Chapter 237: People's Hearts Are No Longer the Same

Chapter 237: People's Hearts Are No Longer the Same

When Zhao Ling walked out of the room, he was surprised to find that none of his wives were giving him strange looks.

Didn't Tong'er tell anyone about the disappearance of her clothes?

If that was the case, then his image as a wise and dignified husband was intact. Zhao Ling sighed in relief. Thank goodness.

Approaching the five women, he said cheerfully, "My dear wives, I must leave for a while. I'm heading to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect to earn some... assets for our future children."

The women, however, were deeply engrossed in their mahjong game. Liu Erlong discarded a tile with a confident, "Two!"

Ah Yin's eyes lit up as she countered, "Bump! Four!"

Arou casually drew a tile and played the Nine of Thousands, prompting Xiao Wu to grin triumphantly.

"Ha! I won!" Xiao Wu exclaimed. "Mom, you're the best! You knew I needed the Nine of Thousands, so you threw it out for me to win!"

Arou's mouth twitched as she glared at her daughter.

"Don't give me that nonsense. I had no other card to play. If I'd known this would let you win, I'd have played anything else!"

"Mom, how can you say that? We're mother and daughter. You must have sensed I was waiting for it," Xiao Wu teased with a pout.

Finally noticing Zhao Ling, Xiao Wu turned to him and asked, "Husband, weren't you leaving to earn some assets for our future children? Why are you still here?"

The other three women also paused their game to look at him curiously.

"Yes, husband, why haven't you left yet?"

"Our family depends on you. You work so hard!"

"Hubby is amazing. Long'er loves you so much!"

Their casual dismissal left Zhao Ling feeling deflated. His wives had seemingly lost all interest in him, preferring to spend their time playing mahjong. Even when he approached them, they barely acknowledged his presence.

What's happening? Zhao Ling sighed deeply. The world has changed, and people's hearts aren't the same anymore...

With a forlorn expression, Zhao Ling turned and walked slowly toward the door. His dejected appearance tugged at Tang Wutong's heart.

She rushed over, threw herself into his arms, and kissed him passionately.

"Dear, come back soon. Everyone will be waiting for you," she whispered lovingly.

Zhao Ling felt his spirits lift. Stroking her hair gently, he nodded. "I'll return soon."

With that, he strode confidently out of the gate, Tang Wutong watching until he disappeared into the distance. Once the door was shut, she headed toward the mahjong table, overhearing the women's hushed conversation.

"Is it really okay for us to ignore our husband like this? What if he gets angry and comes back to confront us?"

"Don't worry," Ah Yin replied, smirking. "Xiao Qi will handle him. He'll take it out on her, and we'll get some peace."

"Wait a second," Xiao Wu interjected, frowning. "Is it fair to keep leaving our husband to Xiao Qi? She's always..."

Ah Yin chuckled, teasing her. "Why, Xiao Wu, are you worried about your daughter? Why not share the burden with Xiao Qi when our husband returns?"

"Uh... forget it," Xiao Wu stammered, shaking her head vehemently. "Xiao Qi is grown now. She can handle her responsibilities."

"Then how about you, Sister Rou'er?" Ah Yin suggested, turning to Arou. "Since Xiao Qi is your granddaughter, why not help her out?"

Arou's expression soured. "Yin'er, don't try to pin this on me. Xiao Qi is your granddaughter too. You're the one letting her handle everything alone—don't you feel guilty?"

As the conversation grew heated, Tang Wutong, who had been quietly listening, finally exploded.

"Mom! Grandma! Great-grandma! Long'er's grandma! You're all terrible! You deliberately ignored my husband just to push him onto me!"

Her furious outburst left the older women stunned.

"When my husband comes back, I'll tell him everything. Don't think I'll let this slide. If you're going to bully me, I'll make sure my husband gets even with all of you!"

Storming off to her room, Tang Wutong fumed. How could they gang up on me like this? Determined to retaliate, she vowed to let her husband "punish" them so thoroughly that they wouldn't be able to leave their beds for days.

The four women exchanged nervous glances. They had been so engrossed in their scheming that they hadn't noticed Tang Wutong overhearing them. Now, they realized the precariousness of their situation.

"If Xiao Qi tells her husband what we've done, we're in for trouble," Xiao Wu murmured anxiously.

Liu Erlong rolled her eyes and grinned mischievously. "How about we just run away for a while?"

Arou was incredulous. "Sister Long'er, you want to abandon your granddaughter just to avoid punishment?"

"Of course not!" Liu Erlong snapped, poking Arou and Xiao Wu in the foreheads. "Xiao Qi is my granddaughter too. Do you think I'd harm her? My idea is simple: let's hide at my house until my husband cools off."

Xiao Wu looked doubtful. "But what if we run into a Titled Douluo? I'm not even level 70 yet! If someone attacks us, we're doomed!"

Ah Yin sighed. "Fine, but we need a real plan. We can't just hope for the best."

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*(End of Chapter)*