The old couple looked at their son and daughter-in-law’s expressions and immediately knew things were halfway done.
The old woman pressed the issue while the iron was hot.
“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and figure out how to do this!”
“We absolutely cannot let the eldest son and his wife find out, or this whole plan will fall apart!”
Second Young Master Zhou rubbed his hands together, his eyes darting around before he lowered his voice.
“Father, Mother, this can’t be done openly.”
“My elder brother is the most image-conscious person. My sister-in-law is also very strong-willed. If we go directly to them, they’ll definitely kick us out.”
He leaned closer to the old man, his voice dropping even lower, carrying a hint of cruelty.
“Father… do you still have that aphrodisiac you bought from the Western Regions last time when you were breeding our old yellow cow?”
“Let’s just do it cleanly—drug them!”
“Once the deed is done, even if they don’t acknowledge it, they’ll have no choice but to!”
【What the hell! These beasts!】
Zhou Zeyuan almost couldn’t hold back from kicking the window open.
【That’s your own brother! Your sister-in-law!】
【They’re even resorting to drugs… they’re not human!】
The thief she was pinning down shuddered violently.
He looked toward the window, and for the first time, true fear appeared in his eyes.
This family… is terrifying.
Even if he starved to death in the future, he would never steal in this area again.
The old woman frowned and waved her hand, rejecting the idea.
“That medicine is for livestock. It’s too strong and the dosage is hard to control.”
“What if it damages their bodies and ruins their ability to have sons?”
She stood up, straightening her clothes, looking completely confident.
“I’ll handle this myself as their mother.”
“I’ll go talk to the eldest daughter-in-law—reason with her, persuade her with emotion and logic. She’s filial, and she has no standing in this family, she’ll listen.”
“Heh.”
The second daughter-in-law let out a cold laugh.
“Mother, you’re underestimating her too much.”
“She’s sharper than a monkey. If you go, she’ll agree on the surface and then broadcast it across the entire street.”
“Then where will our family’s face go?”
She looked provocatively at Second Young Master Zhou.
“Let’s not argue. Let’s compete fairly.”
“You go deal with the eldest sister-in-law, I’ll go persuade the eldest brother.”
“Whoever succeeds first wins. And whichever side produces the child—that child belongs to that side!”
Second Young Master Zhou straightened his neck and agreed immediately.
“Fine! Who’s afraid of who!”
“I don’t believe I can’t handle my sister-in-law with this face of mine!”
【Wait… this logic doesn’t add up at all!】
Zhou Zeyuan’s mind spun rapidly.
【If the second daughter-in-law has a child with the eldest brother, the baby is obviously hers.】
【But if Second Young Master goes to the eldest sister-in-law… and she gives birth… how does he plan to claim it?】
【Isn’t he afraid of raising a child that turns out to be his own brother’s son… while he thinks he’s the father?】
【System, I don’t understand this at all either.】
The system sighed.
【They probably have their own special arithmetic system.】
Zhou Zeyuan decided not to waste brain cells on their logic anymore.
What interested her more was the “unlucky” eldest couple in the east wing—what kind of people were they?
She lifted the thief by the collar like a chick.
The thief, completely broken mentally now, didn’t resist at all.
He hung in the air, legs dangling, mind filled with the earlier shocking conversation.
Zhou Zeyuan moved through the corridor toward the east courtyard.
The east wing courtyard was completely different from the west.
The west side, though tidy, carried a suffocating heaviness.
But the east side…
She paused at the wall and peeked in.
The courtyard was spotless—no weeds even in the cracks between the stone slabs.
Several banana plants grew lush and vibrant, their large leaves shining emerald green in the sunlight.
In the center, two chubby little boys were chasing each other.
They wore identical deep-blue jackets, their round cheeks flushed pink, rolling across the yard like two bouncing balls.
“Big Brother! Don’t run!”
“Second Brother can’t catch me! Nyaa!”
Their laughter was crisp and full of life.
Under the pavilion sat a couple, leaning close and whispering softly.
The man wore a moon-white robe with a cyan sash, his face handsome and refined, his temperament gentle and scholarly.
The woman wore a lotus-colored dress, her hair neatly pinned with pearl ornaments, her beauty soft and elegant.
The man carefully peeled a lychee and brought the translucent fruit to her lips.
She smiled and ate it, her face blooming with happiness.
A perfect scene of a loving husband, devoted wife, and harmonious family.
She placed the thief under the shade of the grape trellis.
The thief looked at the couple like celestial beings, then thought of the disgusting schemes of the west wing family.
His emotions were complicated.
This eldest brother and sister-in-law were truly unlucky.
Stuck with such a group of toxic relatives, yet completely unaware of the coming disaster.
Zhou Zeyuan leaned in closer to observe.
The man—Zhou Qin, the eldest son—spoke gently:
“Wife, you’ve worked hard.”
“Thanks to you giving me so many sons, I can finally hold my head up in front of my parents.”
He glanced toward the west wing, a satisfied smile curling his lips.
“Every time I see Second Brother’s frustrated and jealous face, I feel so satisfied.”
“Who told him to bully me when we were young?”
His wife Zhao Shi smiled shyly and leaned on his shoulder.
“As long as I can help you, it’s my blessing.”
“Since you treat me so well, I don’t mind any hardship.”
【Wow, so loving!】
Zhou Zeyuan thought.
【They really do have a good relationship. Rare in a family like this.】
【No, I need to warn them—the second branch is plotting against them!】
Just as she was thinking this, the man spoke again.
“However, wife, we already have six sons, while Second Brother has none.”
“The gap is big, but not stable enough.”
“What if he somehow gets lucky and has a son later? Father and Mother might favor him again.”
He paused.
“Maybe… I should invite Zhang Sheng over again for a few days?”
“Let’s try to add one more this year and completely crush Second Brother’s hopes.”
Zhao Shi’s body stiffened slightly.
Her smile froze for a moment, a complicated expression flashing across her face—shame, hesitation, and something indescribable.
“Husband… you really don’t mind at all… about me and Young Master Zhang?”
She bit her lip, lowering her voice.
Zhou Qin took her hand and kissed it gently.
“Of course not.”
“Your children are my children.”
“Men outside are just passersby—like inns along the road. Only I am your forever home.”
“And besides, without Zhang Sheng’s help, how would we have these six sons?”
“I’m not only not jealous—I’m grateful.”
【Wait… what did I just hear?】
Zhou Zeyuan froze completely.
【The eldest brother’s six sons… were all from his wife and the neighbor Zhang Sheng?!】
【And he wants to do it again?!】
【And he’s saying it so confidently?!】
The thief beside her was completely stunned, mouth hanging open, eyes frozen.
If his acupoints weren’t sealed, he would have jumped up on the spot.
【That ‘home is a harbor, the outside is just an inn’ line…】
Zhou Zeyuan’s mind went blank.
【I’m hearing a live ancient version of this meme?!】
【And it’s the man saying it himself?!】
The system quietly began explaining:
【Host, you heard correctly.】
【Zhou Qin actually only has daughters, just like his younger brother has no sons.】
【A fortune-teller once said he has no fate for sons in this life.】
【But his parents are extremely patriarchal—without sons, he has no standing in the family.】
【He has a classmate named Zhang Sheng.】
【Zhang Sheng’s wife passed away early, and he only has concubines.】
【But strangely, he only produces sons.】
【And Zhang Sheng, oddly enough, prefers daughters.】
【So the two of them made an astonishing agreement…】
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