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Su Zhi observed the gaunt woman in front of her. Despite her loud wails, there were no tears in her eyes. Those murky, shrewd eyes scanned Su Zhi from head to toe. The woman then pulled Su Zhi into a tight embrace, patting her back vigorously while continuing to wail. The pain made Su Zhi nearly cry out. She wondered who this person was; if she called her by the body’s name, then it must be the right person. However, she didn’t recognize her.
“Please, let me go. I can’t breathe properly,” Su Zhi struggled to free herself from the woman’s grasp, feeling close to being suffocated.
“Oh, my child, why are you so fragile? A simple hug and you’re out of breath. It pains me as your mother! You are my heart and soul. If anything were to happen to you, I couldn’t bear it!” the woman exclaimed emotionally.
Listening to the woman’s outburst, Su Zhi furrowed her brow, realizing this was the biological mother of this body. She hadn’t seen her since waking up, and now she suddenly appeared. Unsure if this was a positive or negative development, Su Zhi hoped she wasn’t dealing with an overly dramatic individual. However, the pain from being held tightly, coupled with the woman’s intense gaze and dramatic sobbing, made Su Zhi doubt her hope.
The woman released Su Zhi and wiped her face, pretending to dry non-existent tears, causing Su Zhi to suppress a twitch in her lips. Her actions reminded Su Zhi of Sun Shi, considering this woman likely had a similar temperament to Sun Shi. Realizing this woman was now her mother in this body, Su Zhi couldn’t help feeling unlucky.
“Wife, are you alright?” Shen Zi’an had noticed his wife’s frown as she was being held. If this woman hadn’t been his mother-in-law, he would have intervened. Now that she was released, he hurried over, asking if she was okay and naturally pulling her closer to him. With him by her side, his mother-in-law would have to go through him to approach his wife.
Su Zhi rubbed her arm and shook her head in response.
“Shen Zi’an! What are you saying? I am her mother! Just because I hugged her, you think I would hurt her? She’s not as fragile as glass,” the woman retorted, her earlier sadness dissipating like scattered clouds. This woman was none other than Zhao Xiaomei’s mother, Zhao Yangshi.
Earlier on the street, Zhao Yangshi had spotted Shen Zi’an and recognized him as her son-in-law. Initially, she had considered avoiding him because their family had concealed their daughter’s illness and married her off to the Shen family. There had been past conflicts between their families when the Shen’s threatened to tarnish their reputation if they divorced their daughter. Shen Zi’an had intervened, choosing not to divorce her, resolving the issue. Following this, the Zhao’s had refrained from visiting the Shen’s.
Upon hearing that Shen Zi’an and their daughter had been separated, Zhao Yangshi had hesitated to approach them, fearing they might be asked for money. However, seeing Shen Zi’an’s cart filled with goods, she wondered if they belonged to him. This, coupled with her errand to the Embroidery Shop, prompted her to approach them.
Shen Zi’an held no fondness for his mother-in-law due to the deceit surrounding their daughter’s illness and the questionable morality of her family. However, recognizing Su Zhi’s good nature, he decided to engage with her when necessary, responding to her questions calmly.
Upon learning that the items in the cart belonged to Shen Zi’an, Zhao Yangshi’s eyes gleamed. She marveled at how quickly he had acquired so much after the separation, considering him to be quite resourceful. When she heard that her daughter was selling items at the Embroidery Shop, she was taken aback, prompting her to rush into the village.
“Daughter, your complexion has improved! It’s truly a blessing from heaven! I always said that once you got married, your illness would get better! It’s all thanks to the wedding luck! The Shen’s even wanted to divorce you; it’s fortunate that your father and I didn’t agree. Look at you now, all well! You’ve been through tough times these days, and my heart ached for you. Thankfully, you’ve pulled through!” Zhao Yangshi’s indifference to Su Zhi’s demeanor didn’t deter her from incessantly chattering, oscillating between tones of sadness and joy. Su Zhi marveled at her ability to emote, thinking she could excel as a voice-over artist.
Su Zhi found it challenging to address this woman as her mother. She was reluctant to acknowledge having a mother like her. This woman was indeed a character! As Su Zhi grappled with her thoughts, a young girl’s voice interrupted.
“Sis, you still haven’t remembered our mother? Why are you still as clueless as before, so dull, like a block of wood, not even capable of speaking up! Acting like this, even if you can weave a handkerchief, you’re still a fool!”
Frowning upon hearing the girl’s words, Su Zhi gazed at her. The young girl, around thirteen or fourteen, wore a green outfit, her slightly blond hair sleekly styled. A fading red flower adorned her hair. She wasn’t unattractive, but her eyes, resembling Zhao Yangshi’s, were narrow, her thin lips adding a sharpness to her features. Her unpleasant demeanor was evident in her words.
Su Zhi couldn’t fathom having such a detestable younger sister calling her “sis”!
“Lianhua! How dare you speak to your sister like that? Go back and tidy up!” Zhao Yangshi scolded Lianhua before turning back to her daughter, saying, “Your sister is still young. Pay her no mind.”
Having encountered numerous challenging individuals, Su Zhi wasn’t particularly bothered. What concerned her was the implication behind her younger sister’s comment earlier. What did she mean by “still haven’t remembered our mother”? Was the original host, Zhao Xiaomei, someone who didn’t even recognize her own mother?
Clearly embarrassed by her mother’s reprimand in front of others, Lianhua glanced at Shen Zi’an, her face turning crimson before asserting, “Did I say anything wrong? She’s always been foolish! She doesn’t even recognize you, me, our father, or our older brother and sister-in-law. Just sits there like a block of wood. If that’s not foolish, what is? She must have gotten her brain fried from that illness. Even if she’s recovered and can weave a handkerchief, she’s still a fool!”
Su Zhi now understood. Zhao Xiaomei, when she married Shen Zi’an, not only had a disfigured face due to illness but also appeared to have cognitive impairments. Despite this, they dared to marry her to Shen Zi’an under the pretense of auspiciousness. It seemed more like they wanted to offload a burden! The contemptible nature of this family was truly despicable. Initially, Su Zhi had intended to fulfill some filial duties in Zhao Xiaomei’s body. Now, she realized she could treat them as she did Shen’s family, best kept at arm’s length!
“Wife, did you truly not remember anything back then? You didn’t say a word to me. No wonder you were like that. Thankfully, you’re better now,” Shen Zi’an looked at Su Zhi with concern, understanding the dramatic changes in her behavior were due to her illness.
Su Zhi pondered whether fate had intervened, providing her with a reason not to recognize the people she once knew. She gently patted Shen Zi’an’s hand and reassured him, “I’m fine now. Some things are a bit fuzzy in my memory. Don’t worry.”
Approaching Su Zhi, Zhao Yangshi tried to pull her close, saying, “My daughter, you still don’t remember me? I’m your mother! This is your sister, Lianhua.”
Su Zhi faintly addressed Zhao Yangshi as “mother” and then acknowledged Lianhua.
Smiling, Zhao Yangshi accepted this, while Lianhua huffed, casting a glance at Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an before turning away, ignoring them. Zhao Yangshi pinched her lightly, but she remained obstinate.
“Daughter, you came here today to sell handkerchiefs. This purse is quite lovely. Is it something you’d like to buy? Seeing my son-in-law arrive with a cart full of goods, it seems you’ve been doing well. Why not come home and visit your mother?” Zhao Yangshi inquired.
Looking at the purse in Su Zhi’s hands, Zhao Yangshi estimated it to be worth around sixty to seventy wen, given its silk material and exquisite embroidery. Regretfully, no one in their family knew how to embroider. If they did, embroidery could have been a more profitable venture compared to handkerchief weaving. Surprised that her daughter could afford such a nice purse, she thought that Su Zhi must have struck it rich. She wondered if she could benefit from her newfound wealth.
Observing Zhao Yangshi’s eyes and listening to her words, Su Zhi was well aware of what she was thinking. She realized that her mother was someone who enjoyed gossiping. Since waking up, she had not seen anyone from her maternal family visit, and she had heard that after Zhao Xiaomei married into the Shen family, no one from her family had visited. It seemed they had probably assumed she would die at the Shens’ due to her illness. Now that she had money, they reproached her for not returning home, truly audacious…
“This isn’t something I’m buying; it’s actually my own purse that I embroidered,” Su Zhi clarified.
“What? You embroidered this?” Zhao Yangshi asked in astonishment, snatching the purse and examining it closely. She remarked, “Did you learn this while you were recuperating in the convent? There really are talented individuals there. Sending you there back then was the right decision. Look at how well you’ve turned out. Despite the challenges, you’ve safely made it through. Your father and I can now rest assured. Among our three children, we’ve always cherished you the most.”
Seeing Zhao Yangshi holding onto the purse tightly, Su Zhi wondered if she was attempting to claim it as her own. While she didn’t mind parting with the purse itself, she couldn’t set a precedent where her belongings could be taken at will. If she allowed this once, it might set a precedent for them to think it was acceptable to take her things in the future. She was willing to fulfill her duties as a daughter in memory of the deceased Zhao Xiaomei, but it should be done willingly and openly, not in a confused manner where her belongings were taken without consent.
“Mother, I only brought this purse to inquire about its value, not to sell it. Look, it’s embroidered with a double lotus, a gift I made for Zi’an. Once you’ve finished looking at it, please return it to Zi’an,” Su Zhi calmly explained.
Upon hearing this, Shen Zi’an reached out his hand, his eyes fixed on Zhao Yangshi.
Reluctant to part with the exquisite purse, Zhao Yangshi found it soft and smooth in her hands, hesitating to release it. She calculated that it could fetch a good price if sold. Just as she was about to hand it back, Lianhua swiftly took the purse from her hands.
Su Zhi pursed her lips, glancing at Lianhua, realizing that just like many time-traveling heroines, she encountered challenging individuals wherever she went. The Shen family had its own set of unique characters, and now it seemed the maternal family was no different!