Old Lady Zhou's biggest regret in her lifetime was following orders of that dead old coot of hers, raising Madam Zhou, and finally allowing them to have their way, having Wufu out of wedlock.
"A marriage certificate, huh," nothing but a trick for deceiving others and oneself. If there was no banquet and no witnesses to see the marriage ceremony, it wasn't considered a real marriage, let alone such a huge scandal as "pure seed, bluefield."
Moreover, it had been fourteen years, and that man hadn't shown even a ghost of himself. What marriage certificate? It had been forgotten in the passage of time, and their insistence on having a marriage certificate was nothing but a desperate attempt to save face and avoid idle gossip, including herself.
But the existence of Wufu and her mother, coupled with that man's absence, was seen as nothing but a joke in the eyes of outsiders. How could they, including the mother and daughter, including the Old Zhou family, avoid being pointed at and discussed over the years?
In the past, she had borne it; while the old man was still alive, people would somewhat take heed, after all, he was a scholar and a teacher.
But now, with the old man gone, and her Xueli about to be married off, she could not let them ruin her beloved son's matrimonial prospects.
At this moment, hearing Wufu's question, Old Lady Zhou's disgust intensified. This bad child, undisciplined and uneducated, showed not a trace of a young lady's compliance, but was willful, domineering, and savage.
"Is this how you teach your child?" Old Lady Zhou disdained to speak with Wufu and instead vented all her anger on Madam Zhou.
"Mother, Wufu she..." Madam Zhou tried to pull her daughter behind her, but no matter how she tugged, Wufu wouldn't budge.
"Mother, be reasonable." Wufu patted her hand and then looked at Old Lady Zhou, saying, "You shouldn't take your anger out on my mother either; I fear she's also confused right now."
Before either of them could question her, Wufu continued, "We all bear the surname Zhou, clearly we are relatives, but your behavior makes it seem like you're a Lai. That's why I asked who you are!"
This statement stunned them both as they came to understand.
Madam Zhou's eyes reddened and she began to wipe away her tears.
Wufu's words implied that Old Lady Zhou was siding with outsiders rather than her own family.
Did they hate them so much? Heaven knows, they were family!
Old Lady Zhou's face turned beet red as she pointed at Wufu, "You..."
"We actually passed by the Lai family's doorstep today, but isn't that supposed to be a public road? Is it named after the Lai family? And so what if I broke their basin? Do you know why? Did you bother to ask?" Wufu's voice was calm, "It's because the Lai family couldn't keep their mouths shut, looking for trouble where there was none. Just like that, they can provoke us first, but we can't defend ourselves? What kind of logic is that?"
"Besides, I broke the Lai family's basin, so if anyone should come demanding reparations, it should be the Lai family. But your attitude... When did I not know that you became a member of the Lai family? Taking the Lai family's side?" It was ridiculous. She was her own grandmother, and yet she was helping outsiders to accuse them, what kind of sham of a family member was that?
More like an enemy!
"You, you insolent girl!" Old Lady Zhou was furiously upset.
Madam Zhou stopped crying and hurried to intervene, "Wufu, hold your tongue!" She was, after all, her own mother.
"Mother, we are not clay figurines to be trampled upon by anyone," Wufu glanced at her, then at Old Lady Zhou, her gaze sharp as a blade, "No one is allowed to do that!"
Old Lady Zhou's pupils shrank, and she instinctively took a couple of steps back.
This damned girl, that look in her eyes, she...
Old Lady Zhou swallowed hard, her heart starting to flutter erratically, a wave of panic washing over her.