Chapter 98: Du Dajiang Was Deceived

The new house was made of blue bricks and tiles. Besides the front hall and the kitchen, there were five rooms in total—one for Madam Zhou, one shared by Zhou Ruizhen and Du Wanchun, one each for the second and third sons, and a guest room.

Each room had newly crafted beds and cabinets. Though they couldn’t compare to the fragrant wood furniture of wealthy families, they were brand new and far better than the moldy, rotting wood they had before.

Du Wanchun spread freshly made bedding over the bed, filling the entire room with the scent of wood.

Behind her, Zhou Ruizhen was helping arrange the furniture, placing a table in position.

Besides a study desk, there was also a dressing table with an embedded bronze mirror—something rarely seen in rural homes. Madam Zhou had specially instructed the carpenter to make it based on her memory.

Du Wanchun turned around to look at it, her heart brimming with joy.

Zhou Ruizhen glanced down at the tabletop and said slowly, “It looks a bit empty now, but once we earn more silver, I’ll buy you an entire table full of gold and silver jewelry.”

Du Wanchun chuckled. “Alright, I’ll be waiting.”

Zhou Ruizhen turned his head and was momentarily stunned by her smile, then he too couldn’t help but smile.

At that moment, guests arrived in the courtyard.

Today was the Zhou family’s housewarming, and all those who had good relations with them came to celebrate.

Among them were Doctor Xu from the village, Madam Liu from the Liu family, Aunt Wang, the two sisters from the Chen family, and two other aunts who didn’t visit often.

Each guest brought gifts—ducks, chickens, and grains—symbolizing wishes for the Zhou family to have abundant harvests.

With the sound of firecrackers, the Zhou household was filled with congratulatory voices and laughter.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring house, Chen family’s eldest son and his wife heard the joyous commotion but chose to stay indoors, full of regret.

Had they known that the Zhou family would prosper, they wouldn’t have treated them so poorly in the past.

But it was too late for regrets. The Zhou family no longer cared about them, and they didn’t dare to provoke them again.

In Xiangtang Village, Du Dajiang was even more regretful when he heard about the Zhou family’s success. He picked up a chicken, intending to visit his daughter.

However, Hongxiang, the woman he had recently brought into his home, blocked him at the door.

“Haven’t you already cut ties with that daughter of yours? Why are you going there? Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough? This chicken would be better used to nourish me.”

Now, the Du family consisted of only the two of them.

Du Wanchun’s stepmother, Liu Lanzhi, had finally had enough of Du Dajiang’s heartlessness and Hongxiang’s mistreatment. She had taken her disfigured daughter and left with a traveling merchant.

Now, Du Dajiang treated the pregnant Hongxiang like a treasure.

Hearing her words, he hesitated, then put the chicken back down.

Just as he did, a man suddenly barged into the house.

The man was tall and strong, much younger than Du Dajiang.

He grabbed Du Dajiang by the collar and lifted him off the ground, demanding, “Is Hongxiang here?!”

Du Dajiang was stunned for a moment, then nodded. “That’s right, she’s my wife. What about it?”

However, he didn’t receive an answer from the man—only a fist to the face.

Du Dajiang was beaten black and blue. Holding his face in pain, he shouted angrily, “What do you think you’re doing?! Why did you hit me the moment you walked in?”

The man furrowed his thick, menacing brows and snapped, “Why did I hit you?! You took my woman—what do you think would happen?”

Du Dajiang was completely baffled. “What do you mean, your woman?”

At that moment, Hongxiang, who had heard the commotion from inside the house, stepped out.

Seeing the man, she immediately smiled. “Qiang-ge, you’re finally back!”

With that, she ran straight into the man’s embrace.

The man held her tightly, his voice filled with emotion. “My love, you must have suffered these past few days.”

Hongxiang shook her head. “Not at all, not at all. Look, our child has already grown this big.”

She took his hand and placed it on her slightly protruding belly.

The man’s expression softened instantly. Despite his fierce appearance, his eyes glistened with unshed tears. He hugged Hongxiang even tighter. “This is wonderful. I have a child!”

Du Dajiang, standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded. He turned to Hongxiang and demanded, “What’s going on? What’s your relationship with this man? Isn’t the child in your belly mine?!”

Hongxiang turned back to him, raising an eyebrow with a smirk. “Your child? Do you even know how old you are? Do you really think you can still have children?”

Du Dajiang’s face turned deathly pale. “Are you saying… this child isn’t mine?”

Hongxiang laughed lightly. “Of course not. This child belongs to my Qiang-ge.”

As she spoke, she leaned even closer into the man’s embrace.

Hongxiang had always been a woman of the brothel, and her love for the man beside her was genuine. However, some time ago, Qiang-ge had killed a corrupt official for her and was forced to flee from Changliu Village to escape capture.

Left behind and with a child to support, Hongxiang had reluctantly chosen to stay with Du Dajiang just to ensure she and her unborn baby had food to eat.

As for Liu Shi, she had long heard of how terrible Du Wanchun’s stepmother was.

Having suffered beatings and abuse from her household’s matron as a child, Hongxiang had ended up in the brothel herself. She deeply sympathized with Du Wanchun’s plight, which was why she had deliberately tormented Liu Shi and driven her away.

Now that her Qiang-ge had returned, of course, she would leave with the man she truly loved.

Du Dajiang collapsed onto the ground, his face filled with rage and disbelief as he roared, “Why did you deceive me?! Haven’t I treated you well these past few days?!”