How can someone travel through time and space and become a beggar?

Xia Tian was upset and pulled Zhao Huazhang up, "Let's go back to the barracks after eating."

Before arriving, Zhao Huazhang had intended to chat with Lady Wang and ask about her life in Huizhou. But things had gone awry. He'd tried to put on a good front when he entered, but once he saw her, his mind seemed to lose control. He sighed in frustration and glanced back, only to find the person he'd been waiting for was nowhere to be seen.

Xia Chu returned to the house and splashed some cold water on his face to cool down.

Jia Qingwu followed in, her eyes teasing with a smile, "That Mr. Zhao seems..."

"I have nothing to do with him." Xia Chu argued.

"I haven't said anything yet." Jia Qingwu sat at the table and said softly, "I noticed that he seems to treat you differently... I think he has an extraordinary bearing. What does he do?"

"In the military camp, they're all on patrol." Xia Chu saw what Jia Qingwu meant and immediately poured cold water on her. "They're from a wealthy family. Their father is a military instructor in Lin'an Prefecture, and their eldest brother works in the Ministry of Personnel. They're not something people like us can even dream of."

Jia Qingwu saw that Zhao Huazhang came from a well-off family, but she hadn't expected him to have a brother who held an official position in the capital. His father and brother were both civil servants, so why was he a military commander? This made the two families seem mismatched. While the Jia family had some assets, they were still just merchants. Jia Qingwu immediately dismissed Zhao Huazhang. If a family like that were bullied, the family wouldn't be able to help.

It's not easy to enter a wealthy family, with so many rules and regulations. Xia Chu, with her lazy nature, would be better suited to a simpler family. She'd said several times before that she didn't want to get married, and then that reaction. Could it be... that she's really attracted to Zhao Huazhang, but fears his social status, so she's given up on herself and simply abandoned the family altogether?

Xia Chu noticed something was off about Jia Qingwu's eyes, but she couldn't guess what she was imagining. She had mixed feelings about Zhao Huazhang. On the one hand, she felt his appearance and personality matched her taste, but their families were so different that it wasn't a good match. On the other hand, she was actually a little apprehensive. After all, having three wives and four concubines was commonplace these days, but she couldn't accept sharing a husband with anyone else. Furthermore, even without a romantic relationship, talking about marriage felt too hasty.

But in ancient times, who would fall in love first and get married right away if they fell in love?

She had some feelings for Zhao Huazhang's appearance, but they had spent too little time together. If she said she liked him, she definitely liked him, but marriage was out of the question.

Thinking about it this way, I feel like a scumbag. I'm attracted to your beauty, but I don't want to marry you. It's still modern freedom. If you like someone, just date them first and get to know them. Only when you're emotionally connected can you talk about marriage.

Jia Qingwu pondered for a moment, then decided to ask directly, "Xiaochu, you don't want to get married because of Mr. Zhao, do you?"

"How is that possible?" Xia Chu retorted directly, "I never really yearned for marriage in the first place." Although sometimes seeing how close my parents were, I felt a little envious, but only a little, a millimeter or so.

"What's that for?" Most young girls would be envious of this, but Jia Qingwu didn't quite understand why Xia Chu seemed to have no expectations at all.

Xia Chu sat across from her and poured her tea. Instead of answering directly, she posed a question, "Why did those two get married?"

This question stumped Jia Qingwu; she seemed to have never considered this question before. Right, why did two people get married? Because of love? No, no, it was the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. How many men and women got married without ever meeting each other.

Men marry to continue the family line, but what about women? To help men continue the family line? That's ridiculous. What's the woman's role then? Women generally can't support themselves, so they need to be dependent. When they're young, they rely on their fathers. When they grow up and get married, they rely on their husbands. And when their sons grow up, they rely on their sons.

But if in order to survive, women have the capital to support themselves.

Thinking of this, Jia Qingwu already felt that she had been quite rebellious. Although she had already divorced, it was because Sun Wuji had betrayed her and she had no choice. If she could endure it, would she divorce again?

The answer is: no.

When a woman divorces, it not only damages her own reputation, but also her family. When the younger generation in the family discusses marriage, the other party will also take the family tradition into consideration.

Seeing her silent for a long time, Xia Chu said softly: "Mom, if two people are together, if it's not because of deep feelings that they want to be together for a lifetime, then at least it's for a better life in the future, right?"

"Yeah." Jia Qingwu nodded.

"If I can live well on my own and stay home to take good care of my parents, why should I marry a stranger?" Xia Chu expressed her thoughts. "I have to endure the pain of childbirth and take care of a stranger's family. Why?"

Jia Qingwu frowned, feeling that it made sense, yet also vaguely feeling that something was wrong.

"And I heard that the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is not easy to handle. I often hear about so-and-so's daughter-in-law being tortured to death, being sent home for not being able to give birth to a son, and some even marrying a bunch of concubines. It's so good to be a man, look at how many privileges they have?" Xia Chu's next words could not be heard, so she lowered her voice deliberately. "If a woman is just between two men, she will be scolded. But men who visit brothels are considered romantic. Having three wives and four concubines at home is reasonable and legal. I envy you."

Jia Qingwu's eyes widened. "You, you, you, what are you envious of?"

"Ah?" Xia Chu's face flushed. "It's not that I want three wives and four concubines. I just said that the world is always more tolerant of men, even indulgent."

"Stop talking about it! You can't even think about these things!" Jia Qingwu was even more embarrassed than her. "It's so disrespectful! If people find out, you're not allowed to think about these things in the future. If you don't want to get married, then don't get married." After saying that, Jia Qingwu didn't think about guiding her daughter's thoughts anymore and simply ran away.

The next day, Xia Chu noticed that Jia Qingwu looked at her strangely. She couldn't understand it at all; it was too complicated. But she wasn't surprised. The words she'd said the previous day were shocking to Jia Qingwu, who had always followed the rules. Even her usual smile felt forced, as if she didn't know how to face her daughter.

"Mom, if you really can't accept it, just think of me as drunk and talking nonsense." Xia Chu was afraid of frightening her into something bad. Doctor Gong had said that Jia Qingwu shouldn't be allowed to have too much emotional fluctuation.

Jia Qingwu stroked her hair and whispered, "It's okay to say these things in front of mother, but you must never tell anyone else outside."

"I know." Xia Chu smiled, "I just told my mother what was in my heart."

To be honest... Jia Qingwu sighed and felt a headache.