Chapter 216: Coming To The Door
Dinner had just ended when Wang Huanzhi returned.
The shop assistants were cleaning up the mess on the table. Seeing him back, those who knew the cause pretended not to see him and went about their own business, treating him as if he didn’t exist.
Wang Huanzhi searched for Zhang Yingdi’s figure among the crowd but didn’t see her. Thinking she had returned to the room, he went back to the room to find her.
When he returned to the room, he found that Zhang Yingdi’s clothes had all been packed up.
“Second sister…” Wang Huanzhi hurried out to find someone and saw Zhang Pandi coming out of the bathroom, so he called out to her.
Normally, if Wang Huanzhi saw female relatives coming out of the bathroom, he would immediately avoid them and wouldn’t dare to look a second time. But today, anxious as he was, he forgot all the usual rules and doctrines.
“Something wrong?” Zhang Pandi said indifferently.
“Where did Ying’er go? Why are her clothes gone?” Wang Huanzhi asked anxiously.
“She moved to stay with big sister,” Zhang Pandi said. “You have schoolwork to do, so she doesn’t want to disturb you and is giving you some peace and quiet.”
“Second sister, is Ying’er angry?” Wang Huanzhi asked, his face full of distress.
“Is she? No, she’s not! Among us three sisters, our little sister’s temper is the best, and she’s sensible, polite, and follows the rules,” Zhang Pandi said. “Did you do something to make her angry?”
“I…”
“If you can’t say, then surely not. Since there’s nothing, our little sister isn’t unreasonable,” Zhang Pandi said. “Don’t affect your studies. Review your lessons as you should.”
Zhang Pandi left.
Wang Huanzhi came to Zhang Zhaodi’s door and knocked.
“Who is it?” Zhang Zhaodi opened the door and, upon seeing Wang Huanzhi, said sarcastically, “Didn’t you go back to the countryside?”
“I didn’t go back to the countryside.” Wang Huanzhi glanced inside and, seeing Zhang Yingdi’s figure, explained, “Madam, come back to the room with me, and I’ll explain to you.”
“No need.” Zhang Yingdi sat in front of the dressing mirror combing her hair. “You’ve always been soft-hearted and can’t bear to see others suffer. I understand.”
Hearing her say that, Wang Huanzhi breathed a sigh of relief.
“Although the local imperial examination is over, you’ll still need to go to the capital city for the imperial examination next. I know you’re nervous, so I won’t disturb you anymore. Just focus on your studies,” Zhang Yingdi said.
“Madam, you won’t disturb me. Without you, I can’t settle my mind.” Seeing she was unwilling to return to the room, Wang Huanzhi felt uneasy and didn’t dare to leave.
“Then you need to get used to it even more. Next, you’ll be going to the capital city. I can’t follow you there, can I? Without me, you won’t take the imperial examination?” Zhang Yingdi said. “Go back. Big sister and I need to rest.”
“Madam…”
“Enough, stop shouting here. It’s annoying to hear,” Zhang Zhaodi said, closing the door.
Wang Huanzhi stood at the doorway for a while. Seeing that the two sisters inside ignored him, he left with a sigh.
Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu watched this scene from not far away. Zhou Wangshu said, “Aren’t you going to persuade him?”
“Why should I persuade?” Su Yaoguang said. “Maternal uncle-in-law did such a foolish thing, so of course he needs some punishment. Otherwise, who knows what he’ll make my maternal aunt suffer in the future. I support my maternal aunt. This time, maternal uncle-in-law should know that she has a temper too, and he should know what he should do and what he shouldn’t. If he has no idea, then they should divorce early.”
Although Zhang Yingdi was almost thirty, she was good-looking. Not only had she been well-nourished in the past six months, but she was also dressing up better and better, no worse than a teenage young girl. As long as she was willing, they could always find her a caring man anytime.
“Women are really scary. You really can’t provoke them.”
“What did you say?”
“I said Yaoguang is right. Maternal uncle-in-law was wrong this time and should recognize his mistake,” Zhou Wangshu said.
In the room, Zhang Zhaodi was scolding Zhang Yingdi, saying she had no ambition. Earlier she had said to them she wanted a divorce, but when he came back, she didn’t dare say it to his face.
Zhang Yingdi rubbed her forehead, which Zhang Zhaodi had poked painfully, and said embarrassedly, “I want to wait and see the result of his local imperial examination first. If he passes, then I’ll mention the divorce to him.”
“If he doesn’t pass, you won’t mention it?”
“He’s worked so hard, so he should pass,” Zhang Yingdi said. “After all, we’ve been husband and wife. I don’t want to affect his performance, so I’ll wait for his local imperial examination result!”
“If he passes, he’ll immediately go to the capital city to prepare for the imperial examination. You won’t hold back again because you don’t want to affect his performance, will you?”
“No, I won’t. After so many years, we’ve always just been husband and wife in name only. If he truly cared for me, he wouldn’t be so indifferent, so I think he doesn’t like me. His current dependence on me is merely because of my companionship over these years—he’s used to it. But this relationship isn’t right. I don’t want to be just a decoration by his side anymore.”
The next day, Wang Huanzhi came out early for breakfast.
Previously, it was always Zhang Yingdi who brought breakfast to the room for him.
Wang Huanzhi sat beside Zhang Yingdi and, seeing her peeling an egg, said to her, “Madam, I can do it myself.”
Zhang Yingdi looked up at him. “Mm, you should peel it yourself. This egg is mine.”
Wang Huanzhi felt awkward, picked up the egg and peeled it, stealing glances at Zhang Yingdi beside him from time to time.
Today, Zhang Yingdi didn’t speak to him. Even when she responded earlier, her tone was very stiff.
She was especially cold today.
Wang Huanzhi had never seen such an indifferent Zhang Yingdi; he felt uncomfortable from inside out.
“Madam…”
“I’m done eating. Eat slowly.” Zhang Yingdi stood up. “The business in the shop has been busy lately, and I can’t look after you. Just eat with everyone else. No need to wait for me.”
“Madam…” Wang Huanzhi wanted to follow, but Zhang Yingdi had already walked away with Zhang Pandi and the others.
Peach Blossom Workshop’s business was very good. As soon as it opened, customers came right away. Wang Huanzhi saw her greeting customers and didn’t want to disturb her. He waited for a while and saw she had no time for him. Just as he was about to return to the backyard to review lessons, he saw a familiar figure walk in.
“Huanzhi brother.” The woman holding the child looked at Wang Huanzhi with teary eyes. “Qiao’er’s illness keeps recurring, and other doctors can’t cure it at all. I heard Doctor Jiang at Peach Blossom Workshop is a divine doctor. Could you please put in a word for me and ask Doctor Jiang to see Qiao’er?”
“Wait here. I’ll go inside to find Doctor Jiang.” Wang Huanzhi glanced at the little girl in the woman’s arms and turned to walk inside.
The other shop assistants looked toward the woman.
The woman was dressed in plain clothes with a white flower in her hair, clearly still in mourning for someone. She was elegantly beautiful and appeared very harmless. Though already a mother, she still had the pure look of a young girl innocent of the world.
This purity was different from Jiang Yihuan’s little white flower.
“Sister Zhang, I’m disturbing you again.” Meng Xiaoya walked toward Zhang Yingdi holding the child. “Don’t misunderstand. Huanzhi brother and I haven’t been in contact for a long time. This time it was just a chance encounter.
