The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 14: The Turn of Events

"Mom, this work is not for humans. Can you bear to see your own son suffer here? I refuse. From now on, I’ll focus on farming at home."

Gu Dashi immediately rejected Tong Huaqiong’s proposal.

"You know this work is not for humans, yet how can you watch your big brother carry sandbags here for years?" Tong Huaqiong snorted coldly.

Gu Dashi pursed his lips and said nothing.

Liu Yueer curled her lip, feeling unjust for her husband.

How can a stepson be the same as one’s own son?

Her mother-in-law these days acted possessed by the Holy Mother, treating the Old Gu Family incredibly well.

Even if that Bodhisattva appeared in her dreams urging her to atone for the Old Gu Family, she can’t just throw all the blessings their way. Just keeping up appearances with the Old Gu Family should be the extent of a stepmother’s good graces.

After all, he’s not her own child.

Tong Huaqiong didn’t care what Liu Yueer thought. Using leftover copper coins from selling steamed buns and her saved bits of silver, she bought a roast chicken and two pounds of pastries. With the greedy eyes of her chubby daughter and eldest grandson on her, she stuffed them into her bosom, declaring it was for Man Er’s health and no one else should covet it.

The Gu family’s home in Qinghe Bay is twenty miles from Pingchuan County, which isn’t far for the road-hardened Gu family.

Hiring a carriage to Qinghe Bay would cost about five hundred coins, but Tong Huaqiong couldn’t bear to spend the money. Not only was the family poor, but they also owed the Zheng Family fifty taels of silver.

Thinking of those fifty taels of silver made Tong Huaqiong a bit worried.

She promised to pay back in a month, but that was just a stalling tactic.

Where on earth would she find the silver in a month?

Tong Huaqiong and Gu Dashi headed towards Qinghe Bay on foot. She mused how lucky it was that Tong Dajiao didn’t have bound feet; otherwise, with roads like these, they’d never reach home in a day.

Halfway there, a carriage caught up with them.

Housekeeper He from the Zheng family jumped off the carriage and blocked their path.

He was humiliated by his master and must regain face from the Gu family.

Initially, he intended to go to Qinghe Bay to collect the remaining fifty taels of silver, but unexpectedly ran into them on the road.

Just perfect, saving him another trip.

"Hand over the remaining fifty taels of silver," Housekeeper He demanded right away.

"Didn’t we agree to send it over in a month?" Tong Huaqiong responded calmly and confidently.

Housekeeper He tried to catch them as dusk fell, thinking they would be easy to bully; yet, facing back are three strong ones who aren’t pushovers either.

Sure enough, Gu Dashi stepped in front of Tong Huaqiong and said in a deep voice, "The month’s time isn’t up yet, why are you afraid we won’t pay back, Housekeeper He? Blocking us on the main road in broad daylight!"

To be honest, Gu Dashi wasn’t confident either; it was fifty taels after all, but he needed to stand up firmly to back his mother.

"Exactly, the month’s not up yet, why the rush, Housekeeper He." Gu Taohua stomped her foot and stood like a mountain blocking Housekeeper He.

Looking at the darkening sky, Housekeeper He was taken aback.

He had witnessed Widow Tong’s shameless tactics today; coupled with a son whose eyes could pierce through and a daughter as hefty as a bear whose slap could send someone flying. He regretted not bringing guards with him as he sought debt resolution.

Fearful that Widow Tong would lose her temper and have these thugs bury him on the spot.

Alone against this family, he was out of luck!

"Our master said a month is too long, pay back in five days," Housekeeper He stated.

Hearing this, Gu Dashi erupted. Five days? How could the Gu family come up with fifty taels in five days?

Tong Huaqiong remained silent for a moment, then gritted her teeth and nodded, "Five days it is."

"What if you can’t pay back in five days?" Housekeeper He asked sinisterly.

"I could just endure humiliation and marry off your eldest young master for a wedding," Tong Huaqiong retorted.

Housekeeper He was nearly choked.

"If you can’t pay, your chubby daughter can come to the Zheng family as a maid," Housekeeper He pointed at Gu Taohua.

Someone like her isn’t fit to be the Eldest Young Madam of the Zheng Family, better as a maid.

"Who are you to insult? Even carried on an eight-lift sedan, I wouldn’t go to the Zheng family." Gu Taohua flicked away Housekeeper He’s hand, almost breaking his finger with her strength.

"My daughter won’t do; she’s lazy and greedy," Tong Huaqiong pointed at Yaozu on Liu Yueer’s back, saying, "If we can’t repay, I’ll send my eldest grandson to the Zheng family as a servant."

"Mom!"

The unexpected twist shocked Gu Dashi and Liu Yueer.

This can’t happen!

He’s the only heir among Old Gu’s grandsons. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Alright."

Housekeeper He agreed readily.

Compared to the hefty daughter who could crush people, the grandson was more satisfying to him.

To prevent Tong Huaqiong from defaulting on the debt, Housekeeper He was well-prepared and pulled out a pen and ink to quickly write up a contract.

Tong Huaqiong signed the contract without changing her expression.

Liu Yueer was on the verge of tears; her mother-in-law was truly heartless!

She treats her son like a cabbage, ready to discard him at any moment.

"You don’t need to deliver it yourself; I’ll go to Qinghe Bay to collect the silver in five days. If you can’t gather the fifty liang, then your grandson will be mine."

Housekeeper He pinched Gu Yaozu’s firm arm, thinking he’s quite a good worker.

Housekeeper He wasn’t afraid of Tong Huaqiong going back on her word. Holding the contract, he knew which way the Gu Family’s door opened, so there was no escape.

If this widow dared to renege today in front of the master and madam like this, he would dare to cut off the young son’s path to school in the Gu Family.

Gu Yaozu, scared and trembling, lay on Liu Yueer’s back, his mind filled with the thought of his grandmother wanting to sell him, just like she wanted to sell Sister Man Er before.

After Housekeeper He’s carriage left, Gu Yaozu burst into tears.

"Mother, are you really going to send Yaozu to the Zheng Family as a servant?" Gu Dashu asked, dubious and unsure.

"Didn’t Second Brother always say that you and Second Sister-in-Law will have many sons in the future? Why are you so reluctant to part with Yaozu now?" Gu Taohua rolled her eyes.

As for Gu Taohua, she was the little tyrant at home and bullied everyone, including her own brother.

Gu Dashu was momentarily at a loss for words.

He had indeed said as much, believing that he and Liu Yueer would have many sons, but Yaozu was going to be a servant, not a master like Sister Man Er would have been in the Zheng Family;

a servant with no future prospects.

"Mother, he is your eldest grandson. How can you bear it?" Liu Yueer cried.

"Why wouldn’t I? I’ll have plenty of grandsons in the future."

Tong Huaqiong coldly looked at Gu Dashu’s couple; now it was their turn to feel heartache, right? Back then, these two didn’t care about Sister Man Er’s life or death, and Liu Yueer showed no sympathy for Chen Sufen as a mother.

Now it was time for them to experience a little of Chen Sufen and her daughter’s plight from back then.

Liu Yueer hugged Yaozu, crying incessantly.

She began to blame Gu Jingzhe, thinking that if it weren’t for him getting involved with the Zheng Family for his studies, none of this would have happened.

If Wanliu Academy would return the fifty liang of silver, it would be alright, but from what Gu Jingzhe insinuated the other day, getting Wanliu Academy to return the silver was unlikely.

In her opinion, Gu Jingzhe himself should be used to pay off the fifty liang of silver.

"Why are you wailing like it’s a funeral? There’s still five days to gather the silver," Tong Huaqiong said.

"Can the silver really be gathered in five days? That’s fifty liang." Gu Dashu had no confidence at all.

Selling the entire Gu Family along with their land might not even be enough.

"If not, then come up with a solution."

"If you want to keep Yaozu at home."

...

Tong Huaqiong and the others returned home only when it was dark. The good mood she’d had from the successful break-off and bun sales was overshadowed by the fifty liang of silver.

"Mother, you’re back."

Chen Sufen came out to greet them.

"We’re back, brought buns and pastries for you and Man Er."

Tong Huaqiong handed the buns and pastries to Chen Sufen after seeing Man Er behind her.

Chen Sufen and Man Er were flattered.

"Thank you, Grandma," Man Er politely thanked, handing Tong Huaqiong a handkerchief and tea.

"The Zheng Family... didn’t trouble you, did they?" Seeing Gu Dashu’s gloomy face and Liu Yueer’s tear-stained eyes, Chen Sufen asked nervously, not knowing what had happened.

"No, Eldest Sister-in-Law, let me tell you, Mother was amazing today..."

Gu Taohua vividly recounted Tong Huaqiong’s impressive deeds at the Zheng Family.

After listening, Chen Sufen’s eyes turned red. Her mother-in-law had really changed, going so far as to use her reputation to pressure the Zheng Family into breaking off the engagement.

No matter how harsh her mother-in-law had been previously, just because she’d protected Man Er in these past few days, she had to forgive her mother-in-law for all the previous wrongs.

"Mother, you’ve been busy all day, hurry and eat."

Chen Sufen began to arrange a meal for Tong Huaqiong.

In the past few days, she noticed that her mother-in-law’s tastes had changed as well as her temperament; she no longer liked to eat millet and preferred noodles, so she made white noodles and even cracked two eggs for her.

"Pulling weeds all day has worn me out. Eldest Sister-in-Law, quickly serve me food."

"Eldest Sister-in-Law, you’ll need to wash my clothes tonight; I have to wear them again tomorrow."

Tong Huaqiong’s eyes turned cold with a look of displeasure as she instructed her sister-in-law like she was ordering around a servant or a grandfather — it was typical of the talented young Gu Jingzhe.