How Many Houses Did She Own?

Old Madam Zhou was furious. Pointing at the maid beside her, she said, "Go and cook breakfast right now! I refuse to believe we'll go hungry if no one cooks breakfast!"

The young maidservant had no choice but to go and make breakfast.

Zhou Wanwan led Zhou Fusheng and Liu Su'e directly to the side courtyard.

Liu Su'e said angrily, "Wanwan, are we really going to live in a side courtyard? Why should we?"

Zhou Fusheng was also furious. "I'm going to confront them."

Zhou Wanwan shook her head and said:

"What's the use of theory? These people are shameless and unreasonable. There's no point in arguing with them."

We'll stay in the side courtyard; it's no worse than the main courtyard."

The courtyard they used to live in was indeed a secluded courtyard.

What they didn't know was that there was another door here that led directly to the next room.

The house next door is much more impressive than theirs, and the environment is better in every way.

However, Zhou Wanwan considered that these people were quite shameless, and it would be too troublesome if they refused to leave.

So I deliberately chose a dilapidated house, and I didn't expect these people to actually come.

Zhou Wanwan said, "Let's move next door now! They're doing quite well here, and I'm actually quite happy; I can find some fun every day."

Zhou Fusheng and Liu Su'e didn't understand where this amusement came from either.

Zhou Wanwan pushed open the door next door, leaving Zhou Fusheng and Liu Su'e dumbfounded.

The eldest princess smiled and said, "You little rascal, just how many houses do you own?"

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said, "I can't count them all, and I've never seriously counted them! Why would I count them?"

The houses under her name aren't all registered in her name alone; they're registered in the names of her family members as well.

With so many indentures under her control, she could easily have them buy a few more houses, shops, or estates, and nobody would know who actually bought them.

Zhou Wanwan now owns countless houses, shops, and estates—the list goes on and on.

The eldest princess looked at the courtyard and said, "Hey! This courtyard is so much better than that one, tsk tsk tsk..."

Zhou Wanwan said, "Of course, that over there is only three courtyards, while this one has five."

Moreover, the courtyard here is beautifully decorated.

The eldest princess pushed open the door to her courtyard. There was a covered corridor in the courtyard, surrounding a crescent-shaped lotus pond, in which water lilies floated.

The pond was surrounded by all sorts of rare and exotic flowers and plants.

Blue star flowers, sent from thousands of miles away in the Western Regions, climbed Manman over the pillars of the corridor.

There are also viburnum trees specially transplanted from Jiangnan, blooming in large clusters beside the artificial hill.

On the stone table in the courtyard, there is still the white jade teacup she used to use every day, and on the flower stand by the window, there are the orchids that she planted herself back then.

The eldest princess looked at the courtyard and said, "This is exactly the same as the courtyard in my own residence!"

Zhou Wanwan smiled faintly and said, "Yes! Grandma, do you like it?"

The princess, her eyes slightly red, said, "I like it, I really like it, Wanwan, thank you so much."

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said, "I planted some more orchids. I know you like orchids."

The eldest princess nodded and said, "That's wonderful, I'm so happy today."

Every blade of grass and every tree here was planted by the eldest princess herself, so there's always something special about it.

Zhou Wanwan said, "Then you rest for a while, and I'll take my parents over to see them."

Zhou Fusheng and Liu Su'e looked at the courtyard. Zhou Fusheng sighed and said, "Wanwan, such a big courtyard, with so many flowers and plants, it must have cost a lot of money, right?"

Zhou Wanwan shook her head and said, "Paid? No, it didn't cost any money. It was taken from someone else's yard, why would it cost money?"

Just kidding. They took some from Princess Jing'an and Princess Ningyuan's Residence, some from the palace, and some from several other households.

It became a completely new courtyard.

Zhou Wanwan's courtyard never costs money, and of course, no one can tell because many things have been changed.

Zhou Fusheng's lips twitched as he said, "Fine! Do whatever you want!"

Liu Su'e pushed open the door and saw her own courtyard. She smiled and said, "You little girl, you know me so well, you know what I like."

A large, flat area beside Liu Su'e's courtyard was neatly divided into vegetable plots, planted with cabbage, chives, green beans, and cucumbers, with vines climbing all over the trellises, creating a lush green scene.

There were a few cats sunbathing in the yard.

Two dogs were wagging their tails and running towards Liu Su'e; both dogs belonged to Liu Su'e.

Looking at the vegetables in the yard, Zhou Fusheng exclaimed, "Goodness, these vegetables are growing so well in the dead of winter!"

Zhou Wanwan said with a smile, "I was just worried you'd get bored here. Having a vegetable garden means you can plant some vegetables sometimes to relieve your boredom."

Zhou Fusheng nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, I think that's more down-to-earth. Sometimes when I get tired of writing, I want to grow some vegetables to relax."

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said, "Dad, you're so amazing! I think many people can't compare to you."

Zhou Fusheng shook his head and said:

"It's still because my father is too useless. I'm afraid I won't pass the imperial examination this time."

What if I embarrass you later?

Zhou Fusheng has been under a lot of pressure lately. He has almost no time to rest and often studies until midnight.

Zhou Wanwan looked at him and said:

"Father, do you know how many years it usually takes for an ordinary person to pass the imperial examination and become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examination)?"

You've only been studying for a few years! Why do you care what others say?

Zhou Fusheng sighed and said:

"You don't understand, now the whole capital is saying that our Zhou Family are peasants."

"Nobody looks down on our family, and that makes me really upset."

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said, "What's wrong with being a peasant? I think it's great, I'm happy every day."

Zhou Fusheng continued:

"What's so good about it? Just tell me that because of me, the Princess has been ridiculed to death."

Everyone says she's blind to have married a poor, uncultured man.

Zhou Wanwan said helplessly, "Dad, don't care so much about what other people think. They may not know what kind of life we live, but don't you know?"

The Old Ancestor, who was not far away, whispered, "Wanwan, there's something interesting happening next door, do you want to go?"

Zhou Wanwan's eyes lit up, and she quickly said, "Dad, Mom, I'm going out to play now. I'll be back when it's time to eat."

Zhou Wanwan ran away with the Old Ancestor.

The Old Ancestor took her next door, and then they heard Yu Shu rushing into the courtyard with those gold jewelry pieces.

She looked at Old Madam Zhou and Qian Huihui and said:

Grandma, Mother-in-law, you two really know how to plan!

Giving me all this junk? How could you even think of that? If you can't afford it, then don't give it to me.

"Who are you trying to embarrass by sending this pile of junk?"

Old Madam Zhou glared at her and said, "Yu Shu, we've given you the best of everything, aren't you satisfied? All of this is gold."