Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 422 Jealousy and Envy_1

Chapter 422: Chapter 422 Jealousy and Envy_1

Shi Qing looked at Mr. Zhou’s third son and lowered his eyelids. He really felt envious. Mr. Zhou was not one to smile or speak casually with his son, but whenever Chang Lian had a question, Mr. Zhou would patiently answer it and would ask if he understood. If not, Mr. Zhou would explain it in detail until Chang Lian got it.

Chang Lian could take any book he wanted to read, and Shi Qing was too envious and painfully admiring. "You’re better off not knowing."

Chang Lian just wanted to ask questions. If he got an answer, it was a gain. If he couldn’t, he would simply stop asking. He knew some curiosities should not be delved into too deeply. "Let’s go, Meng Jie is waiting for us!"

Shi Qing hummed in acknowledgement, his gaze lingering on Chang Lian with envy. What a good father, a good master; each one was something he had yearned for. Some people are just born lucky.

Time flew by quickly, and before they knew it, autumn harvest had arrived. It was another year of good weather and bountiful crops. The Zhou family’s land was not vast, but they still managed to earn a substantial income.

After the harvest, Zhulan received a reply from Wu Ming and, after reading it, she knew everything. Zhulan felt even more pity for Wu Ning, who had just lost a loved one and suffered a severe blow. The fact that Wu Ning hadn’t taken her own life already demonstrated her strength.

Ancient women, too many could not withstand such blows and chose death.

Wu Ning too was reading her brother’s letter, which said that as long as he knew she was safe, all was well. He advised her not to worry about home and also told her that he had mentioned her situation in his reply to their aunt.

Wu Ning gripped the letter tightly, then let go. She remembered the feeling of her aunt’s embrace, slowly easing her tension, telling herself that it was better this way to prevent Xue Han from making wild guesses.

Worried that Wu Ning might indulge in negative thoughts, Zhulan sought her out after reading the letter and patted the spot next to her, "Ning Ning, come sit here."

Wu Ning knew why her aunt had called her and her tone was much lighter, "Okay."

Zhulan didn’t beat around the bush, directly saying, "I know about your situation."

From this, she could tell that the girl was quite strong, and this reassured Zhulan a lot.

Wu Ning clasped her hands, "I’ve worried you, Aunt."

"You are a good child."

Wu Ning responded with a gentle smile, "Aunt, you have taught us that we must always look forward and I’ve always kept that in my heart."

Zhulan found herself speechless, her intended words of comfort unnecessary as the girl had already come to terms with a lot on her own, "I am glad you remember. But I want to emphasize, one must cherish oneself first to better take care of family and friends. I hope you cherish yourself."

Wu Ning sincerely agreed, "Mhm."

She had been at the Zhou household for a while now, observing carefully. From her eldest sister-in-law, she learned that having an open heart was the way to happiness, from her third sister-in-law, she learned when to advance or retreat, from her sister Xue Han, she learned how to be Mr. Guan’s daughter, and from her aunt, she learned composure.

Moreover, she remembered the young master Shi who had saved her, and from conversations with her eldest sister-in-law, she learned about Shi Qing’s background, an illegitimate son, a merchant’s child. It shocked her. The young master Shi’s journey had not been easy. The experiences she had gone through made her more acutely aware of the disparities among scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Young Master Shi faced more ridicule and hardship, yet he still strove hard against fate, from a merchant’s son to a scholar, crossing a seemingly insurmountable chasm.

She felt what had happened to her was nothing in comparison; at least she had three brothers and the protection of the Zhou family.

In the evening, when Zhou Shuren came home, Zhulan handed him Wu Ming’s letter, "Take a look."

Zhou Shuren flipped through it and put it down, glad that Wu Ming knew what to do. He smiled at Zhulan, "Have the children been good?"

Zhulan touched her belly, "This child has been exceptionally good."

As long as nothing nauseating happened, she could eat anything without feeling sick. It had been nearly three months and she hadn’t vomited once; everything she ate tasted delicious.

Zhou Shuren beamed foolishly, "That’s my son, knowing how to be gentle with his mother even before he is born."

Upon hearing these words, Zhulan chuckled lightly, "He certainly is gentle with me."

Zhulan took Zhou Shuren’s hand, "Now that the autumn harvest is over, once the apples are sold and the silver is in, I’ll have our eldest take the New Year’s gifts with him and buy the estate as well."

Zhou Shuren agreed, "Good."

Zhulan continued, "Once the silver from the two estates in Jiangnan comes in, I want to buy a property."

Zhou Shuren’s interest was piqued, knowing that most of their current wealth had come from Zhulan’s dealing in real estate, "Where do you want to buy?"

Zhulan with a twinkle in her eye, "I want to buy in Jiangnan, and this time only in the most prosperous Prefecture City."

Zhou Shuren raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

With a hint of a smile, Zhulan said, "It’s been more than a decade since the dynasty’s restoration, and it has regained a fair amount of vitality. One can see from the birth rate in Lizhou City these past few years. With a growing population, the value of homes is bound to increase, especially in bustling cities with steady growth. Buying a property in a wealthy area not only ensures value preservation but also quick sale if we need ready money, without the fear of being undervalued."

Zhou Shuren saw the logic, "And renting out the property doesn’t require much worry either."

Zhou Shuren knew that Zhulan had initially planned an ambitious venture but modified her plans due to her pregnancy, to ensure her and the baby’s safety.

Zhulan nodded with a smile, "With the little one on the way, it’s not good for a pregnant woman to be overly worried or stressed. My focus these next few years will be on him."

Zhou Shuren embraced Zhulan. She, too, didn’t want to cause him any worry or fear.

Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, it was apple selling season. Although the apples were plentiful despite lots of worms, even the less-infested ones sold for a decent amount of silver.