CHAPTER 269: CHAPTER 202: PEACE CHARM

Zhou Xiaozheng accompanied his elderly mother, talking about his experiences outside over the years, the interesting people and things he had encountered, noticing his mother’s bad mood and unsure how to comfort her.

Some events, once they’ve happened, cannot be erased. The unfairness he experienced in his early years did not leave him resentful, but decades later, everything his only daughter went through left him unable to let go. If he were really gone, if his Jiao Jiao didn’t have her own plans, who would grant justice? Who would understand the grievances of their father and daughter? Unable to take revenge, he could only ignore it. Even if the old lady truly wanted to reconcile, he wouldn’t agree.

Through the years, all he gained from his efforts was coldness. His heart was too narrow, unable to accommodate too many people or too many things. Thinking of the three brothers from the in-laws’ family and then about his own elder brother and sister, it wasn’t that he didn’t feel hurt. Since childhood, he knew that only his mother truly loved him, yet she treasured his brother and sister equally. Whenever there were disagreements among the three siblings, she always asked him to give in.

Haha, he was a full cycle younger than his older siblings. After gaining sense, he understood he could only rely on himself; otherwise, his life would just be laboring like a beast of burden for the Old Zhou Family, yet ultimately he couldn’t escape.

He ran away from home before he was 16 and didn’t intend to settle back in the old home. Returning to his hometown made some happy, some nostalgic. But stepping on that land, the only thought it stirred was the hardships of youth—going hungry, lacking adequate clothing, and no chance for schooling—forcing him to learn secretly on his own. His father’s cold eyes, his siblings’ scheming. If his daughter wasn’t in Zhang Family Village, he truly wouldn’t have the resolve to return to this place filled with shadows in his heart.

His Jiao Jiao asked him if he was truly their child? Recalling the old clan leader patting his head back then with a sigh, those vague words made him suspicious, and he did investigate, but so what if he wasn’t their biological child?

Despite his life being long, he never intended to shirk the duty of upbringing as long as his elderly mother was around, he would dutifully fulfill his role as a son. Therefore, he often reminded himself not to expect too much. Zhou Xiaozheng existed in this world, relying on himself to live well, and would have his own flesh and blood.

To remain unrestrained by others, he married Lin Lishan, and indeed, he was right. Besides spending money, these so-called family members harbored hidden intents. Had the Lin Family not stood firm, had he been gone, the mother and son wouldn’t even know where their bones lay. The reason he went to great lengths to send the wooden box to his mother’s hands, claiming it was for Jiao Jiao, was to prevent any leaks of her affairs, giving them pause over the mysterious assets appearing and discovering there were others besides the Lin Family watching from afar. Relatives guarding against each other and doubting one another was not only the sorrow of the Old Zhou Family but also his misfortune.

Zhou Xiaozheng noticed his mother’s mind wandered while she spoke, but he didn’t intervene. He simply watched the haggard old lady before him. Since the passing of his grandparents, her life had been difficult, with life imposing a series of challenges, carving traces on her face, the endless toil, and the withering of her bones.

Now in her seventies, facing her twilight years, she appeared more weathered than others, her eyes occasionally revealing sorrow. Remembering the gentle elegance of his mother in his childhood, Zhou Xiaozheng reflected on how truly time was a butcher’s knife, changing everything in life.

If his deceased grandparents could see this, how heartbroken they might be? Would they regret teaching her to abide by the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, to follow her husband after marriage, to regard her husband as heaven? The old lady abandoned a well-off job, following her husband back to the hometown, and it’s unknown if she has any regrets.

"Mother, shall we go to the kitchen? Xiao Wu is coming back soon. Let’s have our meal first, then we’ll talk," Zhou Xiaozheng suggested, breaking the awkward silence between mother and son as the aroma wafted from the kitchen.

Mrs. Zhou, pulled from her thoughts, declined the coat he extended, "No, this coat is too big. The room is just right in warmth; the heated wall is better than the bed stove, not just warming the underside and leaving the top cold. You see, the room is full of warmth, I am not cold at all. Everyone knows heated walls are good, but nobody can afford or dare install them. Not considering the cost of installing one, every year there’s the expense of coal and wood. Looking at this home’s previous owner, they weren’t short on money; otherwise, you couldn’t find another house like it in the county town. Let’s go, dinner’s ready, the aroma reached us here."

Zhou Xiaozheng persuaded his elderly mother, "Mother, get out and about when you can, don’t always stay shut indoors. I’ve returned, and with Jiao Jiao here, you can be at ease. Just the three of them living here, buy what you fancy, live as you wish, everyone minds their own business, it’s peaceful, and you can watch the children. What’s in going back to the village, there are enough people around, and you don’t really need to keep yourself busy there. A few more years, when I’m freer and can take a break, I’ll take you to Beijing, to revisit our family home."

Mrs. Zhou listened with a smile, patting her son’s arm, "I can’t leave the old house now. Who knows when I might just sleep and not wake up? Plus, the family isn’t peaceful; if I truly stayed with you, there’d be things happening every day. In future, don’t return if it’s not necessary, arrange for Jiao Jiao to join you in Beijing earlier. The kid, Xiao Wu, is good, and Jiao Jiao is filial too. Live your days well and consider having another child if possible, so Jiao Jiao doesn’t end up like me, with nowhere to turn when older."

Zhou Xiaozheng frowned slightly, then shifted the topic, "Mother, grandchildren have their own fortunes. You’re of age to enjoy life. What if they come, dare they come inside? Living in the county town, Jiao Jiao is here to read with you, chat, and you can take the child for a stroll if you’re free."

Mrs. Zhou chuckled, "Getting old, I can’t walk as much anymore. These years, it’s said I cared for Jiao Jiao, but actually, she cared for me; now it’s time she relaxed a bit, without disturbing her life. Ah Zheng, is the peace charm still with you?" She asked softly, recalling something as she looked up at his neck.

Zhou Xiaozheng instinctively touched his neck, raising his brows, "I’ve always kept it; you told me not to lose it. Though the seal opened a bit. Do you want it, Mother?"

Mrs. Zhou quickly shook her head, "Do you remember what Mother said back then? It’s yours; keep it well, give it to no one, for you never know, it might come in handy someday."

Zhou Xiaozheng saw his mother getting anxious and withdrew his hand, noticing her sigh of relief, which made him more puzzled. He had secretly opened it before, finding nothing inside except a small piece of paper from a temple.

"Haha, Mother, don’t worry, it’s nothing valuable, give it to someone and they won’t want it. It’s already torn and split open, who’d take it? If not for you telling me to keep it close, I’d have misplaced it long ago."

"It’s split open, huh?" she said, looking absently ahead, following him towards the kitchen, her reverie only breaking when Lin Lishan approached, "Oh, Shanshan, what did you just say? Mother seems a bit hard of hearing now."

"Nothing much. The meal’s ready, I was just about to call you and Brother Zheng over. Mother, you must be hungry. Come, try the dishes Hong Li and I made for you."

"Xiao Wu is back?"

Lin Lishan smiled at her, "He’s just about back, only went to a few households nearby, probably back soon. Let’s start eating, the men can drink their liquor, we won’t keep waiting for him."