Chapter 67: The Feeling of a Queen (3000 Words)
Chapter 67: The Feeling of a Queen (3000 Words)
Jiang Xia saw Zhou Father and quickly took the popsicle out of her mouth. "Dad."
Zhou Chenglei heard her and turned to call out, "Dad," before continuing to massage her calf.
Jiang Xia pulled her foot back, her face turning a bit red. "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Zhou Chenglei continued to massage for a bit before standing up.
Zhou Mother had just finished cooking when she saw the three of them return home. She smiled, "What a coincidence, you're all back! I just finished cooking, so wash your hands and come eat."
Zhou Father: "I'm full."
Zhou Mother looked at him in surprise. "Full? What did you eat?"
"Sacrificial offerings."
He was just a spirit tablet, so of course, he ate sacrificial offerings, right?
Zhou Mother: "…"
What kind of sacrificial offerings?
Zhou Mother's eyes widened as she realized something. "Old man, you didn't go and steal the offerings from the ancestral hall, did you?"
On the way to the dock, they would pass by the ancestral hall, where people often went to pray for a safe voyage.
"Am I that stupid?" Zhou Father rolled his eyes and carried the bucket of fish into the house.
As a father, he naturally enjoyed the offerings his son provided. His wife would eventually eat them too, so she'd understand later.
Zhou Mother just found him confusing.
Jiang Xia handed Zhou Mother a popsicle. "Mom, I bought this for you."
Zhou Mother didn't pay Zhou Father any more attention. She waved her hand and smiled, "I don't eat them. My stomach can't handle them. I get a pain. You young people love them. Give it to Zhou Zhou!"
"I bought two. Do you want one, Dad?"
Zhou Father didn't like them. "No, thanks."
Zhou Mother called out loudly, "Zhou Zhou, come out! Your aunt bought you a popsicle and one for your great-grandpa too!"
Great-grandpa was Zhou Jie, the grandson of Great-Grandma.
Zhou Zhou was in the room writing. Ever since Jiang Xia bought her a new desk, she would write whenever she had free time. Hearing the noise, she ran out.
Jiang Xia gave her the popsicles. "One for you and one for Grandpa Zhou Jie."
Zhou Zhou took the popsicles with a smile. "Thanks, Aunt Xia."
Then she ran to the next door to find Zhou Jie.
Jiang Xia then said to Zhou Mother and Zhou Father, "Dad, Mom, Ailei and I bought you some clothes. Try them on after dinner and see if they fit."
Zhou Chenglei pushed his bicycle into the yard. Hearing Jiang Xia call him Ailei, he glanced at her, his eyebrows raising slightly.
Zhou Mother's eyes sparkled with surprise, happy that her daughter-in-law thought of her during her trip to the city. But she also felt a bit sorry for the money spent. She smiled, "We have clothes. You don't need to buy us any. Next time, don't bother. You don't have a new house yet, and you don't have children. You'll have plenty of expenses in the future. Save the money for yourselves. Your father and I are old and don't need many clothes."
"It's not a waste. Money is meant to be spent. Ailei said he's been grateful for your hard work and noticed your clothes were old, so he bought them specially from the mall." Jiang Xia tried to take the red, white, and blue bag off the bicycle.
Zhou Chenglei took it directly, seeing it was heavy and didn't let Jiang Xia carry it. He handed it to Zhou Mother, "Mom, the clothes are in here. Take them inside. Jiang Xia bought them; I didn't think of it."
Zhou Mother, completely unaware that her son had been using her as a laborer, felt even happier. Whether it was her son or daughter-in-law who thought of buying them, it made her happy to be remembered. She took the bag with a smile and carried it inside.
Zhou Father's lips twitched, and he looked up at the sky, speechless.
His wife was so stupid, completely unaware that she had been used as a laborer while enjoying her son's offerings!
Zhou Chenglei parked the bicycle.
Jiang Xia touched the fish hanging in the yard.
Zhou Mother saw and said, "Your father and I took some to your brother's roof this morning to dry. They're almost completely dry, so we'll need one more day."
"Do you have to take them there? It's too much trouble for you and Dad."
"What trouble? Your father doesn't go out to sea, so he's bored." Zhou Mother took the red, white, and blue bag into the house, tactfully not opening it.
Jiang Xia washed her hands and came in, opening the bag. She took out the milk powder and other items, then found the clothes and shoes she bought for Zhou Father and Zhou Mother. "Mom, Dad, try these on and see if they fit."
Zhou Mother liked the style as soon as she saw it. She wiped her hands on her apron before taking them. "Oh, these must be expensive. We could have bought some cotton cloth. This polyester is so expensive."
"Mom, Dad, try them on and see if they fit. If they don't, I'll go to the city in a few days to exchange them." Jiang Xia then took out Zhou Zhou's school bag, clothes, and shoes and put them in her room.
Zhou Mother was delighted. "I'll go try them on right away."
Zhou Mother called Zhou Father to try them on too.
Zhou Father glanced at the shirt and trousers and calmly said, "What's the rush? Let's eat first."
Zhou Mother came back to her senses. "Right, let's eat first."
Dinner was a mixed fish stew, stir-fried squid with chili, and steamed eggs with tiny shrimp.
The smallest shrimp from the last batch they dried were kept for their own use. Last time, Zhou Mother heard Jiang Xia mention making steamed eggs with shrimp, so she made it for her today.
It was her first time making it, so the eggs were a bit overcooked, with many air pockets and a slightly black color, not the golden yellow they should be.
She gave Jiang Xia a large spoonful with a smile.
Jiang Xia thanked her with a smile and started eating contentedly.
Coming home to a prepared meal, there was nothing more satisfying.
After dinner, Zhou Father quickly took a shower, changed into the new clothes and shoes, and went out.
Zhou Chenglei cleaned up the dishes, and Zhou Mother went to her room to change into the new clothes and also went out.
Jiang Xia bought Zhou Zhou three sets of clothes, and they all fit her perfectly. As she was braiding Zhou Zhou's hair, she asked curiously, "It's so late, where are Mom and Dad going?"
Zhou Chenglei replied, "To the Big Tree Garden in the village. Many people go there to cool off after dinner."
Zhou Zhou added, "Uncle Qiang's house is nearby."
Jiang Xia understood. So, the two elders were going to show off! How adorable!
But it was already dark. Would it affect their showing off?
Indeed, it was already around eight o'clock. Wen Wan had an argument with the people in the car and was forced to get off halfway. She ran back to the village, and her feet were blistered.
She hadn't eaten all day, and she was hot, tired, hungry, and thirsty. Her feet and face hurt! When she got home, no one had left any food for her, and the whole family was already asleep.
Wen Wan, with red eyes, drank a large bowl of water and then took two sweet potatoes, peeled them, and ate them raw.
She had to end this life as soon as possible!
Wen Wan went back to her room and took out a mirror. She saw that the wound on her forehead was just a shallow scratch with a bit of blood, and it shouldn't leave a scar. However, her left cheek was swollen and looked very ugly.
She was a bit angry that Jiang Xia didn't warn her when she saw her.
Wen Wan locked Jiang Xia's letter to Wu Qizhi in a drawer. She would find an opportunity to deliver it to the Zhou family tomorrow, so Zhou's mother and Zhou Chenglei could see her true colors.
While eating the sweet potatoes, Wen Wan took out a foreign children's book. In her previous life, she had attended night school and obtained a bachelor's degree. She had found a job at a foreign company and had worked hard to improve her English to get promotions and raises.
She had also read the Chinese version of this children's book in her previous life, so it wasn't difficult for her.
Wen Wan was about to start translating, but then she thought of Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia's intimate moments.
She put the foreign book aside, took out Jiang Xia's letter, and then grabbed an old exercise book to practice copying the handwriting.
She was quite good at imitating others' handwriting, almost perfectly.
The night was long, and since they had agreed to divorce, it was best to make it happen as soon as possible!
Zhou Chenglei washed the dishes, prepared the water for Zhou Zhou to take a shower, and then asked Jiang Xia, "Do you want to wash your hair today?"
"Yes," she replied. The road was so dusty, and she felt like she was covered in dirt.
Zhou Chenglei asked, "Shall I wash it for you?"
This time, Jiang Xia didn't refuse, "Sure!"
Zhou Chenglei enthusiastically moved a reclining chair and prepared hot water.
On a warm summer night, Jiang Xia lay on the reclining chair, listening to the cicadas and admiring the moon.
Zhou Chenglei sat in front of her, gently massaging her head as he washed her hair.
After Zhou Zhou finished her shower, she saw Jiang Xia moving her feet occasionally, worried about mosquitoes, and ran back to the house to get a large palm fan to keep the mosquitoes away and fan Jiang Xia.
Jiang Xia smiled, "No need, Zhou Zhou. Just fan yourself."
Zhou Zhou replied, "I am fanning myself."
Her aunt had been so good to her, buying her a new desk, a new backpack, new clothes, new shoes, and even milk. She wanted to do something for Jiang Xia.
Jiang Xia didn't stop her, but she suddenly felt like a queen and couldn't help but laugh.
Zhou Chenglei asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Jiang Xia replied, "I just feel like a queen right now."
Zhou Chenglei's eyes sparkled, "I'll wash your hair whenever you want, and you can be a queen for life."
"Alright! You said it, so you have to keep your promise!"
"Sure," he agreed.
After washing her hair, Jiang Xia went to take a shower.
It was already past eight, and Zhou's parents returned with smiles. Zhou Zhou also went back to her room to sleep.
After her shower, Jiang Xia returned to her room, and Zhou Chenglei handed her an iron box. "You can keep this from now on."
Jiang Xia knew this iron box contained Zhou Chenglei's money.
She smiled at him, "How much is in there? Do you have any hidden savings?"
Zhou Chenglei honestly replied, "Around five thousand, and I have ten yuan in my pocket."
Jiang Xia teased, "Ten yuan is a lot. Men with money tend to go bad easily."
Zhou Chenglei took out the ten yuan and put it in the box.
Jiang Xia held his hand, "I was just joking. You need money for selling fish."
Zhou Chenglei pulled her hand and held it in his palm, "It's fine. I sell fish, not buy them. From now on, I won't carry more than one yuan. You keep the money, and I'll ask you for it when I need it."
Jiang Xia looked at him seriously, "I was really just joking. You can carry as much as you need."
Zhou Chenglei looked back at her, gently brushing the hair from her forehead, "I know, but I wasn't joking. You're my wife, and it's only natural for you to manage the money."
Zhou Chenglei's voice was smooth and magnetic, like a plucked string. Combined with the way he looked at her, the atmosphere became intimate.
Jiang Xia met his intense gaze, and her heart raced. She instinctively turned her head to look elsewhere, "You like it."
Zhou Chenglei's eyes were filled with warmth and amusement. He pulled her into his arms, held her face, and made her look at him.
Their eyes locked, and Jiang Xia's heart pounded.
He suddenly leaned down, lowering his head to capture her lips.
(End of Chapter)
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