. Behind her stood her daughter-in-law, Lu s.h.i.+, while Zhou Jingyi had already stepped away.
”This old servant greets Old Mistress Zhou!” Nanny Lin went forward and forced a smile. She then knelt before giving a kowtow.
Only after she had kowtowed did Old Mistress Zhou smiled unenthusiastically, ”There's no need to be so polite to a relative, get up! You look familiar, you must be Nanny Lin who serves our in-law!”
Nanny Lin was secretly happy as she didn't expect Old Mistress Zhou to remember her, so she quickly nodded and said, ”Old Mistress Zhou, you have a good memory! Precisely this old servant!”
Old Mistress Zhou laughed, ”Right! Our in-law has taken such good care of my daughter, of course I would be more aware of her servants! Hehe, have a seat!” She ordered for a small bench to be brought in.
The smile on Nanny Lin's face stiffened slightly. She was absolutely clear of how her Old Mistress ”took care of” Second Young Mistress s.h.i.+. Presumably, Second Young Mistress s.h.i.+ must have at least told her mother a thing or two when she got back home. Now that she had met with Old Mistress Zhou who casually mentioned it, she immediately felt insecure as she foresaw that this trip would not be smooth.