Chapter 213 - 210: Zhou Lian’s Fury

Chapter 213: Chapter 210: Zhou Lian’s Fury

With a smile, Zhou Lian watched Li Xiu walk over to her brothers. She then slowly turned around, only to be met by the piercing gazes of her sisters. She blinked in confusion. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Zhou Ying let out a giggle. Seeing her sister’s bewildered expression, she suppressed her laughter and said, "Second Sister, Second Brother-in-law still dotes on you just as much as ever!" She had only been married a short time and was still in the honeymoon phase, not yet having reached the point of marital weariness, so her tone was exceptionally cheerful.

Zhou Xiang glanced at her still-naive younger sister, then at her second sister, who, despite being older, actually looked much younger when they stood together. A world-weary tone crept into her voice. "That’s right. Second Brother-in-law has been spoiling Second Sister consistently for years."

Zhou Lian frowned and looked at Zhou Lan, speechless. ’What is going on? Fourth Sister isn’t doing well, and Third Sister isn’t either? In my past life, I remember them all doing fine. Why is everything so different this life?’

With a sigh, Zhou Lan glanced at her younger sisters and said to Zhou Lian, "Every family has its own troubles. I’m doing all right. After all, my children are grown, and your brother-in-law and I are fine. It’s just some trivial squabbles with the in-laws, nothing serious. As for Third Sister, her in-laws resent her for having two daughters, so..."

"Resent her? Who dares to resent her? You reap what you sow! Her own son is the one who’s incapable, yet she resents her daughter-in-law for not bearing a son? Why doesn’t she stop and think? If her son planted a sesame seed and a watermelon sprouted, would she dare to claim it? And she still dares to look down on Third Sister? What, does Third Brother-in-law also resent you for not giving him a son?" At these words, Zhou Lian exploded. ’What the hell is all this? This drama with Third Sister never happened in my past life!’

"Bao’er, what’s wrong?" Li Xiu came running over the second he heard Zhou Lian’s raised voice. "Don’t be angry. You’ll make yourself sick. Talk to me. What is it? I’m here, I’m here!" Seeing the dark look on his wife’s face, his heart ached for her. He knew these messy family affairs would upset her, but he couldn’t hide them from her, either. ’She doesn’t know,’ he thought. ’In our past life, she and I weren’t on good terms at this point, so her sisters’ problems were kept from her. She has no idea this same drama happened before, though it was much later then—it only blew up after her father passed away. Even then, her three brothers managed to suppress it.’

Looking at Li Xiu, Zhou Lian finally managed to rein in her emotions a little, though the rise and fall of her chest showed her anger hadn’t subsided. She looked at him wordlessly. ’Was it like this in the past life, too?’

Li Xiu instantly understood her unspoken question. He gave a slight nod, then shook his head. Zhou Lian understood his meaning. Taking a deep breath, she said, "That third brother-in-law of mine, Jin Chen... you and my brothers need to go have a talk with him. If they can’t make it work, they should divorce. I’ll bring Third Sister and my two nieces back to the Capital City with me. What a joke. They’re that desperate for a son? Does the Hu Family have a throne that needs inheriting?"

Li Xiu glanced at his dumbfounded sisters-in-law, a flicker of a smile in his eyes. ’They were frightened by my wife,’ he thought. He knew she had been under immense pressure lately because of her father’s condition. Normally, she wouldn’t be this explosive. He looked at Zhou Lian gently. "Alright, Bao’er, don’t be angry. I’ll take care of everything, I promise I’ll handle it properly. You’re not allowed to be angry anymore! When you’re like this, Bao’er... it breaks my heart."

Looking up into the tender concern in Li Xiu’s eyes, Zhou Lian took another deep breath and said softly, "Okay, I’m not angry. You should go."

He gently caressed Zhou Lian’s face. "Have a nice chat with your sisters," he said softly. "Talk things through slowly and calmly. It’s not that big of a deal. I’ll take care of it! I’m here." Only after she nodded did Li Xiu leave.

Suppressing her frustration, Zhou Lian knew she wasn’t herself. She understood it was because of her father, but thinking of Li Xiu’s words eased some of her agitation. Turning back to her sisters’ stunned expressions, she couldn’t help but crack a smile.

Seeing her smile, Zhou Ying finally let out a breath and patted her chest. "Jeez, you scared me to death, Second Sister! When did you get such an explosive temper? You’re so scary when you get angry!"

"Yeah, Second Sister, when did you get such a temper?" Zhou Xiang added, a hint of lingering fear in her voice. ’I remember Second Sister always being the most mild-mannered and gentle one among us. How did she become like this?’

Zhou Lan looked at her younger sisters and shook her head with a smile. ’To be honest, I was startled too when she blew up just now. But watching Second Brother-in-law, I found it rather amusing. He’s soothing her like she’s a child! But I can also see that her temper was probably fostered by her husband’s doting. Still, going to university really makes a difference. She can even chew someone out without using a single curse word!’

"Eldest Sister, what are you laughing at?" asked Zhou Cui, who hadn’t spoken until now.

"Honestly, you girls. Where has all your usual cleverness gone? You can’t even handle your own husbands, yet you have the nerve to say your second sister has a bad temper." She turned to Zhou Lian. "And you, Second Sister, you should have let me finish before blowing up. Third Brother-in-law doesn’t actually resent her. It’s just that his mother is constantly nagging him, and he probably lets some of it slip out unconsciously sometimes." Zhou Lan sighed. "Once a woman marries, her in-laws are never that easy to get along with."

Zhou Lian snorted in contempt. "Is he even a man? He can’t even handle his own mother, so his wife has to suffer for it, and he still has the nerve to bring it up in front of Third Sister!"

Zhou Lan looked at her, exasperated. ’She really has been spoiled rotten by her husband. Does she think every man is as decisive and doting as hers? What woman gets married and doesn’t have some friction with her mother-in-law? It’s only my second sister. Ever since Li Xiu married her, he’s had her resting in the palm of his hand. He even handled the notoriously difficult relationship between her and his mother. In all my years, I’ve never seen another man like my brother-in-law!’

Zhou Xiang looked at her sister and was suddenly reminded of something from years ago, back when she wasn’t yet married. Her second sister, newly wed herself, had come home to visit and said something that Zhou Xiang remembered clearly.

"Remember this: after you get married, don’t get into direct confrontations with your in-laws. If anything comes up, let your husband be the one to talk to them. No matter how big the problem, push him out front. They’re his parents and siblings; you’re just an outsider. You need to manage your husband well. Make him understand that you and your children are the most important thing in his life, that nothing and no one can ever take your place. No matter how tough he acts outside, with you, he must only be gentle and considerate. If you have a good man, you’ll be happy for the rest of your life. But if he’s no good, you’ll be living a life of misery. For a woman, getting married is like being reborn. You have no choice the first time around, but the second time is all up to you and how you handle it. You’re the one who has to live your life; no one can do it for you. Think about it carefully. Don’t rush. Take your time. You still have time."

’How could I have thrown all of her words to the back of my mind? These past few years, because I gave birth to two daughters—and now with the family planning policy, I can’t have any more—my mother-in-law has constantly been finding fault with me. Why was I so foolish as to confront her directly? How could I have forgotten my sister’s advice? And now, because of all this, I’ve made her this furious!’