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

Chapter 635: Chapter 635: Let’s Go into the Water Together, No Thanks_1

In the evening, Zhulan sat by the small bed, holding a bowl of carefully stewed medicinal soup, ”That’s what you get for your craziness, now you’ve caught a cold.”

Chang Zhong spoke with a nasal tone, his little head warm, ”Mother, the medicine is bitter.”

Zhulan felt a pang of heartache. Her son had rarely fallen ill since his birth, and each illness nearly took half her life, ”Drink it down in one go, and it won’t be bitter anymore. There’s sugar after.”

Tears welled up in Chang Zhong’s eyes as he closed them and opened his mouth.

Seeing her son drink the medicine, Zhulan hastily gave him some sugar to put in his mouth, ”After taking the medicine, you have a good sleep, and when you wake up tomorrow, you’ll be fine.”

Chang Zhong opened his eyes, ”Mother, I miss Father.”

Every time he was sick, his father would stay by his side. Now, only his mother was with him!

Zhulan patted her son, ”Your father misses you, too. Go to sleep now.”

Fortunately, the boy was young, and after having played wildly all afternoon, he fell asleep soon after taking the medicine.

Zhulan carefully tucked her son in, then sat up and rubbed her shoulders, ”Raising a child is really not easy.”

Nanny Song felt the lady of the house was very good at raising children, ”The young master will be easier to handle when he grows up a bit.”

Zhulan didn’t think so; her intuition told her that her son would not be any less trouble in the future.

In the Zhou residence of Jinzhou Province, Zhou Shuren ate dinner alone, feeling disinclined to stay in the empty room. He took Chang Zhi to the study, ”From tomorrow on, come to the study after dinner. You may return to rest after four hours.”

Chang Zhi, ”.....”

Four hours later, it would be time to sleep. No, Father, just because you don’t enjoy being alone doesn’t mean you should make him suffer!

Zhou Shuren looked at Chang Zhi’s gloomy face, ”Do you have an objection?”

Startled, Chang Zhi jerked to attention, ”No, no objections, Father. It’s just... in the study, by myself, don’t you think it’s too quiet?”

Zhou Shuren went along, ”So?”

Chang Zhi grinned, ”So, Ming Teng and Ming Rui are not that young anymore. They should receive your guidance, too. Right, and Xiao Minghui, that child is very clever.”

Zhou Shuren’s mouth twitched. This was dragging his nephews into his own misfortune. Thinking of the mischief Ming Teng and Ming Rui could cause, Zhou Shuren’s mouth curved, ”Go call them over!”

Chang Zhi grinned, ”Father, I think Big Brother and Second Brother need to study more, too. One should learn endlessly and keep progressing.”

Anyway, if he was not to have it easy, no one else would. Now that Mother wasn’t in the manor, no one was going to push him to the front!

Zhou Shuren’s lips turned up in a smile, ”Your idea is good. Indeed, one should keep learning until old age. It’s never too late to learn. As long as one works hard, what they gain is their own. Not bad.”

Chang Zhi swiftly went to call everyone from their rooms, and soon all the men of the Zhou household, except for Mingyun who was left out and studied on his own, had gathered.

The previously somewhat empty study now seemed a bit crowded, but, thankfully, it remained quiet.

Zhou Eldest kept his head down, fearing his father’s gaze. His experience told him that whenever Mother was not at home, Father ceased to be Father!

Zhou Shuren scanned the Zhou men. The son’s generation was just so, and it wouldn’t change much anymore. As for the grandsons, Mingyun had been with him in the ancient times all along; he was most like him. Ming Teng and Ming Rui, indeed, needed to focus more. These two kids had played too many pranks at the Academy, but fortunately, they’d had enough sense not to bring trouble to his doorstep.

Ming Hui, still a young child, had a temper and was straightforward, but he was a bright kid, resembling Zhulan so much; Zhou Shuren took pleasure in the resemblance.

Zhou Shuren remained silent, and the males of the Zhou household felt an uneasy tension within the study.

Zhou Shuren beckoned Ming Hui over, picked him up, and said to his eldest sons, ”Chang Zhi thinks you have been too lax lately. Now that I have the time, you shall come to the study after dinner these days. I will teach you personally.”

The eldest Zhou had just been pleased that his youngest son was liked by their father, but now he was baffled; he was nearly old enough to be a grandfather. He kept his objections in his heart, not daring to utter a word, only glaring at Chang Zhi, who must have intended to drag everyone down with him—such scheming!

The second oldest Zhou shifted his gaze from Ming Hui and looked at Chang Zhi solemnly, almost missing the old days with Chang Zhi.

Ming Teng and Ming Rui both shivered; their fourth uncle had inflicted too much harm on them!

Zhou Shuren held a writing brush and guided his little grandson’s hand. ”Alright, you all find a seat too. By the way, today’s lesson will be delivered by Chang Zhi.”

Chang Zhi, ”...”

Indeed, a father is always a father, and this time he had trapped himself.

Zhou Shuren continued, ”Chang Zhi, tomorrow I want to see the results. If I am not satisfied, you know what will happen.”

Chang Zhi, ”....”

No, he didn’t know, and he didn’t want to know at all!

From the corner of his eye, the second Zhou observed Ming Hui being taught writing by their father, a privilege that used to be exclusive to Chang Xhong. Feeling a tightness in his chest, he saw that his elder brother’s family, already dominating with Mingyun, now also had Ming Hui. Watching his own son meekly handle his books, he pursed his lips. No, absolutely not; his son was also bright and must fight to succeed.

The next morning, Zhulan woke up and felt her son’s head, relieved it was no longer hot. She let out her held breath and sat up, shaking her head—a sleepless night had passed. In the past, Zhou Shuren had been there to help watch the sick child; now, she was alone.

Auntie Song came in with hot water. Zhulan got up to wash and told her, ”After we eat, keep an eye on Chang Xhong. I need to rest a bit longer.”

Auntie Song didn’t understand. The Family Head and his wife didn’t like being attended to at night and didn’t allow anyone to stay in the hall. They preferred to toil themselves.

If Zhulan knew what Auntie Song was thinking, she would certainly respond in her mind; it was because she feared talking in her sleep. She and Zhou Shuren didn’t want to indulge, it was that they both had too many secrets.

Because the main courtyard was distant from the rest, and with the cold weather, Zhulan decided everyone should have breakfast separately. After eating, she lay down to rest and didn’t know for how long she slept.

Dong Chuchu came in, ”Mother, Scholar Deng has arrived.”

Zhulan sat up, feeling somewhat refreshed after a nap. ”I’ll change clothes and be out in a moment.”

Dong Chuchu took the clothes prepared in advance, laid them out, and left. After Zhulan changed into her clothes, Auntie Song redid her hair. Sitting in front of the bronze mirror, Zhulan looked at her full head of hair. Although she was losing hair, she lost very little, so it remained quite thick.

In the hall, Chang Lian and Scholar Deng had finished their conversation, with Scholar Deng holding a list in his hands.

Zhulan sat down and gestured that they needn’t stand on ceremony. ”I was actually thinking of bringing Deng Yun back with me, but he said he just visited and didn’t come back with me.”

Scholar Deng fell silent. He knew his son was making excuses; his son didn’t want to come back.

Zhulan didn’t plan to inquire further into Scholar Deng’s family matters. Last year, when Scholar Deng picked up his daughter, she thought he would send her back later, but she later found out that Scholar Deng had kept his daughter at home. After all, as the father, how could he bear to be so rigid?

Zhulan spoke up, ”I have some matters here that require your attention.”