Only women can truly understand the bitterness of encountering trash men.
He doesn't cherish, love, or take care of you, so there is no reason to stay with him.
What's more, he even beats, scolds, and bullies you, not treating you like a human.
If you had family support, with parents who cared for you and would stand up for you, even fight for you, it would be different.
Or if you had a tough personality and could leave on your own without attachments, that would work too.
But if you have a soft heart and are weak, can't bear to let go, and fear change, used to your current life and not daring to alter it one bit, with no one to help you stand up and no one to support you in leaving, you can only swallow your tears day after day in humiliation, looking back on what you hoped to gain from most of your life.
Did you hope for his curses and verbal abuse? For him to use violence? For his heartless humiliation? For his laziness and lechery?
Zhang Xianglian didn't know.
She just stared blankly at Liu Cui, listening to the deafening words echoing over and over in her mind, repeatedly questioning herself.
Why stay with a scumbag!
"Auntie," Jiang Sheng suddenly spoke up, "Auntie, are you willing to leave with Jiang Sheng? Jiang Sheng doesn't want to see you suffer. Jiang Sheng wants to take Auntie to eat good food and wear nice clothes. Jiang Sheng wants Auntie to be happy every day."
Xu Mo sighed and added, "Auntie has no maiden family. From now on, we will be Auntie's maiden family."
We will stand up for you, fight for you, and deal with the scumbag for you.
Zhang Xianglian became more and more confused.
She remembered that many, many years ago, when she returned to her maiden home and cried while telling Zhou Zhiqiang about his physical abuse, if her parents had said at that time: "Don't be afraid, Xianglian, I support you."
Maybe she would have had the courage to leave that mired home.
She also wouldn't have lost her ability to be a mother due to exhaustion and repeated miscarriages, and thus been treated even less like a human.
Life, ah.
Sometimes it can change in an instant.
Zhang Xianglian didn't even know when she had nodded her head. She just knew that when she came back to her senses, she was already sitting in a galloping carriage.
Behind her Zhou Zhiqiang was cursing up a storm, seemingly wanting to chase them down, but after stumbling and falling after a few steps due to his long-term alcoholism.
"Zhang Xianglian, you'll come to no good end. You dare to run away, you slut..."
He seemed to still be yelling curses, but they gradually faded away.
"Sister Zhang, don't be upset. It will be better from now on," Liu Cui said with a laugh that gradually turned bitter. "We won't be coming back to this village either."
Zhang Xianglian was still somewhat timid. "We're still husband and wife. What if he sues me for leaving? What then?"
This was a pertinent question.
Jiang Sheng proudly lifted his chin. "Auntie, don't worry. My brother's a successful candidate in the imperial exam. He can bring a case and serve as an attorney. He will definitely be able to help you get a divorce."
A divorce, not an annulment.
The open-minded Dayu Dynasty allowed divorce and remarriage, while an annulment meant a woman must remain single all her life.
"It'd be great if there was such a thing as a husband divorce," Jiang Sheng muttered.
Next to him, Chang Yan opened her eyes wide, glancing askance at her little sister's boldness.
"Good sister, don't you worry," Liu Cui was still chatting with Zhang Xianglian. "Being able to leave that family is the blessing of your life."
Beside them, Zhang Qiquan watched with laughter in his eyes. This was what love looked like.
The carriage raced along until it finally arrived at the county town.
The small courtyard had only four rooms, so they arranged for Zhang Qiquan and Xu Mo to share a room, while Liu Cui and Zhang Xianglian would share with Jiang Sheng.
When it came time to make dinner that evening, Liu Cui and Zhang Xianglian were amused to see the properly scholarly and refined young master roll up his sleeves, set up the iron pot, and prepare to stir fry vegetables and cook rice.
Seeing the children go about this as a matter of course, both women felt terribly guilty.
A young master shouldn't have to do this kind of work.
"Let me, let me do it."
Liu Cui's cooking skills were so-so. She was in charge of washing vegetables and cooking rice.
Zhang Xianglian was more skilled. With just one iron pot and ladle in hand, she worked magic, stir-frying and flipping food until delicious aromas wafted out.
Zheng Ruqian had been dozing off, but as soon as he smelled the fragrance he became alert, leaping up from his chair and following his nose to the big iron pot.
He sniffed and sniffed like a little puppy.
Zhang Xianglian chuckled and dished out a piece of chicken for him from the pot. "Try it first and tell me if the flavor is good."
Zheng Ruqian popped it in his mouth. His first feeling was that it was hot. His second feeling was sourness.
A sourness in his heart.
He finally understood why Jiang Sheng liked Auntie Zhang so much. She really did have a motherly feeling about her.
"Is it tasty? Is there enough salt?" Zhang Xianglian asked concernedly.
The half-grown boy wiped his eyes, not daring to look at her. "Enough, enough."
Then he hurried back to his room with the meat, to get ahold of himself.
At dinnertime, there was a big bowl of spicy fried chicken pieces in the middle of the stone table under the plum blossom tree, surrounded by five small side dishes. Although not every dish was meat, it was still a good spread.
Zhang Qiquan nodded slightly, gaining a new appreciation for the kids' skills, and also feeling a bit envious.
But after Liu Cui pinched his soft waist, he quickly regained his composure.
"Looks like our life together will be good from now on," he said, embracing his wife's shoulders with a gentle smile.
Liu Cui's mouth turned up. "Being able to leave Shili Village is already a good life."
Better to eat simple fare than suffer beatings and bullying.
"Time to eat, children," Zhang Xianglian carried out the last bowl of soup, calling them gently.
The doors of the four rooms all opened at once.
The six children tumbled out, some faster like Fang Heng and Zheng Ruqian, some slower and more poised like Wen Zhiyun and Chang Yan.
The square stone table used to be quite roomy for six people, but was now a bit cramped for nine.
But they didn't mind squeezing in next to each other, excitedly looking at the six dishes and one soup.
They used to think Big Brother was a good cook, but after eating Auntie Zhang's cooking today, they realized what heavenly flavor was.
Jiang Sheng was quick to praise, "It's even tastier than what I get at the restaurants!"
"Auntie ought to go open a restaurant," Zheng Ruqian joked.
Everyone chimed in with teasing and laughter as they ate, with no beatings, no humiliations, and no nitpicking.
So this was what a home atmosphere felt like.
After just one day, Zhang Xianglian had already fallen in love with this place.
That night as they slept, Liu Cui even pulled her over to complain together about the parents-in-law, useless relatives, and people's greed.
Jiang Sheng slept between them, listening for a while before drifting off to dreamland.
The next day, Zhang Qiquan took Zheng Ruqian aside to discuss plans for the workshop.
First he asked why Zheng had chosen Anyang Prefecture, how many people he planned to hire, how large a space he planned to rent, whether he had good long-term partners among the local butchers, whether he only planned to produce cured meats or wanted to try a variety of products.
One question after another left Zheng Ruqian flabbergasted.
Alright, he had to admit Elder Jiang was formidable. Zhang Qiquan really did have the comprehensive vision of someone who had lived over a decade in the outside world.
Especially when he said "If you really want to expand the business, you should consider long term plans," it was like he had seen straight into Zheng Ruqian's heart.
With tears in his eyes, Zheng Ruqian eagerly said, "Uncle Zhang, I want to hire you for twenty years!"
Twenty years was the longest contract aside from lifetime.
Zhang Qiquan didn't dare presume he could live another twenty years.
But Zheng Ruqian's offer was too generous - it was percentage-based. Ten percent of the net profits of all workshops in Anyang Prefecture that he managed would belong to Zhang!
If Zheng earned 100 taels, 10 taels would go to Zhang. This temptation meant Zhang Qiquan couldn't refuse to sign.
Soon, three identical contracts were stamped with red handprints, just waiting for the new county magistrate to arrive and formally validate them at the county office.
