Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 247: Favoritism_1

Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Favoritism_1

Dong Chuchu pinched her chopsticks, silently chanting to herself, "Don’t get angry, don’t get angry." Mother always said to regard Sister-in-law Lady Li’s words as nothing but hot air because she had no ill intentions. Such people were easy to get along with. If you really couldn’t help but get mad, you should think of your own sister-in-law more often. Dong Chuchu thought of her own sister-in-law, and her anger dissipated. Being straightforward was better than having a smile that concealed a knife.

Dong Chuchu loosened her grip on the chopsticks, looking at Sister-in-law Lady Li who was fuming with anger, completely unaware that her second sister-in-law was actually reminding her. She wasn’t angry anymore, and she felt an inexplicable urge to laugh. Suddenly she thought it didn’t matter that dinner wasn’t made; if not today, there would always be another chance, right? With this realization, her smile grew wider. She enjoyed her meal with the dishes, mmm, her sister-in-law truly was a great cook.

The change in Dong Chuchu didn’t escape the observant eyes of the Zhou family members.

Zhulan felt relieved. She had met Chuchu a few times without much conversation, and her understanding of Dong Chuchu was mostly from what Xue Han had told her: that Chuchu had a decent personality, was generous, mannered, and skilled in needlework, but she didn’t know much else about her. She had honestly been worried that Chuchu, being the youngest and somewhat spoiled as a late child, would not get along well with Lady Li and others. Now it seemed that despite her youth, she understood how things worked and wasn’t petty.

Lady Zhao exhaled. It was fine as long as the younger sister-in-law wasn’t difficult to get along with. She was really afraid that Mr. Guan’s daughter would want to be the best in everything and be sharp in everything she did.

Chang Lian breathed a sigh of relief. He quite liked Dong Chuchu, and not just for her status, but for the kind of person she was. He didn’t want Chuchu to have a bad relationship with his elder sister-in-law. Chang Lian saw Dong Chuchu looking at him, and his ears reddened.

Last night they hadn’t consummated their marriage, but they had slept together. It had been his first time sleeping with a girl, and she was his wife. He had been too nervous to move last night, stiff as a board, and in the morning ended up hugging a bundle of flesh. Cough, that was his fault.

He wasn’t steady in his sleep and liked to hug something while sleeping. When he shared a room with Rongchuan, he was deeply afraid his bad habit would result in him hugging Rongchuan. They slept on opposite sides of the bed, separated by a quilt in the middle, just in case he reached out and grabbed something in his sleep—he’d rather hug the quilt.

The effect was obvious, he had never hugged Rongchuan.

Last night he had held Chuchu, and compared to his skinny frame, Chuchu really was fleshy. Unfortunately, after tonight, they would sleep in separate rooms. He had discovered that hugging a flesh ball was much more comfortable than hugging a pillow.

Chuchu had no idea what her husband was thinking. If she knew, she would be irritated. What flesh ball? She was clearly not fat.

Lady Li finally realized her folly and stopped her clumsy attempts to help.

After the meal came the tea ceremony. With a daughter of officials as their daughter-in-law, Zhulan found it awkward to give red packets, for there were two other daughters-in-law present!

In Zhulan’s memory, when Lady Li performed the tea ceremony as the eldest daughter-in-law, she received a red packet with six coins of silver.

When it was Lady Zhao’s turn, since she wasn’t chosen by the biological parents and she was always looking down, unappealing, she received a coin of silver.

The original host’s memories couldn’t help Zhulan in any way, after all the third daughter-in-law was Mr. Guan’s daughter, and moreover a bride with generous dowry. If her return gift was too small, it would look bad for Lady Dong if she asked her family about it, and it would also make Zhulan appear stingy.

Since Lady Li and Lady Zhao were also daughters-in-law, she couldn’t play favorites. After some cautious deliberation, she bit the bullet and bought three pairs of jade bracelets, spending sixty taels of silver, which considerably reduced the family’s funds.

Fortunately, the Zheng family had miscalculated their wealth, leaving her with enough surplus to cover the expenses. Otherwise, between the New Year’s gifts, the wedding banquet, and the jade bracelets, the Chang family’s purse would have been emptied.

Taking stock of her finances, Zhulan had less than two hundred taels of silver left in total.

Zhulan carried the jade bracelets out. The mats for the tea ceremony were already set up. She sat in the main seat and said, "Let’s begin!"

Chang Lian, with Lady Dong, knelt down, and Lady Li carried the tea tray over. Chang Lian and Lady Dong took it, offering tea first to Zhou Shuren.

Chang Lian said, "Father, please have some tea."

Zhou Shuren took the cup and sipped, saying, "Now that you are married, you are an adult. You must take responsibility for your actions. Think carefully before you do anything in the future, and avoid reckless behavior. I hope you remember this."

Chang Lian felt some disappointment that father hadn’t given more instructions but didn’t dare let it show, and respectfully said, "I will keep father’s teachings in mind."

Dong Chuchu was somewhat afraid of the eunuch, as the eunuch was valued by father, he must be no ordinary person, and she was extremely respectful, "Father, please have some tea."

Zhou Shuren took it from her, and he didn’t have much to instruct his daughter-in-law about. He grunted in acknowledgment.

Chang Lian, worried his wife would be timid before his father, quickly took a fresh cup of tea to his mother, "Mother, please have some tea."

Zhulan hadn’t felt deeply moved yesterday, but today she was, now sensing the feeling of her own son starting a family. Her heart was filled with sentiment; Chang Lian had only been married a day and had changed a lot, become much steadier, and even knew to look after his wife. After taking a sip of tea, she said, "Mother has a few more words to say today. Lady Dong will be your companion for life, and I hope you will be considerate and treat her well in the days to come."

Being a woman in ancient times was not easy; if her husband was not kind, her whole life would be a tragedy.

From now on, she would have to address Dong Chuchu as Lady Dong, which was what Chang Lian would call her in private. Even when Chang Lian was outside, he would also only refer to her as Lady Dong.

Chang Lian wasn’t surprised to hear his mother say these words. In his eyes, his mother was a happy woman, cherished by his father all her life. Though he couldn’t achieve what his father had, he was still his father’s son, and he was determined to become a man like his father, assuring her, "Mother, I am father’s son, you still worry? I will definitely take good care of Lady Dong."

Zhulan was skeptical in her heart, she believed her eldest and second sons, her older sons, but as for Chang Lian, she maintained a questioning attitude in her heart. This youngster was unpredictable, now she and Zhou Shuren could keep him in check, but once he truly spread his wings and they got even older, they wouldn’t be able to control him at all. She just listened to Chang Lian’s words; she was waiting to see the results.

Lady Dong was moved that her mother-in-law spoke for her and touched by her husband’s promise.

Zhulan saw that and thought she was still too young, too easily moved. Indeed, ancient times were pitiful; at Lady Dong’s age, it was customary to look forward to future husbands, marriage came early, and children matured early!

Lady Dong, carrying a cup of tea, said, "Mother, please have some tea."

Zhulan, smiling, took the cup and after sipping put it down, then picked up a jade bracelet from the table, pulled Lady Dong’s hand, and slipped it on, "Our family can’t compare with your maiden home, but this is a token of mother’s affection, I hope you can support each other in the future and have a fulfilling marriage."

Having mother’s training, Lady Dong hadn’t expected any significant tea ceremony gifts, and was surprised when her mother-in-law gave her a pair of jade bracelets that looked worth no less than twenty taels of silver. She couldn’t help glancing at her sisters-in-law.

Lady Li’s eyes turned red; she didn’t even have a piece of jade jewelry, her nose turned sour. She was the eldest daughter-in-law, surely she should be mother’s favorite, she felt aggrieved with her plump hands twisted, Mother is playing favorites!

Lady Zhao saw the situation clearly, Lady Dong’s status ensured she wouldn’t receive a small tea ceremony gift, but mother had always treated everyone equally for over a year, which also left her feeling uneasy. She lowered her head, no longer looking at the bracelet; even the eldest sister-in-law didn’t have it, so she didn’t dare to desire it even more.

Lady Dong quickly diverted her gaze and also didn’t dare to look at her mother-in-law’s expression. Her mother had said, the mother-in-law is kind-hearted but also a shrewd person, she didn’t dare to play tricks, taking the gift she had prepared, "Mother, this is the dress I’ve made for you, this is a book for father."

Zhou Shuren, looking at the book title, was very pleased. It was from the county magistrate’s bookshelf, something he had long coveted, and though it wasn’t the original but a handwritten copy, it was still precious.

Zhulan felt the stitching of the dress, indeed it was fine needlework, and at the sight of the style of clothing, it was suitable for going out, the color wasn’t too somber either, chosen according to her preference, "It is thoughtful of you, alright, please stand up now, go and meet your brother and sister-in-law!"

Lady Dong overheard the mother-in-law expressing her liking and was completely reassured. The book was prepared by father, and mother had asked her to make the dress; she realized how well her parents understood her in-laws!

Chang Lian brought Lady Dong to meet his older brother, where Lady Dong greeted him and then approached Lady Li, saying, "Eldest sister-in-law."

Lady Li held the box tightly, inside was a meeting gift for her sister-in-law, which she had prepared at her mother’s suggestion. But looking at Lady Dong’s bracelets, she no longer wanted to give it.