Chapter Thirteen: It Wasn't That She Never Considered Remarriage

Zhong Chengren slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes with a look of disdain. “She’s just a young girl—what’s the big deal about crying a few times? Making a fuss over nothing!” He paused, muttering, “Zhou Mingli’s useless too. She can’t even take care of her own child! What’s the point of marrying her?”

His words were like pouring gasoline on a fire, instantly igniting all of Zhang Chunxue’s fury.

“How dare you call her useless! How dare you neglect the child!” Zhang Chunxue trembled with rage. Without thinking, she slipped off her cloth shoes and struck Zhong Chengren hard across his back and buttocks.

“Smack! Smack! Smack!”

The sharp sound of the shoe soles hitting flesh echoed loudly in the quiet night.

Zhong Chengren yelped in pain. “Mom! Why are you hitting me? Did I say something wrong?”

“Wrong?!” Zhang Chunxue struck even harder. “She’s your wife! The child is your own daughter! Don’t you have any sense of responsibility as a husband or father?”

“She’s just a girl. Is it really worth all this fuss?” Zhong Chengren stubbornly held his ground.

“How dare you say that!” Zhang Chunxue struck him again with the sole of her shoe. “Get out! Go find a doctor now! If you can’t find Dr. Li, don’t come back!”

Frightened by the beating and knowing his mother was truly angry this time, Zhong Chengren reluctantly got up. Though he thought it was pointless to be so bothered by a girl and a useless wife, he had been raised to fear his mother’s temper.

Grumbling, he rubbed his sore backside as he shuffled out.

Back in Zhou Mingli’s room, Zhang Chunxue gently took her little granddaughter, who was already out of breath from crying.

The child’s face was flushed red, her voice hoarse.

“Mingli,” Zhang Chunxue softened her tone as she spoke to the feverish Zhou Mingli, “your fever is so high now. You mustn’t breastfeed anymore—what if you pass the illness to the baby?”

Zhou Mingli weakly nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Mom... I... I’ve failed the child...”

“Silly girl, why say that?” Zhang Chunxue sighed. “The baby will sleep with me these next few days. Once Xiaoxiao finishes cooking the rice water, we’ll feed that to the baby first. Yuan Yuan is already over five months old; some rice cereal will do her good.”

Zhong Yuanyuan—the little granddaughter’s name—was one she had chosen.

Hearing her mother-in-law’s gentle arrangements, warmth surged within Zhou Mingli’s heart, reddening her eyes further as she choked out, “Mom... thank you...”

Over the years since marrying in, Zhong Chengren had only ever beaten or scolded her, and her mother-in-law had always watched coldly from the sidelines—never once defending her like today.

This sudden kindness nearly brought her to tears.

Zhang Chunxue patted her hand. “Just rest and recover. Don’t think about anything else.”

Soon, footsteps and faint voices came from outside the yard—Zhong Chengren had returned.

---

Holding her granddaughter, Zhang Chunxue’s gaze turned cold.

The door opened, and Zhong Chengren entered with a dark scowl, reluctantly stepping aside.

Behind him was an older man with graying hair, carrying a medicine box—the barefoot doctor of the village, Dr. Li.

“What’s wrong with your second daughter-in-law from the Guosheng family?” Dr. Li asked as he entered.

Just as Dr. Li stepped inside, another figure followed in at a leisurely pace.

Dressed in a clean white shirt and black trousers, with a tall, upright posture, his profile was strikingly handsome under the dim oil lamp light.

Zhang Chunxue’s eyes landed on him, and she froze as if struck by lightning.

Even the child in her arms seemed to grow lighter.

It was him!

Song Xingzhi!

How... how could he be here?

Her heart skipped a beat.

Song Xingzhi’s gaze was sharp and almost tangible. He paused for several seconds on Zhang Chunxue, during which she felt the air solidify, hearing even the faint breaths of the little granddaughter she held.

Then his eyes slowly shifted to Zhou Mingli’s pale, sickly figure on the bed.

“How did the fever get this bad?” Song Xingzhi frowned slightly, his voice low. “Why didn’t you see a doctor sooner?”

Zhou Mingli, embarrassed under his gaze, weakly forced a smile. “I... I felt a little unwell at first... I didn’t want to worry the family... But then the fever got much worse at night...”

Zhong Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Song Xingzhi. “Teacher Song? Why... why are you here?”

Song Xingzhi’s expression softened as he looked at Zhong Xiaoxiao, a faint smile touching his lips. “I was just discussing something with Dr. Li and heard there was an emergency here, so I came to check.”

He paused, then looked at Zhong Xiaoxiao, his eyes full of praise. “Xiaoxiao, I heard you were commended by the county officials today. Well done.”

Zhong Xiaoxiao’s cheeks flushed bright red, and she shyly lowered her head, her voice betraying her excitement. “That… that’s only because Teacher Song taught me well!”

Zhang Chunxue stood quietly nearby, her eyes lowered, afraid to meet Song Xingzhi’s deep gaze.

She feared that locking eyes with him would shatter all her pretenses.

---

“Dr. Li,” she forced herself to speak, her voice dry and hoarse, “How is Mingli? How is she doing?”

Dr. Li had already given Zhou Mingli a quick examination. Stroking his graying beard, he replied, “She’s alright. It’s just a cold causing a high fever. I’ve prescribed some medicine—she should recover in a few days. But no breastfeeding for now; some of the medicine passes into the milk and could harm the baby.”

Zhang Chunxue immediately responded, “I know. I’ve already started cooking rice porridge. I’ll feed the baby some rice water first, and the thicker porridge will help Mingli regain strength.”

She thought for a moment and added, “Tomorrow I’ll go to the mill to get some good rice. I’ll grind some rice cereal for the baby. Yuanyuan is over five months old now; she can eat that.”

Dr. Li nodded approvingly. “Good plan for the Guosheng family.”

He looked at Zhou Mingli, his tone warm. “You’re lucky to have such a good mother-in-law in the Chengren household.”

Zhou Mingli’s eyes reddened as she gratefully looked at Zhang Chunxue, lips moving silently.

Song Xingzhi said nothing but kept glancing at Zhang Chunxue.

His gaze felt like two piercing spotlights, burning her back and making her utterly uncomfortable.

Her throat tightened. “I’ll go check on the rice porridge and feed the baby some rice water.”

She picked up Zhong Yuanyuan and headed to the kitchen, almost as if fleeing.

Yet even then, Zhang Chunxue could clearly feel that scorching gaze following her every step until she turned the corner and disappeared into the dim kitchen.

Inside, the flames crackled in the stove, casting flickering shadows across her face.

Zhong Xiaoxiao had carefully ladled a small bowl of rice water. Zhang Chunxue stirred it with a spoon, trying to cool the steaming liquid.

Though her hands moved, her eyes were distant, lost in thought.

In her previous life, she had truly considered remarrying Song Xingzhi.

In that era, a widow with three young sons struggled through hardship known only to herself.

Song Xingzhi was educated, of good character, and had been kind to her.

She wasn’t heartless—how could she not have noticed?