But her mother simply wouldn't listen. She insisted on provoking someone far more powerful.
Well, now look what happened. With just a little effort, that person had beaten the Second Lady Zhao to a pulp and had her divorced.
Zhao Luoming was both anxious and heart - broken. He tried to persuade her earnestly.
"Mother, please stop."
The Second Lady Zhao turned a deaf ear to his advice.
"Don't I know your father's temper? Would he really be willing to beat me? He was just bewitched. Once I've recovered, I'll go back and sweet - talk to your father. He'll come and fetch me back in a grand sedan chair carried by eight bearers."
Zhao Luoming helped Zhao Luoyue put the Second Lady Zhao, whose bandages had just been changed, to bed. He still tried to get her to give up these pointless things.
"Mother, actually, it's not so bad for us not to be in the Zhao Mansion. Look at the eldest branch. They bought a house in the countryside and seem to be living quite happily. I'll buy a house for you. You can recuperate well. You have savings, so you don't need to worry. And there's no need for you to fight for these meaningless things anymore."
Hearing this, the Second Lady Zhao's face changed.
She burst into a tirade.
"You unfilial son! You're always boosting others' morale and undermining our own. The eldest branch has to live in that rural estate because they have nowhere else to go. Do you want your mother to admit defeat? No way! I'd rather lose than lose to that coward!"
Zhao Luoyue quickly supported the Second Lady Zhao. While helping her calm down, she scolded Zhao Luoming, "Mother is already in this state. You should talk less. Besides, Mother was just caught off - guard this time. Once Mother recovers, those from the eldest branch won't be a match for her at all."
What Zhao Luoyue said really pleased the Second Lady Zhao.
The mother - daughter duo sang in chorus, leaving Zhao Luoming with no chance to interrupt.
Just then, there was a noise at the door.
Ning Huaizhi lifted the curtain and walked in.
Seeing the scene in the room, a sneer appeared on his face.
"Yo, what wind has blown you here today? My brother - in - law and mother - in - law have both come to visit?"
Zhao Luoyue and Ning Huaizhi had always had a bad relationship. In the past, Zhao Luoyue used to chase after Ning Huaizhi, but after a long time, she gave up.
Zhao Luoyue never expected that she had asked Zhao Luoning to take her place in marriage because she disliked Ji Shisu's reputation as a playboy. But unexpectedly, she had found a good husband for Zhao Luoning.
As for herself, after careful selection, she thought Ning Huaizhi was the one. When Zhao Luoyue got married, Luoming had already taken over the family business. She had married into the Ning family, which was a step - down in terms of wealth.
Unexpectedly, Ning Huaizhi changed completely after marriage.
At first, Zhao Luoyue thought it was because she had been taken away by the officers on their wedding day, which had shamed the Ning family, that was why Ning Huaizhi was cold to her.
Later, she found out that it had nothing to do with what she had done.
Ning Huaizhi was just a heartless man.
All his past loyalty was just an act. As early as in the capital, he had been keeping a mistress, and they even had a child several years old.
Ning Huaizhi was more of a womanizer than Ji Shisu in his bones. He was just better at hiding it.
After knowing that Ning Huaizhi already had someone else outside, Zhao Luoyue gave up. She stayed alone in her room, ignoring everyone.
The Ning family also ignored her, as if she didn't exist in the family.
Ning Huaizhi, in particular, spent every night with other women outside. Zhao Luoyue was still a virgin to this day.
So Ning Huaizhi's appearance here today was actually more of a rare guest than the Second Lady Zhao and Zhao Luoming.
Seeing Ning Huaizhi, Zhao Luoyue said irritably, "You never go home anyway. I'm bringing my mother here to live!"
It was not a negotiation but an order.
Ning Huaizhi's face darkened instantly.
"The Ning family's temple is too small to accommodate the great Buddha, the Second Lady Zhao." Ning Huaizhi seemed to remember something and added, "Oh right, I forgot. She's no longer the Second Lady Zhao now."
Hearing this, Zhao Luoyue got angry and shouted, "What do you mean, Ning Huaizhi?"
"I should be the one asking you what you mean!" Ning Huaizhi stepped forward and pinched Zhao Luoyue's chin. "We haven't consummated our marriage yet. Where did the child in your belly come from?"
Zhao Luoming quickly pulled Ning Huaizhi away and protected his mother and sister behind him.
"Ning Huaizhi!"
"Zhao Luoming, if it weren't for your sake, I would have divorced this shrew long ago. Not only did she shame the Ning family on our wedding day, but since we got married, has she ever served her husband or taken care of her in - laws? She runs back to the Zhao family every other day. She never regarded herself as a member of the Ning family. Now, she even wants to bring a discarded woman who has been divorced by the Zhao family into our home. What, isn't the Ning family disgraced enough for you?"
Seeing his mother and sister being humiliated, Zhao Luoming's face turned red and then pale.
He retorted stubbornly, "Ning Huaizhi, you don't have to be so aggressive. I'll take my mother and sister away right now. I won't bother you anymore."
Ning Huaizhi sneered, "You can take the Second Lady Zhao away since she's a nuisance. But Zhao Luoyue is my wife now. Her going or staying is not up to you to decide!"
Saying this, Ning Huaizhi didn't forget to rub salt in the wound. "Zhao Luoming, have you finished the liquidation of your tea house? Do you still have the money to support your mother?"
Zhao Luoming had only brought a few people with him. He quickly told his personal servant to go and find a carriage. He himself supported the Second Lady Zhao, trying to help her up.
The Second Lady Zhao cried out in pain and cursed while shouting, "Ning Huaizhi, you're a scoundrel!"
Instead of getting angry, Ning Huaizhi replied with a smile, "Thank you for the compliment, Second Lady Zhao!"
It was killing with words.
Ning Huaizhi used to address the Second Lady Zhao as mother - in - law.
Now he no longer called her mother - in - law. Knowing that she had been divorced by Lord Zhao, he still deliberately called her the Second Lady Zhao. Every word was like pouring salt on her wounds.
But being under someone else's roof, as the only sober one, Zhao Luoming held back his temper and didn't curse like the Second Lady Zhao.
The servant soon found the carriage.
When Zhao Luoming helped the Second Lady Zhao into the carriage, she was still scolding. Zhao Luoyue wanted to follow out, but Ning Huaizhi wouldn't let her. The mother and daughter, one inside and the other outside, made a ruckus in the Ning Mansion.
Even after getting into the carriage, the Second Lady Zhao still shouted threats.
"The people in the Ning family are all scoundrels! Once I recover, I'll definitely settle the score with them."
Zhao Luoming was very frustrated. He tried to persuade her gently.
"Mother, stop making trouble!"
"What's wrong with you today? You're always siding with outsiders."
"Mother, you're such a smart person. Don't you understand? If you make such a fuss today, it will be even harder for Luoyue to stay in the Ning Mansion in the future!"
"The Ning family has gone too far. Luoyue can find a better family if she leaves the Ning Mansion!"
"Mother! Do you want Luoyue to be divorced too?"
The word "too" deeply hurt the Second Lady Zhao's heart.
Seeing his mother's expression, Zhao Luoming knew he had said the wrong thing. He quickly apologized, "Mother, I'm sorry."
"If you know you're sorry, why don't you make progress? Do you know how much effort I've put in to make you take over the Ji family's business? Listen to your mother. As long as we prove that Zhao Luojing is dead, the pharmacy and the silk store will be yours. Once you get these two stores in your hands, your father and Ning Huaizhi will come back and beg your mother."
The Second Lady Zhao's words put a lot of pressure on Zhao Luoming.
Not to mention that for the sake of his family's well - being, he couldn't reveal that Zhao Luoning was still alive.
Moreover, even if Zhao Luoning was alive, it didn't mean that Zhao Luojing was dead. Mother's thinking was too extreme.
Even if everything was as mother said, and the Zhao Luojing in front of everyone now was an impostor.
But these two stores had already changed their names and no longer belonged to the Zhao family. Zhao Luojing wouldn't be so stupid as to give them back, and Zhao Luoming couldn't get them either.
The eldest branch was no longer the one that could be bullied before.
It was a pity that mother still didn't understand this truth.
Looking at the Second Lady Zhao, who was moaning in pain and still scolding non - stop, Zhao Luoming made a decision in his heart.