Chapter 45: The Deep Bond of Sisterhood – A Tale of Two United as One

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Indulging children is not necessarily beneficial to them. Affection should remain heartfelt; discipline and guidance must still be administered when necessary. Blind indulgence only spoils children into recklessness, leaving them to be taught manners by outsiders.

Take Zhang Huiniang and her daughter, for example. The two openly consort with men, feeling no shame but rather pride, abusing the love they receive to behave as they please. Zhang Qingdong found it hard to put into words. Learning about his eldest sister’s background, his gaze toward his aunt and elder sister grew increasingly complicated.

“I brought you back not to take care of you, but so you wouldn’t embarrass me by staying there,” Zhang Qingdong said on the journey home, his anger mixed with careful observation. It was clear from his mother’s and second sister’s expressions how much they despised that mother-daughter pair.

To him, his mother was the person who cared for him the most. As for his aunt... he never felt her affection. Between his mother and aunt, there was no choice to be made. Zhang Qingdong was blunt: “I will find a place for you to move into soon. If you don’t like it, you can live elsewhere. But one rule: you cannot stay in someone else’s household. Of course, if the lady of the house agrees to take you in, that’s your capability—I won’t interfere. But if the man allows it, and the lady objects and complains to me, I will draw up a formal statement to sever ties with you.”

Now, the only leverage Zhang Huiniang and her daughter had was their family background and resources. Without that, they would be ordinary commoners—disdained for the misdeeds of their predecessors.

Reluctantly, the mother and daughter compromised. Zhang Huiniang insisted, “I don’t want to live in that old dilapidated courtyard. The people there are wicked; I’m afraid they’ll bully Sister Mi.”

Master Zhang agreed: “No matter what the adults have done, the children are innocent and must not be harmed. Qingdong, why not send them to a village in the outskirts?”

“No!” Madam Zhang stood firm. “They cannot stay in this mansion, nor anywhere affiliated with the Zhang family. They can rent a place!”

Who would pay the rent? It was obvious that the Zhang family would not bear that cost, not even for their own.

Zhang Huiniang glared at her stepmother as if ready to devour her. Madam Zhang was unfazed and met her gaze calmly: “What are you staring at? Should I take care of you? You’re not a child anymore. At your age, can’t you find a place to settle? If I were you, I’d just end it all instead of wasting food on this earth…”

Master Zhang, hearing these outrageous words, was furious: “Madam!”

“I won’t be your wife much longer,” Madam Zhang said, looking at her son. “I had you come back mainly to tell you about the absurdities happening at home and to inform you that I want a divorce. Your father has never understood things clearly. He dotes on your eldest sister, who is almost a grandmother, and I can’t bear it. From now on, I don’t want to live under the same roof with him... I feel sick whenever I see him.”

Those last words were directed at Master Zhang.

Zhang Qingdong was speechless.

He had long known his parents’ relationship was strained, seemingly due to his mother’s unilateral distancing, and occasionally he would defend his father. But his mother cared deeply for him, so he hesitated to blame her, only hinting at it discreetly. Now understanding the truth behind their estrangement, he felt pity for his mother.

Not living under the same roof... was acceptable.

The family’s reputation would surely suffer, and the children’s marriages might be affected, but that was years down the line. He could always keep the children with his maternal grandfather. Distance would lessen the impact.

“All right.”

Madam Zhang relaxed somewhat.

Meanwhile, Master Zhang’s face grew increasingly grim. He glared at his son and scolded, “We’ve been married for so many years, and you don’t try to reconcile but instead fan the flames. Are you even thinking? Are you still my son? If not for yourself, think for the children. How will their marriages be with grandparents who have divorced? And your wife’s family will undoubtedly laugh at you and this will affect business... Qingdong, after all these years in business, you can’t even do basic calculations?”

“Marriage isn’t a ledger,” Zhang Qingdong replied coldly. “A son should not speak ill of elders, but I still say your marriage is cold and loveless. Mother has made up her mind... it’s better to separate.”

Master Zhang was furious: “Don’t think you can act recklessly just because you’ve grown up. Watch your tone with me.”

“I’m already being polite enough.” After traveling for two days and finally returning home, not even having a sip of tea, Zhang Qingdong was agitated, especially recalling how his father had favored his eldest sister and neglected him and his siblings. He snapped, “A man who forces his wife to divorce at the cost of his reputation is worthless.”

Saying this calmly under his father’s furious stare, he added, “That’s what I call impolite.”

Master Zhang was at a loss.

“As long as I’m here, I decide. No divorce. Your aunt and her family will stay in this mansion.”

Father and son faced off. Zhang Qingdong said deliberately: “You can keep them, but my mother, second sister, and I will never enter this house again. You planned from the start to leave all the Zhang family assets to your aunt’s children.”

Master Zhang was stunned and shouted, “Nonsense!”

Of course, the family business was to be passed on to Zhang bloodline. He never intended to hand it to Zhang Huiniang’s children. The Fu family’s business was not smaller than the Zhang’s, and if a married daughter came back to claim inheritance, it would be scandalous. He had never intended to hand over the business to outsiders; his preferred heir was always his son. He resented that his son lived with his in-laws, helping them more than the Zhang family. What else could his son’s words be but nonsense?

Zhang Qingdong sneered, “Your aunt got pregnant out of wedlock and should have married the child’s father. Even if not, the child shouldn’t have been born, and if it was, it shouldn’t have been left in the house. Yet you recognized the child and raised her as a twin alongside your own. Did you ever consider what would happen if your aunt bore a son and your wife bore a daughter? The business must be inherited by a son. Isn’t this practically handing all the family wealth to your aunt’s child?”

Master Zhang stammered, “Qingyao is a girl!”

“So what?” Zhang Qingdong retorted harshly. “Did you give her less dowry? Your second daughter is your biological child, but many valuables went to Qingyao, not her. You favored your sister since childhood. I thought you were a bit biased when arranging dowries, but now it’s clear—you doted so much on your aunt’s child, why even have us?”

“You brat,” Master Zhang exploded. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

Madam Zhang stepped forward, shielding her son, and said, “You only care for your sister’s child. I’ve seen through it. Our son has been sensible, never causing us worry. If you want to discipline him, ask me first!”

The couple exchanged glances, her husband helplessly said, “We see each other less than twice a year. Don’t stir him up to argue with me.”

“You deserve to be scolded for your misdeeds,” Madam Zhang snapped, slapping a divorce paper before Master Zhang. “Take this!”

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Master Zhang was speechless.

Wasn’t the plan for the couple to discuss the divorce calmly after their son’s return? How did it turn into a divorce paper?

“I won’t accept this!” he declared.

Madam Zhang had intended a peaceful discussion, but hearing her son mention their years of raising Zhang Qingyao and her father’s refusal to admit fault, she was furious. Seeing Master Zhang toss the paper out, she snorted coldly and ordered a maid to take it to the magistrate’s office to retrieve the original marriage contract between her and Master Zhang.

The maid was startled but quickly ran off with the document.

Master Zhang’s chest heaved with anger. “Don’t embarrass us. The divorce paper isn’t even notarized. The magistrate won’t allow it.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Madam Zhang said casually. “So much has happened between us. I’ve suffered too much. If the magistrate asks, I’m willing to expose your misdeeds and ask for justice.”

Master Zhang was speechless. Wasn’t this humiliating enough? How could they bring their marital quarrels before the court?

“Send the maid back,” he ordered sharply. “If you want to leave, I’ll let you.”

Madam Zhang smiled: “I’m not afraid of disgrace. You must be the guilty one, Zhang Hui, because I’ll go to the magistrate and tell them everything you’ve done.” She turned to her son, “What you said was right. If Qingyao were a boy, the family fortune would all go to your aunt’s child. In truth, they are family; we are outsiders.”

“I haven’t done that,” Master Zhang thought. Zhang Huiniang had exhausted her money, and Zhang Qingyao was living in someone else’s home with two children. No one would turn down money. His son’s accusations might make the mother-daughter duo suspicious. If they demanded anything, he certainly wouldn’t agree to such absurdity, which would damage sibling harmony. His mother had told him to take good care of his sister, and he didn’t want them to fall out. That was something their mother would never want.

Standing nearby, Chu Yunli listened thoughtfully. “Mother, when you had complications giving birth, was it really a choice between saving you or the baby?”

Hearing this, Madam Zhang’s face darkened. “What do you mean?”

Though a question, she already understood her daughter’s implication.

If it wasn’t dire enough to save only one, then the father must have deliberately sacrificed his biological child to protect his sister’s child. The thought sent a chill through Madam Zhang.

She always felt Master Zhang favored his sister, but never imagined it to this extent. She had never doubted the truth of the difficult birth. Back then, for the sake of their marriage, she never pursued the matter, but now utterly disappointed in Master Zhang, she wanted to uncover the truth.

She instructed, “Find midwife Li Wen in Niutou Village outside the city.”

Li Wen had helped deliver her many years ago and was still alive, probably under thirty at the time.

Master Zhang’s face changed dramatically. “What are you implying? That I harmed our child for Huiniang’s baby?”

“Isn’t that so?” Madam Zhang stared him down. “If you hadn’t done it, why panic at investigation?”

Master Zhang turned his face away. “This is unreasonable.”

Chu Yunli was only speculating but was surprised by his strong reaction. Perhaps he really had schemed back then.

Zhang Huiniang snorted coldly. “Brother, if the family business was really going to me, no one could stop it. I didn’t leave my child with you to claim inheritance, but because I didn’t trust leaving her elsewhere.”

“Having a child but not raising it is worse than an animal,” Madam Zhang spat. “Find your own place quickly. If you stay here, I’ll tell Mrs. Liu about your affair with Liu Linfeng.”

Zhang Huiniang was instantly silenced, her face flushed but dared not provoke further. To her, the stepmother was borderline insane—intolerant of any harsh words and dangerous when provoked.

The maid delivering the divorce paper was stopped at the door. This time, Master Zhang didn’t argue and sealed the divorce papers. Madam Zhang didn’t hesitate either and stamped it.

Both were resolute, their eyes full of contempt.

Holding the divorce papers, Madam Zhang felt dazed. When they married, she was full of hope, believing she had found a life partner, expecting mutual respect and a complete life with two children.

But though they had two children, it was far from complete.

Master Zhang clenched the divorce papers, feeling hollow. He asked, “Are you sure?”

Madam Zhang had long decided, aware of the hardships ahead. Though painful, she felt a sense of closure. Zhang Qingdong noticed her unrest and urged, “Mother, come with me later to take a walk. Don’t dwell on these worries.”

Zhang Huiniang was pleased. With the divorce, the stepmother would no longer control her, and her brother would never let her live outside.

Of course, she was wise enough not to bring this up now, as the stepmother was at her most volatile.

Zhang Qingyao sat quietly in the corner, busy adjusting her sleeves, seemingly unaware of the divorce proceedings.

Master Zhang, seeing his son comfort his mother but ignore him, finally said, “Since this is settled, leave quickly. If you regret it later...”

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“I won’t regret it.” Madam Zhang caressed the divorce papers. “I’ve suffered enough; now I’m free. Luckily, the children understand and don’t blame me.”

Zhang Qingdong felt uneasy. “Mother, don’t say that.”

Chu Yunli stepped forward to comfort her, adding, “If brother survives and knows what you endured, he won’t blame you.”

Master Zhang’s face darkened.

Madam Zhang looked at him with satisfaction. “I must find out the truth about that difficult birth. Zhang Hui, if I learn you deliberately harmed our child, I will make you pay.”

Master Zhang’s expression worsened.

Elsewhere, Zhang Huiniang could no longer hold back, accusing, “I never had your brother harm your child.”

“But your brother cares for you, afraid you’d suffer, afraid for your child. Seeing how he’s cared for you, if he really did such a thing, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Madam Zhang said, sitting and glaring at her husband. “Don’t worry, once the truth is out, I won’t stay here even if you ask me to.”

Master Zhang rubbed his forehead. “I have business in the study. Call me when the people arrive.”

“It’s too late to arrange now,” Madam Zhang said sarcastically.

Later, the person sent to retrieve the midwife returned with her daughter. The midwife had passed away two years prior.

The midwife had two children. Her son died young from a fall while carrying goods, and her daughter’s life took a difficult turn after the son’s death. The daughter’s child was hit on the head and became partially deaf, unable to speak clearly. Despite efforts and expenses, the condition remained, leading the daughter to turn to faith and superstition.

Many say misfortune is divine retribution. The midwife’s daughter believed her mother had done many wrongs, especially as the midwife often helped wealthy pregnant women with fetal positioning while also aiding poor village women. She had secretly arranged child swaps between families to meet their needs—common families often had many children, but in wealthy families, a son was essential to secure a woman’s status. Before birth, no one knew the child’s sex, so the midwife brokered swaps.

The daughter sincerely thought her brother and sister’s tragic fate was heaven’s punishment for her mother’s deeds. Since her mother’s death, she had been revealing everything she knew whenever approached.

“My mother did a shameful thing at your home... I was old enough to understand and heard her mention it.”

Hearing this, Madam Zhang staggered, nearly collapsing, but Chu Yunli caught her in time.

Madam Zhang waved the daughter to sit and speak slowly.

By the time she sat, tears streamed down her face. Clenching a handkerchief and her fist over her chest, she breathed heavily, glaring at Master Zhang as if to consume him.

Master Zhang turned away, feigning ignorance, and accused, “Your mother is gone, yet you spout nonsense here. How much did those who sent you pay you to say this?”

His implication was that the midwife’s daughter was fabricating lies, and he never harmed his child.

Zhang Huiniang added, “Make it clear so my sister-in-law won’t be angry with me. I never harmed anyone or had that thought.”

Chu Yunli pressed her, “You insisted on keeping the child and having my mother raise it. I’ve never seen someone so selfish. You told my mother ‘none of your business’ when she helped. Did she dig up your ancestors’ graves to help, only to be despised?”

Master Zhang frowned. “Stop talking nonsense.”

“We’re all ‘nonsense,’ even the midwife’s daughter. You’re the only truthful one,” Chu Yunli pressed. “You really didn’t want my mother to die in childbirth and didn’t want to harm that brother, but you still did. Father, aren’t you afraid your brother will come for you in the night?”

“Silence!” Master Zhang’s face darkened. “This happened so long ago. You doubt me based on outsiders’ gossip? Am I less trustworthy than a stranger to you?”

“Yes!” Madam Zhang said bitterly. “I once thought you cared for me and valued our marriage, which is why I accepted such an outrageous arrangement. Had I known you’d harm our child for Zhang Huiniang’s baby, I never would have believed you.” Tears flowed freely. “Zhang Hui, you owe me your whole life. You’ve made me suffer... so much.”

She then glanced at Zhang Huiniang. “You harmed my child, yet I helped raise your daughter. To you, I’m a fool, right?”

Zhang Huiniang denied, “I didn’t harm your child.”

“I know you made your brother do it!” Madam Zhang raved. “I must be cursed to have such siblings. You two are so close, why marry? Why have wives? Why not live as just the two of you?”

Chu Yunli hurried to support her mother. “Mother, don’t get too upset.”

Don’t let it make her ill.

Zhang Huiniang was frightened by her mother’s state and hurriedly retreated, “That’s your guess. We didn’t harm your child.”

Madam Zhang didn’t believe a word, collapsing to the floor and wailing.

Zhang Qingdong looked at his father with a complicated expression: “Every event leaves traces. Will you finally tell the truth?”