Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 289: Spoiled_1

Chapter 289: Chapter 289: Spoiled_1

Zhou Lao Da and Zhou Lao Er stood by, while Lady Li came in with the noodles, "Mother, I’ve made your and father’s favorite noodle dish with gravy, as well as vegetable soup."

Zhulan’s stomach growled; she hadn’t eaten Lady Li’s cooking in a long time and missed it dearly. She stood up and sat down at the round table inside the room.

The meals prepared by Lady Li were appealing to all senses; merely looking at them stimulated one’s appetite.

Lady Li served her parents-in-law the noodles and handed them chopsticks, then she stood next to the head of the family. She sensed that, aside from the few children who were standing, the expressions on her parents-in-law’s faces hadn’t changed much, yet she intuitively knew they were holding back their anger.

Zhulan gave Lady Li a few more glances. Without exchanging a word with Zhou Shuren, she lowered her head and ate her noodles. As they remained silent, so did everyone else in the room.

Zhulan finished a bowl and said to Lady Li and Lady Zhao, "You two take the children back to their respective rooms first."

Zhou Shuren interjected, "Let Mingyun stay."

The two of them complied, taking the four children back to their rooms. In the main room, Ming Teng watched over Yu Lu, and in the second wife’s room, Yushuang looked after Ming Rui. Lady Li and Lady Zhao quickly returned.

A quarter-hour later, Zhulan and Zhou Shuren finished their meal. Lady Zhao took the initiative to clean up the bowls and chopsticks, and Xue Han also went out to help tidy up.

Zhulan returned to sit by the heated brick bed, feeling full and content. She hadn’t much to say and wasn’t in a hurry since there would be time tomorrow.

Zhulan instructed Lady Li, "In one of the chests close to the cabinet, there are new cloths and some rouge. Take them out, and when Lady Zhao comes back, you two can divide these among the rooms."

Lady Li, who had much she wanted to say to her mother-in-law, felt settled in her heart upon her return. The plethora of thoughts she had earlier seemed to vanish, and she relished being ordered around by her mother-in-law, feeling at ease, "Alright."

Zhou Lao Da knew from his wife’s tone that she was very pleased. He had also felt for her these past days. Every man knows his own wife’s worth, and although Lady Li may not be as pretty as Lady Zhao or as well-educated as Lady Dong, he liked Lady Li!

When Lady Zhao returned, Zhulan waited for the two to finish dividing the cloth and rouge. She then took out a box of jewelry and handed it to Lady Li and Lady Zhao, "These are for the two of you, and the two pairs of pearl earrings are for the girls. Keep them safe. Alright, take the gifts for the rooms and go back."

Lady Zhao was momentarily stunned, glanced at her elder sister-in-law, who joyfully placed a hairpin on her head. Why didn’t her elder sister-in-law complain?

Lady Li, noticing Lady Zhao’s gaze and mentally snorting, felt she had grown much in her mother-in-law’s absence. Holding the cloth and rouge, she said, "Mother, I’ll be going back first. In the pot, I’ve heated two large pots of water for you and father to bathe with."

Lady Zhao, carrying the cloth, said, "Mother, I’ll be leaving too."

After the daughters-in-law had left, Zhulan handed Xue Han her things, and she too went out.

Zhulan went out to clean the bath barrel, leaving space for Zhou Shuren. He had been silently fuming with pent-up anger.

Zhou Lao Da and Zhou Lao Er didn’t want their mother to go out. With her gone, their father’s expression immediately changed, and they feared they were in for a scolding.

Zhou Shuren asked Mingyun and Rongchuan first, "How are you two doing at the Academy?"

Rongchuan was the first to speak, "Everything is going quite well."

Mingyun said softly, "Some days ago, during the tests, my performance was not very good."

As the eldest grandson, he was aware of his responsibilities, but Pingzhou City was not a clan school. There were many capable people, and lately, he’d been easily distracted, resulting in poor test results.

Zhou Shuren trusted the words of the two boys. Rongchuan’s natural talent was better than Mingyun’s, and with Rongchuan being older, his comprehension was naturally superior to Mingyun’s.

Zhou Shuren gestured with his hand, signaling Mingyun to come over.

Zhou Lao Da’s heart tensed, fearing his father might be angry enough to strike Mingyun, "Father, if you must punish someone, punish me. It’s my fault for not living up to your expectations and not looking after the family, causing Mingyun to worry and become distracted. It’s because he was worried about me and Lady Li."

Zhou Shuren’s face darkened, "Through which eye did you see me wanting to hit someone?"

He’d simply wanted to comfort his eldest grandson who had been distracted. He knew the boy was not at ease and felt even more that his grandson had it tough. How did it come out from his eldest son’s mouth that he was about to hit someone?

Zhou Lao Da closed his mouth, thinking that now his father probably did want to hit him!

Mingyun, seeing his grandfather looking sternly at his father, felt like crying without tears, "Grandfather."

Zhou Shuren’s gaze softened as he patted Mingyun’s head. The pressure on the little fellow was his doing, "Grandfather is back. Tomorrow, have your Uncle Rongchuan request a leave for you, and I will take you horseback riding."

Zhou Eldest, "....."

From childhood, his father had never been gentle with him. They say affection skips a generation, but he’s jealous of his son. Even at his age, he too wanted to learn how to ride a horse.

Zhou Second, with pursed lips, thought about how the main wife had Mingyun, and Father always cared for the main wife, but what about the second wife?

Mingyun’s eyes widened, "Really?"

"Of course it’s true."

Zhou Eldest, "....."

It struck him to the core—his father preferred the son to him!

Zhou Shuren took Mingyun to learn horse riding not just for that, but also to give the little guy some relaxation. The child was still too young; too much pressure wouldn’t be good.

Zhou Shuren signaled Rongchuan and Mingyun to go back and rest. After the two kids left, he glared at Zhou Eldest and Zhou Second, "I am very disappointed."

Zhou Eldest and Zhou Second’s hearts skipped a beat as they bowed their heads to admit their mistakes.

Zhou Shuren was truly disappointed. He knew the eldest couldn’t control his younger brothers, but he never expected Zhou Eldest to act as if he were the steward, "Eldest, are you the family steward?"

Zhou Eldest lowered his head, "No."

"Good, since you know you’re not, why can’t you act like an elder brother? When I’m not at home, you are the head of the family. How are you managing the household? Why does Chang Lian not return until it’s dark? How is it that Lady Dong has also gone out with him?"

Zhou Eldest wanted to say that Chang Lian often visited the Jiang Residence, but he realized something was off. Even if Chang Lian went there, he should not have stayed until it was dark. He immediately knelt down, "Father, it’s my fault. I haven’t played the role of an elder brother well."

Indeed, he had indulged Chang Lian too much, which led to him coming home later and later.

Zhou Shuren snorted, "I know you lack confidence. Is the confidence I gave you not enough? As the elder brother, you don’t even know to set rules, yet you wait to open the door for Chang Lian’s return. You’re an elder brother, not a steward, spoiling them."

If he were home, Chang Lian wouldn’t dare to continue returning late. He certainly wouldn’t open the door for him, and Mr. Jiang wouldn’t keep Chang Lian out until it was dark either. Clearly, Chang Lian had made friends!

Based on his understanding of Chang Lian, the boy must have tested the Eldest’s attitude more than once. Seeing that the Eldest kept silent, Chang Lian’s audacity grew.

Zhou Eldest’s head hung even lower. His father indeed gave him great confidence. Before leaving, he had warned his brothers and specifically left him a hundred taels of silver. It was his own successive concessions that had relegated him to the position of a steward.

Zhou Shuren looked at Zhou Second, very disappointed, "You’re crafty, always avoiding confrontation with Chang Lian, forgetting my instructions to help your elder brother. I don’t believe you couldn’t see Chang Lian’s provocations, yet you didn’t speak up or remind your brother. You know how to dodge, don’t you?"

Zhou Second, "Father, I lack confidence."

Zhou Shuren’s eyebrows raised, this one had the nerve to admit it, "I haven’t divided the family property, nor have I driven you out. Your mother and I are in charge of the entire household. Even if you’re at a disadvantage, there should be a limit to it. You should know that too much retreat becomes a habit. If you don’t strive for yourselves and always rely on your mother and me to protect you, it’s unrealistic. Right now, our household is small, but when there are more children, your mother and I won’t have so much energy. Think about it for yourself!"

Zhou Second had a feeling that his cunning had backfired. Reflecting carefully, he realized the second wife really lacked presence. His heart sank, "Father, I will think it over carefully."

Zhou Shuren’s departure was also a test, and the results were worse than he expected. Waving his hand, he said, "Alright, the two of you go back and think it over properly!"

Speaking of which, Zhou Shuren walked out first. He was going to help Zhulan with the bath tub.

Zhou Eldest and Zhou Second looked at each other, stood up supporting each other, and Zhou Second bowed apologetically, "I did not do well, brother. I apologize to you."

Zhou Eldest waved his hand, "I also did not do well."

In the kitchen, Zhulan had finished scrubbing the bath tub and saw Zhou Shuren come in, "Are you done talking?"

Zhou Shuren, "Yes."

Zhulan said to Zhou Shuren, "I just had Rongchuan lock the front door."

Zhou Shuren laughed. Zhulan could be fiercer than him when she got tough, "Did you get it clear?"

Zhulan nodded, "Just now Xue Han came and told me everything that happened at home. Today is the first time Lady Dong has accompanied Chang Lian to a social event, and I guess it’s about time for the two of them to return."