Her mother began to complain, recounting how she had painstakingly raised the three siblings, never wearing a decent outfit herself. She then spoke of other village daughters who were so good, their families’ fathers were gifted new clothes made of fine cloth. She lamented her own misfortune, saying that even though a daughter-in-law had entered the family, because she was the daughter of a scholar, her maiden family was penniless and couldn't afford to make clothes for her mother-in-law. She wondered when she herself would finally own a piece of clothing to be envied.
Then she started to praise her own luck, saying that Liu Changhe was a good earner, capable of bringing home a bolt of cloth like this in a single day. This delighted Zhou Xue’e so much that she didn't even insist on taking back the bolt of cloth when her mother casually took it away.
When Liu Changhe returned home and asked her to make a new outfit from the bolt of cloth, he noticed her expression had changed. Sensing something was wrong, he quickly searched for the cloth, only to find nothing.
At this point, Liu Changhe’s heart sank completely. They had been in a cold war for so long. He had thought that as long as he brought her to the town and managed the money himself, the Zhou family wouldn't gain any advantage. To think that as soon as he brought back a bolt of cloth, she would rush to send it to her maiden family. From now on, wouldn't everything good in the household be squandered by her?
He had thought that after the incident with the sixty taels of silver, she would have curbed her ways. To his surprise, she had not changed. He had contemplated much over this long period, believing that if she reformed and her heart was with the Liu family, they could still make a life together. After all, they had feelings for each other after so many years, and they had a son and a daughter. But the outcome had left him utterly disheartened.
Wu Caiwei, having received the memories of the original owner, felt that the original owner’s current predicament was indeed her own doing. Did she not know what kind of people her maiden family were? It was a pity that the original owner was too soft-hearted and did not listen to Liu Changhe. Her son and daughter were considered filial, though their lives were burdened by having such a mother.
In her past life, Liu Changhe would indeed gather the elders of the clan the next day and divorce her directly. At that time, she knelt and begged for forgiveness. Seeing her pitiful state, Liu Changhe softened and prepared to relent. Unexpectedly, the Zhou family, upon hearing the news, rushed over.
As soon as they entered, her parents voiced their displeasure, "My daughter has worked like a beast of burden for you, the Liu family, for so many years, and given you a son and a daughter. Why should she be divorced like this?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xue’e quickly ran behind her parents, and looking at her actions and the trusting gaze she cast upon her parents, Liu Changhe felt she was beyond saving. As expected, the next moment her parents began demanding money from him.
Liu Changhe sneered as he looked at them, "I, Liu Changhe, have earned so much money over the years, and it has all been lent to you by Zhou Xue'e. If we are talking about money, I still have sixty taels of silver to ask from you!"
"What silver? I don't know anything about it. Can a farming family have so much money?" The couple immediately feigned ignorance. The money had already been spent. If he demanded it back, they would die trying to earn sixty taels of silver, and they would never be able to repay it in this lifetime. They could only try to gloss over it.
Liu Changhe immediately turned his gaze to Zhou Xue’e, who quickly lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes.
Liu Changhe felt she was hopeless. Even at this juncture, she was still protecting her maiden family. It seemed that in her heart, he had always been an outsider. Even their son and daughter could not help but feel sad and disappointed. To think that at this critical moment, his mother had chosen them.
In the end, under the relentless pestering of the Zhou family, Liu Changhe compensated them with the five taels of silver he had earned in the past two months, and changed the divorce letter to a separation agreement.
Even then, the Zhou parents complained that it was too little, and dragged their daughter away, cursing. Zhou Xue’e truly loved her two children. As she left, she cast a reluctant gaze towards them. It was a pity that her son and daughter were heartbroken and completely ignored her.
Upon returning to the Zhou family, Zhou Xue’e looked at her parents somewhat nervously, "Father, Mother, will this work? I did as you said, pretending to divorce him because of your dissatisfaction, but he hasn't come back to his senses. My heart is in a constant state of unease. What should I do if this actually becomes a reality?"
Her parents exchanged glances and looked at her with disdain, "You wouldn't be so foolish as to think that after he invited all the clan elders and wrote the separation agreement, there is still a possibility of reconciliation, would you?"
"But yesterday, when I was looking for you, you didn't say that. You said that even if he invited the clan elders, I have two children in the Liu family, and no matter what, he wouldn't divorce me. He was just putting on a show to scare me," Zhou Xue’e said, looking at her parents with disbelief.
Yesterday, when Liu Changhe had announced his intention to divorce her, she had quickly returned to the Zhou family, wanting to hear her parents' opinions and have them help her think of a solution.
"If we hadn't told you that, how could you have separated from him? With him saying all that, if you didn't separate, it would seem like our Zhou family was trying to curry favor with your Liu family. After we lost all face, he would still divorce you. It’s better that we took a firm stance from the beginning. Besides, if you leave the Liu family, we can still live. There are plenty of unmarried men in the nearby villages," her mother quickly comforted her. If it weren't for the fact that she still had some use, she wouldn't have bothered with her. She couldn't understand how someone as shrewd as herself could have given birth to such a fool.
"But I don't want to leave the Liu family at all. Changhe can earn money, and he is good to me. Although my mother-in-law is not paying attention to me now because I gave your family sixty taels of silver, she has never spoken harshly to me before. The children are also filial. Mother, please help me find a way. I want to go back to the Liu family." Zhou Xue’e was on the verge of tears. She didn't know what to do and could only rely on her parents. But she had forgotten, how many times had she begged them since childhood? And when had they ever considered her standpoint? This time was no different.
"What can be done? If they don't want you anymore, we'll find someone better to make them jealous." Her mother didn't want to talk to her anymore. She was eager for the couple to split up.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xue’e ran out of the house crying, heading in the direction of the Liu family.
As she reached the large tree at the village entrance, several elders who had been relatively kind to her were sitting there chatting. They looked at her with disdain and said sarcastically, "Weren't you quite spirited when you separated just now? What does it mean to come running back crying now? Do you think our Liu family can't afford a wife? Let me tell you, someone as capable and earning as Changhe is in high demand. I'll introduce him to a good one the day after tomorrow."
"Yes, yes, how can she still have the face to come to our village? Doesn't she even look at what she's done? Sixty taels of silver! I've never heard of so much money in my life. And she, without batting an eye, gave it away to others, without considering her own son."
"I heard that the money was also for her son to go to private school. She probably hates her for that. I heard that Bao Ge particularly liked to study and often eavesdropped outside the school. After returning home, he would use a stick to draw on the ground, showing great talent for reading."