Polite
The small single-room apartment fell into complete silence. Even the crying from the neighbor’s child stopped for a moment. Zhu Jiaorong couldn’t react at first, standing there with a cloth in her hand, speechless. The clear sound of two slaps from moments ago still echoed in her ears, seemingly magnified.
It was indeed loud!
She shivered involuntarily, unable to say a word, and looked at her daughter, Zhan Aijia’s, face. It was swollen, fiery red, and the pain she felt was something she could empathize with, causing her scalp to tingle.
Zhan Aijia was holding her face, dazed by the sudden pain. The combination of pain and embarrassment triggered an instinctual desire to resist. But when she raised her head, she saw Zhan Aiping backlit by the window behind her.
The window cast strong white light, and with her standing against it, her otherwise radiant and beautiful face appeared shrouded in a pale veil. It looked foggy, making Zhan Aijia feel a sense of trepidation.
Putting aside everything else, with Zhan Bo not present, it was just the two of them. If Zhan Aiping were to become truly furious, they wouldn’t stand a chance.
Even if the two of them joined forces, they couldn’t overpower Zhan Aiping.
“Misunderstanding! This is a misunderstanding!” Zhu Jiaorong first found her voice. She wore a smile of appeasement on her face as she walked over to Zhan Aijia and gave her a gentle push. “Apologize to your sister. Aiping, it’s all a misunderstanding. Your sister is playful and hasn’t seen much of the world. It’s her first time in Shanghai, and she couldn’t resist picking up a few things.”
“Jiajia has always regarded you as her real sister, even more so than her own brother. She’s been admiring you at home, wishing she had such an outstanding elder sister like you. She admires everything of yours and hopes to be like you.”
“Between real sisters, we should be harmonious and peaceful. You’re about to get married, so let’s not ruin the harmony between sisters. We don’t want to embarrass our future in-laws, do we?”
Stepparent Zhu Jiaorong’s words were well-spoken. She first mentioned that Zhan Aijia was young and didn’t understand things properly. Moreover, she emphasized that she admired and liked Zhan Aiping. If Zhan Aiping, as the elder sister, continued to quarrel with her, it would be somewhat unreasonable.
Next, she brought up Zhan Aiping’s upcoming marriage, subtly implying a threat. If they were to escalate the situation and involve the He family, it wouldn’t be a good look for Zhan Aiping.
“Zhan Aijia, as your elder sister, I won’t argue with you further,” Zhan Aiping said calmly.
Zhu Jiaorong and her daughter were delighted to hear this, thinking that Zhan Aiping was still easy to persuade.
“You both know that your father, Zhan Bo, cares a lot about his reputation.”
The Zhan Bo she mentioned was their father and Zhu Jiaorong’s husband. Indeed, Zhan Bo cared a lot about his reputation. He had been suppressed by his previous wife and married Zhu Jiaorong, who was praised as “extremely virtuous.” He enjoyed the days of being served like a master by his wife.
Not only that, but he also had to maintain the image of being the eldest brother among his siblings. To support the family’s reputation, Zhan Bo’s salary, which originally could comfortably support the family, was stretched thin by his contributions to the extended family. As a result, Zhu Jiaorong had to be frugal in their daily life.
Even the alimony that should have gone to Zhan Aiping’s mother was controlled by Zhan Aiping. Zhan Bo felt awkward about asking his daughter for money, especially when his older brother was watching him closely. He couldn’t bring himself to do it.
If he were to ask, what would happen to his reputation?
“Yes, yes, your father is like that; he cares a lot about his reputation,” Zhu Jiaorong forced a smile. Her husband’s obsession with reputation had made her life difficult at times, but it was also because of this trait that she and her daughter were able to manage him. If Zhan Bo were to find out about Zhan Aijia stealing her sister’s things, it would tarnish the family’s reputation. When it came to matters like this, Zhan Bo would not stand up for Zhan Aijia; instead, he would likely say something like, “Well done! When you make a mistake, you should be taught a lesson.”
“It’s better if Zhan Bo doesn’t find out about this,” Zhu Jiaorong advised.
“Jiajia, apologize to your sister, and let’s put this matter behind us,” Zhu Jiaorong smiled gently, using her eyes to signal Zhan Aijia.
Zhan Aijia lowered her head, still feeling aggrieved, especially about the silver bracelet and the three photos of Gu Sheng. She reluctantly mumbled an apology.
However, Zhan Aiping was not satisfied with this resolution. She couldn’t understand how her sister had discovered her actions so quickly.
“Jiejie, I didn’t mean to—”
“Stop,” Zhan Aiping interrupted her. Before Zhan Aijia could react, Zhan Aiping grabbed her right wrist with lightning speed, making a series of quick movements that were too fast for Zhu Jiaorong to follow.
Zhan Aijia felt an excruciating pain in her wrist, as if someone were using a hammer and chisel to drill into her bones. She cried out in pain, tears and mucus streaming down her face.
Clutching her injured wrist, she collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
It was unbearable pain.
The intense pain in her wrist, combined with the burning pain on her face, made it feel like every part of her body was in agony. Then, Zhan Aijia heard a clear and composed female voice.
“No need to apologize. Just a reminder—don’t reach out, or your hand will be caught.”
“Alright, Auntie Zhu, please help Zhan Aijia up. I’m going to take a shower.”
Zhan Aiping didn’t pay any attention to them and left to fetch a basin and clean clothes to change into.
Seeing her go, Zhu Jiaorong sighed in relief and helped Zhan Aijia to her feet. “Are you okay?”
“It hurts so much,” Zhan Aijia said, her eyes still teary. She flexed her wrist and felt some lingering soreness, but there didn’t seem to be any serious damage.
Recalling the excruciating pain she had just experienced, Zhan Aijia didn’t know exactly where Zhan Aiping had pinched her, but that deep, bone-penetrating pain haunted her even now, sending shivers down her spine.
She dared not provoke the crazy woman that was Zhan Aiping directly.
“Zhan Aiping should hurry up and get married, so her in-laws can discipline her,” Zhan Aijia sniffled. She knew that He Mingzhang was a good catch in Shanghai, but she and Zhu Jiaorong had secretly discussed the matter. That He family’s matriarch was no pushover.
She wouldn’t resort to force, but her “soft tactics” were equally effective. She could make a scene, using both sweet and harsh words to target Zhan Aiping, who had a fiery temper.
Zhan Aiping might have a quick temper, but she was reasonable, and she wouldn’t tolerate any injustice. She set high standards for herself, and if someone surpassed her by one point, she would strive to surpass them by three points. If someone treated her three points well, she would try to repay them with five points. Such a person was not easily manipulated; she couldn’t tolerate a clear loss, only a hidden one.
“But… look at her now,” Zhu Jiaorong hesitated. After the way Zhan Aiping had acted earlier, she was genuinely scared. This young woman in her early twenties was more intimidating than her husband, Zhan Bo, who was much older.
“What if she loses control? Can the He family handle her?” Even though He Mingzhang was a big man, there was no way he could physically overpower Zhan Aiping.
He Mingzhang was good with words, and Zhu Jiaorong hoped he could coax Zhan Aiping.
“Your sister has changed.”
When she was young, Zhan Aiping used to get into fights, but she never bullied the weak. After joining the military, she had even said that she would never use her fists on ordinary people. However, just now… Zhu Jiaorong didn’t dare ask her why she had changed.
“Maybe it’s because of the He family that she’s been agitated lately. Try not to provoke her for a while,” Zhu Jiaorong advised her daughter.
Two days ago, Zhan Aiping had a conflict with the He family, and even He Mingzhang was giving her the cold shoulder. The He family hadn’t come to reconcile yet, and this marriage might be on the verge of falling apart. The stepdaughter, Zhan Aiping, was certainly not in a good mood now.
Zhan Aijia chuckled, “I think it’s perfect if her marriage falls through. It would be a big joke. Zhan Aiping booked the banquet at the state-owned restaurant. She insisted on separate banquets for both families, and her side goes first. At the wedding table, she’ll be the only woman left, without the groom. Let’s see how she handles it!”
With a mischievous grin, Zhan Aijia then touched her face, exaggerating the pain, hoping to make Zhan Aiping feel guilty.
Just then, Zhan Aiping, who had finished her shower, returned with her clothes. As soon as Zhan Aijia saw her, she immediately covered her face and started breathing heavily in an exaggerated manner. She wanted to make Zhan Aiping feel remorseful!
Zhan Aiping glanced at her and put down what she was holding. She walked over to the cabinet, raised her hand to dust it off, and casually said, “Auntie, how do you clean all day long? Jiajia said you’re always busy, but there’s still dust here and there. You haven’t swept these areas. How come it’s not as clean as when I lived here alone?”
She sounded puzzled, “Could it be that you, like our former neighbours, are acting the part every day when my dad comes home?”
Zhu Jiaorong’s face stiffened. Zhan Aiping’s words were too straightforward and brutally honest, making them sound harsh. Previously, they had a distant relationship, but they were still polite to each other. Now, they seemed to have lost all pretense of politeness.
“How can you say such things?” Zhu Jiaorong scolded her daughter.
Zhan Aiping responded with a half-smile, half-grin, “You eat, live, and use everything here that belongs to my father. In my home, you eat, live, and use everything that belongs to me. But now, you won’t let me, the host, speak honestly?”
Zhan Aiping no longer intended to be courteous to these mother and daughter who wanted to become part of the Zhan family. They wanted to be treated as members of the Zhan family, right? Well, Zhan Aiping would treat them accordingly.
Since she was under the roof of the Zhan family, Zhan Aiping had decided to play the role of a dutiful granddaughter-in-law to the hilt.
Old man Gu used to tease her, saying she had been a model of morality since childhood, treating others generously, being strict with herself, and especially strict with him, Gu Sheng. In this new life, Zhan Aiping no longer wanted to be a “moral standard-bearer.” She didn’t want to impose so many restrictions on herself anymore. She felt that if she had been given a second chance at life, why not live it recklessly?
People live their lives how they want to live them!!!
Now she was her own moral compass, her own boss, and her own law.
“Never mind,” without giving Zhu Jiaorong a chance to speak, she continued, “These people always have their reasons for what they say. I can’t be bothered to argue with them. You can help me with the laundry over there. They’ve just taken off a lot of dirty clothes. Auntie, can you wash them for me?”
“After my mother passed away, no one has washed my clothes. It’s your turn now.”
Since they wanted to consider themselves part of the Zhan family and had politely sent her brother, Zhan Mingzhao, away, she, as the elder sister, would not be polite to them anymore.
“We’re all one family,” she thought. So why be so formal?
“This…” Zhu Jiaorong hesitated, looking at Zhan Aiping in disbelief. The expression on her stepdaughter’s face was so “matter-of-fact.” How could she have the nerve to make such a request?
However, Zhan Aiping’s request did seem reasonable. She was a “diligent and virtuous” stepmother, and it was only natural for her to help her stepdaughter with the laundry.
The cold wind blew in through the window, chilling them to the bone. Doing laundry on such a freezing day was a real hardship.
Furthermore, it was already late in the evening, and in winter, nobody would choose this time to do laundry.
Zhan Aiping sensed Zhu Jiaorong’s dilemma and suggested, “Let Zhan Aijia help me with the laundry.”
“When we were preparing for the wedding earlier, you mentioned that a woman should be virtuous and learn to do household chores. Zhan Aijia is not young anymore, so she should learn to do some work too.”
Upon hearing Zhan Aiping’s words, Zhu Jiaorong had a change of heart. She thought that Zhan Aijia must have upset Zhan Aiping by taking things without permission, leading to her outburst.
In order to appease Zhan Aiping and avoid having to wash cold water clothes, Zhu Jiaorong urged her daughter, “Jiajia, go help your sister with the laundry.”
Zhan Aijia’s eyes widened in disbelief. What? She had to do the laundry for Zhan Aiping?
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