Chapter 57: The Quarrel Between Yan Ziyue and Xiao Heshuo (Part One)

Whether Yan Ziyue should find it unexpected or not, she was quite intrigued. "Is Yan Zhuangshi trying to push all the blame onto Zhang Juhua after the divorce, which is why he insists on divorcing her?"

Miao Lanlan’s face was filled with contempt and disgust. "Judging by the look of it, it's mostly as you said."

She pointed toward the Yan family's direction. "Look over there. Yan Zhuangshi and Zhang Juhua are still arguing, and a lot of villagers have gathered around to watch."

"Yan Zhuangshi is claiming that the reason he ended up like this is all because of Zhang Juhua and Zhang Qingqing. He insists on a divorce and is demanding compensation from Zhang Juhua."

"But Zhang Juhua retorted that it was Yan Zhuangshi who actively seduced her in the first place. She even spilled the beans about how Yan Zhuangshi used to trample upon and humiliate his original wife and you without restraint in front of her, and she exposed that Yan Zhuangshi deliberately withheld money from home, hoping to starve you and your mother to death."

At this point, she remembered something else. "There's another thing. Zhang Juhua said that when Zhang Qingqing finished primary school, she didn't want to study anymore. First, her grades were poor, and she struggled even with primary school; second, she simply didn't want to study."

"However, Yan Zhuangshi doted on Zhang Qingqing. He spent over a dozen yuan and pulled strings to find a pretty good junior high school for her. In the end, Zhang Qingqing stopped going after just a few days and even used the money given by the family to buy all sorts of things."

"When Yan Zhuangshi found out, not only did he not beat or scold Zhang Qingqing, but he only gave her a mild reprimand and even handed her a few more yuan to spend."

"Now, Yan Zhuangshi richly deserves to end up in this state."

If you asked her, Yan Zhuangshi brought this entirely upon himself. Instead of taking care of his family, he only cared about the mistress and her daughter all day long.

This was the first time Yan Ziyue had heard about this matter, yet her heart didn't stir with the slightest ripple. This was because Yan Zhuangshi no longer had any relation to her, and she had relied on herself and Xiao Hoshuo to attend junior high school. She was no longer the person who had to beg Yan Zhuangshi for everything.

"Zhang Juhua refuses to get a divorce, right?"

Seeing that she wasn't angry, Miao Lanlan could roughly guess the reason. "Xiao's wife, you guessed it right!"

"Zhang Juhua is stubbornly refusing a divorce and has even threatened Yan Zhuangshi, saying that if he insists on divorcing her, she will drag him down with her to the grave."

She let out a cold hum. "Zhang Juhua is now notorious across ten villages; anyone who mentions her spits a few times in disgust. If she really gets a divorce, even eating and drinking will become a problem for her in the future."

"If she continues to stick with Yan Zhuangshi, although she might get beaten, at least she can stay alive."

Thanks to her spreading the rumor in the neighboring villages that Zhang Qingqing's parentage was unknown, and then finding Old Li and telling him there was wine to be had, they now had such a good show to watch.

Yan Ziyue wished nothing more than for Yan Zhuangshi and Zhang Juhua not to divorce. Only by staying together could these two torture each other, which was the least they owed to her and her mother in their past lives.

"Sister Miao, coincidentally, I have something to discuss with you."

She lowered her voice. "I'm planning to hand the egg-selling business over to you."

"As you know, I have to go to school, and since I've found other ways to make money, I simply won't have the time to look after the egg business anymore."

Miao Lanlan was both surprised and delighted. She lowered her voice and asked, "Are you really going to hand it over to me?"

She was well aware that selling eggs for Xiao's wife could turn a profit, and it seemed like quite a lot of money at that.

Yan Ziyue smiled slightly. "When have I ever lied to Sister Miao?"

"To tell you the truth without fear of offending you, if I weren't pressed for time and truly lacked the bandwidth, I wouldn't be willing to pass this business on to you."

Miao Lanlan felt not a shred of anger; instead, she was even more overjoyed. "I understand! I totally understand!"

"If I had such a profitable business, I wouldn't be willing to give it to others either."

"Rest assured, Xiao's wife, I won't ruin your reputation and brand. I will do a good job."

It wasn't easy for villagers to find a way to make money; practically everyone in the village scratched a living out of the dirt, earning very little throughout the entire year and having almost nothing left over.

Yan Ziyue genuinely had no time, and coupled with the fact that she needed to focus on other business ventures, she decided to transfer the egg-selling business to Miao Lanlan.

"Sister Miao, tomorrow noon, bring the eggs and wait for me outside the state-run factory. We'll sell the eggs together."

She instructed, "The quality of the eggs must be top-notch, and the prices are fixed."

Miao Lanlan patted her chest to assure her. "Xiao's wife, you can rest easy. I will never mess things up, and I will guarantee the quality of the eggs."

Now that a lucrative path was laid out right in front of her, she would have to be an absolute fool to do anything foolish.

After giving a few more instructions and watching Miao Lanlan leave in high spirits, Yan Ziyue turned around and returned to the main room to continue her meal.

After finishing dinner, Yan Ziyue and Xiao Hoshuo rested for a while before diving into their studies.

Yan Ziyue copied Zhu Xinyu's notes while Xiao Hoshuo sat nearby, reading a book.

The atmosphere was warm and cozy.

As she was writing, Yan Ziyue recalled something and said in a low voice, "Darling, I heard that the college entrance examination might be reinstated. Are you planning to take it?"

Xiao Hoshuo raised his gaze toward her, looking quite surprised. "Where did you hear this news? I only found out about it from your school principal."

"Hmm?" Yan Ziyue turned to stare at him, a trace of displeasure flickering in her eyes. "You knew about such a huge matter and didn't tell me?"

"You deliberately kept it from me!"

Xiao Hoshuo stroked her head, his thin lips curving upward slightly. "It's still uncertain. I was thinking of telling you once it was confirmed."

"The principal's point was that no one knows when the college entrance examination will be restored; it's merely a rumor at this stage."

Yan Ziyue became even more upset. "Don't you trust me?"

"In your eyes, if I found out that the college entrance examination might be reinstated, would I try to stop you from taking it, refuse to let you go to university, or hinder you from returning to your hometown?"

She truly hadn't expected Xiao Hoshuo to conceal such a major event from her.

Xiao Hoshuo didn't quite understand why she was angry. "Since it hasn't been confirmed yet, telling you wouldn't change anything."

"Then why are you studying?" Yan Ziyue asked angrily.

Xiao Hoshuo put down the book in his hand, a look of perplexity on his face. "I intended to tell you after it was confirmed, so you wouldn't have to overthink it."

"Right now, it's just uncertain news. Why are you getting mad?"

Yan Ziyue tightened her grip on the pencil, her anger mounting. "Suppose you found out that I was keeping a secret from you—that I might have to leave to study or work in another city."

"This matter isn't certain yet, but I didn't tell you, and you found out from someone else. Would you be angry?"

Xiao Hoshuo opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

If he were to find out about such a thing not from Yan Ziyue herself, but from someone else, would he be angry?

He would be furious!

He would be angry at why Yan Ziyue didn't tell him about such an important matter. Even though it wasn't certain yet, it was of great importance to him.

Thinking along those lines, he finally understood the reason for her anger.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so self-righteous and kept such an important matter from you," he apologized with a sincere attitude.

Hearing this, Yan Ziyue's anger instantly subsided by half. "In your view, because the matter wasn't confirmed and you didn't want me to worry, it actually means you didn't fully trust me."

"You were worried that I would obstruct your exam, prevent you from attending university, or impede your future."

Xiao Hoshuo took her hand, gazing straight into her aggrieved eyes. "No! I never thought that way at all!"