CHAPTER 558: CHAPTER 287: SHE FINALLY LEFT

Shi Fengming remained silent the whole time, simply staring blankly at the doorway where she had disappeared, lost in a trance. He was still somewhat stunned by what had just happened, and could hardly believe it was real! This morning, when she had been watching him take his medicine, he was secretly resenting her presence and wished she would leave at once. But now that she truly had gone, he felt——

A pang in his heart, Shi Fengming subconsciously clenched his fist tightly; she really left, and from now on, he would never see her again! Happy? He didn’t know! Withdrawing his gaze, he stared at the brightly blooming hibiscus in front of him and suddenly felt that the vibrant color was stinging his eyes, making him very uncomfortable. The wind blew and the petals of the blooming flowers fluttered down silently, gently touching the ground, scattering a mess all over.

The Shi family’s second master and his wife could not bear to delay their daughter-in-law’s youth. When their son was diagnosed with a terminal illness, they resolutely agreed to a divorce and let their daughter-in-law leave. Mrs. Zhou was reluctant, crying bitterly again and again, her heart torn with grief. When the servants of the mansion heard about this, they were all moved to tears, but in the end, she went away with her parents after being earnestly persuaded by her mother-in-law. People who heard about it could not help but sigh with admiration. They first praised the high righteousness of the second master and his wife of the Shi family, and secondly praised Mrs. Zhou’s deep affection. This incident became a charming story in the locality, which is a tale for another time.

After the departure of the Zhou family, the Shi Mansion regained its tranquility, though everyone had their own thoughts. Gu Fangzi scoffed inwardly, thinking that Zhou Jingyi was truly foolish. With a powerful natal family to support her, she couldn’t even compete with a prostitute and ended up in such a plight, she was both pitiable and deserving of it! Sang Wan also felt remorseful beyond measure; she had not thought that it would eventually come to this. Zhou Jingyi’s heart-wrenching cries still echoed in her ears, and Sang Wan could tell she was genuinely reluctant, yet she had no choice but to take this step! Shi Fengming was truly sorry for her!

On the carriage, Zhou Jingyi was still sobbing, her crying loud and suffocating, her cheeks reddened, her chest spasming in pain.

Mrs. Zhou felt so heartbroken, softly drying her daughter’s tears while gently patting her back, consoling her, "There, there, no more crying! Look at you, it was just an act, why cry so hard? It’s all over now, dear; stop crying!"

Zhou Jingyi did not explain. She lay in her mother’s arms, sobbing for a while until she quieted down, so tired from crying that she fell asleep right there. Mrs. Zhou sighed with pity and tenderly cradled her, making her lean more comfortably against herself and gently wiping away her tears. Looking at her daughter’s serene and youthful sleeping face, warmth surged in her heart. Her daughter finally belonged to her again, and she would never let her suffer any grievances.

After the Zhou family had left, Second Madam Shi happily went to Biluo Pavilion, dismissing the maids with a wave, and cheerfully said to Shi Fengming, "Fengming, the Zhou family has finally left. From now on, they have no more connection with our family! Haha, you don’t have to pretend to be sick any longer. Just endure it for a few more days, and all this will be behind us! Wait and your mother will find you a better match, I promise you’ll be satisfied! Fengming, this time mother will not make decisions on your behalf; if you don’t take a fancy, we’ll just keep looking! There are plenty of good girls in Qingzhou City; surely there’s one that will catch your eye! Once you get married again, you can settle down properly! If there’s someone outside you like, just bring her in, as long as you’re happy, anything goes!"

Second Madam Shi chattered away, her face full of smiles as she looked forward to the future.

But Shi Fengming felt agitated inside, impatiently saying, "Alright, Mother! I’m not in the mood for that now, let’s talk about it later!"

Marry again? Of course, he would remarry! But he felt an utter lack of enthusiasm. After all, what was the difference? Any passably attractive woman would do, and he would have no further opinions!

"Yes, yes, of course, after some time! To immediately look for a match after Mrs. Zhou has just left, mother will keep an eye out for you in secret, and next year it will be just right for you to marry!" Second Madam Shi laughed heartily.

"We’ll see when the time comes!" Shi Fengming said languidly, and couldn’t help but ask, "The Zhou family—just like that, they left?"

"Otherwise, what else would they want? I’ve given them plenty of face and respect! You can rest assured about how I handle things; after today they wouldn’t dare to make a scene even if they wanted to! Haha, speaking of Mrs. Zhou, she was quite interesting, crying as if it were real! You wouldn’t have guessed, she’s quite the actress!" Second Madam Shi teased with a smile.

Shi Fengming shuddered unconsciously, "She cried?"

Second Madam Shi chided him with a laugh, "What nonsense are you talking about! She had to cry, didn’t she? If she didn’t, wouldn’t she appear heartless and unrighteous for deserting her ailing husband?"

Shi Fengming fell silent, the image of her shedding tears during their farewell and her suppressed sobs unbidden flashed before his eyes. He knew, she wasn’t acting. Even his mother said so, which showed how deeply she must have cried. Did he really deserve such grief from her? This woman was truly foolish! So foolish that he felt a bit remiss and restless.

"Mother, you go back first, I want to be alone for a while!" Shi Fengming listened as his mother prattled on, either complaining about Mrs. Zhou’s inadequacies or talking about finding him a new marriage. He felt increasingly irritated.

Seeing his mood, Second Madam Shi ceased her chatter, smiled and said, "All right, all right, then you rest! Now no one will bother you anymore, and your mood should start improving! Son, just endure for a few more days, and it will be settled!"

"I know, just go!" Shi Fengming felt even more impatient.

"You, this child! Look at you!" Second Madam Shi gently scolded with a laugh before standing up to leave. When fortune smiles, one’s spirits soar. As long as her son was well, and later married a wife to his liking, she would truly have no more wishes!