Chapter 49 - 49 A Formal Statement
49 A Formal Statement
“No, no, I don’t believe it!” Zhou Xiaoli’s face was filled with disbelief. “Unless you issue a formal statement, find the village chief as a witness, and announce to the entire village that you have severed ties with our family. Otherwise, you’ll always be my grandmother and you can’t ignore our family’s matters!”
Lai Jinniang and the others couldn’t wait to do this.
Lai Jinniang immediately shouted, “Guihua, Guixiang, get the village chief and the villagers here quickly. I will draw a line between me and this family of nuisances in front of the entire village today!”
Zhou Guihua and Zhou Guixiang nodded repeatedly and ran out to ask the villagers to come over.
Thinking about it, they couldn’t wait a second longer to dump their family. Everyone gathered over very quickly.
After a while, the village chief arrived, followed by many villagers who came along for the ride.
Seeing that everyone was here, Lai Jinniang prepared to start.
Zhou Xiaoli stopped her, “Wait, the mayor hasn’t arrived yet. You must have the mayor as a witness. Otherwise, I won’t recognise it.”
With the mayor as a witness, she wouldn’t have to worry about Lai Jinniang reneging on what she said in the future.
Lai Jinniang thought that Zhou Xiaoli was using this as an excuse to sever ties with them, so the disgust on her face increased. She said angrily, “The mayor is very busy. He can’t be bothered with such trivial matters such as your family’s!”
As soon as she finished speaking, the mayor walked out of the main room.
“Who said I can’t be bothered about it? I’m happy to be the witness.”
Seeing the mayor walking out of Zhou Xiaoli’s living room, the surrounding onlookers were stunned.
Today, when the mayor came out of the blue to help the Zhou family teach the Wang and Sun families a lesson. They thought that it was because Wei Chiyu had called him over.
However, they were surprised to know that the mayor had not left yet.
Lai Jinniang was still in a daze.
The mayor said, “What do you want me to witness? Let’s begin.”
Lai Jinniang couldn’t help but raise her head proudly as she thought that the mayor was on her side as well.
She raised her shoulders and said loudly, “Alright, since the mayor and the village chief are here today, I’ll cut off all ties with Zhou Yu, this unfilial son, in front of the entire village! From now on, the life and death of Zhou Yu’s family has nothing to do with our Zhou family!”
Immediately, many villagers who were watching the commotion began to discuss earnestly.
Some said that Zhou Xiaoli’s family deserved it, while others said that Lai Jinniang was too mean and that Zhou Xiaoli’s family was too pitiful.
Anyway, there were all kinds of things said.
However, Zhou Xiaoli didn’t care at all. What she cared about was whether it was recorded into a formal statement.
The village chief wrote down everything Lai Jinniang said on paper at the request of both sides.
In the end, both parties pressed their handprints on the document.
With two copies of the document, the relationship between the two families was completely severed.
Lai Jinniang stuffed the document into her arms. She readied herself to suck up to the mayor now that this was done.
“Sir Mayor, we’ve really troubled you. It’s such a hot day, yet you have turned up to be our witness…”
The mayor frowned and waved his hand to interrupt her. “Alright, since the document has already been signed, you have to abide by it. From now on, Little Li’s family no longer has anything to do with you. You have to remember it well!”
Lai Jinniang thought that the mayor was helping her, so she kept nodding.
Finally, under the mayor’s impatient gaze, she left Zhou Xiaoli’s house with her two daughters in tow.
Zhou Xiaoli’s eyes darkened as she watched the three of them leave. She had never been a kind and magnanimous person.
Seeing that the commotion was gone and that there was no longer any drama to watch, the surrounding villagers dispersed one after another.
The village chief also asked about Zhou Xiaoli’s situation. Seeing that this was Zhou Xiaoli’s wish, he did not say anything else and left.
The matter of the mayor had been resolved too. After making an appointment with Zhou Xiaoli to look at his ancestral grave, he bade farewell and left.
After sending everyone away, the Zhou family finally had peace after a noisy morning.
At this moment, Zhang Lan finally realized that Zhou Xiaoli had deliberately provoked her mother-in-law. Oh, no, she was provoking Madam Lai.
She had wanted her to cut ties with their family completely.
She couldn’t help but feel happy about that. Their lives were getting better and better now. They also had the alternate space, but she couldn’t let the Lai family know about it!
It was good that they had severed ties!
Thinking of something, she could not help but ask, “By the way, Li’er, Sir Mayor, why was he helping us?”
The matter with the Wang and Sun families turned out well today, and so was the dispute with Lai Jinniang.
Zhou Xiaoli smiled. “Because I did him a big favor.”
Zhou Xiaoli did not explain in detail. Instead, she pulled Zhang Lan and her siblings back into the house.
As she walked, she said excitedly, “Mother, don’t worry about this for now. Father is awake!”
Zhang Lan nodded. “Yes, I know.”
When she woke up this morning, she found that Zhou Yu had woken up. However, just as Zhou Xiaoli had said, Zhou Yu had only opened his eyes, but he laid motionless on the bed.
At the thought of this, her eyes turned red.
Zhou Xiaoli quickly waved her hands. “It’s not that. Father has really woken up!”
As she spoke, she pushed open the door and the four of them walked in.
Zhou Yu was sitting on the bed and putting on his clothes by himself.
After seeing them enter, Zhou Yu immediately looked at them with tears in his eyes.
His lips trembled as he said, “My dear wife, I’m awake…”
Zhang Lan immediately widened her eyes and covered her mouth to prevent herself from crying. Her entire body began to tremble.
Zhou Yu, he was not a fool anymore!
This should be the best news for the entire family.
Zhang Lan finally could not control herself. She rushed to the bed and cried as she pulled on Zhou Yu.
Zhou Xiaoyu and Zhou Junjun also ran to the bed and called out to their father.
Zhou Yu patted Zhang Lan’s hand and hugged the two children. “My wife, it’s been hard on you all these years. It’s my fault for letting you and the children suffer so much.”
Although he was a fool, he remembered everything that had happened all these years. He remembered all the harm that his family had suffered.
Hence, when he woke up, he felt that the realization of it all was too great, causing his entire body to stiffen and he was unable to move.
It was not until Zhou Xiaoli came in and asked Zhou Yu to press his handprint on the document that he finally came to his senses.
At this moment, his gaze fell on Zhou Xiaoli, who was standing on one side. He then said to Zhang Lan, “Take the two children out first. I have something to say to Xiaoli.”
Although Zhang Lan was puzzled, she wiped her tears and nodded. Then, she brought Zhou Xiaoyu and Zhou Junjun out of the room.
The door closed, and the light inside dimmed. Only Zhou Yu and Zhou Xiaoli were left in the room.
For a moment, the air was a little heavy.
Zhou Yu was the first to speak. “You’re not my Li’er, right…”
Zhou Xiaoli paused for a moment before nodding.
This was something she did not expect. That he would retain his memories from the times when he was a fool.
What surprised Zhou Xiaoli even more was that although Zhou Yu was a boor, he was very meticulous as well.
From his memories, he could guess that the current Zhou Xiaoli was not his daughter.
She could only blame herself. Thinking about how Zhou Yu was a fool, she rarely hid anything from him. Just the fact that she knew medicine was enough to make Zhou Yu suspicious.
Seeing Zhou Xiaoli nod, Zhou Yu’s eyes darkened. After a long silence, she asked again, “Is my Li’er already…”
Zhou Xiaoli nodded again. “I’m very sorry.”
Zhou Yu’s eyes were moist, but in the end, he shook his head. “No, I should thank you.”