Meng Qiaozhen watched as her son Li Yuemin chased the mother and sister who had ruined her lifetime of happiness out of the house. Feelings of neither joy nor sorrow churned in her chest, leaving her with no appetite left for dinner. She said to Zhang Wanshan:
"Old friend, it's not often you visit. Stay and talk with Chuntao a while longer.
I'm not feeling well, so I won't keep you company."
With that, she had her younger son, Li Yuejin, help her back to the inner room to lie down.
Zhang Wanshan was a man of firm loyalties who clearly distinguished between love and hate. He understood the grievances Qiaozhen had suffered in the past and the pain inflicted upon her by her maiden family.
Therefore, he greatly admired the actions of his son-in-law, Li Yuemin.
Seeing Li Yuemin return after helping his daughter Chuntao, Zhang Wanshan drank with him, exchanging cups and chatting about everything under the sun for a good long while.
It was only when the sky had turned pitch black that he tapped out his pipe and took his leave with lingering reluctance.
He truly loathed the thought of returning to that cold, lifeless home. Ever since Chuntao's mother had passed away, countless people in the village had offered to play matchmaker, but Zhang Wanshan had turned them all down.
He could never allow his precious daughter to suffer under the thumb of a stepmother. Besides, there was someone he had held a fondness for in his heart for a long time.
That person had been buried in his heart fo…
Chapter 37