The daily struggles of divorced women in ancient times

Chen Susu, with a pale face, took Chen Dasao back to her own little house. Everyone at Xiaowu's house looked at each other, not understanding what had happened and why they were arguing so fiercely.

Madam Zhou wanted to step forward and persuade them again, but was stopped by Zhou Chengze. Zhou Chengze gave his mother a look, signaling her not to speak.

Xiaowu and Zhou Chengze looked at each other, and Zhou Chengze suddenly had some guesses in his mind.

"Sister Xia, does this matter have anything to do with me?" Zhou Chengze asked.

"Why do you think so?" Xia Mianwan asked instead of answering.

Looking at Xia Mianwan's reaction, Zhou Chengze felt that he had guessed 80% of it, so he asked everyone else to go out first and he talked to Xia Mianwan himself.

After everyone left, Zhou Chengze spoke up, "Chen Susu often comes to see me intentionally or unintentionally. A while ago, my mother wanted to take Huaer to learn a big thing, and I thought I had nothing to do, so I took my own clothes and my mother's coat to the river to wash. Who knew that after Chen Susu saw it, she insisted on helping me wash it. There is a difference between men and women, which is not good, but she always makes a lot of noise, as if she wants people to know that there seems to be something between her and me. After I found out, I stayed away from her."

When Xia Mianwan heard this, she was speechless. It turned out that she had run out of other options, so she came to her.

"We were seeking refuge together, so I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid it would be awkward for us to be together." Zhou Chengze said.

Xia Mianwan had a cold face and felt very unhappy. People are really strange. Even decent people always have to consider the overall situation.

"Sister Xia, don't be angry. I will just stay away from her in the future." Zhou Chengze knew that Xia Mianwan was doing this for his own good, so he quickly persuaded her.

Xia Mianwan shook her head and said, "It's different. We've been together for a few years, but I only discovered some flaws today. This makes me very scared. If the people around you are a little stupid, but think they are not stupid, this is a big problem. If they are between stupid and not stupid, and have a little ambition, it will be a disaster."

Zhou Chengze asked: "Has it gotten to such a serious stage?"

Xia Mianwan sighed and told Zhou Chengze what had happened.

Zhou Chengze: “…”

Zhou Chengze couldn't believe that Mrs. Chen was such a person, and he was stunned for a moment.

Xia Mianwan thought for a moment and said, "After this winter, we will go down the mountain. I will go to the other end of the tunnel to check the situation. If the King of Wu and the King of Qi really come, we can make preparations as soon as possible. As for Chen Susu and Chen Dasao, if they don't have any other plans, we will keep them for now. If they have other plans, we will talk about it later. After we go down the mountain, I will not take them with me. They are unreliable."

Zhou Chengze also thought this was a good idea.

"But the way food is distributed will change. From now on, no more food will be kept for the public. All the game and products you hunt will belong to your family. As for teaching, you can only choose a group of children you think are qualified to teach. The rest can learn from Xiaowu or Madam Zhou, but they all have to pay a tuition fee."

"Starting tomorrow, all food will be divided according to the original silver. From now on, everyone will prepare lunch at home. There will be no more communal meals."

Xia Mianwan basically brought up everything she had thought of and hadn't thought of, and Zhou Chengze didn't think there was any problem.

Early the next morning, after Xiaowu announced the rules that Xia Mianwan and Zhou Chengze had agreed upon last night, he settled the money that Chen Dasao had given him for the grain deposit.

Xia Mianwan did not let Chen Dasao and Chen Susu down at all, as he gave them two thousand kilograms of grain, two hundred kilograms of bacon, and some oil, salt, sauce and vinegar.

All the things belonging to the Chen family in the cellar were handed over to Chen Dasao.

When Mrs. Chen got the things, she started cursing, but the others ignored her.

In the evening, Xia Mianwan took Chen Ge'er and Yu Jie'er to the yard to digest their food after dinner. Chen Susu came to find Xia Mianwan with a pale face.

Xia Mianwan sighed and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Sister Mianwan, my mother didn't mean it, she really didn't mean it. Please don't be so cruel. How can we survive in this mountain if you do this?" Chen Susu started to cry as she spoke, and she knelt down in front of Xia Mianwan.

Xia Mianwan was speechless for a while and asked, "How could I be so cruel? I gave you all your stored food, and I didn't count the food I consumed in the past few months as yours. How could you say such a thing?"

"Sister Mianwan, my mother was just worried about my marriage, so please forgive her!" Chen Susu continued to kowtow.

Xia Mianwan shook her head and said, "Not only that, I have given some face and room for excuses in some matters, so you should stop confusing right and wrong. And is it your mother's problem, or your problem, or both of you? Do you really have to make it very clear? Susu, you have learned so much from me, I really can't understand why you have become like this."

Chen Susu wiped her tears and said, "You were the one who said there's nothing wrong with fighting for it!"

Xia Mianwan sighed and said, "There is nothing wrong with striving for something. When people want something, they can certainly strive for it with their own abilities, instead of using tricks and schemes, do you understand? And there is nothing wrong with wanting to use marriage between men and women as a stepping stone to climb up. As long as you can accept it and others have no objection, then no one can hinder you. But if it harms the interests of others and they don't want it, then you shouldn't use tricks and schemes anymore."

"Susu, if you place all your hopes on others, then that sense of dependence and lack of personal independence will be enough to destroy all your will."

Xia Mianwan's voice was calm, without any emotion in it, but Chen Susu could sense a hint of disappointment in his words.

"Sister Xia, I will change from today on. Please don't ignore us." Chen Susu kowtowed and begged Xia Mianwan.

Xia Mianwan took a step back and said, "I'm sorry, I have no obligation to take care of you all the time, and I don't trust you anymore."

Chen Susu looked at Xia Mianwan dejectedly, and really couldn't understand why things turned out like this.

She admitted that she had no other thoughts at first, but her mother always praised Zhou Chengze in front of her, so she unconsciously thought that there was no one else in the mountain. Although Xia Mianwan was beautiful and rich, she was divorced. The other girls in Xiaowu's family were just little girls who had never seen the world. How could they compare with her?

Although Zhou Chengze has nothing at the moment, his wife Zhou can embroider and he himself is good at reading. Maybe he can pass the imperial examination and become the top scholar in the future!

After thinking about this, Chen Susu's heart was already burning with excitement.