This time was different from the last. The last time, it had only spread within a small circle. This time, it was being discussed everywhere, from the streets to the alleys. Many men, meticulously dressed, even began to linger around the Zhou mansion, harboring the fanciful hope of an accidental encounter with Madam Zhou. If they were chosen, they could soar to great heights.
Miss Zhou, confined to her chambers, rarely interacted with outsiders. The gossip held no sway over her. Naturally, no sharp-eyed servant would dare relay such rumors to her. Her life remained unaffected, enjoying her meals, her leisure, and her freedom to the fullest.
But it was different for Young Master Zhou. Outside the city stood a renowned academy where he pursued his studies. That morning, upon his arrival, his classmates regarded him with peculiar gazes, leaving him utterly bewildered.
Despite being the son of the wealthiest merchant, Young Master Zhou keenly felt his father's lack of affection. Thus, he dedicated himself to his studies, yearning for his tutors' praise as a means to capture his father's attention.
Just as there were bright students in the academy, there were also those who lagged behind. Yet, even the less accomplished students admitted here were no ordinary individuals. At home, they often heard their fathers lamenting their lack of effort with phrases like, "Look at Young Master Zhou. Despite his family's immense wealth, he still studies diligently. What about you?"
These words, spoken carelessly by their fathers perhaps merely as examples to inspire them, were taken to heart by these struggling students. Unable to mend their ways, they instead turned their resentment towards him, though they dared not antagonize him directly due to his family's affluence.
Today, they finally found a fault. Young Master Qian was the first to seize the opportunity, eager to unleash his pent-up frustrations. While others feared Young Master Zhou, he did not. His father was a strategist, a man even Old Master Zhou had to treat with respect. With a hint of sarcasm, he taunted, "Judging by your demeanor, you must be unaware of the rumors circulating in the city."
Hearing this, Young Master Zhou looked at him with genuine confusion. Honestly, he was curious to know what had transpired.
Upon seeing his expression, the others erupted in laughter. So, he truly didn't know! Young Master Qian cleared his throat and said with ill intent, "Indeed. Such matters are too shameful for your mother to possibly admit. How could she tell you? Your mother is so promiscuous; I even doubt you are Old Master Zhou's biological son. Could it be that your mother bore you with her baker?"
Young Master Zhou's mind went blank. Then, rage consumed him. His eyes turned bloodshot, his fists clenched tightly. Staring at the still-laughing Young Master Qian, and to everyone's astonishment, he swiftly moved before him, grabbed his collar, and before Qian could react, swung his fist with all his might, landing it squarely on his face.
Young Master Qian screamed out in pain and struggled to resist. In daily life, Zhou seemed so frail, who would have thought he possessed such strength? No matter how Qian pulled and tugged, he could not break free.
Young Master Zhou fought like a madman, his fists raining down on Qian's face. Soon, they were separated, but Zhou, unwilling to yield, continued to kick Qian twice as they were pulled apart.
By this time, Young Master Qian was beaten beyond recognition. His personal servant, who was outside, heard of the commotion and rushed in. Without a word, he whisked Qian away to the doctor's.
Young Master Zhou sat at his desk, unable to recover his composure for a long time. It wasn't the fear of consequences for striking someone, but rather the content of their words. For some inexplicable reason, he found a sliver of truth in them.
After all, from his own perspective, he knew his father treated his illegitimate sons better than him, even though they were less studious and generally unpromising.
Moreover, for years, his mother's status, though seemingly unshakeable, had been subtly undermined by his father's disdain. He hadn't understood it before, but if things were as they said, it would finally make sense.
After the incident, his classmates kept their distance from him. Having known him for so long, they had never realized Young Master Zhou could be so ferocious. It was a stark reminder that even a lamb, when driven to madness, could bite.
When the rumors reached Old Master Zhou's ears, he felt a sense of inevitability. The previous incident hadn't spread widely, and he knew the other prominent families in the city had laughed at him. But this time, the entire populace was gossiping. He knew the best course of action was to appear in public with Madam Zhou, displaying their affection to dispel the rumors. However, frankly, he felt a sense of revulsion.
Given his wife's domineering nature, even if he helped her resolve this issue, she might not exercise discretion or restraint next time. If something else occurred, people would think, "Old Master Zhou is truly tolerant," to openly display affection with his wife after such a scandal. It was sickening. With these thoughts, all he wanted was to quell the matter quickly.
Who had spread these rumors? Old Master Zhou's first suspect was Wu Caiwei. However, without concrete proof, it was difficult to accuse her, lest he wrong someone.
Madam Zhou was also greatly alarmed upon hearing the news. While she enjoyed her freedom, having it brazenly exposed to everyone was a different matter entirely.
The thought of being looked upon with suspicion every time she stepped out made her scalp tingle. Her thoughts mirrored Old Master Zhou's: the first priority was to investigate the source of the rumors.
The investigation eventually led them to the beggar community. When Madam Zhou's subordinates brought Xu Yijie, now a beggar, before her, she could hardly believe her eyes.
She even vomited in front of Xu Yijie. His current state was a stark contrast to his former self: unkempt, his face unwashed for days, his clothes ragged, and a foul stench emanating from him from a distance. The thought of having once been involved with such a person made her question her own life choices.
Seeing her reaction, Xu Yijie harbored resentment. She was now disgusted by him. If he had known he would end up this way, he would have devised a way to eliminate her after swindling her for her house and money.
However, in his current state, alongside his resentment, he felt a pang of fear. He had witnessed Madam Zhou's ruthlessness during their time together and knew she had blood on her hands. He was filled with dread about how she might treat him.
He had intended to spread the rumors and then quietly return to his small dwelling, where no one would connect him with the beggar. However, before he could act, Madam Zhou's people had already tracked him down, and his chance to escape was lost.
After a moment's hesitation, he crawled to Madam Zhou's feet. "Madam, it truly wasn't me. I merely wanted to vent my frustrations and reminisce about the sweet times we shared. Since we haven't seen each other in days, my longing for you has grown. I never intended for them to spread it, but you must believe I love you."
His words, however, only made Madam Zhou feel more nauseous. The sight was too grotesque. She immediately signaled her guards to drag him out and beat him.