TRBDM -Chapter 145 Thoughts of Divorcing

“Mother.”

“Mother!”

Xie Lan and Xie Yu immediately rushed to Wei Zhaorong’s side.

Madam Shen froze in place, utterly surprised that Wei Zhaorong would appear here.

“Luo Xiuzhu, apologize to Lan and Yu.”

Luo Xiuzhu was none other than Shen Zhizhi’s mother, Madam Shen.

Just now, she had spat at Xie Lan and Xie Yu, and Wei Zhaorong had seen it happen.

Luo Xiuzhu’s face filled with shame. She had thought that since they were youngsters, she could vent her anger freely—but it backfired, as Wei Zhaorong had caught her in the act.

Her face instantly turned as red as a monkey’s backside, and her voice was barely audible: “I… I’m sorry.”

“Louder!” Wei Zhaorong, who rarely displayed emotions outwardly, was commanding and hard to approach.

When Shen Zhizhi had married into the Hou family, it had truly been a high-status match.

Wei Zhaorong had initially opposed it, but Xie Sheng was fond of her, so the two families were united through marriage.

Although they were connected as mothers-in-law, the difference in status made Luo Xiuzhu a little intimidated by her.

With Wei Zhaorong’s sharp command, Luo Xiuzhu could no longer maintain her dignity. She raised her voice: “Young masters, I apologize. I was careless just now when I spat. Please don’t hold it against an old woman like me.”

Xie Yu, with his kind heart, was about to forgive her, but Xie Lan pulled him back.

“Madam Shen, though you are an elder, I still wish to remind you: do not rely on your age to act arrogantly. Whether it was intentional or careless, my fourth brother and I saw it clearly. I hope in the future, when you visit someone else’s household, you mind your words and actions and do not disgrace your status.”

“I understand, I understand.”

Luo Xiuzhu felt like she wanted to crawl into a hole after Xie Lan’s rebuke.

Wei Zhaorong’s gaze was like a tangible weight, pressing Luo Xiuzhu’s head down so she couldn’t look up.

“Luo Xiuzhu, Mingde Marquis Mansion does not welcome you. Do not come here again.”

“Ah… alright, I won’t, I won’t.”

Head down, Luo Xiuzhu hurried out, moving faster and faster until she practically ran through the door.

Once she left, Wei Zhaorong looked at Xie Lan with approval: “Well said, Lan’er. Remember, if people don’t offend me, I won’t offend them. But if someone does, I will repay them in kind. The sons of Mingde Marquis Mansion must never be bullied.”

Xie Yu nodded in agreement: “Mother, I understand. I will learn from my third brother and not be a pushover for others to exploit.”

“Good, remember that. You have me behind you.”

Wei Zhaorong was their source of confidence.

“Understood, Mother.”

The little incident caused by Luo Xiuzhu quickly reached Shen Zhizhi’s ears.

“Mother apologized to Xie Lan and Xie Yu?”

Shen Zhizhi was so angry she nearly climbed out of bed.

“How dare they! They’re juniors—how could an elder apologize to juniors? Do they think no one in the Shen household will stand up for me?”

However, none of the servants in the second branch echoed Shen Zhizhi’s outrage.

After all, they harbored deep resentment toward the Shen family.

If the second madam hadn’t misappropriated the Hou family’s communal property, the second branch wouldn’t have split off.

Since the split, even the servants’ monthly wages were downgraded.

In the past, during festivals and holidays, the matriarch would often distribute food, drink, and clothes to each branch, and the servants benefited as well.

Now that the second branch was independent, every penny spent came from their own share of the estate. With the second master managing strictly, the servants didn’t get a single extra benefit.

All of this was because of the Shen family—how could they not be resentful?

Take today, for example. Madam Shen came to Quyang Courtyard empty-handed, without a single word of concern for the Second Madam. She immediately began lamenting her poverty.

She said things like Second Madam was useless, that marrying into the Xie household was pointless, that she was an ungrateful daughter who offered no help to her natal family, and even blamed Second Madam for the Shen family having to sell their old residence.

The servants were all furious, itching to speak up and refute her. The Shen family had raised a gambler of a son; what did that have to do with the Xie family?

Yet Second Madam was completely cornered by Madam Shen and kept apologizing without pause.

“Mother, please stop crying. It’s all my fault—I am useless.”

The more she apologized, the more energized Madam Shen became, nearly pointing at Shen Zhizhi’s nose and scolding her for being unworthy of her ancestors.

Shen Zhizhi’s tears and sniffles flowed freely. She didn’t argue back; in her heart, she was already planning that once Xie Sheng returned, even if she had to write an IOU, she would borrow a hundred taels to help the Shen household get through this difficulty.

Luo Xiuzhu made a scene for quite a while, only calming down around lunchtime.

Shen Zhizhi couldn’t touch the Second Household’s silver, but she could order the small kitchen to prepare a lavish lunch for Luo Xiuzhu.

Luo Xiuzhu, who had thrown tantrums in front of her daughter and cried herself hungry, lit up when she saw the sumptuous meal.

As she ate, she muttered, “Tianci is still growing, yet he’s never had such delicious food. What a pity… giving this to you is a waste.”

Shen Zhizhi said nothing.

After finishing, Luo Xiuzhu packed up the leftovers, saying she would take them back for Shen Tianci.

As she packed, she kept muttering, “You eat so well every day, but have you ever thought of Tianci? He’s never had such luxurious food. Such a shame… giving it to you is truly a waste.”

The servants’ fists clenched at her words, and one couldn’t help but reply, “Second Madam is carrying the Xie family’s child. Naturally, she must eat nutritiously.”

They thought that mentioning Shen Zhizhi’s pregnancy might trigger some maternal feeling in Luo Xiuzhu. But instead, she snapped: “Silence! When the mistress speaks, what business do servants have interrupting?”

Luo Xiuzhu glared at the servant.

The servant muttered in dissatisfaction, “What mistress packs leftovers? If you hadn’t said ‘mistress,’ I’d have thought she was a beggar.”

They spoke quietly, so Luo Xiuzhu didn’t hear it; otherwise, it would have sparked another scene.

When Luo Xiuzhu left, she took only one box of leftovers, not a single tael, her anger boiling inside.

As she stepped out of the Xie residence, she happened to run into Xie Lan and Xie Yu.

She had thought they were soft targets, an opportunity to vent her anger. But she didn’t expect to run into Wei Zhaorong instead.

It was a classic case of trying to steal a chicken and ending up losing the rice—her face was utterly ruined.

Shen Zhizhi hated her own helplessness, letting her mother be humiliated, and hadn’t even touched her evening meal.

“Madam, please eat a bit. You’ve lost so much weight recently. You must think of the child in your womb,” a maid urged.

Looking at the table full of appetizing dishes, Shen Zhizhi thought of the suffering Shen family members and tears fell freely.

“If you don’t eat, throw it all away.”

Suddenly, Xie Sheng appeared outside the door.

Shen Zhizhi hastily wiped her tears. “Husband, you’re back.”

“Heh, crying again. What’s the matter? I, the Second Household, raise you in silks and satins, and you’re still not satisfied? Crying, crying, crying… you’ve used up all the Second Household’s luck with your tears.”

Shen Zhizhi didn’t know where Xie Sheng’s anger came from. His shout stopped her from crying.

“From now on, if she doesn’t want to eat, don’t prepare meals. Wait until she asks, then cook for her.”

Frightened, Shen Zhizhi quickly shoved a mouthful of food into her mouth. “I’ll eat, I’ll eat! Husband, I’m hungry. I want to eat.”

Xie Sheng gave her a cold look and swept away.

He walked into the courtyard, stood under the long corridor, and looked up at the moon.

For the first time, in his heart, the thought of divorcing his wife arose.