Chapter 6: Let's Divorce
Chapter 6: Let's Divorce
Before Jiang Xia could speak, Zhou Chenglei beat her to it. "Big Sister, I'll make breakfast tomorrow. Jiang Xia still has a fever, and the doctor said she shouldn't overexert herself. It'll be a bit of trouble, but could you and Mother handle the household chores for a few days?"
Tian Caihua’s face immediately fell.
She walked out, muttering under her breath, "Everyone's a lady of leisure, but I'm stuck with the servant's fate. I don't have their delicate constitution and thick skin. I work from morning till night and never get sick!"
Tian Caihua went to the kitchen to heat water for her younger son’s bath, slamming pots and pans as she went.
"Let me make breakfast tomorrow!" Jiang Xia said.
Taking turns was fair, and she had no complaints. She wasn’t used to being idle and living off others.
Zhou Chenglei looked at her in surprise, then continued picking at the crab meat. "No need, I can do it. Big Sister is just all talk, don’t take it to heart."
It wasn’t that he was spoiling her; he just thought Jiang Xia would be too dizzy to get up and do housework after walking a few steps.
Moreover, she was dead set on getting a divorce and might return to her parents' house tomorrow. Why should he let her cook breakfast for the whole family?
Outside in the courtyard, Zhou’s father and mother were cooling off. They heard the clattering from the kitchen, and Zhou’s father frowned. "Ask Chenglei if he wants a divorce. If he does, get it over with quickly."
Zhou’s father was fed up with the constant turmoil in the household.
Zhou’s mother thought about Jiang Xia and said, "Maybe we should give it some more time. When we were eating, she seemed different. They’ve only been married for a few days. Getting a divorce so soon will make us a laughingstock."
"Forget it, a leopard can’t change its spots. Haven’t we already been made a laughingstock?" Zhou’s father waved his hand dismissively.
Change? It was easier said than done.
Besides, looking at his daughter-in-law’s delicate and helpless appearance, Zhou’s father was sure that a divorce was the right move. Keeping her would only bring more suffering.
She had her son wait on her hand and foot, even having him wash her clothes. Was this what it meant to take a wife? It was like bringing home a princess!
She should have married into a wealthy family and become a lady.
Their Zhou family was too small to support a princess like her.
When it came to wives, they should look for someone sturdy, tall, and strong, someone who could work hard.
After finishing with the crab, Zhou Chenglei went to the kitchen and filled two buckets with hot water from the large iron pot. He adjusted the temperature and carried the water into the bathroom.
Jiang Xia and Zhou Zhou had just finished eating. She sent Zhou Zhou to play with his brother and started clearing the dishes.
Zhou Chenglei came in and took the dishes from her. "Let me do it. I’ve already heated the water for your bath. Go ahead and take a shower. Others need to use the bathroom too, so try to be quick."
With a large family, everyone had to take turns using the bathroom. Zhou’s father and elder brother were going out to sea the next day, and the nephews had school, so they needed to go to bed early. Jiang Xia usually took over an hour to shower, and when she had to wait for others to finish, she would throw a tantrum.
Everyone in the family was afraid of her.
Hearing this, Jiang Xia didn’t argue. With the water already prepared, it would be rude to refuse.
She went straight to her room to find clothes for her bath.
Without running water or a heated bathroom, Jiang Xia found it a bit inconvenient, but she adapted quickly and started undressing.
Zhou Chenglei added water to the large iron pot to continue heating it, ensuring that his parents and niece would have hot water for their baths later. Then he washed the dishes.
Tian Caihua, having dressed her younger son, came out and saw Zhou Chenglei washing dishes. She pursed her lips.
Only a good-natured younger brother-in-law would be so indulgent towards his wife.
Jiang Xia had already made him a cuckold, yet he still treated her so well.
If she were the younger brother-in-law, she would have slapped her long ago. Would she still be so kind?
Not chasing her out with a broom was already an act of kindness.
She asked, "Little brother-in-law, you haven’t forgotten what you said this afternoon, have you?"
He had said he would give everyone an explanation.
Zhou Chenglei subconsciously glanced at the bathroom and replied, "I haven’t forgotten."
Tian Caihua was satisfied and added, "When you get the divorce, remember to get the dowry back. Don’t be foolish; you haven’t even touched her, so don’t lose out! Your sister-in-law is doing this for your own good. With that two thousand yuan, you can find a better wife. Jiang Xia isn’t worth your kindness! And don’t forget to get the medical expenses back."
When she had married into the family, her little brother-in-law was still a boy. She spoke out of love for him, like a mother would for her son.
Zhou Chenglei remained silent, not agreeing with his sister-in-law’s words. He chose not to respond.
Tian Caihua, seeing his silence, thought he was ungrateful and went out to find her sons to come home and take a bath.
Those rascals didn’t know where they had gone after dinner!
Zhou Chenglei’s parents walked in and saw their son washing the dishes.
Zhou Chenglei’s father was displeased, his resolve only growing stronger.
Zhou Chenglei’s mother was both unhappy and helpless but saw that her son was almost done washing the dishes, so she didn’t help. She sighed, "A-Lei, come to my room later. I have something to say to you."
Zhou Chenglei responded, "Alright."
After putting the clean dishes away in the kitchen cabinet, Zhou Chenglei went to his parents’ room.
He had to give his family an explanation tonight.
—
Jiang Xia came out of the bathroom, and the courtyard was already empty.
She didn’t see any laundry detergent or soap and wasn’t sure what they used in this era to wash clothes. She decided to ask later and carried the enamel basin with her clothes back to the room, placing it in the corner.
This was the basin she had seen in the room, brand new, probably bought for the wedding. She felt comfortable using it.
Zhou Chenglei came out of his parents’ room and saw that the bathroom door was open, indicating that Jiang Xia had finished her bath and returned to the room.
He walked to the door and gently knocked.
This was originally his room, but after the wedding, he had been sleeping on a mat in his nephew’s room. Tonight, he had something important to discuss with Jiang Xia, so he came in.
Inside the room, Jiang Xia was sitting at the vanity, drying her hair. Without a hairdryer, she could only let it dry naturally.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she noticed that the original owner’s face was identical to her own. This made her very happy, as she had always been a beauty.
What surprised her even more was that her skin was even better now—smooth and tender, almost poreless, with no blemishes.
In her previous life, she had stayed up late often, and although her skin was fair, it wasn’t as good as it was now. Her pores were slightly larger, but this body was young, only 20 years old, with skin that was soft, poreless, and radiant.
Her figure, however, wasn’t as full as in her previous life, but it was more shapely. Jiang Xia measured herself and found that she had been a C cup in her previous life, but now she was a B cup. B was enough; larger would make running uncomfortable and make her look heavier in tight clothes.
Suddenly, a knock came at the door. She quickly put her hand down and said, "The door isn’t locked."
Zhou Chenglei pushed the door open and walked in.
Looking at the person sitting in front of the vanity, the dim light made her skin seem to glow, even brighter than the light bulb above her head.
He glanced at her and quickly looked away, then said directly, "Let’s get a divorce!"
Wishing all mothers a happy Mother’s Day!
Moms, you’ve worked hard!
(End of Chapter)
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