The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 151: No One Is Allowed to Call Me Fat
Xu Zaohua desperately explained under the scrutinizing gaze of the villagers.
Since she was young, Gu Taohua had imitated her style of dressing and wearing things. No matter how valuable the hairpin on Gu Taohua’s head was, she couldn’t care less.
The things that Gu Taohua used, she wouldn’t want even if they were sent to her for free.
"I have so much jewelry at home. Why would I steal your hairpin? Look in the mirror and see for yourself. Would I bother to steal your stuff? Wearing the same hairpin as you is bad luck," Xu Zaohua said loudly.
"It’s precisely because you have so much jewelry at home that nobody suspects you when you steal my hairpin," Gu Taohua retorted confidently. "Otherwise, how did my hairpin end up on your head?"
Xu Zaohua angrily said, "Isn’t it because you took it off and put it on my head yourself?"
Gu Taohua rolled her eyes and said, "Do you think I’m foolish enough to give you such an expensive pearl hairpin? Let me tell you, Xu Zaohua, your uncle is in jail, and there’s no one to back you anymore. Do you think things are the same as before, where you could bully others as you please? You stole my hairpin, and I’m going to settle this with you."
Xu Zaohua was at a loss for words upon hearing this.
Gu Taohua was stabbing right at her heart.
She had always walked around the village with her nose in the air, and the villagers would always greet her first. But ever since Xu Yong was taken away, the villagers had been ignoring her.
The contrast was something Xu Zaohua couldn’t accept, so she said to Gu Taohua, "Even if I have no one to back me up, I’m still better than you. You’re accusing me of stealing your hairpin without even realizing you’re as fat as a pig. Would I steal a pig’s hairpin? Stop being ridiculous."
Since childhood, she never considered Gu Taohua to be her equal.
Gu Taohua was fat and easily angered, like a bomb ready to explode.
Xu Zaohua knew exactly which words would infuriate Gu Taohua.
Previously, Gu Taohua feared being called fat or overweight, so Xu Zaohua could easily manipulate her by attacking her weak spot, winning every confrontation without a fight.
This time Xu Zaohua miscalculated.
She forgot that after already calling Gu Taohua a fat pig, Gu Taohua had already turned violent instead of just yelling. Calling her a fat pig again wouldn’t bring her back to a state of losing control.
"So what if I’m as fat as a pig, did I eat your family’s grains? Calling me a fat pig is an insult to pigs. Pigs can be sold for money during the holiday season; what can you do then? You’re worth less than a pig," Gu Taohua sneered contemptuously.
This was all taught to her by Tong Huaqiong.
She used to be very self-conscious about her figure, but Tong Huaqiong advised her that as long as she had strength to work, no one could belittle her for her size unless she wanted to lose weight on her own terms.
If anyone said something, she should retort with "Did I eat your family’s grains?"
Since she wasn’t eating from anyone else’s household, why should anyone care?
Xu Zaohua found that she not only failed to infuriate Gu Taohua but ended up getting mocked by her, feeling more flustered.
"Oh, the daughter of Xu Jin stealing someone else’s hairpin. But it’s not surprising; she was used to sneaking some beans or tomatoes, and with Xu Yong backing her up, stealing a hairpin would naturally follow."
"If you ask me, Qinghe Bay isn’t owned by the Xu Family anymore, better keep your hands to yourself."
Villagers passing by gathered around, shook their heads, and sighed as they walked away.
As they left, they deliberately discussed loudly.
Seething with anger, Xu Zaohua stomped and shouted, "Who stole it! Who stole it! Look closely, who stole it."
When Xu Yong was the village head, she did indeed pick vegetables from anyone’s field as she pleased.
Could that even be considered stealing?
Now, just because her uncle has fallen from power, they start slinging mud at her.
Xu Zaohua was furious.
"The old woman is right. Zaohua, I advise you to keep your hands to yourself in the future." Gu Taohua chuckled and then whispered softly in Xu Zaohua’s ear, "Don’t covet things that aren’t yours. That includes my third brother."
After saying this, Gu Taohua grabbed her brother, Jingzhe, and left proudly.
Xu Zaohua bit her lip.
She was actually humiliated by Gu Taohua, who dared with a body as hefty as a pig’s?
"Who stole your hairpin? It’s slander, pure slander," Xu Zaohua said hastily, stomping her foot as she explained to passing villagers.
It wasn’t until Gu Taohua and Jingzhe disappeared into the alley that Xu Zaohua realized she had fallen for Gu Taohua’s trap.
What was her actual goal?
She came to intercept Jingzhe, hoping to set him up and spread rumors about his innocence, then smoothly win him over.
But after Gu Taohua showed up and made a fuss about her stealing a hairpin, she became so entangled in arguing about the theft that she forgot her original goal with Jingzhe.
Having missed this opportunity, finding another one would be difficult in the future.
Additionally, with the downfall of the Xu Family and Widow Tong’s shop bustling, her plan to sway Jingzhe with silver would definitely fail.
From now on, her hopes of marrying Jingzhe became exceedingly slim.
Thinking about this, Xu Zaohua’s hatred for Gu Taohua intensified.
Tong Huaqiong saw Jingzhe and Gu Taohua enter the courtyard, with Gu Taohua’s face appearing somewhat angry. Her first instinct was to wonder if Jingzhe had bullied Gu Taohua.
"What’s up with you two?" Tong Huaqiong asked.
"It’s that Xu Zaohua again..."
Gu Taohua angrily recounted how Xu Zaohua tried to corner Jingzhe in the alley.
"There’s no way Xu Zaohua will become my sister-in-law. Out of all the girls in the village, I dislike her the most. I’ve warned you, third brother, don’t get any ideas with Xu Zaohua, she’s trouble," Gu Taohua said.
Tong Huaqiong wasn’t surprised at all by Xu Zaohua’s scheming.
In the previous life, Xu Zaohua managed to marry into the Gu Family by using schemes like this.
But why couldn’t her smart son be more vigilant?
With that thought, Tong Huaqiong scrutinized Gu Jingzhe with a critical eye.
Gu Jingzhe quickly protested, "Mom, I have no interest in Xu Zaohua. Not only her, I currently have no interest in any girl."
Tong Huaqiong remained silent, staring intently at Gu Jingzhe, making him break out in a cold sweat.
"Mom, I swear, I really haven’t developed any feelings for Xu Zaohua, nor have I ever flirted with her intentionally," Gu Jingzhe raised his hand to swear.
He felt like his mother’s expression was saying, "Flies don’t land on seamless eggs; you must have been bothering Xu Zaohua."
Heaven knows he truly hasn’t.
"Alright, I believe you have no such thoughts," Tong Huaqiong said.
Gu Jingzhe wiped his sweat and returned to his room to read.
Tong Huaqiong frowned as she pondered over the day’s events.
There’s a saying about having to defend oneself against thieves over many days.
How could it be so easy for Xu Zaohua to give up on Gu Jingzhe? If her intentions weren’t quashed, she might resort to her old ways again to trick Gu Jingzhe.
With this thought, Tong Huaqiong stood up and took Gu Taohua to the east side of the village.
The Xu Family lived collectively in the east side of the village.
It was already late, and every household was preparing dinner, with plumes of smoke rising from the courtyards.
Tong Huaqiong confidently stepped into Xu Zaohua’s house.
