Chapter Eighteen: Zhou Shi Is Dead!

“Absolutely impossible!” Zhou Shi sprang to his feet abruptly, his body swaying slightly.

“Think it over carefully! There’s no rush. Give us your answer by tomorrow,” Zhou Wen said coldly, lowering his gaze.

Zhou Yushi did not object either; he immediately summoned a servant to take Zhou Shi back to his room to calm down.

Zhou Shi resisted, but was forcibly dragged away.

“Ungrateful son!” Zhou Yushi shouted angrily in the direction Zhou Shi was taken, a surge of fury rising in his chest.

“Great-grandmother, we still want to split the family property!” Zhou Li stood up again.

“What nonsense are you stirring up now? Get out!” Zhou Yushi snapped in anger.

“Split it, then!” the old lady sighed.

“Aunt?” Zhou Yushi looked incredulous.

“Wenqing, this was originally your family matter. Your second brother and I shouldn’t have interfered, but this has blown up too much! The rumors outside aren’t just about your household anymore—they speak of the entire Zhou family. Your nephew hasn’t even married yet. Recently, no matchmakers have dared to come by…”

Under the old lady’s piercing gaze, Zhou Yushi lowered his head and forced a sheepish smile.

The old lady then looked at Zhou Li. “You must understand the family rules: your eldest brother, being the head of the main branch, is entitled to sixty percent of the estate; you get forty percent.”

Zhou Li moved his lips and looked at his wife.

Sun bit her lip. “Split it!”

“We want the residence on Willow Lane!”

“That’s where the concubine lives?” Zhou Yushi frowned.

“Yes!” Sun replied. “Anyway, that’s Zhou family property!”

Zhou Yushi’s face darkened, and after a long pause, he said, “Fine.”

The servant guarding the courtyard, upon hearing this, immediately ran to the study.

He whispered urgently, “Eldest Young Master!”

The man inside hastily responded, “What is it? Did you hear anything?”

“The second young master wants to split the family and claims the residence on Willow Lane.”

“He said he’ll take it back tomorrow and kick out those living there!”

“Why? That’s the home I bought for Xin-niang!” Zhou Shi was furious.

Were they really going to force him and Xin-niang out like this? Leave them no way out.

Tomorrow! Tomorrow he must make a decision, or Xin-niang would be driven away.

She was a frail woman, alone and helpless, and he wasn’t even by her side…

The thought made Zhou Shi’s heart ache in sharp pangs.

“Eldest Young Master? Eldest Young Master?” The servant called anxiously after a long silence.

“I’m fine. You may leave now. Stay away—I need to be alone,” Zhou Shi’s voice grew low, mirroring his mood.

Seeing this, the servant slipped out quietly, walked to the back door, glanced around cautiously, then opened it.

Someone outside slipped a pouch inside.

The servant thanked them quietly and tucked it into his bosom.

—

By the time he returned, Zhou Shi had made up his mind.

Like Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai turning into butterflies—using death to express the beauty of love and win the understanding of those around them—

He could do the same!

He believed the heavens above would be moved by his unwavering love for Xin-niang.

Of course, he didn’t truly intend to die—only to put on a show.

He removed his belt and carefully examined the beam.

The performance had to be convincing. Standing on a chair, he tied the belt firmly.

Then he called two servants over: “Erzhu, Sanbao…”

“Sir?”

Zhou Shi explained his plan and instructed, “Once I hang myself, immediately go find the master!”

Both servants’ hearts tightened; their expressions were complicated, but they nodded obediently.

Hang himself? What kind of nonsense was this? How could a scholar resort to crying, making a scene, and hanging himself?

Zhou Shi repeated his instructions twice more.

One servant left directly toward the Yang family residence.

At that moment, Wu, the female physician, had just finished her treatment and was giving orders to the maids.

The servant bowed his head and relayed Zhou Shi’s plan.

“What?” Yang Yin was so shocked she nearly fell off her bed.

“He would stoop so low?”

The servant spoke openly; Qingzhu, Wu the doctor, and the maid Cui’er all overheard.

Yang bit her lip, sensing the bloody tension, then closed her eyes and said, “Let him hang himself if that’s what he wants!”

“Madam, hurry! The master and others should be arriving soon,” the servant urged.

“Let’s go! See for ourselves!”

Cui’er quickly helped Yang Yin up, Qingzhu followed closely behind, and Wu the physician trailed them.

On the way, Yang Yin’s heart was filled with anxiety. She knew Zhou Shi’s stunt was disgraceful but effective.

Ha… they would definitely force her to compromise!

A concubine? Just the thought made Yang Yin feel suffocated.

Zhou Shi’s study wasn’t far—past the hanging flower gate, through the corridor, and there it was.

Yang Yin stood outside the door and saw Zhou Shi hanging from the beam.

She hesitated to enter but heard footsteps approaching rapidly.

Cui’er stepped forward and pushed the door open.

Another servant came rushing in, shouting, then caught Zhou Shi and lowered him down.

“Eldest Young Master!”

“Let Wu the physician see him!” Qingzhu said gently.

—

Wu the physician stepped forward, carefully feeling Zhou Shi’s pulse. She suddenly stopped, inserted a needle into an acupuncture point.

“Madam, please be prepared to mourn. The young master has passed.”

Zhou Shi: “??”

Yang Yin: “??”

I’m not dead yet—I can still be saved!

Though he was in terrible pain and unable to speak, he was still conscious.

What kind of quack is this?

Yang Yin’s brow twitched; her face showed confusion, doubt, and mostly excitement.

The footsteps outside grew louder.

Gritting her teeth, Yang Yin lunged forward. “Eldest Young Master! You died so miserably!”

Her sudden movement caused Zhou Shi, who was barely breathing, to lose consciousness.

Zhou Yushi heard Yang Yin’s scream and staggered, nearly falling.

How could this be possible?

The old lady and Zhou Wen also looked disbelieving.

They hurried over in quick strides.

Zhou Yushi saw Zhou Shi lying stiffly on the ground, the clear marks of the noose on his neck, and his face went pale.

“Ashi?” Zhou Yushi rushed over, half-kneeling to check on his son.

He trembled as he touched his son’s nose for breath, calling out weakly, “Ashi? Ashi?”

“Female physician, please check quickly…” Zhou Wen, feeling some pity, hurried forward to call Wu.

Wu shook her head. “It’s too late! The young master was already heartbroken.”

“Doctor Xie from the Hundred Herb Hall has arrived!” a servant shouted from outside.

“Quick! Let him in!” The old lady, shaken, finally reacted.

In came a man a little over fifty, with half-white hair.

Doctor Xie checked the pulse and examined Zhou Shi carefully.

When he looked into his eyes, he frowned and paused, wondering if the youth had just died.

“Doctor… is there still hope for my son?”

Yang Yin’s heart hung in the balance.

Doctor Xie pondered, then sighed, “Please prepare to mourn.”

Those simple words made Zhou Yushi feel the sky collapse.

If only…

If only he had let Zhou Shi marry that concubine and bring her into the household!