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

Chapter 481: Chapter 481 Close to ink, it turns black_1

In the evening, Zhou Shuren came back staggering, he skipped dinner, changed his clothes, and went straight to bed. He must have been really exhausted, for the moment he lay down his snoring began. Zhou Shuren had never been one to snore. Zhulan fanned him, feeling a pang of heartache.

Zhou Shuren woke up at dawn, ravenous. As he opened his eyes, he saw his little son was already awake. The boy was an exceptionally well-behaved child, rarely crying or fussing. Upon waking, he didn’t make a sound but just lay there, gazing around, even though his sight couldn’t have been that far. He seemed curious about everything.

Zhou Shuren held his son’s little hand, marveling at how much the child had changed lately, having grown much chubbier. ”Son, I’m your dad,” he said.

The little fellow, upon hearing his voice, suddenly burst into tears. He had been fine on his own, but now that there was someone with him, he felt it was okay to cry.

Zhulan was woken up by the crying. She reached out to feel something wet, and without opening her eyes, she sat up and said, ”Bring me a cloth diaper.”

Zhou Shuren got out of bed and quickly returned. ”Let me do it, you get dressed first,” he said.

Zhulan, yawning, agreed, ”Okay.”

As Nanny Song came in, she saw the master changing the child’s diaper as if it were second nature to him.

For breakfast, Zhulan and Zhou Shuren ate together, enjoying conversation over the meal. Zhulan said, ”The matchmaker is heading to the Wang Residence today.”

Zhou Shuren nodded to indicate that he understood and then asked, ”How much are you planning to offer as a betrothal gift?”

While sipping her porridge, Zhulan replied, ”I’ve calculated it—cash and goods will be around ten thousand taels.”

Zhulan had planned everything. She had received a reply from Mrs. Tao and didn’t need to wait for the checking of the birthdays. She would go to the jewelry shop tomorrow to place an order. As it turned out, fabric and cash were actually the easiest to prepare.

Zhou Shuren said, ”If you’re short on anything, let me know. I’ll find a way.”

This time, it was their son who was to marry a Magistrate, and it seemed like all eyes were on the Zhou family. For their own reputation, they needed to prepare thoroughly.

Zhulan was aware that the Maritime Affairs office had seized many goods, and most of the confiscated items had been sold off. The prices were far cheaper than the market’s. ”You’re not thinking of taking things from the storeroom, are you?”

Zhou Shuren tapped Zhulan’s forehead, ”What are you thinking about? Don’t worry about that. If we really need something, I plan to buy from merchants.”

Though the thought of the Maritime Affairs’ storeroom interested him, it was untouchable. The Emperor was keeping a close watch.

Zhulan saw Nanny Song returning and closed her mouth. The last time their second son had sold some exotic fruits that came from trading goods in the storeroom. Maritime Affairs really had some nerve.

After breakfast, Zhou Shuren went to the government office, while Zhulan stayed at home waiting for news.

At the Wang Residence, Mrs. Tao welcomed Mrs. Xue. Mrs. Tao didn’t play dumb, ”So it was Madam Yang who came to see you! I was wondering who Madam would approach.”

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xue laughed, saying, ”It seems I’m just here to go through the motions.”

Mrs. Tao smiled and urged her to sit, ”Please, have a seat, sister.”

With things becoming clearer for Mrs. Xue, she was more direct in her talk. ”The Zhou family is still waiting for my response. Do you think we can finalize this today? Next time I come, I can bring the birthdates to check for compatibility. What do you think, sister?”

Mrs. Tao was about to agree when she saw the hem of a dress appear at the door. She was speechless; the girl was impatient indeed. Upon hearing Mrs. Xue and the official matchmaker had arrived, she had been relentless in saying not to hassle them, and now she was eavesdropping. Not to cause a scandal, Mrs. Tao promptly agreed, ”Then I’ll trouble you next time, sister.”

Mrs. Xue glanced at the ineffective official matchmaker and caught sight of the dress hem. She figured it must be Magistrate An He; no one else would dare be so bold. This future daughter-in-law was more than most could handle.

A twitch touched the corner of Mrs. Xue’s eye. Zhou Shuren’s fourth son wasn’t someone easily handled either. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the two were actually quite well-matched!

Mrs. Xue didn’t linger since her mission was accomplished, and she took her leave.

After the matchmaker left, Su Xuan entered with a flushed face. Mrs. Tao scolded her with the words, ”Shameless,” but inside, she felt a deep ache. What daughter didn’t look forward to marriage? The girl had it rough.

Mrs. Xue’s visit with the official matchmaker to the Wang Residence, followed by the visit to the Zhou Residence, became known to all. Word spread that the Zhou family was seeking a match for their fourth son, and since the daughter of the Wang family was already betrothed, speculation arose with ease that the Zhou family had set their sights on Magistrate An He, who spent most of her time at the Wang Residence.

Zhulan was quite pleased; the smoother the marriage talks, the better. She wanted to expedite the necessary procedures, match the birthdays, select a day to deliver the betrothal gifts, and settle on a wedding date. There was no need for a formal engagement to prevent unforeseen problems.

Madam Qi of the Ran Residence felt bitter, but there was nothing she could do. Zhou Shuren’s fourth son was known for his temper, and the old master was wary. She didn’t want her daughter to worry for a lifetime. After hearing the news and wrestling with her indignation, she quickly let it go, instead anticipating the Min family’s reaction. From what she knew of Mrs. Liu, there was bound to be some action.

The minister at the government office still couldn’t decipher what Zhou Shuren had written in the Zhezi and why there had been no response from the capital. Then came the news that the Zhou family’s son was courting a Magistrate. The Magistrate was already eighteen, with a poor reputation, and an orphan to boot. It was puzzling that the Zhou family had taken an interest in her.

Mr. Wang wore the look of a man whose spirits lifted at joyful events. He was soon retorted by Mr. Bai, ”They still have to match the birth signs—that’s the practice.”

Narrowing his eyes, Mr. Wang replied, knowing Mr. Bai had Mr. Min’s support. ”No need for Mr. Bai to worry. You’d be better off concerning yourself with your own daughter, lest she find it hard to get married because of shaky hands.”

Zhou Shuren, ”....”

Well, he just found out today how sharp Mr. Wang’s tongue could be.

Mr. Bai fumed, ”You, you’re too ruthless.”

His words getting out would only make it harder for his daughter to marry into a good family. He hadn’t realized before how formidable Mr. Wang could be and couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Mr. Zhou, blaming him for the influence.

Zhou Shuren, ”....”

As if he hadn’t noticed! He had pretty good eyesight!

Mr. Wang rolled his eyes, firmly believing that if you do it, don’t fear speaking it out loud. Stroking his chin, he wondered why Mr. Zhou enjoyed smiling—it turns out smiling while deriding someone was indeed more aggravating.