Zhao Lingxia remained indifferent and didn't reply. She then asked, "What are you wearing today? Did you not have the money to buy something, or do you just have no taste?"
Zhao Xiyin subconsciously looked down... There's nothing wrong with it, this dress is still 1,500 even after the discount.
Zhao Lingxia bent down slightly, picked up a dust bag from beside her feet, and tossed it over.
The Hermes logo on the dust bag is eye-catching, and inside is a Birkin bag. The extremely rare ostrich skin feels like a baby's skin to the touch.
"Women should treat themselves better. There are too many two-faced men in this world, stingy and all show and no substance." Zhao Lingxia spoke elegantly, her tone of disdain sounding as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Zhou Qishen immediately understood who the veiled barb was aimed at. He couldn't hold back any longer and said, "I bought her this bag before. She has a whole closet full of bags, and she hasn't missed a single new style from every season."
After speaking, Zhou Qishen brought up the photo album on his phone and handed it to Zhao Lingxia for a look.
This photo was taken before the two divorced. At that time, Zhou Qishen was pulled into Zhao Xiyin's group of best friends by Li Ran. Li Ran insisted on seeing her walk-in closet. Zhao Xiyin was not a person who liked to show off, but she couldn't resist Li Ran's crazy urging, so she just took a couple of pictures.
He even complained, "Zhou, a man, loves buying bags more than women do."
After reading it, Li Ran said, "I suspect you're showing off your husband. Waaaaah, I can't even buy several of those bags, how did your husband manage to do that? Waaaaah."
Driven by his masculine instincts, Zhou Qishen secretly reveled in his success, feeling immensely proud. His way of spoiling women was simple and direct; a closet full of bags and clothes were his badges of honor. So, he casually kept the photos.
Putting everything else aside, just that Birkin in the left corner alone, a KK-grade, custom-made one, costs close to a million.
The day he brought them back, Zhao Xiyin threw a tantrum, scolding him for having money to burn and how he would support his family if he went bankrupt. Zhou Qishen laughed shamelessly, "Even if I go bankrupt, at least you'll still have these bags. You can sell a few and that'll be enough to support my wife."
The most genuine outsider at this table is Gu Heping.
Gu Heping didn't interrupt, never trying to be clever at crucial moments. But he understood perfectly well that Aunt Zhao lived up to her reputation—a woman of few words but ruthless, truly possessing that aura. He even felt that someone as composed as Zhou Qishen was secretly trying to curry favor with Zhao Lingxia.
Aside from a slightly awkward start, the dinner went fairly smoothly.
After the meal, Zhou Qishen escorted them to the door. Zhao Lingxia's Porsche 911 sports car was like a shining ruby. The car only had two seats. Zhou Qishen didn't miss the opportunity and asked Zhao Wenchun, "Uncle Zhao, shall I give you and Xiaoxi a ride?"
Zhao Wenchun neither agreed nor refused immediately, but subconsciously glanced at Zhao Xiyin. Zhao Xiyin seemed to be a ghost, it was unclear whether she heard him or not, or perhaps she deliberately ignored him.
Just as they were frozen in place, Zhao Lingxia suddenly smiled and said, "Xiao west, come here."
Zhao Xiyin walked slowly and obediently to her side.
Zhao Lingxia's expression softened, her attitude a hundred times better than during dinner, as gentle as a spring breeze and as warm as the March sun. She brushed a stray hair behind Zhao Xiyin's ear and asked, "How long have you been back in Beijing? Seven or eight months, right?"
Zhao Xiyin nodded, "Mm."
"Do you feel like you're doing well?" Zhao Lingxia asked with a smile.
Zhou Qishen stood to the side, frowning slightly. The scene seemed perfectly normal, but his intuition told him that something was amiss.
Zhao Xiyin was also taken aback for a moment, and answered slowly, "It's...it's alright."
"It's alright?" Zhao Lingxia nodded, speaking slowly and drawing out the last syllable of each word. "Yeah, it's alright."
The next second, Zhao Lingxia slapped him across the face.
The dull, clear sound of flesh hitting skin was terrifying!
Zhao Wenchun was dumbfounded, Gu Heping was stunned, and Zhao Xiyin herself was also bewildered.
Zhou Qishen's face contorted in pain, his heart bleeding. Before he could even step forward, Zhao Lingxia slapped Zhao Xiyin across the left cheek. Her hand moved swiftly and decisively, killing without hesitation—
"You can do whatever you want! Think about it yourself, what kind of life have you been living? A muddled, aimless existence! I can't control your dancing, you can dance if you want, don't dance if you don't want to, but don't give me all this fuss. But you can't even manage your own life, what are you talking about? Zhao Xiyin, you're twenty-five, can't you live without a man? Look at how haggard you are, so distracted, where has all your backbone gone?!"
Zhao Lingxia's thoughts are divided into two parts: about 20% are related to family, and the other 80% are purely out of disgust and disapproval.
"What are men anyway? Are you after his body or his age? If you really want a man, I'll send ten or eight to your room right now, and they'll all be better than him! The girls of the Zhao family are beautiful and respectable! They will never waste their youth and shed tears for a man! Zhao Xiyin, from now on, if you stumble over a man again and live a muddled life, I'll slap you twice more! I'll slap you until you come to your senses!"
Chapter 44 Tonight's Dream is Cold (1)
Tonight, my dreams are cold. (1)
After the storm, all was quiet.
Zhao Xiyin's face was numb on one side. It really hurt, but after the pain subsided, it felt like her meridians had been opened up, and she felt enlightened.
Zhou Qishen couldn't stand it any longer, so he stepped forward and tugged at Zhao Xiyin. He wasn't very strong, but her body was limp, and she obediently took two steps back. Zhou Qishen stood in front of her, face to face with Zhao Lingxia, without any fear.
Before she could even speak, Zhao Lingxia preemptively smiled coldly, "Boss Zhou, you still have your leg."
Zhou Qishen was taken aback.
After overcoming numerous obstacles and obtaining Aunt Zhao's consent, he finally married Zhao Xiyin. At the wedding banquet, Zhao Lingxia declared, "If you dare to treat my Zhao family daughter badly, I'll break your legs!"
The past events are still vivid in my mind, and the harsh words still echo in my ears.
Zhao Lingxia, a woman, spoke more fiercely than a man. Zhou Qishen was divorced, and although his leg wasn't broken, Zhao Lingxia felt that he treated Zhao Xiyin badly. This lie was like a hammer, constantly striking Zhou Qishen's heart.
The lingering discomfort is more unbearable than a clean break.
Zhao Lingxia's gaze fell on Zhou Qishen. She was too lazy to waste words, but silence spoke louder than words. Her eyes flashed like swords, and her gaze seemed to write a line of wild cursive script, powerful and penetrating, as if to say—you are a real scoundrel.
The latex mattress for Zhao Lingxia's apartment in Beijing hadn't arrived yet. Being particular about her lifestyle and unwilling to compromise, she stayed at the New World Hotel that night. She drove her Porsche and also arranged for a car to take Zhao Wenchun and Zhao Xiyin home.
"Please stop the car." At the hotel entrance, Zhao Wenchun said with a stern expression, "Xiao west, wait for me in the car."
Zhao Wenchun got out of the car and had a big argument with Zhao Lingxia. "Why did you hit my daughter? In front of so many people! Girls are sensitive. You destroyed her self-esteem. You're just a female bandit. What kind of aunt are you?"
The jade on Zhao Lingxia's earlobes was bright and lustrous, giving her an air of nobility without being vulgar. She didn't even bother to roll her eyes. "This is a loss of self-respect? Brother, is your definition of self-respect a bit vague? Does your daughter only live for men? How pathetic is that?"
"That's just sophistry," Zhao Wenchun said angrily, stamping his foot. "Even if she's a coward, I'll support her for the rest of my life."
Zhao Lingxia scoffed and shook her head. "Men are hopeless."
The brother and sister parted on bad terms.
After arriving home, Zhao Wenchun boiled two hot eggs, wrapped them in a towel, and carefully applied them to Zhao Xiyin's face. "This area is swollen too. You really have the heart to do that."
Zhao Xiyin bared her teeth and dodged.
"Bear with the pain, or you'll look terrible tomorrow," Zhao Wenchun sighed.
Zhao Xiyin said it was fine, "I'll apply it myself."
The assessment was in a few days, and she really didn't dare to delay things. She didn't even blink despite the pain. Soon after, there was a knock at the door. Zhao Wenchun opened it, and it was Zhao Lingxia's secretary. "This is for Xiaoxi from President Zhao. The medicine is very effective. Apply it as directed, and the swelling will go down tomorrow."
The secretary was well-trained; he didn't even enter the house, and left immediately after finishing his business.
Zhao Wenchun glanced at the ointment, then angrily threw it onto the sofa, fiercely protective of her daughter, "You slap her and then give her a treat, what do you take my daughter for?"
The room was quiet, the light warm and yellow. The living room window was ajar, letting in the autumn breeze and lowering the indoor temperature slightly. Zhao Xiyin didn't speak, kneading the egg repeatedly.
Zhao Wenchun was afraid she would feel bad, and was just about to comfort her.
“I think Auntie might be right,” she suddenly whispered. “She’s an outsider with a clearer perspective, and she understands human relationships perfectly. I’m someone inside the walled city, thinking I’m clever, but I’m really nothing special. Dad.”
Zhao Wenchun looked at her, his gaze tolerant and earnest, full of love, without putting any pressure on her. Zhao Xiyin seemed to be talking to herself, "Actually, in the two years after the divorce, I wandered around on my own, and didn't I get through it all?"
Zhao Wenchun said, "There are many ways to live life, and you can get by. The key is whether you are happy. Life is not just about dying peacefully in your sleep. Birth and death are not the meaning of life. We should respect life itself, but also have some different goals to strive for."
We are but a drop in the ocean of humanity, destined for a simple life, yet unwilling to settle for mediocrity.
That's the real meaning.