Chapter Eleven: Song Xingzhi

The room finally fell completely silent.

Li Hongjuan, who had been cowering in the corner, barely daring to breathe, watched as Liu Cuie and the others disappeared without a trace. Her eyes darted around, and she quickly put on a flattering smile, eagerly sidling up to Zhang Chunxue.

“Oh, Mother, you truly are far-sighted and wise!”

As she spoke, Li Hongjuan gave an exaggerated thumbs-up, her expression so theatrical it seemed fit for the stage.

“I told you, letting Xiaoxiao study was definitely the right choice! Look at this— even the top officials from town personally came to praise her! Now, our family in the village can finally hold their heads high and bask in glory! Just wait and see who dares look down on us from now on!”

Her tone shifted, adopting a disdainful sneer: “Grandma really says the darndest things, always spouting nonsense! Mother, you’re no shrew, not at all! Honestly, compared to Third Aunt Huang Xiaolan, you look several years younger! Your skin is fair and flawless—if you want to remarry, it’d be as easy as snapping your fingers.”

Inwardly, her scheming mind was racing.

If Zhang Chunxue really considered remarrying, that would be perfect!

Once she remarried and left, the household would be Li Hongjuan’s to command.

The compensation from Zhong Guosheng—Zhang Chunxue surely wouldn’t take that to her new husband’s home, right? That money would end up in her hands after all.

Then, she would be the mistress of this household, free to do as she pleased.

Zhang Chunxue’s nature was well known to Li Hongjuan; she could see right through her with just a glance.

At these words, Zhang Chunxue only tugged at the corner of her mouth, revealing a faint, ambiguous smile. Her eyes were icy as she looked at her.

“Oh? So you’re quite eager for me to remarry, huh? Planning that once I’m gone, you can take charge and hold this family in your hands?”

Li Hongjuan felt a chill crawl down her spine under Zhang Chunxue’s penetrating gaze, as if her little schemes had been stripped bare. Embarrassment flushed her face.

She hastily waved her hand and forced out a dry chuckle. “Oh, Mother, what nonsense! I… I’m just standing up for you! Grandma’s words were too harsh; I just think she’s wronging you!”

Zhang Chunxue didn’t expose her petty ambitions, replying calmly, “Actually, it wouldn’t be impossible for you to take charge.”

At those words, Li Hongjuan’s eyes lit up sharply, like a mouse spotting a lantern in the darkness, gleaming with greed.

“Mother! Are you… are you serious?” Her voice trembled with excitement; she could hardly believe her ears.

Could happiness come so suddenly?

Zhang Chunxue leisurely lifted the tepid cup from the table and took a small sip.

“Of course I’m serious.” Setting the cup down, she looked at Li Hongjuan with a steady gaze. “You and Zhong Chengyi will split off from this family. Then you’ll set up your own household. You can manage things however you like; I won’t interfere.”

...

Li Hongjuan’s smile froze instantly, as if doused with an icy bucket from head to toe.

She opened her mouth to speak but found her throat clogged, unable to utter a single word.

Split… split off?

How could that be?

Right now, with Xiaoxiao’s achievements, the family was at its peak!

Officials from town had visited, one bonus, prize, and gift after another!

What if Xiaoxiao got into high school? Who knew what benefits might follow?

Splitting now would mean pushing all these advantages away. What would she gain?

Her expression shifted several times before forcing out a smile that was more painful than tears.

“Mother… you must be joking.” She said dryly, “This family, inside and out, still needs you to manage it. We young ones don’t understand these things. Without you, what would we do?”

Watching Li Hongjuan’s sycophantic attitude, Zhang Chunxue felt a wave of disgust.

“Enough. Don’t be in the way here.” She waved her hand impatiently. “Go cook. Xiaoxiao’s studies are demanding; she needs a good meal at noon to keep her strength up.”

Li Hongjuan choked, nearly unable to breathe, her ingratiating smile stiffening.

She wanted to argue or show her loyalty, but when faced with Zhang Chunxue’s all-seeing, slightly impatient eyes, the words stuck in her throat.

“All right, all right, I’m going, I’m going!” she stammered, not daring to say another word for fear Zhang Chunxue would truly kick her and Zhong Chengyi out to live separately. That would be a huge loss.

She slunk away and plunged into the kitchen, cursing Zhang Chunxue furiously in her mind.

That old hag! Unappreciative! You’ll be the one crying someday!

Once Li Hongjuan’s figure disappeared through the kitchen door, the room finally fell truly silent.

Zhang Chunxue exhaled softly and walked to the window, watching the hens pecking at food in the yard.

“Remarry…” she murmured the word, her eyes drifting.

Liu Cuie’s words echoed in her mind: “At your age, a widowed shrew with children, what man would want you?”

In the past, she might have laughed it off, but today, those two words felt like a pebble dropped into the calm lake of her heart, sending ripples spreading outwards.

Unbidden, a figure appeared in her thoughts.

Song Xingzhi.

Song Xingzhi was an educated youth who came to the village in the ‘60s during the Down to the Countryside Movement. Counting the years, he had already stayed in this poor mountain village for over a decade.

He was truly handsome, with delicate, refined features and the urbane air of a city man. Not only was he good-looking, but he was also educated and efficient in speech and deeds. Even in farm work, that precious city youth adapted quickly and with skill, no worse than the village lads.

Back then, many of the village’s young women quietly admired him.

Enthusiastic matchmakers practically wore out the threshold of the crumbling Youth Education Camp gate, but Song Xingzhi never favored any of them.

At first, villagers whispered that he must have a sweetheart in the city, which was why he rejected the village girls.

But later, when many educated youths returned to the city, Song Xingzhi stayed behind in the village.

Only, he no longer worked in the fields. Somehow, he was transferred to be the brigade clerk, a government-paid position.

The villagers then changed their tune, saying Song Xingzhi must be a stone Buddha—unromantic and clueless about men and women.

But only Zhang Chunxue knew the truth of why Song Xingzhi stayed and why he rejected everyone.

Because Song Xingzhi liked her.

That was years ago, just six months after Zhong Guosheng’s death, when Song Xingzhi came to her.

He confessed his feelings.

He said that when he first arrived in the village, he fell for her at first sight.

Once, when he was sick, Zhang Chunxue secretly brought him medicine and cared for him for several days. After that, his affection for her grew even stronger.

Unfortunately, at the time, Zhang Chunxue was already married to Zhong Guosheng. Song Xingzhi had come too late, so he buried his sudden feelings deep in his heart, never daring to speak of them.

Now, with Zhong Guosheng gone, and after waiting half a year to ensure his feelings were not a passing impulse, Song Xingzhi finally gathered all his courage to confess what he had kept hidden for so long.