After Transmigrating, The Fat Wife Made A Comeback!

by Usui Takumii

not mine, wuxiaworld site. 1126 chapters and ongoing.

18. 301 to 320

By this time, Qiao Mei had changed her clothes. Based on what Xia He just said, she definitely should not wear pretty clothes today. She had to wear something mature and appropriate.

Qiao Mei wore a dark blue maternity dress, paired with a pair of black leather shoes. She tied up her hair simply, looking presentable and elegant.

Elder sister, do you think I'll pass if I wear this?

Qiao Mei asked.

Sure, of course. You're naturally beautiful so you look good no matter what you wear. You won't go wrong wearing simple and elegant clothes like this, and there's nothing they can say about you,

Xia He said.

When you get home later, you must do some housework like washing the dishes and such. Otherwise, Second Aunt-in-law will definitely nag at you,

Xia He reminded her.

At this moment, Xia Zhe frowned and gave Xia He a reluctant look when he heard this.

Xia He also noticed her younger brother's gaze and said resignedly,

Why are you looking at me like that? I don't want Mei Mei to do this either, but it's not like you don't know Second Aunt-in-law. If she doesn't do these things, Second Aunt-in-law will definitely criticize her.

Xia Zhe also knew their Second Aunt-in-law's temper. Among the children of the family, Second Aunt-in-law doted on Xia Zhe the most. Previously, he did not think that there was any issue with her personality, but now, it seemed that there were indeed many problems with her.

Then, you just put your own bowl and cutlery in the kitchen later. You don't have to worry about anything else,

Xia Zhe said.

That won't do! If Mei Mei doesn't go into the kitchen, don't you think Second Aunt-in-law will grab hold of her and keep saying these things to her? It's not like you don't know what Second Aunt-in-law can do when she gets angry. Have you forgotten what our eldest sister-in-law had experienced?

Xia He said as she looked at Xia Zhe.

When Tan Jing first married into the family, Second Aunt-in-law had also asked Tan Jing to help out in the kitchen. Although Tan Jing did not come from a very prominent family, her family was well-to-do and she did not need to do housework at home.

When Tan Jing first joined the Xia family, she would sit on the sofa and chat with Xu Lan after dinner. Whenever Second Aunt-in-law saw that, she would grab Tan Jing into the kitchen and teach her how to wash the dishes, cook food, clean the kitchen, keep the crockery, respect her in-laws, and so on.

Then I'll go and help out later. Otherwise, I'll just cook for them. I can cook very well!

Qiao Mei said with a smile.

There's a helper at home, so you don't have to cook. Besides, you won't be able to cook for so many people. It'll be so tiring,

Xia He said while feeling sorry for her.

Qiao Mei nodded and asked,

Then what kind of person is Third Aunt-in-law?

At this point, Xia Zhe and Xia He looked at each other and lowered their heads while frowning.

It seemed that the two siblings did not like Third Aunt-in-law. She was hoping that Third Aunt-in-law would be a nice person, but it appeared that this person was even worse than Second Aunt-in-law.

Third Aunt-in-law was fine a few years ago, but Third Uncle hasn't been doing well in his career in recent years and fared the worst among the brothers in the family. Third Aunt-in-law feels embarrassed by that fact, so she always speaks sarcastically,

Xia He said.

Then does Third Uncle just tolerate it?

Qiao Mei asked.

She actually doesn't say anything bad about Third Uncle. She's just jealous and likes to compare with others. However, I suspect that she is not back this time to take a look at you. I think her intention is to beg our grandfather to help Third Uncle out,

Xia He said.

Xia Zhe laughed and said,

Grandfather won't render this kind of help.

The Xia family's current status was partially based on the foundation that Xia Jun had built up. However, the rest of his sons and grandsons had relied on their own abilities to make a name for themselves. Xia Jun did not believe in pulling strings at all.

If Third Aunt-in-law says anything bad about you or asks about your grandfather, don't take it to heart,

Xia He said worriedly.

Qiao Mei smiled indifferently. She would not take the words of these relatives to heart at all. As long as Xia Zhe was on her side, it did not matter if everyone else gossiped about her. She had heard worse things in the village and things like that were small matters to her.

Elder sister, don't worry. I definitely won't mind. I'll just pretend not to hear it,

Qiao Mei said with a laugh.

Xia He felt relieved to hear what Qiao Mei said. She felt that she had to preempt Qiao Mei about these things, so that Qiao Mei would not feel that members of the Xia family were all very rude.

By the way, elder sister, you haven't said what kind of person Eldest Aunt is?

Qiao Mei asked.

Ah! Eldest Aunt! Eldest Aunt doesn't have much of a temper. She doesn't really like to talk but she's a very upright person,

Xia He said with a smile.

It seemed that this eldest aunt was an easy person to get along with. Xia Jun had three sons and two daughters. Xia Fang was the youngest daughter and this eldest aunt was the second child of the family. Qiao Mei admired eldest aunt very much as she had heard that eldest aunt was not just in a civilian post in the army.

That's great,

Qiao Mei said.

I always forget that I have two paternal aunts. Eldest Aunt is more manly than any man!

Xia He said.

Xia Zhe chuckled at the side.

What are you laughing at? Am I wrong?

When Xia He saw Xia Zhe secretly laughing away, she turned to ask him with her hands on her hips.

I see that you're not afraid that Eldest Aunt will hear you and punish you by making you do physical training again,

Xia Zhe said.

When they were young, they were most afraid of their eldest aunt coming home. Their eldest aunt always said that the children of the Xia family must be in the best physical condition regardless of their gender. When they were younger, their eldest aunt often brought them out for training.

If all of you went through physical training in the past, then how did your elder brother become a professor?

Qiao Mei asked curiously.

Elder brother fell ill when he was 16 years old. After that, he could not undergo high-intensity training anymore, so he studied hard and became a professor,

Xia He explained.

I see. No wonder the whole family is in the military and only your elder brother is a scholar,

Qiao Mei said with a smile.

Elder brother used to…

Before he could finish speaking, he heard the door being kicked open with a bang. The door panel even bounced several times when it hit the wall.

Xia He, you are indeed lying to me!

Kong Li said from the door.

Every morning, Xia He would use the excuse of needing to go out to buy food for Kong Li to get out of the house. Xia Fang's house had a gas stove, but Xia He was afraid that Kong Li would blow up the house at home by using the stove, so she went out to buy food every day.

It was the only time of the day that Xia He could come out to have some fresh air and take a walk.

Today, Xia He had told Kong Li that she was going out to deal with the matter of finding a marriage partner for Kong Li, and that she would take a longer time. Kong Li could not hold back her anxiousness after hearing that. Given that the matter was about finding a marriage partner for her, she definitely wanted to take a look as well.

She followed Xia He all the way to the main alley, but in the blink of an eye, Xia He turned into another small alley and disappeared. She did not have an easy time going from house to house, eavesdropping at the doors before she could hear where Xia He was.

I knew that you must be lying to me! Pretending you're coming out to find me a marriage partner! Where's my marriage partner?

Kong Li shouted from the door.

When she saw Xia Zhe, Kong Li felt both happy and sad. Xia He had such a handsome younger brother, but she had hidden the fact from her sister-in-law. If Xia He had told her earlier, Qiao Mei would not have had any chance at all!

At the thought of this, Kong Li started to look at Qiao Mei fiercely.

Why are you messing around here!

Xia He said while frowning.

Who's messing around! You're the one lying to me!

Kong Li said as she pointed at Xia He.

Xia He took out 20 dollars from her pocket and gave it to Kong Li.

Go buy yourself some food with the money and then go back. We still have something on.

Kong Li took the money and stared fiercely at Xia He.

I heard everything. You're going back to the big house. I want to go too!

Why do you want to go? What right do you have to go there?

Xia He said in disgust.

Why can't I go! Since you're my sister-in-law, I can go to your Xia family's big house!

Kong Li said.

Then let her go. Elder sister, bring her along then.

Qiao Mei said as she gave Xia He a look.

Xia He could understand what Qiao Mei meant. After thinking about it, she decided to let Kong Li follow her. There was no harm in having Kong Li following them. Since her relatives were all gathered today, she could let everyone see what kind of life she had been living all these years.

This way, everyone would be more understanding when she got a divorce. Thinking of this, Xia He's originally tense brows relaxed.

Alright, you can follow us then,

Xia He said.

Kong Li did not think too much about it. She even thought that Qiao Mei was speaking up for her because Qiao Mei was afraid of her, which meant that it would be even easier for her to snatch the bangle if she wanted!

The four of them did not waste any time on the way and arrived at the Xia residence very quickly.

Xia Zhe knocked lightly on the door. He did not expect the helper to be the one opening the door. At this time, the helper should be cooking in the kitchen. Why could she come to open the door?

They noticed that the helper, Auntie Chen, kept blinking at Xia Zhe and even gestured for Qiao Mei to leave quickly.

Xia Zhe and the other two women immediately understood what Auntie Chen meant and frowned. Only Kong Li could not tell what was going on.

Why are you blinking so hard? Is there something wrong with your eyes?

Kong Li asked.

Qiao Mei held her forehead helplessly. If she had known earlier, she would not have brought this woman here today.

The living room was separated from the main door by a wall. The people inside the house could not see the people outside.

Auntie Chen, who's here?

a woman asked from the house.

Qiao Mei thought that it did not sound like Xu Lan. In addition, Xia He had mentioned this morning that Second Aunt-in-law and Third Aunt-in-law's personalities were not as tough as this, so the voice must belong to Eldest Aunt.

It's Miss Xia He's sister-in-law. She might be here because of something urgent. Let me ask her.

Auntie Chen still wanted to cover it up.

Just as she was about to close the door, the eldest aunt shouted,

Since she's here, then she's our guest. You should ask her to come in and have a seat. Besides, if Xia He's sister-in-law really has some urgent matter, what can you do to help?

Auntie Chen had no choice but to open the door and let Xia Zhe and the others in.

Eldest Aunt, I'm here with my younger brother and sister-in-law,

Xia He said with a smile as she entered.

After going past the wall between the house and the door, Qiao Mei realized that it was an ambush. She thought that there were only their relatives in the house, but she did not expect to see more than 10 people around.

Other than the relatives that she had never seen before, there were also a few

old acquaintances

from her village.

Who are these people?

Xia He looked at the people around her in confusion. She had not heard that there were going to be so many people when she came in the morning. Xia He looked at Xia Fang with a puzzled expression.

You don't need to care about who they are. The three of you can go to one side. It has nothing to do with you,

said the eldest aunt, Xia Xiu.

Xia He stood at the side with Xia Zhe and Qiao Mei with a puzzled look on her face. She did not even dare to breathe loudly. Xia Jun usually had the final say in family matters, but if it was regarding any critical issue, he would still wait for their eldest aunt, Xia Xiu, to come back before he made a decision. It seemed that what was happening today was no small matter.

What did you say you were here for?

Xia Xiu asked.

The two people standing in the middle of the main living hall did not dare to answer. These two people were Qiao Mei's

old acquaintances

from the village. She could no longer remember their names given that she last saw them a very long time ago.

Qiao Mei only remembered that everyone called this old woman the old widow and she was famous for being mean. As for her son, Qiao Mei really had no impression of him.

Speak up! Weren't you very eloquent just now!

Xia Xiu slammed the table and said sternly.

I… I'm here to look for my wife!

Wang Yong was so frightened that he knelt on the ground.

Look for his wife? Why is he looking for his wife here?

Xia He was even more baffled and looked at Qiao Mei and Xia Zhe in confusion. She realized that the two of them were frowning, so it appeared that this matter must be related to Qiao Mei.

This is everyone in our Xia family. Come and see who is your wife?

Xia Xiu asked.

This question made Qiao Mei and Xia Zhe feel their hearts skipped a beat.

They knew that these two people were up to no good by coming to their house today.

Wang Yong sized up the people in the room nervously. He did not expect the old widow to jump up and run straight towards Kong Li, who was standing next to the door.

Seeing that his mother had recognized her, Wang Yong followed closely behind. He pounced over and grabbed Kong Li's hand.

Mei Mei, come back with us! I won't hit you anymore! In the future, I'll give you all the good food and drinks at home! Come with us!

the old widow cried out as she hugged Kong Li.

Come back with us quickly! Every generation of our Wang family only has one child! Only one child per generation! You must come back and give birth. After that, you can go anywhere you want!

Wang Yong said as he held Kong Li's hand tightly.

Everyone in the house looked at one another. Only Xia Xiu stared fixedly at Wang Yong, seemingly deep in thought.

This was no small matter. Someone must be plotting against the Xia family and she had to get to the bottom of it.

Xia Zhe had actually informed Xia Xiu about his marriage a long time ago, but she had been busy with military affairs and did not have the time to come back for a visit. At that time, she had only called him to congratulate him and sent him a gift.

Now that she had some free time and heard that Xia Zhe and his new wife had returned home, she came back to take a look as well. She did not expect to run into this drama.

Xia Xiu was the first one to reach home, followed by Second Aunt-in-law and Third Aunt-in-law.

Xia Xiu hated Third Aunt-in-law the most. The daughters-in-law of the Xia family were usually either intellectual people or people in the military, but Third Aunt-in-law was different. Her family was in business and she did not study much.

If not for the fact that when the third son of the Xia family met with an accident in the past and Third Aunt-in-law happened to save his life, he would not have married her.

When the few of them reached home, they realized that someone also brought along these two strangers. When they questioned the strangers, they were told that Qiao Mei was actually in a relationship with someone else before she married Xia Zhe, and her baby's father was actually that person.

The two families were about to prepare for the wedding when Xia Zhe suddenly came for a visit. Qiao Mei and Qiao Qiang then decided to go with the flow and knocked Xia Zhe out, before pushing the responsibility to Xia Zhe.

After Wang Yong and his mother told Xia Xie this story, she firmly believed in what she heard.

This was because when she heard that Xia Zhe was getting married, she immediately sent someone to do a check on Qiao Mei. She was told that Qiao Mei was arrogant and despotic in the village and that she must have first pick of all the nice food and drinks in her house first. This was the reason why Qiao Qiang had been seriously ill for so many years.

Based on this point alone, it was obvious to Xia Xiu that Qiao Mei was an unfilial child. She would not let such a person stay in the Xia family!

Xia Xiu took one glance at Kong Li and turned away. Not only was she so fat, but she also looked very vicious. Xia Xiu had seen many women like her who were lacking in virtue and greedy for wealth.

The investigator that Xia Xiu sent to the village also interviewed Qiao Zhuang and his family. Other people might praise Qiao Mei, but not Qiao Zhuang and his family. As the saying went, there was nothing one could expect from a hog but a grunt.

Every member of Qiao Zhuang's family said that Qiao Mei was a greedy and lustful person who hooked up with men outside the village and gave in to all her sensual desires. They even said that she had a previous engagement, but broke it off. That was what led the investigator to Wang Yong and his mother.

Representatives from the He family had visited the mother and son and offered them compensation in return for their insistence that Qiao Mei was supposed to be their family's new daughter-in-law.

The moment the mother and son entered the Xia residence, they wanted to speak but Xia Xiu stopped them. Xia Xiu first told Xia Jun and Xia Zhe's parents the whole story about what she found out. After hearing what she said, they were agitated for a long time.

They had all met Qiao Mei before and thought that she looked quite demure. They did not think that Qiao Mei was such a heartless and seductive woman.

Just like that, the group of over 10 people sat quietly in the house. No one spoke as they waited for Xia Zhe and Qiao Mei to return home before they questioned Wang Yong and his mother.

Who knew that such a scene would happen after Xia Zhe and Qiao Mei were back?

Xia Jun stood up solemnly, walked next to Wang Yong and asked,

Are you sure this is your wife?

I'm sure! Of course I'm sure!

Wang Yong firmly and hurriedly replied in the affirmative.

Kong Li was about to speak when Xia Jun gave her a glare. The veteran army general had a sharp and murderous look in his eye. Kong Li was just a young lady and could not withstand such intimidation. She covered her mouth and did not dare to make a sound.

This question made the old widow suspicious. She raised her head to take another look and thought that Qiao Mei had become uglier after these few months, though her figure had not changed much.

However, there were only three women who came in together just now. One was Xia Zhe's elder sister and the other one was her sister-in-law. Both of them were very slender and their calves were even slimmer than Qiao Mei's arms. Neither of them could be Qiao Mei.

Although she had heard in the village that Qiao Mei had lost weight, it was not possible for her to have lost so much weight in just a few months.

Wang Yong was even more certain that the person in front of him was Qiao Mei and that there was no mistake.

She's my wife. Although we didn't register our marriage, she's pregnant with my child!

Wang Yong said as he grabbed Kong Li.

Qiao Mei and Xia He had been trying to hold back their laughter as they stood at the side. They had originally brought Kong Li here so that when she caused a scene, the Xia family would know that Xia He was having a difficult time in the Kong family. This was so that Xia He would have an easier time when she wanted to get a divorce.

They could never have predicted that Kong Li would end up being a scapegoat and saving Qiao Mei from a disaster.

Who knows if what you said is true or not? What evidence do you have to prove that she is your wife?

Xia Jun said as he held back his smile.

Wang Yong became anxious upon hearing this. He had only met Qiao Mei once back then and she even chased him out when he wanted to have a meal at her house. He did not know how he was supposed to prove that he was telling the truth.

At this moment, Wang Yong threw all caution to the wind and decided to take a chance. He went forth and lifted Kong Li's clothes to reveal her stomach.

Ah!

Kong Li pulled down her clothes in fright.

Look at the scar on her stomach!

Wang Yong took a quick look at Kong Li's stomach and said as he pointed at the scar.

Kong Li blushed and tugged at her clothes. She had never been treated like this in her life.

I used to touch this scar every day and I'm very familiar with it!

Wang Yong said confidently.

That scar was from Kong Li's previous appendicitis surgery. Back then, Xia Fang had to ask someone for a favor for Kong Li to have the surgery.

At that time, the whole family was in an uproar because of this matter. Kong Li had said that she did not trust the small clinic in the countryside and wanted to go to a big hospital in the capital. Knowing that Xia Fang was a doctor, Kong Li insisted on asking her for help.

Even though Xia He explained that Xia Fang was a doctor in the gynecology and obstetrics department, Kong Li still refused to give up. In the end, Xia He had no choice but to beg Xia Fang to get help from her colleagues in the hospital.

Everyone in the family knew about this incident. When they heard what Wang Yong said, everyone's expressions changed.

Xia He thought to herself that it would be great if this was true! Then, she would not need to find a marriage partner for Kong Li. This person was actually quite compatible with Kong Li.

Kong Li could not bear with the situation any longer and gave Wang Yong a kick on his waist as she said,

What a load of rubbish! When have I ever seen you! Do you even know me!

Wang Yong knelt on the ground from the kick. As he listened carefully to her voice, he felt that something was wrong, but he did not have the time to think about it thoroughly. He had never been so aggrieved in his life!

He had been the only boy at home, so the old widow always gave in to him. In recent days, because of the money he received from the He family, many more matchmakers had come to visit him at home, eyeing the betrothal gifts that his family could afford to give.

Wang Yong had always been treated nicely within his village. He did not expect to end up being treated like this when he came to the capital to settle the scores with Qiao Mei.

Wang Yong stood up quickly in anger and gave Kong Li a slap.

You damn woman! You're pregnant with my child and you still want to run away! Do you think I care about you! After you give birth, you can go wherever you want! At that time, we won't care even if you seduce eight or ten men!

Wang Yong said fiercely.

After saying that, Wang Yong pointed at Xia Zhe and glanced at him. However, when he saw Xia Zhe staring straight back at him, he felt a little guilty and retracted his hand timidly.

Not only did this slap not scare Kong Li, but it made her tremble in anger instead. She rushed towards Wang Yong and used her ample body to slam right into him, causing him to fly outwards.

You money-losing good-for-nothing! You still want to…

Before Wang Yong could finish speaking, Kong Li had already sat down on top of him. She weighed more than 200 pounds and he felt as if there was a huge rock pressing down on him, making him unable to breathe.

What else do I want? I still want to beat you up! Today, I'll let you know that I'm not someone to be trifled with!

After saying that, Kong Li gave Wang Yong a slap.

She then followed that up with punches and kicks that showed no mercy. In the end, the old widow hugged Kong Li's thigh and begged her to stop hitting him. Kong Li only stopped because she was afraid that she would beat him to death.

All of you split up! Go stand in the middle!

Xia Xiu roared angrily.

When the three of them saw Xia Xiu's imposing manner, they did not dare to fight or cause trouble anymore. They all stood in an orderly manner in the middle of the living hall, afraid that they would be pulled out and beaten up by Xia Xiu if they were not careful.

Xia Jun looked at them for a long time before he sighed and asked,

Where did you all find these people?

Xia Xiu looked at Xia Jun and said,

You have to ask my third brother's wife about this.

Everyone turned to look at Third Aunt-in-law at the same time. Third Aunt-in-law waved her hands in a panic and said quickly,

Everyone, it's a misunderstanding. I met these two people at the entrance to the courtyard. They were asking all passerbys if anyone was from the Xia family and then they told me about these things. That's why I brought them back.

You didn't even do any checks before bringing these shady people home?

Xia Jun asked with a frown.

I… I didn't know what to do at that time. I was anxious and wanted to come back and ask all of you. I thought that if we can question the people involved and let them confront one another face to face, the matter could be resolved quickly. I didn't think about the authenticity of this matter.

Third Aunt-in-law's voice became softer and softer.

How silly and brainless of you!

Xia Jun scolded softly.

Third Aunt-in-law wanted to retort but was pulled back by Second Aunt-in-law.

Don't say anymore. Don't add fuel to the fire!

Second Aunt-in-law whispered.

Third Aunt-in-law flung the other woman's hand away angrily. She was usually the one who got bullied the most at home, but now even her sister-in-law was trying to control her actions.

Xia Xiu, what are your thoughts on this matter?

Xia Jun asked as he looked at Xia Xiu.

I think Xiao Zhe's marriage must be annulled! Such a woman can't marry into the Xia family!

Xia Xiu said as she pointed at Kong Li.

Impossible!

Xia Zhe said immediately without a second thought.

Xia Zhe's reaction surprised Xia Xiu. In a normal scenario, if one knew that one's wife was pregnant with someone else's child and even lied about it, one would be heartbroken or furious. She did not understand why Xia Zhe was so calm.

Don't tell me they have something on you?

Xia Xiu looked at Xia Zhe in disbelief.

He was the best kid in the Xia family. How could he have made a mistake in such a matter?

They don't have anything on me,

Xia Zhe said.

Nothing? Then why can't you reject this ridiculous marriage?

Xia Xiu asked.

Because Qiao Mei is pregnant with my child,

Xia Zhe said with a smile.

This statement made Xia Xiu furious. She stood up and pointed at the three people in the middle of the living hall and asked Xia Zhe,

Didn't you hear it just now? This woman is pregnant with his bastard child, it's not your child!

Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Xia He gently nudged Qiao Mei.

If you don't go out soon, Eldest Aunt will probably tear down the house later,

Xia He said laughingly.

Qiao Mei took the opportunity to walk to Xia Zhe's side. He held her hand and walked up to Xia Xiu.

Eldest Aunt, this is my wife, Qiao Mei,

Xia Zhe said gently.

Hello, Eldest Aunt. I'm Xia Zhe's wife,

Qiao Mei said with a sweet smile.

This shocked everyone who had never seen Qiao Mei before. They widened their eyes in disbelief to hear that it was the person in front of them that was Qiao Mei.

The old widow and Wang Yong were especially shocked. Back then in the village, Qiao Mei's figure was what they despised the most, yet this beautiful young lady turned out to be the

Black Bear Spirit

from before.

The old widow now regretted not being nicer to her back then.

Xia Xiu could not believe it either. The investigators who went to the village said that Qiao Mei weighed more than 200 pounds, but the person standing in front of her now weighed not more than 100 pounds.

What exactly is going on? This person isn't Qiao Mei?

Third Aunt-in-law asked in disbelief as she looked at the scene unfolding in front of her.

It was clearly different from what they said at the door earlier. What did these two people want? Why is Qiao Mei a different person?

Do you understand the meaning of the farce today?

Xia Jun looked at Xia Xiu meaningfully.

Xia Xiu nodded with coldness in her eyes and said,

I understand.

Since you know what's going on, I'll leave this matter to you. I'm tired and will go back to my room to rest for a while.

Xia Jun returned to his room after saying that.

He left behind a group of people looking at one another in the living hall.

Xia Xiu sat on the sofa with a dark expression. She thought that Xia Zhe had been deceived, but she did not expect to be the one who had been deceived!

Who exactly are the two of you!

Xia Xiu asked coldly. She had killed people on the battlefield before, so she exuded an aura that ordinary people could not withstand.

Her loud question frightened the old widow so much that she knelt on the ground. Wang Yong also stood rooted to the ground, not knowing what to do.

Speak!

Xia Xiu said angrily as she slammed the table.

We… we really are…

the old widow stammered.

Xia Xiu frowned deeply. She did not have the patience to listen to the two of them anymore.

Men! Take the two of them back and I'll interrogate them myself!

Xia Xiu shouted towards the door.

The guards standing outside the door immediately ran into the house and pulled the old widow and Wang Yong out.

Xia Xiu then stood up and walked to Qiao Mei and said,

Child, it's my fault today. I misunderstood you. I will definitely interrogate them clearly and clear your name.

Eldest Aunt, you can do it. I believe you can do it!

Qiao Mei said to Xia Xiu with a sweet smile.

Xia Xiu was infected by the smile and smiled as well. She thought that Qiao Mei was really a sensible person. She had wronged Qiao Mei, but Qiao Mei did not blame her and could still smile at her.

Xia Xiu found herself liking this niece-in-law who had a sweet smile. It was not bad for such a sensible and decent girl to enter the Xia family. Although she was from the countryside, it was still better than a scheming girl.

Xia Xiu left after giving Auntie Chen some instructions and did not even stay for dinner.

After the troublemakers left, the house became quiet and there was an awkward atmosphere when everyone did not speak.

Can any of you tell me what's going on?

Second Aunt-in-law asked curiously.

I think someone is trying to frame our family,

Xia He said.

Then have you seen these two people before, Qiao Mei?

asked Third Aunt-in-law.

Qiao Mei nodded and said,

We've indeed met before. They previously came by to propose marriage.

There was really a marriage proposal!

A marriage proposal? You mean such a thing really happened!

Second Aunt-in-law took two steps back in fear.

No, they came with a matchmaker. After that, they were chased out by my family and we never had any contact again,

Qiao Mei explained.

Third Aunt-in-law thought for a moment and asked,

That's not right. It doesn't make sense. Since they've met you before, why can't they recognize you?

After hearing what Third Aunt-in-law said, Second Aunt-in-law also felt that it made sense and looked at Qiao Mei doubtfully.

Because I was originally fatter than Kong Li and also weighed more than 200 pounds,

Qiao Mei said embarrassedly.

A fatty weighing more than 200 pounds! That means Qiao Mei was fat when Xia Zhe met her!

Xia He looked at Xia Zhe differently. Xia Zhe noticed his sister's gaze and turned his head away awkwardly and coughed twice.

Oh my goodness, then how did you lose weight?

Kong Li suddenly pounced in front of Qiao Mei and asked agitatedly.

If Qiao Mei could be so beautiful after losing weight, then she would be a knockout if she lost weight!

I walked tens of kilometers a day and did a lot of farm work, and I only ate two bowls of rice a day. If you persist in doing that for a period of time, you will definitely lose weight,

Qiao Mei said as she thought back.

Kong Li shook her head repeatedly after hearing that. If she ate like this, she would definitely become malnourished. She saw no point in living if she could not eat meat, so it was better not to lose weight.

I'll go out and take a look. You stay here by yourself,

Xia Zhe said to Qiao Mei.

Qiao Mei nodded. She knew what Xia Zhe was going to do and also understood that it was useless to stop him.

Go ahead, don't be too harsh,

Qiao Mei said gently.

Yes, I know.

Xia Zhe patted Qiao Mei's head and left reluctantly.

He had a murderous look in his eyes. His anger had dissipated a lot when he was in front of Qiao Mei, but now it was time to settle the score.

After Xia Zhe left, there was no longer any man in the living hall, so Second Aunt-in-law and Third Aunt-in-law felt more relaxed.

Second Aunt-in-law suddenly came forward enthusiastically and held Qiao Mei's hand as she said,

Look how Xia Zhe has such good taste. He found such a beautiful new wife.

Chapter 308: Belly Getting Bigger and Bigger

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

On the surface, she seemed to be praising Qiao Mei for her good looks, but by saying Xia Zhe had good taste, she was actually praising Xia Zhe.

"Look at how quick Xiao Zhe is. He just got married and he already has a child, unlike my two unfilial sons. It's as if we want to eat them up when we ask them to go on blind dates!" complained Second Aunt-in-law.

Xia He rolled her eyes when she heard this. It was not that the boys were afraid of being eaten, but that they knew if they got married and their new wives met a mother-in-law like Second Aunt-in-law, their wives would leave out of anger after two days.

Second Aunt-in-law had a total of four children, two girls and two boys. After her two daughters got married, one could count the number of times they returned to their parents' house with one hand.

Even when they returned home, they would leave after a short while. Otherwise, they would have to listen to Second Aunt-in-law nagging about what women should do at home.

"Qiao Mei, right?" Third Aunt-in-law sat on the sofa and asked haughtily.

"Yes, hello, Third Aunt-in-law. My name is Qiao Mei," Qiao Mei replied with a sweet smile.

"I see that your belly is quite big. How many months are you?" said Third Aunt-in-law with a smile as she looked at Qiao Mei.

Qiao Mei gently stroked her belly. The way her clothes stretched over her belly made her look obviously pregnant. Xia Xiu had informed everyone that Qiao Mei was about three months pregnant, but Third Aunt-in-law wondered why her belly was so big?

Second Aunt-in-law and Third Aunt-in-law looked at Qiao Mei's stomach doubtfully. It was not that they were overly suspicious, but even though what happened just now had been proven to be fake, they could not help but feel wary.

Qiao Mei looked at their doubtful gazes and knew that it was time to reveal that she was pregnant with twins.

"Aunt, please help me take a look. I also feel that my belly has grown a lot bigger recently," Qiao Mei said as she touched her belly.

At first, Xia Fang was caught by surprise when she heard what the mother and son said. Although she did not think that Qiao Mei was such a person, she could not help but become suspicious when she heard what the other party said.

Now that the truth was out, she felt much more at ease and also felt a little guilty for suspecting Qiao Mei.

"Come, let me take a look." Xia Fang walked forward and gently touched Qiao Mei's belly.

"Aunt, what do you think?" Qiao Mei asked.

Xia Fang smiled and said, "Your belly is indeed much bigger than the last time I saw you, but everyone's physique is different. Some people's stomachs get very big, but some people's stomachs don't even show. It's all very normal."

Xia Fang still did not realize that Qiao Mei was pregnant with twins.

"Maybe you can try eating less recently. It's possible that you've been eating too much and gained weight a little too quickly," Xia He guessed.

"What are fetal movements supposed to be like? I keep feeling that I'm carrying two babies because sometimes the fetal movements are on the left, sometimes on the right, and sometimes on both sides at the same time," Qiao Mei asked curiously.

"Two?" Second Aunt-in-law and Third Aunt-in-law looked at Qiao Mei in surprise.

Even Xia Fang was shocked when she heard this. Given that Qiao Mei was only three months pregnant, it would explain the size of her belly if she was pregnant with twins. If she was really having twins, it would be great news for the Xia family!

"Don't move, let me take a look." Xia Fang checked Qiao Mei's belly closely.

Xia Fang gently covered Qiao Mei's stomach with her hands. Not long after, she could feel the fetal movements. As Qiao Mei had described, it happened on the left side for a while and then the right side for a while. Sometimes, it happened together on both sides.

"Come on, let's go to the hospital. Let's go to the hospital now!" Xia Fang said excitedly.

"What's wrong? Is the child abnormal? Is there a problem?" said Third Aunt-in-law, with an imperceptible gloating tone.

"No, no! Qiao Mei might really be pregnant with twins! I have to quickly bring her to the hospital for an ultrasound!" Xia Fang led Qiao Mei out excitedly.

Xia He took her bag and followed closely behind. Second Aunt-in-law and Third Aunt-in-law wanted to follow as well but were stopped by Xia Fang. She knew that these two chatty women only wanted to watch the fun.

The ultrasonic machines were still very rare during this time. Due to the fact that they were rare, most people would not choose to do an ultrasound scan and only wealthy families could afford to do so. Moreover, one had to make an appointment in advance to do an ultrasound scan.

Second Aunt-in-law and Third Aunt-in-law, Liu Fen and Zhou Hua respectively, followed them all the way to the door. After watching the three of them leave the Xia residence, both women returned to the living hall and sat down to gossip.

The two of them were full-time housewives so they were unable to talk much about current affairs and only chatted about family matters. Not long after, Zhou Hua noticed the quiet Tan Jing next to her.

Qiao Mei is currently pregnant with the eldest grandchild of the Xia family. If she is able to give birth to two boys, Xu Lan will be so happy,

said Zhou Hua as she looked at Tan Jing from time to time.

Tan Jing sat at the side with her head lowered, completely ignoring what Zhou Hua said.

Liu Fen's biggest worry was that her four children would either not get married or that she would only have granddaughters without an eldest grandson.

That's so true. Xia Zhe is really lucky to have children right after he got married, and to have two at one go. Look at my children. All of them are so disappointing.

Liu Fen became sad when she thought of this and reached out to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.

Second sister-in-law, don't be anxious. Look at Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law. They only have grandchildren at such an old age. Even if you don't have a grandson, at least you have a granddaughter and you can enjoy life now. It's just that Eldest Sister-in-law finally has her wish granted.

Zhou Hua then turned around and smiled at Tan Jing as she said,

Don't you think so, Xiao Jing?

Tan Jing smiled awkwardly and said,

Third Aunt-in-law is right. My mother-in-law will be very happy.

Tan Jing clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms. Compared to the pain in her palms, her heart hurt even more.

From the moment she returned to the Xia family, she had been feeling very agitated. It was not that she did not like Qiao Mei, it was just that she felt that Qiao Mei was really too lucky. Xia Zhe had been very gentle to Qiao Mei after she married into the family. Tan Jing could not understand why such a country girl could get such treatment while she was treated with disdain.

Tan Jing did not expect that not only was the entire matter today just a farce, the good news that everyone received ended up dealing her a heavy blow.

Ever since Tan Jing got married to Xia Wen, she had been trying her best to get pregnant. In the beginning, she made changes to her lifestyle and went to the hospital for physical examination regularly. As more time passed, she became a little anxious and went around asking for all kinds of folk prescriptions. She would try everything once but nothing worked. She even went to the Guanyin Temple to pray for children but it did not help.

She had worked hard for so many years, but in the end, she did not manage to have even one child. Qiao Mei had two children upon getting pregnant! How could anyone be so lucky! Why did she not have her own children!

Of course she would be happy. Eldest Sister-in-law had wanted a grandson for so many years and now she finally got her wish.

The more Zhou Hua thought about it, the more amused she felt. She was happy to see Tan Jing suppressing her anger and still smiling respectfully at her.

Back when Zhou Hua married into the Xia family, they held a grand ceremony because they owed her a favor! If she had not saved Xia Guang, the third son of the Xia family, the Xia family would have lost a son! Her view was that if she stated the facts humbly, she was Xia Guang's savior; if she stated the facts bluntly, she was the Xia family's savior!

In the past, Xu Lan would always use Zhou Hua's family background as an excuse to laugh at her. Later on, when Xia Guang's career declined progressively, Xu Lan even got hold of some evidence against her. Every time Xu Lan saw her, Xu Lan would use this knowledge to mock her. Zhou Hua was adamant that if she did not have a good life, then no one else would have a good life! No one could look down on her!

Then when is your family going to have a grandson?

Tan Jing asked Zhou Hua with a smile.

Tan Jing was usually quiet and soft-spoken, and she never got angry even when Liu Fen nagged her every day that as a woman, her responsibility was to have children and raise the next generation for the Xia family. Now that she dared to talk back, Zhou Hua thought that she had really underestimated Tan Jing.

Zhou Hua did not get angry when she heard this. She was much younger than Xu Lan. She could afford to wait, but Xu Lan could not. Her son had only been married for a year and was not in a hurry to have children. Her daughter-in-law had a civilian post in the army and was a hundred times better than Tan Jing who did nothing at home!

I'm not in a hurry since my son and daughter-in-law just got married. My daughter-in-law is in line for a promotion! It's too rushed for them to have a child now. We can talk about that after she gets her promotion.

It was like Zhou Hua was almost putting her daughter-in-law on a pedestal.

Oh my, you still have to watch over them closely. They must still have a child,

Liu Fen said.

Yes, they definitely will. I still want to rest for a few more years too. It's tiring to take care of a child,

Zhou Hua pretended to say in disdain.

While there was a heated conversation going on at home, it was also full of activities outside. Xia Xiu brought Wang Yong and the old widow to a place equipped for interrogation. If this matter had been done by a family member, then it would be a family matter. However, it was obvious that someone had deliberately set this thing up, so they could not simply let these two people off.

Xia Xiu had never been afraid of anyone. She wanted to let the forces behind these two people know that the Xia family was not any pushover that could be manipulated by them.

As soon as Wang Yong entered the interrogation room, he confessed everything even before Xia Xiu opened her mouth.

He talked about how in the past, he had never thought of going on a blind date with Qiao Mei. It was his mother who said that Qiao Mei's family was rich and did not lack anything and that if she married him, he could do whatever he wanted with the money. He left out the incident when he went to look for her and she gave him a beating and chased him out. After that, they did not contact each other anymore. As time passed, he had long forgotten about everything.

However, not long ago, two people who dressed quite well, and looked like rich people, came to the village. In the beginning, they went from house to house, trying to find out about Wang Yong and Qiao Mei's relationship. Later on, they found Wang Yong's family and gave them a sum of money to tell an exaggerated story and to say that Qiao Mei was carrying Wang Yong's child. They made up an entire story for him to memorize.

They told him that if he completed the task successfully, they would buy a house for his mother and him in the county city so that they need not live in the village anymore. They would also be given another large sum of money. Wang Yong was so enticed by the rewards that he agreed and he was then sent to the Xia residence.

Then do you know who hired you?

Xia Xiu asked.

Wang Yong recalled carefully and said,

Those two people didn't say where they came from, and I didn't dare to ask. They don't look like people to be trifled with.

Xia Xiu stood up and slowly went to stand opposite Wang Yong. She placed her hands on the table and said patiently,

Think about it carefully again. Were there any special signs or symbols, or whether they said anything that seemed strange.

Looking at Xia Xiu's cold eyes, Wang Yong panicked and said,

Let… Let me think…

You have to think about it carefully. If you lie, don't even think about leaving this place. What you did today was slandering a soldier. We can send you to the police station and have you convicted!

Xia Xiu stood up quietly and looked at Wang Yong.

Xia Xiu held up three fingers and said,

I'll give you another three minutes. When I come in later, I hope that you can tell me something I haven't heard before. Do you understand?

After Xia Xiu finished speaking, she walked out of the interrogation room. The people sitting outside were all from the Xia family. Xia Mao, Xia Wen and Xia Zhe were all there. They could see what was going on inside the interrogation room through the two-way mirror, and they could hear everything that was said inside clearly, but Wang Yong could not see what was going on outside.

Eldest Aunt's ability to interrogate people is still as formidable as ever,

Xia Wen teased.

Well, this is how I make a living. So, do you guys have any ideas yet?

Xia Xiu asked.

Xia Mao lowered his head in silence. Wang Yong did not say anything useful at all and they could only make guesses.

There are too many people that we can suspect. In the past few years, our Xia family has done well and has been a thorn in their sides. I wonder who did this,

Xia Wen said.

Could it be the Zheng family? I heard that the girl from the Zheng family has been demoted recently because of you,

Xia Xiu said as she looked at Xia Zhe.

Xia Zhe knew Zheng Yuan's character and also knew that Zheng Yuan's father had always treated him like his own son. They would definitely not take the opportunity to take revenge.

Uncle Zheng is my mentor and he won't do that. However, not long ago, Qiao Mei seemed to have an altercation with He Mei from the He family,

Xia Zhe said.

He only heard the story that night when Qiao Mei talked about all his romantic debts, and it took him a long time to coax her and to explain the relationship he had with each woman. It also made him realize how Qiao Mei had a difficult time when she first came to the capital.

The He family? Then only He Ning would be able to do such a sinister thing!

Xia Xiu immediately chimed in.

When Xia Mao heard this, he also felt that it was most likely to be the He family. He nodded and said,

The only person in the entire capital who can do this without any loopholes, and yet be able to distance himself from it, would be He Ning. No other person can be so meticulous.

Chapter 311

The question was why He Ning would do this. The Xia family and He family had always stayed in their own lanes. Why would He Ning suddenly plot against the Xia family?

Has anyone offended the He family recently?

Xia Xiu asked with a frown.

Xia Wen smiled and looked at Xia Zhe as he said,

You probably have to ask Xia Zhe about this. He Mei has always liked Xia Zhe and He Guo has come to propose marriage several times, but the relationship between our family and the He family has never been good. Now that the political situation is so tense, we also can't have a marriage alliance with the He family. Moreover, if Xiao Zhe doesn't want to marry her, it's useless for anyone to say anything.

He Mei can be considered to be a pampered young lady from a wealthy family and she had been treated like a princess at home since young. Why is she doing this?

Xia Xiu asked bewilderedly.

Aunt, this is because our Xiao Zhe is too charming. If they had succeeded in this matter, He Mei can then become Xiao Zhe's new wife after he gets divorced. Xia Zhe is already the battalion commander at such a young age. Don't you think they're envious?

Xia Wen explained.

The way he said it made sense. No one had expected He Mei to be so infatuated and to have waited for Xia Zhe for so many years. Xia Xiu had spent all her time in the army and did not pay attention to such issues at home. The last time she saw He Mei was when Xia Zhe was in school, and she actually thought that He Mei had already gotten married after so many years.

If He Ning wanted to get this matter done, he would do whatever it took. With his character, there was nothing he could not get as long as he wanted it. He had the capability to do anything.

He Ning's health won't be able to hold up for more than a few years, and the He family won't be able to achieve much either.

Not long ago, Xia Mao had heard that He Ning had been recuperating at home and had not gone out for a long time. It seemed that he was seriously ill this time.

I'll go in and see if he has any other valuable information.

With that, Xia Xiu went in to interrogate Wang Yong.

The Xia family members outside the room continued to discuss how to launch a counterattack on the He family. They could not just ignore what had happened today..

After Wang Yong confessed and stamped his fingerprint on the statement document, both he and his mother were released. Everyone else left as well.

Xia Mao returned to the army to settle some matters while Xia Zhe and Xia Wen prepared to return to their grandfather's house. After all, their wives were still waiting for them there!

The two of them stood at the door and waited for their ride. Xia Wen slowly leaned towards Xia Zhe and asked,

What made you take a fancy to Qiao Mei back then? Eldest Aunt said that Qiao Mei's weight was a shockingly big number then .

Xia Wen had seen the information that his eldest aunt had given him. Back then, Qiao Mei indeed weighed more than 200 pounds. Xia Wen believed that no matter how desperate his younger brother was, he would not have fallen in love with her at first sight and slept with her immediately after they met…

Xia Zhe glanced sideways at Xia Wen. What happened back then… He did not want to provide the details, but even if Xia Wen racked his brains, Xia Wen would not be able to imagine that it was Qiao Mei who was the one who ravished him back then.

Xia Zhe smiled and said,

She's a very kind girl. She's smart and capable, cooks well and does great needlework. She also treats me well. Usually, she'll send me the pickled vegetables, dried meat and dried fruits that she made herself. She also…

Xia Wen quickly interrupted Xia Zhe and said,

Stop, stop, stop! Take it that I know she's very good. Stop talking. If I don't interrupt you, I reckon you can talk until dawn tomorrow!

Xia Zhe gave it some serious thought before replying,

There's such a possibility.

Xia Wen rolled his eyes resignedly. He thought that this must be the power of love. Xia Zhe, who had always had a cold expression and never smiled, would actually smile foolishly when he thought of his wife.

You… I think you've been completely defeated by Qiao Mei,

Xia Wen said as he shook his head helplessly.

Their car arrived at this moment. Xia Zhe put his arm around Xia Wen's shoulder and said playfully,

Alright, big brother, let's go back quickly. I reckon my wife is still going through Second Aunt-in-law's ideological education!

Hurry up and go back. I don't want to hear stories about you and my sister-in-law here. I'm so jealous!

Xia Wen pushed Xia Zhe's arm away and got into the car, with Xia Zhe following closely behind.

It did not take long for the two of them to reach home. The moment they entered, they could only hear Liu Fen and Zhou Hua chatting and laughing. Xia Zhe looked around but did not see Qiao Mei at all. Even his elder sister and aunt were not around.

Xia Zhe asked coldly with a dark expression,

Where did my wife go?

Xia Zhe stared at Liu Fen. He thought that Liu Fen had said something to Qiao Mei and instructed her to do work.

Liu Fen's expression immediately darkened as well. Zhou Hua laughed and said,

Your wife has been eaten up by your second aunt-in-law. Hahaha!

She was the only one in the room who laughed loudly, while everyone else did not look too happy.

Your wife, Xia He and Xia Fang went to the hospital,

Liu Fang said sulkily.

Hospital? What's going on!

Xia Zhe and Xia Wen said in unison.

It was normal for Xia Zhe to have such a big reaction. After all, Qiao Mei was his wife. However, no one knew why Xia Wen was so worked up as well. Tan Jing glared at Xia Wen while trying to suppress her anger, but Xia Wen only paid attention to Liu Fang and what she was saying, and did not see Tan Jing's expression at all. Perhaps he did not even notice Tan Jing there when he entered.

Xia Zhe had no patience for Liu Fen's slow explanation. Striding big steps, he rushed to the door to head to the hospital. As he opened the door, he bumped into Qiao Mei and the others who had just returned.

Oh my, slow down. Where are you going in such a hurry?

Xia Fang reprimanded him.

Xia Zhe did not even hear what Xia Fang said. He grabbed hold of Qiao Mei and checked her carefully to see if she was injured. Before long, he realized that everyone was smiling and it did not look like something bad had happened.

Your wife is pregnant!

Xia He looked at Xia Zhe excitedly.

Xia Zhe glared at her. How could he not know that his wife was pregnant? It was such an obvious thing.

Twins! Twins! They're twins!

Xia He said, jumping up excitedly.

It took a while for Xia Zhe to register that.

Twins? What twins? Qiao Mei was pregnant with twins!

Xia Zhe looked at Qiao Mei, then at her belly, with an expression of pleasant surprise. He had only just been worried about whether Qiao Mei was safe and sound, but now his face was filled with shock and joy.

Is it really a pair of twins?

Xia Wen had stood behind Xia Zhe all this while, and he turned towards Xia Fang to ask her.

Xia Fang nodded. Xia Wen excitedly hugged Xia Zhe's shoulder and said,

Younger brother! They're twins! That's so great!

Xia Zhe also laughed happily. This was such a joyous occasion!

Liu Fen could hear a commotion at the door from the living hall, but she could not tell what was going on. She asked Auntie Chen to ask them to come in.

Xiao Zhe! Xiao Wen! Hurry back into the house! Let the ladies come in! Why are you all standing outside on such a hot day!

Liu Fen said laughingly.

Although Liu Fen looked down on Qiao Mei, she appreciated the fact that Qiao Mei was giving the Xia family two children in one go! That was a great contribution to the family.

I must be out of my mind. Hurry up and go into the house.

Xia Wen let go of Xia Zhe and stood to the side, asking his aunt, younger sister and sister-in-law to enter the house quickly.

I can hear you guys talking at the door just now. Did Mei Mei get the results?

Liu Fen looked at Xia Fang expectantly.

Xia Fang smiled and said,

We checked already. It's confirmed to be twins.

Liu Fen clapped her hands excitedly and looked at Qiao Mei with satisfaction. Among the children in the Xia family, she liked Xia Zhe the most and would think about Xiao Zhe whenever there were any nice things. Like what Xia He had said, she did not have any bad intentions. It was just that she favored boys over girls and she felt that womenfolk in the family should do all the housework so that men need not worry about such things. She was a traditionalist.

However, she definitely doted on these boys at home. Her only hope was that the men of the Xia family would prosper and she did not have any bad intentions at all.

Qiao Mei, it's a great achievement to have two children. Most people don't have such good fortune! Come and sit down. Don't tire yourself out.

Liu Fen quickly stood up and helped Qiao Mei to the chair she just vacated.

Second Aunt-in-law, I'm fine. I'm in great health!

Qiao Mei said with a smile.

Zhou Hua looked at the way Liu Fen showered attention on Qiao Mei. She reckoned that people who did not know better would think that Qiao Mei was pregnant with her grandson!

Sister-in-law, why are you so happy? Even my eldest sister-in-law is not as happy as you!

said Zhou Hua.

Third Aunt-in-law, Second Aunt-in-law is just excited. She's happy that there's going to be a new generation in the family,

Xia Wen explained.

At this moment, Zhou Hua seemed to have thought of something. She was a person full of bad ideas. She looked back and forth at Xia Wen and Tan Jing.

What are you looking at, Third Aunt-in-law?

Xia Wen asked.

Zhou Hua smiled at Xia Wen and said,

I think you seem quite happy too. Actually, they can give one of the twins to you. Don't you think that would be perfect?

The moment she said this, the atmosphere in the room instantly turned icy. Liu Fen also stood at the side, not knowing what to say. The smiles on Qiao Mei and Xia Zhe's faces disappeared at the same time while Xia Wen and Tan Jing threw dirty looks at Zhou Hua.

The angrier Xia Zhe looked, the happier Qiao Mei felt. There were many people in her village who gave away their children in exchange for money. There were also people who starved their daughters and married them off once they were of marriageable age.

She was relieved to see that Xia Zhe cared about the children. No matter what other people said, Xia Zhe had no intention of giving his children to others. With this, nothing else could faze her.

Seeing that everyone ignored her, Zhou Hua laughed awkwardly and said,

I was just joking. Why did everyone take it seriously?

Then Third Aunt-in-law should stop joking in the future. You don't seem to be very good at telling jokes,

Xia Wen said coldly.

Seeing that he did not give her an out despite him being her junior, Zhou Hua said mockingly,

You're really taking my good intentions for granted. Who do you think I'm saying this for? I'm being kind but no one appreciates it. Second sister-in-law, let's go cook.

After Zhou Hua finished speaking, she did not forget to glare at Tan Jing. If not for this useless woman, she would not have been put on the spot today. Even a country girl could get pregnant with two children, yet Tan Jing did not have any contribution after marrying into the family for so many years.

Ah, right, right, right. It's time to cook so let's go!

Liu Fen smiled and answered Zhou Hua, hurriedly pulling her into the kitchen.

When she reached the kitchen door, she turned back to look at the people in the living hall. Tan Jing did not say anything and quietly got up to go into the kitchen. Xia He also followed her. There were many juniors today, so Xia Fang did not have to help out.

Liu Fen glanced at Qiao Mei and Xia Zhe hurriedly blocked Liu Fen's line of sight by sitting beside Qiao Mei. He said happily,

How did you all go to the hospital? Was it a bumpy ride? Were there many people queuing? You should rest so that you don't tire my son out.

Xia Zhe even emphasized the word

son

loudly at the end. Liu Fen shook her head and smiled. This would be the family's eldest grandson, she had better not let Qiao Mei tire herself out. It was not as if there was no one else around to do these things. She would give Qiao Mei a break.

Qiao Mei stole a glance at the kitchen and whispered,

What if it's two daughters?

Xia Zhe happily patted Qiao Mei's belly and said,

What's so bad about having daughters? They'll grow up to look as beautiful as you. Our eldest aunt is so capable. Then look at our youngest aunt, she's also an important staff member of the hospital. Then look at my sister, the mainstay of the culture troupe. My mother was previously the head of the military art troupe. Besides, you're so capable, so it's a good thing to have daughters.

Xia Wen smiled as he looked at Xia Zhe and his wife. In the past, Xia Zhe rarely came home and even requested to stay in the army to work during the holiday season. He was like an iceberg that had no warmth. Now, he looked as though he would do anything for Qiao Mei.

As Xia He washed the vegetables in the kitchen, she said,

Now that Xia Zhe is married, he's happy all the time.

Isn't that so? The old Xiao Zhe doesn't like to talk, but now he's just smiling every day.

Liu Fen sighed as she looked at the loving couple through the kitchen glass door.

Second Uncle was also like this when he married Second Aunt-in-law back then, right? If Second Uncle hadn't been so busy recently after his promotion, Second Uncle and Second Aunt-in-law would probably be the ones putting on a public display of affection!

Xia He looked at Liu Fen and teased her.

Liu Fen raised her hand and gently gave Xia He a push. She said embarrassedly,

You're making fun of me! I'm so old already! But your second uncle has indeed been very busy recently. I haven't seen him in a long time. It's a good thing that he's busy though. I'm thinking he will be back soon.

As Zhou Hua chopped vegetables at one side, she made loud sounds on the chopping board, causing the cabinet to shake from the impact. Third Uncle Xia Guang's career had not shown any signs of improvement recently. Not long ago, he had even been reprimanded by his superiors, and she had also been mocked by Xu Lan for that. Seeing Liu Fen showing off about how capable and reliable her husband was, Zhou Hua felt that all these people looked down on her!

Xia He and Liu Fen closed their mouths discomfitingly and did not say anything else. Tan Jing pretended not to hear anything.

Don't worry, it's fine even if we have daughters,

Xia Zhe comforted Qiao Mei.

Liu Fen heard that from the kitchen. She hurriedly opened the kitchen door and came out raising a spatula at Xia Zhe, saying,

Hurry up and spit on that! What unlucky things are you saying! You will have sons!

Qiao Mei looked at the agitated Liu Fen and said,

Yes, if Second Aunt-in-law says they're boys, then it must be so!

Liu Fen said proudly,

That's true. I have four children and I'm very blessed to have both sons and daughters! Don't spout nonsense, you'll have sons!

Zhou Hua shouted from the kitchen,

You should be more worried about your two sons getting married. They're not even married yet, but you're so anxious about Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law's grandchildren!

Liu Fen did not mind and pretended that she did not hear anything. She said thoughtfully,

What are these two children's nicknames? Are they called Luck and Fortune? Or Wealth and Treasure!

Xia Zhe lowered his head and held back his laughter. Qiao Mei looked at Liu Fen and said,

Second Aunt-in-law, I think Luck and Fortune are good. If they're girls, then there's no need for these nicknames.

When Liu Fen heard Qiao Mei mention having girls again, she got so anxious that she stomped her feet. She quickly waved her hands and said,

Hurry up and spit on that! Don't say such inauspicious things! It must be two boys!

Qiao Mei was so ticked by Liu Fen's reaction that she laughly loudly and said,

Alright, alright, alright. It will definitely be the Luck and Fortune that Second Aunt-in-law is looking forward to.

Liu Fen gave Qiao Mei a look of satisfaction and went back to cook. As she walked back, she was still muttering the words luck and fortune, and could not stop smiling widely. The eldest grandson of the Xia family would be using a nickname that she had chosen. She would be proud to tell that story to outsiders.

She thought that Qiao Mei seemed like a nice person. Back when Qiao Mei first came to visit, Xu Lan had called up Liu Fen after that and kept complaining about Qiao Mei. She told Liu Fen how she thought Qiao Mei was such an ignorant village girl, as well as a lot of other nasty things..

Now, Liu Fen felt that Qiao Mei was in no way inferior to those young ladies from wealthy families in the capital! As if those young ladies could get pregnant with two children at once! Let's see who still dared to look down on Qiao Mei! She would definitely be the first to stand up and put a stop to it!

Xia Zhe pinched Qiao Mei's cheek and asked,

Didn't I give the children nicknames in my letters back then? Are you saying that my nicknames aren't as good as Luck and Fortune?

Qiao Mei slapped Xia Zhe's hand away and looked at Xia Wen, saying,

Elder Brother is knowledgeable. Let's get Elder Brother to be the judge. He said in the letter that he wants to name the child Xia Zhuang!

Xia Wen could not help but laugh when he heard this name.

I also think that Luck and Fortune is much better than your Xia Zhuang.

Xia Wen did not hide his disdain for the name Xia Zhe came up with.

Xia Wen thought for a moment and said,

If you trust me, I'll help you name the children.

Xia Zhe looked towards Qiao Mei to see what she thought. Qiao Mei nodded and said,

Elder Brother, please do. You're so cultured and the names you come up with will definitely be nice names.

When Xia Zhe heard the way Qiao Mei praised Xia Wen, he felt a little jealous. He had also studied in military school and he was in no way less cultured than his elder brother. He may be a military man, but it did not mean that he was uneducated.

Let me think… If they're boys, shall we name them Xia Yun and Xia Xuan? If they're girls, then Xia Wei and Xia Shuang,

Xia Wen said after careful consideration.

Qiao Mei also felt that these were nice names. When she looked up, she saw that Xia Zhe was still frowning.

Qiao Mei asked softly,

What's wrong? Are you unhappy with the names given by Elder Brother?

Xia Zhe said in a fit of pique,

Xia Zhuang would have been a nice name for my son!

It had been a long time since Xia Zhe threw a tantrum in front of Xia Wen and he had not seen his younger brother's childish side for a long time. He was so amused that he laughed out loudly and said,

If you're not convinced, then let grandfather and father be the judges and see which names are better. Perhaps the two of them won't like the names we came up with. They might already have their own ideas regarding the names.

You're right. Grandfather has been looking forward to this for a long time. I think he might have already prepared names for our children. Let's ask grandfather to choose later.

Xia Zhe thought about how his grandfather had always looked forward to him getting married and having children. He had asked Xia Zhe to get married when his grandmother was still around, but Xia Zhe did not meet anyone he liked. Therefore, Xia Zhe guessed that his grandfather might have already prepared names for his future grandchildren a long time ago.

As Xia Wen excitedly joined in the discussion to name Xia Zhe's children, Tan Jing silently shed tears in the kitchen. All these years, the fact that the two of them did not manage to have a child had always been a wound in her heart.

Xia Wen had always comforted her and said that it did not matter if they had children or not. However, when she saw Xia Wen being so concerned about Qiao Mei's babies and even excitedly helping to name them, she could not help but feel upset.

Xia He observed quietly from the side. When Tan Jing first married into the family, Xia He liked her very much. She was cheerful, laughed a lot, and liked to sing and dance. Later on, after being married for many years and not having children, she completely changed into a different person and became silent and unwilling to communicate with anyone. She also looked unhappy all the time.

At first, Liu Fen kept nagging her about the matter. Later, Tan Jing felt so hounded and uncomfortable that she starved herself for a long time. After that, Liu Fen did not dare to mention it again and the entire family also avoided this topic. Xia Wen also secretly spoke to all the other family members and asked them not to make things difficult for Tan Jing.

However, now that Qiao Mei was pregnant, it was inevitable that everyone would feel happy and talk constantly about children, unintentionally hurting Tan Jing. In the beginning, Xia He and Tan Jing got along like biological sisters. Later on, it became harder and harder for Xia He to understand why Tan Jing cared so much about this matter. She had also gotten married herself, but she did not have children. Instead, she was very glad that she did not have that burden.

Now that she was in an unhappy situation, she need not maintain a painful marriage for the sake of children. She felt free and unrestrained, but Tan Jing kept getting herself stuck in a rut. As time passed, the two of them grew apart.

Zhou Hua glanced at Tan Jing from behind and laughed disdainfully. She had thought that with a daughter-in-law like Tan Jing, Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law would never have any grandchildren in their lives, meaning their bloodline would end with their sons. No one could have expected that Xia Zhe, who looked on track to becoming a monk, would actually get married and that his wife would be pregnant with twins.

The heavens were really unfair. All good things went to the eldest son of the family. Back when her mother-in-law was still alive, she was also biased towards her eldest son's family. After she died, she even gave her house to Xia Zhe. No one else could get their hands on it.

Zhou Hua only found out about this when Tan Jing accidentally let slip this matter while they were chatting. Otherwise, she would still be in the dark.

The Xia family had a total of three sons. The eldest son had two boys, the second son had two boys, but their family had given the Xia family three boys! She could not understand why the house did not go to Xia Guang.

Currently, Xia Mao's three children were all married and their eldest grandchild was about to be born. The second son, Xia Yao, lived a thriving and happy life with Liu Fen. Only Xia Guang's family was not doing well! She could not understand why they could not get any good things. Their sons were unable to find wives because they did not have their own house.

Zhou Hua's whole family was still living together into a 120-square-meter allocated property. Her eldest son was about to propose marriage to the girl he liked but she was unwilling to marry him because he did not have his own house.

She heard that Xia Zhe had managed to get back the part of the house occupied by the Cao family. There would only be five people living in such a big house, even If she included Qiao Mei's grandfather. It was such a waste for only five people to live in such a big house! They might as well give her family a few rooms. She did not ask for much and would be happy to have just one section out of the four sections of the house.

She had been thinking about this for a long time, but she was too embarrassed to broach this topic when Xia Jun was around. Given that there was no one in charge at home today, she started to put on airs.

Auntie Chen, please set the table. We'll take a break.

Liu Fen came out of the kitchen rubbing her shoulders.

Although Auntie Chen was the family's helper, she mostly just took care of Xia Jun and his meals. Xia Jun was an old man and he had a lighter diet, so his food needed to be made separately.

Everyone sat in the living hall and chatted.

Xia Zhe is still the most capable among the kids of his generation,

Zhou Hua said flatteringly.

That's right. I also think Xiao Zhe is the most hardworking and capable!

Liu Fen did not know what Zhou Hua had in mind and simply agreed with what she said.

Xia Wen looked at Zhou Hua and smiled while Xia He did not reply as well. She knew that Third Aunt-in-law did not have a good heart and was a very nasty person. Qiao Mei also wondered why Zhou Hua's attitude seemed to have changed after she came back from the kitchen.

You can eat now. Old Master Xia said that he won't be coming down to eat. I'll bring it up for him,

Auntie Chen said respectfully.

Qiao Mei lowered her head and whispered to Xia Zhe,

Is grandfather not feeling well?

Xia Zhe patted Qiao Mei's head and said,

Don't worry. Grandfather probably feels that there are too many youngsters and women around and that his presence would make it difficult for us to talk and catch up. That's why he's not coming down. If you're worried, we can go to the study room to chat with him after dinner.

Qiao Mei nodded and followed Xia Zhe to the dining room. When everyone was seated, they started to eat in silence.

So, let me say a few words. The Xia family has confirmed two kids of the next generation today and we're all gathered together. Let's have drinks and catch up!

Zhou Hua stood up and went to the liquor cabinet.

Xia Wen said faintly,

Third Aunt-in-law, don't take out the wrong liquor. The cabinet is filled with grandfather's treasures. Don't drink his favorite liquor by accident.

Zhou Hua faced the liquor cabinet and cursed Xia Wen in her heart. In the entire family, Xia Wen's relationship with her was the worst. She did not know how she had offended Xia Wen, but he always argued with her. She felt that Xia Wen was not as nice as everyone said and was not the gentle and modest gentleman that people talked about! His smile hid how treacherous he actually was!

At the corner of the liquor cabinet, Zhou Hua found the bottle of liquor that she had given to Xia Jun. At that time, Xia Jun had asked Auntie Chen to put it away in the cabinet without even looking at it. The bottle was now covered with dust even though the rest of the bottles were clean. When the light shone on those bottles, they gleamed brightly. A few bottles had even been sealed with special methods to prevent their contents from evaporating.

Zhou Hua did not pay attention to what Xia Wen said. She had something more important to do today.

After taking out the bottle, Zhou Hua opened it and started pouring the liquor for everyone. The more everyone drank, the easier it would be for her to settle the matter. As long as Xia Zhe agreed, there was nothing that could not be done.

When she was about to pour the liquor for Qiao Mei, Xia Zhe reached out to cover Qiao Mei's glass and said,

Third Aunt-in-law, she's pregnant and can't drink.

Back then, his maternal aunt-in-law had given him a list of things that pregnant women should watch out for. In addition, his aunt had also told Xia Zhe about many things that pregnant women could and could not do, including not being able to drink alcohol. Xia Zhe would not forget anything that concerned Qiao Mei.

It's fine to drink a bit! I drank when I was pregnant!

Zhou Hua was about to pour the liquor when Xia Wen said,

If anything should happen to Qiao Mei's babies, what do you think my father and grandfather will do, Third Aunt-in-law?

Zhou Hua's hands stopped in midair. She was not a doctor. If anything really happened, Xu Lan would definitely cut her into pieces.

Zhou Hua immediately turned her gaze to Tan Jing, who was sitting beside Qiao Mei. As she poured the liquor, she said gleefully,

Oh well, then Tan Jing can drink more. It doesn't matter how much Tan Jing drinks since she's not pregnant!

Zhou Hua thought that there were some benefits to Tan Jing not having children. It helped her to resolve the awkwardness like this. Little did she know that Xia Wen's expression became even more thoughtful when he looked at her, while Xia Zhe stared at her as well. Zhou Hua was still forcing a smile, but her hands had already started to tremble.

Well… let's eat, let's eat!

Liu Fen helped to smooth things over. She thought that if she did not interrupt now, all these people would start arguing again.

Only then did Zhou Hua sit down and heave a sigh of relief. Even if she ended up offending everyone at the dining table, she still had to continue to make them drink so that she could achieve her goal.

Xia Wen and Xia Zhe did not appreciate what Liu Fen did and just quietly ate and took food for their wives. Xia Wen also drank all the liquor in Tan Jing's glass in one go.

Tan Jing looked at Xia Wen with a slight smile. She knew that her husband loved her and had been protecting her in his own way all these years, but the pressure and stares from their relatives and neighbors made it difficult for her to breathe. It was her own anxiety that caused her to be in such a state now.

Zhou Hua continued talking and drinking by herself. She was completely fine with drinking by herself if the others did not want to drink. If she got drunk, she could then use that as an excuse if she happened to offend anyone. She would just say that it was the liquor that made her sprout nonsense and asked for everyone's forgiveness. This way, no one would be able to take what she said to heart. After she had a few glasses, she started to act up.

Zhou Hua suddenly started crying bitterly, tears raining down her face. Liu Fen, who was sitting next to her, was shocked and wondered what was wrong with her.

Third Aunt-in-law, what's wrong?

Xia He asked.

I'm just happy. I'm happy that all of you are doing well!

Zhou Hua said as she wept.

Xia Wen shook the liquor glass in his hand and smiled at Zhou Hua.

Why are you crying when you're happy, Third Aunt-in-law? It's so inauspicious to cry on a joyous day.

Zhou Hua used a handkerchief to cover her face and wipe her tears. The expression behind the handkerchief was a very twisted and angry one, but after wiping her tears, she put on a pitiful look again. It was a waste that she did not become a performer.

Look at what this kid is saying. Seeing all of you doing well makes me think of my Xia Xing. I don't even know when he'll be able to get married.

After saying that, Zhou Hua started crying again.

Didn't Brother Xing say that he has a girlfriend and is getting engaged soon? Doesn't that mean he's getting married soon? Third Aunt-in-law should be happy about that,

Xia Wen asked.

Zhou Hua said with reddened eyes,

It's just that although the girl wants to marry into our family, her parents say that we must provide a house. That's why he hasn't gotten married yet.

Xia Wen gave Xia Zhe a meaningful look. It seemed like her target was Xia Zhe.

If Brother Xing works hard, won't he be allocated a house soon?

Xia Wen said.

The Xia family's ancestors were all soldiers, but when it came to Xia Zhe's generation, they started working in other fields. For example, Xia Wen was a university professor, while Xia Xing worked in a government unit in the south. Everyone had heard that the benefits were not too bad. Although the salary was not high, he would be allocated a house. If a couple was both from that unit, they would be allocated a much bigger house.

Xia Xing's girlfriend was a colleague from the same unit as him, and she also had a relative who was in a leadership position there, so their allocated house would definitely not be too small.

The unit did allocate them a house, but I felt that it was too small, so I asked them not to take it.

Zhou Hua then continued,

Besides, how can a house in the poor and remote countryside be better than a house in the capital? I'm thinking of getting the two of them transferred to the capital so that everyone in the family can be reunited.

It seemed that not only did she have designs on Xia Zhe, but she also wanted Xia Jun to help with Xia Xing's transfer. Everyone in the neighborhood could hear her wishful thinking!

Third Aunt-in-law, how big a house is good for you? That allocated house is almost 200 square meters. Why isn't it big enough for Brother Xing to live in? That place is also flourishing at the moment, how is it worse than the capital? I even went there on a business trip previously,

Xia Wen said with a smile.

Zhou Hua pointed at Xia Wen and shouted,

What do you know! How can that place compare with the capital! Besides, if our Xiao Xing has children in the future, are they supposed to find their marriage partners in that place? It's such a poor and remote place, don't tell me they have to marry country bumpkins! That's why I want them to be transferred back to the capital.

Qiao Mei almost choked on her water to hear that she had become part of the topic. She kept having a feeling that Zhou Hua had something to tell her, so there must be something else she had not said yet.

I can't help with Brother Xing's work problem. I can only wish Third Aunt-in-law all the best.

Xia Wen finished the liquor in his glass in one gulp.

Zhou Hua stood up unsteadily and put both her hands on the table while saying,

As if I don't know that you can't help! You could have gone to the army to take up a civilian position, but you insisted on being a teacher. Your monthly salary is so little and your house is so small! What were you thinking!

Xia Wen did not refute and just nodded vigorously. Zhou Hua then turned to look at Xia Zhe and said,

Xia Zhe is still the best. Xia Zhe is so capable. His grandmother also dotes on this grandson and left him such a big house. There are 14 rooms! It's so big!

Sigh, I heard from Eldest Sister-in-law that Qiao Mei has taken back the part of the house that the Cao family occupied. She's really a capable wife. There are now 28 rooms in total. Even after your children are born, there will only be four of you. You won't have use for so many rooms,

Zhou Hua said as she looked at Qiao Mei.

Xia Zhe and Qiao Mei did not reply. They lowered their heads and ignored what Zhou Hua said. They already knew that she was eyeing the house, but they did not expect her to broach this topic so quickly.

Xiao Zhe, if the house remains empty, it will attract spirits easily! If no one lives in it for too long, everything in the house will break down! Why don't you let your Brother Xing move in with you when he's back? When you're not at home, he can help you take care of Qiao Mei!

Zhou Hua looked at Xia Zhe with a sad face.

Qiao Mei muttered in a low voice,

Hmph, you're faster than any spirits!

Zhou Hua did not hear what Qiao Mei said since she was a distance away, but Xia Zhe heard it clearly since he was just next to her. Xia Zhe quietly reached out to hold Qiao Mei's hand and stroked it gently to reassure her.

Qiao Mei was feeling unhappy about it. She had used her own ginseng to exchange for that part of the house, so she did not see why she must agree to let Zhou Hua move in. She was extremely unwilling to do that.

At that time, many families lived together under one roof, just like what Qiao Zhuang's family did in the village. Although his five sons were married, other than the second son who snatched Li Gui's house and moved out with his own family, the rest of the brothers still lived in the old house. It was common for people to have to take in relatives.

Qiao Mei looked at Xia Zhe with a sad expression. He nodded to indicate that he understood what she meant.

Xia Zhe put down his chopsticks and sat up straight. He looked at Zhou Hua and said,

No.

He did not give her any reasons. No matter how many reasons he had, Zhou Hua would view them as excuses and she would rebut all of them. He decided to reject her in a direct manner so that she would not have any reason to pick on anything he said.

Zhou Hua did not expect Xia Zhe to reject her so bluntly. After all, she was Xia Zhe's third aunt-in-law and his elder. She had expected him to at least consider her request.

Xiao Zhe, aren't you going to even consider it? Look at your Brother Xing…

Zhou Hua looked at Xia Zhe with reddened eyes.

Xia Zhe still said the same thing,

No.

What a kid! Why! Why not!

Zhou Hua questioned him exasperatedly. Her tone made it sound like Xia Zhe's house belonged to her and that it was disrespectful of Xia Zhe to reject her request.

Qiao Mei's grandfather paid for the two sections of the house that the Cao family used to occupy, so that part doesn't belong to me nor does it belong to the Xia family. I have no right to decide who can stay there. Besides, my parents can't even stay at my house, let alone other people.

After Xia Zhe finished speaking, he glanced at Zhou Hua, indicating to her that she belonged to the group of

other people

.

Originally, Xu Lan wanted to move into that house because living under the same roof as Xia Zhe's grandfather meant that she had to follow his rules. However, Xia Mao did not allow her to move there because they actually had their own house. Even if they left the patriarch's house, they should move back into their own house. The area of their own house was only 100 square meters and it was not as luxurious as the small villa, so Xu Lan was unwilling to live there.

Later on, Third Aunt-in-law also kept saying that she wanted to stay at the old house. Xia Fang always stopped her from doing so and did not let anyone else enter the house. Xia Zhe originally did not mind and was not concerned about who stayed there. At that time, he was focused on his job in the army and only wanted to do better in his career. However, now that he knew about the things his grandmother kept underground, he also understood the deeper meaning behind what she did.

Other than his grandfather, no one else could go back to stay in the house!

You!

Zhou Hua pointed at Xia Zhe angrily and glared at him, but she could not say anything. If even his own mother could not move in, she had no right to demand anything as his aunt-in-law.

Why is it so noisy? What's happening?

Xu Lan asked curiously.

Earlier in the afternoon, she went to help out at the military art troupe because they were having some issues. She did not expect to hear something about someone's parents not being allowed to do something the moment she returned home. Zhou Hua was even pointing at her son, so that woman must be up to something again.

Eldest Sister-in-law, your son is really filial! He says that he won't let you and Eldest Brother stay in his house in the future!

Zhou Hua complained to Xu Lan while pointing at Xia Zhe.

Xu Lan looked at Zhou Hua while keeping a straight face. Xia Zhe was not that kind of child. She knew best as she was the one who gave birth to him. Xia Zhe was a greatly loyal and righteous person, just like his grandfather. Xia Zhe definitely did not say something like that.

Xia Wen looked at Xu Lan and said,

Mother, Third Aunt-in-law said just now that she wanted to move her whole family into the house that grandmother gave to Xiao Zhe. She even said that Brother Xing is unable to get married because I'm not capable enough and because Xiao Zhe didn't prepare a house for Brother Xing.

As he expected, Xu Lan's expression darkened. She looked at Zhou Hua with even more hatred in her eyes. She had long known that Zhou Hua had been eyeing the house for a long time, but she did not expect her to broach this subject again today. Zhou Hua must be jealous after knowing that they had managed to take back the part of the house that the Cao family occupied.

Xu Lan walked behind Xia Fang and reached out to put her hand on Xia Fang's shoulder as if she was grumbling.

Regarding this matter, you're not the only one. Your eldest brother and I had wanted to go and stay in that house for a couple of days as we thought that it's not good for the house to remain empty. We thought we could bring some warmth to the house with some human activity, but Xiao Fang came up with all sorts of reasons to stop us from going there.

Xia Fang smiled and took a sip of liquor. She did not want to get involved in this matter and only wanted to watch her Third Sister-in-law and Eldest Sister-in-law fight it out.

It's not that I don't want to allow Eldest Sister-in-law to live there. It's just that it was my mother's last wish to leave the house to Xia Zhe. Even if my father's here, he will agree that it's a fact that no one can change,

Xia Fang said.

Zhou Hua glared at Xia Fang. The old lady was already dead. How could her words be equivalent to an imperial edict? Xia Fang was just trying to play the fool. It was not as if a dead person could know who eventually ended up with the house.

Let's not talk about who she intended the house for. If Xia Zhe has the keys to the house, then it belongs to him now. In that case, he can give it to whoever he wants. Whatever his grandmother said belongs in the past. If this house must always belong to him, then what will happen if Xia Zhe dies one day? Who will get this house? The government?

Zhou Hua tried to reason with Xu Lan.

Qiao Mei was furious when she heard this. This woman had just cursed Xia Zhe to die quickly!

Qiao Mei was about to refute Zhou Hua when Xia Zhe calmed her down. Xia Zhe turned to Zhou Hua and said,

Third Aunt-in-law also said that the house is mine now, so I have the final say. As for whether I die or not, you can talk about it after I die. Qiao Mei and I are living in that house now. The backyard part that the Cao family used to occupy was bought by Qiao Mei's grandfather. It has nothing to do with our Xia family whether he lives there or not. Even if he wants to leave it empty, it is entirely up to him.

At this moment, Zhou Hua looked at Qiao Mei. Since Xia Zhe put it across like that, it would be possible for them to live in the part of the house that the Cao family returned as long as Qiao Mei agreed to it.

Qiao Mei knew what Zhou Hua was planning and rejected her directly, saying,

Third Aunt-in-law, my grandfather has the final say in that part of the house, not me. I still have four siblings at home, as well as my mother and grandfather. If my grandfather is kind enough to bring the entire big family over, it's also not something I can control. What I say doesn't count. How about you go and ask my grandfather?

Qiao Mei looked at Zhou Hua with a wide grin. Zhou Hua was so angry that she did not know what to say. How was she supposed to ask Qiao Mei's grandfather? Was she supposed to go to the countryside to look for him?

Furthermore, her own nephew did not allow her to stay in his house, so why would Qiao Mei's grandfather help her? It would be embarrassing for her to go asking him for a house when they were not even remotely related.

Young girl, I really don't expect you to have such a sharp tongue!

Zhou Hua said as she glared at Qiao Mei.

I think my daughter-in-law is very demure. Why would you say that she has a sharp tongue? I think she's too kind-hearted. Otherwise, she wouldn't be getting bullied,

Xu Lan said to Zhou Hua.

Although she did not like Qiao Mei, she could not let others say bad things about her daughter-in-law. As Qiao Mei's mother-in-law, she had not made any remark on this matter, so it was out of line for anyone else to say anything. She thought that Zhou Hua was being too disrespectful to her.

Mother, we're going home. Otherwise, it will be too inconvenient when it gets late,

Xia Zhe informed Xu Lan as he prepared to leave with Qiao Mei.

I'll walk with you. Your sister-in-law and I are going back too.

Xia Wen took his jacket and followed them with Tan Jing.

Mother, we're leaving too. We'll come back another day.

Tan Jing bowed gently and followed Xia Wen.

In the blink of an eye, everyone left. Xu Lan sat down for a rest in the chair that Xia Zhe just vacated.

Eldest Sister-in-law, we just want to stay at Xia Zhe's house for a couple of days as a temporary measure. We don't mean to stay there forever. It's all a misunderstanding, Eldest Sister-in-law,

Zhou Hua said.

If you need a place to stay for a couple of days, you can just find a guest house. Or could it be that Third Brother has been short of money recently? If that's the case, you should have said so earlier. I'll get Xia Mao to send some money to your Xia Guang. Then when he comes back, he'll have a place to stay. What do you think?

Xu Lan said with a smile.

Zhou Hua knew that it was an insinuation that she was poor and had no money! She felt angry and aggrieved. Her intention was to move into the old house, but she did not expect to be scolded by everyone in the eldest brother's family. What right did they have to treat her like this!

After Xu Lan finished speaking, she was no longer interested in the conversation and went back to her room to rest. Xia He and Xia Fang also went home, leaving Liu Fen and Auntie Chen to clean up the house and wash the dishes.

Seeing that no one wanted to pay any attention to her, Zhou Hua complained to Liu Fen,

Why do you think the old lady was so biased back then? She gave such a big house to only Xia Zhe. Aren't all these children and grandchildren her own? Now, Xia Zhe is living in a house with 28 rooms at such a young age and also has a house allocated by the military. Our two families have nothing!

My two sons don't have girlfriends yet, and they're still too young to get married. Besides, my children are all soldiers. When the time comes for them to get married, they'll be allocated their own house too,

Liu Fen said contentedly.

Your two sons are afraid that you'll bully their wives, so they won't bring anyone to come and see you! How can you still feel happy!

Zhou Hua said harshly.

My own daughters don't even like me, what more my daughters-in-law. I can't stop nagging so it's normal for them not to want to live with me.

Liu Fen took the last of the dishes into the kitchen and did not come back out.

Although Liu Fen was a person without any ulterior motives, she was not stupid. Initially, Liu Fen had thought that Zhou Hua was quite a nice person, but then she realized that Zhou Hua had gotten more and more overboard over the years and even took to blaming her for causing Tan Jing's bad mood. It was Zhou Hua who always bullied Tan Jing and passed comments about her not having children, but Zhou Hua would put the blame on Liu Fen, causing everyone to misunderstand Liu Fen.

Zhou Hua always wished that the Xia family brothers would quarrel among themselves, so that she could watch the drama. However, she felt that the matter about the house was really biased. Putting her personal concerns aside, she felt that everyone in the family should have a share in the house. In the end, only Xia Zhe got everything and the others did not benefit. She believed that the rest of the granddaughters-in-law would not get the bangles that Tan Jing and Qiao Mei received.

All of them are so unkind to me!

Zhou Hua sat at the dining table alone and wept silently. It was all the fault of her disappointing husband and sons. Otherwise, she would not have been bullied by the eldest brother's family like this.

Qiao Mei was extremely happy to return home and see the huge courtyard. She sat comfortably on the rocking chair under the cherry tree. She did not need any relatives to come warm up the house or stay temporarily! Such quiet days were the best!

Fortunately, Xia Zhe did not even allow his parents to come over to live with them. If she had to live with Xu Lan and face her every day, she would go crazy very quickly. Xu Lan did not like her to begin with, and if they lived together, they would definitely end up hating each other.

Xia Zhe went into the kitchen to make some food for Qiao Mei as he had observed that she did not eat much just now at the dining table. He did not expect Qiao Mei to share his thoughts. She had also intended to cook for Xia Zhe.

What do you want to eat?

Xia Zhe asked.

Let me do it. How about you go and rest?

Qiao Mei said to Xia Zhe with a grin.

I'll do it. You'll have plenty of opportunities to show off in the future. Give me a chance to show off now.

Xia Zhe looked at the young girl in front of him as his heart ached.

In the past, he did not think that there was anything bad about his family. However, when he saw how Second Aunt-in-law asked the juniors in the family to do the housework and the way Third Aunt-in-law sowed discord and dripped sarcasm, he realized that it had not been easy for his elder sister-in-law all these years. Not only did she have to do all the housework, but she also had to endure Third Aunt-in-law's ridicule and Second Aunt-in-law's teachings.

When he returned to the army after the holidays, he was worried that Qiao Mei would suffer in the capital on her own. He wanted to do as much for her as he could while he was still by her side.

Then you go ahead. I'll go make clothes for Elder Sister,

Qiao Mei said.

Alright, don't tire yourself out.

Xia Zhe watched Qiao Mei enter the house before returning to the kitchen.

Qiao Mei went through all the fabric she had at home and felt that the color orange suited Xia He's personality. The vibrant color felt warm and energetic. Although Qiao Mei did not know Xia He's size, she was quite familiar with her figure. She just had to make it a little loose so that it would be easier to alter it if required. It would be difficult to alter if it was too small.

It did not take long for Qiao Mei to finish drawing the pattern. She even drew a sunflower on the orange dress, as she felt that the wearer was as beautiful as this flower.

Xia Zhe's actions in the kitchen were already much smoother than the last time. His movements were swift and his thoughts were clear. This time, he definitely would not make a mess in the kitchen.