Chương 226: Chapter 226 Loosening

Old Lady Zhou had been somewhat relenting, but upon hearing Zhou Xuennian accuse her of favoritism, she suddenly became irrepressibly angry.

"You say I'm biased—have your books been read in vain? Am I biased? Yes, I am biased; that's why over these years, whenever you wanted to study, your father and I let you be. Who has been managing our lands and fields? Your younger brother. What have you done?" Old Lady Zhou scolded, "I'm biased, yes, I'm so biased that I haven't had you out in the fields helping your brother, letting him look older than you despite being only in his teens!"

Old Lady Zhou's words weren't without basis. Years of laboring in the fields had exposed Zhou Xueli to the elements, his skin tanned and rough, making him look almost thirty despite being not yet twenty.

By contrast, Zhou Xuennian, who had only studied without working the land and lived in comfort, appeared much younger dressed in his scholar's robes.