Poetry Cloud was naturally overjoyed to hear that he wanted to do business, not only contributing money but also offering advice. Slowly, the business began to thrive.
Later, Poetry Cloud no longer had to work. With a great thirst for knowledge, she gradually began to learn to read and write.
However, from some unknown point in time, she clearly felt a distance growing between Zhou Tianpeng and herself.
Whenever she asked him, he would just shake his head and say nothing. She was too lazy to guess. Regardless, she was still Madam Zhou, and her son was the only young master of the Zhou family, which was enough.
In recent years, the business had grown larger and larger. Gradually, her husband began to have concubines. Although she found it difficult to accept at first, weeping alone until dawn, she thought that which prominent family in the city did not have multiple wives and concubines? She could only bury all her grievances and dissatisfaction in her heart.
From then on, she became increasingly silent, burying herself in books all day.
Zhou Tianpeng also grew further and further apart from her, only seeking her help when he encountered problems he couldn't solve.
Although Wu Caiwei was recalling the past, her footsteps never paused. Before she knew it, she had arrived at the door.
Seeing the Old Madam, she curtsied slightly, "Greetings to Mother."
"Sit down quickly, there's no need to be so formal among family," the Old Madam said warmly. Before, Poetry Cloud hadn't noticed, thinking the Old Madam was very affectionate and caring towards her. But to the sharp-eyed Wu Caiwei, it was immediately clear that although the Old Madam told her not to bow, she had never stopped her from doing so herself when she bowed.
Wu Caiwei sat down in her seat without any politeness. Immediately, a discordant voice sounded, "Sister-in-law, you are quite bold. Mother told you to sit, so you sit, without any awareness of being a daughter-in-law."
Seeing that the Old Madam did not stop her, Wu Caiwei retorted directly, "We are all family, there's no need to be distant. Besides, if Mother tells me to sit and I don't, will you say that I don't listen to Mother and don't respect her?"
Wu Caiwei saw out of the corner of her eye that the Old Madam's brows unconsciously furrowed. Clearly, her retort had made her uncomfortable. She couldn't help but sneer inwardly, some people are truly ungrateful, like dogs that can't be fed. For so many years, she had worked hard for this family, and they thought it was their due. Now that they were prosperous, they were starting to look down on her. Since they wouldn't let her have an easy time, then no one would.
"She never respected us anyway, claiming to be the great benefactor of our family. Who does she think she is?" Zhou Wan Yue, the second young lady of the Zhou family, muttered softly. Although her voice was not loud, everyone could hear it.
"Then do you respect me? As a sister-in-law, shouldn't you greet your sister-in-law when I first enter the house? Where are your manners?" If the original owner were here, she would have silently endured it, but Wu Caiwei wouldn't tolerate their behavior. Sudian Novel Network.
"Alright, you are the eldest sister-in-law, don't bicker with your younger sisters. They are younger than you and not as sensible. They will grow up and be fine." The Old Madam of the Zhou family knew that her daughters were indeed lacking in etiquette and did not want them to continue discussing it.
"By the way, Sister-in-law, I heard that the eldest young lady of your Hong family has returned home to be a widow? I had a lot of interactions with her in the prefectural city. She sent me a message saying that after returning to the Hong residence, she would stay at the Zhou residence for a short while. Why have you returned alone today?" Zhou Wan Qiu, the eldest young lady of the Zhou family, looked at her with a wary and confused expression.
"The Hong residence did mention this to me, but I refused. Mainly, she is still in mourning, and it would be inauspicious to come to our house." In her previous life, to repay the Hong family's kindness, the original owner agreed without a second thought and brought her back.
When she returned home, although she was curious why her elder and second sisters-in-law were gathered so tightly, she didn't ask due to their poor relationship. From beginning to end, she never knew that her elder sister-in-law knew Hong Lingxiang. To be precise, there was no surprise on their faces, meaning they should have known about it. Only she was kept in the dark.
Wu Caiwei couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Things were becoming more and more interesting. Originally, the original owner had some regrets about bringing this calamity back, but now it seemed that they had a plan all along, and it wasn't something the original owner could have stopped.
"Isn't it because you are narrow-minded, thinking that brother was once betrothed to her and you're afraid that she, being so outstanding, might attract your brother's attention?" Zhou Wan Yue looked her up and down with a disdainful expression.
"And if I am? Is that not right? When I first arrived at the Zhou family, what kind of life did you have? What kind of life do you have now? Don't you have any idea? Touch your conscience before you speak, if you still have one." Although Wu Caiwei was not interested in Zhou Tianpeng, such a scumbag was not worth treating sincerely, but she just wanted to state her position.
"The reason we can live this kind of life is because brother worked hard. What does that have to do with you?" Zhou Wan Qiu looked at her angrily. For someone from a maid background to become Madam Zhou was a blessing she had accumulated over lifetimes. Wasn't it only right that she should contribute more?
"Did you not eat or drink when your brother wasn't doing business for those years, and you grew so big? Besides, when your brother started his business, did your Zhou family have any money? Wasn't it me who contributed both money and effort? Now you want to cross the river and burn the bridge? No way!"
The Old Madam of the Zhou family looked at her daughter-in-law, who refused to back down, and felt a headache coming on. Perhaps her son's hopes would be dashed, as who could remain calm in such a situation?
"You, who came from a maid background, have been Madam Zhou for so many years and are still not satisfied? Look at you, you have no talent, no beauty. How can you compare to sister Hong? Why don't you step down and give way?" Zhou Wan Yue's teeth itched with anger. If it weren't for her upbringing, she would have slapped her a few times. She had no self-awareness at all.
"I can give up my position, but after so many years, I have helped your brother plan and strategize more than I can count. It can be said that half of the Zhou family's assets were earned by me. If you have your brother transfer half of the shops to my name, and Ziyuan and Xinyu leave with me, then I am willing to sign a divorce agreement and give up my position to her." Wu Caiwei looked at them with firm eyes.
"You wish! How could the Zhou family's assets be given to you? Besides, Ziyuan and Xinyu are the blood of our Zhou family and cannot follow you." Zhou Wan Qiu thought she was simply daydreaming.
"Since my conditions cannot be met, then let's drag this out. Let's see who can drag it out longer. It's not like I'm in a hurry. However, don't try any tricks, otherwise, I'll report to the authorities. You don't want me to stay in the Zhou mansion anymore, and I don't have the notion that family scandals should not be spread." Since they couldn't agree, there was no need to stay here. Wu Caiwei turned and left directly.
The few of them felt a sense of guilt, as if their thoughts had been seen through. For a moment, no one cared about her rudeness.
"I must find a way to drive her out," Zhou Wan Qiu said hatefully, watching the direction she left, her eyes filled with malice.