Calming her emotions, Old Lady Zhou took a sip of the tea Zhou Xueli handed her, then set it down and knelt on the kang. She took out a box from the cabinet, and from her neck removed a string with a small key attached.
Using the small key, she opened the box, rummaged through it, and took out a yellowed cloth bag, emptying its contents.
"What is this?" Zhou Xueli curiously took the item she handed to him.
It was a jade token about the size of a copper coin, intricately carved with a plum blossom design, and a small character "i" on the back.
"This is your sister’s. She used to wear it all the ti when she was young. But then I took it off and pawned it for its death value after seeing it. Your father stubbornly sold several acres of land to buy it back at twice the price, yet never hung it again around your sister’s neck, keeping it hidden all this ti." Old Lady Zhou gazed at the jade token said, "After he died, he gave it to , pleading for to keep it and ultimately return it to your sister one day."
Zhou Xueli examined it repeatedly.
"At this point, holding onto this is pointless. When you journey to the capital, return it to her. Over the years, there’s little affection left between us, and she doesn’t need to support in my old age. It’s better we live our own lives well."
"Mother..." Zhou Xueli felt a bit distressed.
"I no longer bla her or hate her. Now that it’s been spoken, we each can live our own lives without needing contact." Old Lady Zhou remarked flatly, "If she says anything, tell her you’ve already collected the maintenance fees she owed."
Zhou Xueli responded, "Mother, are you referring to the silver you demanded from i Xiu earlier?"
Old Lady Zhou nodded, touching his face, "Lier, you’ve always been a good child, mother knows. It’s been tough for you these years. Your elder brother is a rogue who foolishly threw away his own life, leaving his family behind. Without a pillar in the main family, and Dajun is even more unaware of life and death. Once Xiuxiu marries, she’ll belong to another family, leaving only Yongyong."
"Yongyong has to continue the family line for your brother..."
"Mother, don’t worry, with elder brother gone, Yongyong is my dear nephew, I’ll raise him well." Zhou Xueli interrupted her.
"Mother knows you’re good, but you also have your own little family. You may have other children in the future, and you must also provide for . Everywhere needs silver. Without silver, even the best relationship between a husband and wife can lead to disputes and quarrels. I am not saying Lady Liang is bad, but after all, she is just acting as an aunt, it’s not fair to ask too much of her." Old Lady Zhou said, "With silver in hand, everything goes smoothly and avoids argunts. Once we raise Yongyong to sixteen and find him a wife, you can finally let go! That’s why the silver is necessary, and it’s on to play the ugly role."
Zhou Xueli nodded, his eyes slightly moist.
"Go on now, prepare with your wife and have soone accompany you to Changan, it’ll be safer with soone to rely on along the way."
Zhou Xueli advised her to rest well, then returned to his quarters and related Zhou iniang’s story to Lady Liang.
Lady Liang glanced at the jade token and sighed, "No wonder, with such things between mother and daughter, even if the daughter is not, she wouldn’t want such coldness or refusal to connect; turns out there was a lawsuit involved."
"Indeed. Father said nothing before he passed, we still don’t know if sister is really my biological sister." Zhou Xueli pondered gloomily.
"You’re silly, regardless of whether she is or not, she is still your sister. As the saying goes, ’birth grace doesn’t compare to nurturing grace,’ if you regard her as your sister in your heart, she is your sister." Lady Liang playfully scolded.
Zhou Xueli finally understood, he chuckled sheepishly, "You’re right, she is indeed my sister."
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