Chapter 6

Zhu Suisui opened the wardrobe and then a chest, rummaging through it until she found a small box at the bottom.

It was a small wooden box.

Her second brother had made it for her. His hands were very skillful, not at all like a man’s rough hands. He had made the wooden box very beautifully.

Thinking of her family, Zhu Suisui’s heart softened.

Without thinking further,

Zhu Suisui opened the box.

Inside lay a white jade stone, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand. It was a very small piece of jade, carved into the shape of a cicada with its wings spread. The lines were simple and elegant, with sharp edges, showing the carver’s meticulous attention to detail.

This jade artifact was given to her by her mother.

It was said that her mother had carried it with her when she was wandering from place to place.

Because it was so small and she hid it well, no one had ever discovered it.

When she was adopted, her mother had been cautious and hadn’t let the adoptive family know about it. After all, it might be the only thing that could help her find her parents.

However, by now, her mother’s desire to find her parents had faded. She was a woman who had already married and had children.

While she couldn’t say that her life in the Zhu family was great, her husband was protective of her, her mother-in-law was a reasonable woman, and her children were considerate and understanding. She was already content and no longer had a strong desire to find her parents.

Otherwise, if she found them and learned that she had been abandoned, it would be a double blow.

The reason why this jade ended up in her hands was because she was born prematurely. The midwife had said that she might not live past the age of five. Her mother had begged everywhere for help, and she didn’t know where she had heard this folk remedy.

She heard that wearing jade might help her body recover.

Her mother, desperate, followed this advice. She drilled a hole in the jade and put it on Zhu Suisui.

Strangely enough, Zhu Suisui’s health really improved. Her originally frail body gradually gained strength and color, and she lived a healthy life until now.

For ten years, her family had been very careful with it. They wrapped the jade in mud and painted it to look like an ordinary stone, trying to avoid exposing it. They managed to keep it, because in the Zhu family’s eyes, it was no longer an ordinary stone, but Zhu Suisui’s life.

Zhu Suisui wore it every day, except when Lu Lanxu came back. She was afraid that the delicate wings of the cicada might accidentally scratch Lu Lanxu during their intimacy, even though it was a one-in-a-million chance. But she didn’t want to risk it, so she would only take it off and put it away at those times.

But strangely,

Zhu Suisui didn’t see any mist on it.

Could it be that it wasn’t real?

Zhu Suisui couldn’t help but feel a little confused.

She was still in the exploratory stage of her so-called special ability. She didn’t know what it was for, and she didn’t know if she really had it or if her eyes were just playing tricks on her after being reborn.

She couldn’t get an answer from this jade.

Zhu Suisui could only give up for now.

She put on the jade and went out.

It was Monday, and everyone in the Lu family had gone to work.

It was already lunchtime.

She hadn’t had a drop of water since morning, and she was really famished.

Fortunately, there was a nanny at home, called Aunt Liu.

After Zhu Suisui married into the Lu family, Lu’s old man was worried about her health and that she couldn’t do housework. Plus, everyone in the family had to go to work. Such a large courtyard needed someone to do the chores, so he had specially arranged for Aunt Liu to come.

Aunt Liu was a kind and honest person. It was said that her family had fled from the countryside to the capital city, not a native of the capital. She lived in a large courtyard and had married a husband who liked to drink. Her life wasn’t easy. After she came to the Lu family, her husband came to make trouble after two years. When Lu’s mother found out, she immediately dismissed him.

They tried a few more nannies, but Lu’s mother wasn’t satisfied with any of them. She used various excuses to dismiss them.

When there was no nanny at home, Zhu Suisui took on all the housework herself.

Washing clothes, cooking, mopping, and cleaning.

Zhu Suisui, who rarely did these things at home, did them all in the Lu family.

But she was naive back then. She did all these things without complaint, even enjoying them, afraid that she wasn’t doing enough.

After all, Lu Lanxu wasn’t at home, and as the eldest daughter-in-law, she naturally had to take good care of her in-laws.

Since that was how she thought, it was no wonder that others bullied her and looked down on her.

Looking back now, Zhu Suisui wanted to punch herself. Those who didn’t like her wouldn’t start liking her just because she did these things.

She desperately wanted to be a virtuous wife, showing Lu Lanxu the harmony between her and her in-laws, never telling him about the troublesome things.

And Lu’s mother would also deliberately share housework when her son came back, to show that the family was harmonious.

She was really naive back then.

She actually thought her mother-in-law was nice.

Thinking about it now, Lu’s mother probably just didn’t want Lu Lanxu to know.

This situation continued until later when Zhu Suisui moved out, and the couple lived alone, things improved.

This lifetime, Zhu Suisui wouldn’t be so naive.

This old woman, whoever wanted to do it could do it. She wouldn’t serve her.

She had to divorce Lu Lanxu!

As for Aunt Liu, she had taken good care of her during her time in the Lu family. Perhaps because they were both from rural areas and spent a lot of time together, Aunt Liu had been particularly kind to her.

In her previous life, she hadn’t been able to help Aunt Liu. By the time she found out, Aunt Liu had already been dismissed. Without the Lu family’s protection, she couldn’t escape her alcoholic husband and could only live a life of hardship.

But this time, if she could, she wanted Aunt Liu to break free from the shackles of marriage, choose divorce, and get rid of that abusive husband.

That made this job at the Lu family very important.

Women without jobs and financial resources had no confidence and naturally lacked the courage to get a divorce.

Speaking of jobs,

Zhu Suisui suddenly fell into thought. It seemed like she needed to find a job quickly as well.

Otherwise, if she got divorced and went back to her parents’ house, the gossip in the countryside would be terrifying. After all, divorce was a big deal in those days.

Her family wouldn’t say anything, but the fear of gossip could affect her older brothers’ chances of finding a wife.

Zhu Suisui didn’t want to go back to the countryside either. It would be best to bring her family to the capital city.

Anyway, she couldn’t leave for a while.

She could solve the job issue first.

It wasn’t that Zhu Suisui didn’t want to start a business, but she had no experience. She had lived the life of a full-time housewife in the Lu family for years and had never worked. Even though she had been reborn, she couldn’t immediately set a lofty goal for herself. She had to find a job to support herself first.

She arrived at the front hall.

Aunt Liu saw that she was awake and wiped her hands with her apron, smiling, “You must be hungry. I made some porridge for you, and the bone broth is still warm. Have a little bit to line your stomach. You just got sick, so it’s not good to eat too much greasy food.”

“Thank you, Aunt Liu.” Zhu Suisui smiled sincerely.

Then, as if she had thought of something, she asked tentatively, “Aunt Liu, I saw someone lurking around the door earlier. I don’t know what’s going on. Be careful when you go out alone to buy groceries.”

Hearing this,

Aunt Liu’s body stiffened instantly.