The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 162: What Did Miss Huang Do Wrong?

"...Our young lady will reach womanhood this autumn. Since she was twelve, they’ve been looking for a match for her, from young men in the city to those in Yan Guan Town. The master and madam have checked out so many."

Gossip is a natural human instinct. Yu Qin rolled up her sleeves to help Tong Huaqiong wash the zong leaves, while gossiping casually.

Since the topic had turned to Miss Huang, Tong Huaqiong naturally wanted to flatter her by saying, "Last time I saw the young lady sitting next to Old Mrs. Huang, she was exceptionally beautiful. That must be your young lady."

Yu Qin said, "The one with the beautiful looks is a cousin from the old madam’s family. Our young lady..."

Yu Qin thought discussing her young lady’s appearance in public wasn’t very appropriate, so she shut her mouth.

Tong Huaqiong immediately understood.

It seemed Miss Huang wasn’t very good-looking.

But what does it matter if she’s not good-looking? She’s the young lady of the richest family in Yan Guan Town and isn’t lacking in potential suitors.

"But our young lady’s marriage is about to be settled. We’ll definitely order the wedding pastries from your shop," Yu Qin said.

"That’s great. By the way, which family is your young lady engaged to?" Tong Huaqiong asked casually.

"He’s a scholar, studying at the private academy in our town. They say he’ll be heading to the provincial city for his exams next year, with great prospects awaiting him," Yu Qin replied with a smile.

A scholar, studying at the private academy.

Tong Huaqiong caught the key detail and asked, "Isn’t it Fan Tong, the scholar?"

Yu Qin nodded with a smile, "That’s right. Although he’s from a poor family, there are benefits to that. If he becomes Old Mr. Huang’s son-in-law, the master supporting his studies would be like gaining half a son."

Tong Huaqiong thought Yu Qin was overthinking it.

Why else would Fan Tong be interested in the not-so-attractive Miss Huang? It’s all about the Huang family’s wealth.

Fan Tong isn’t the kind of person who repays kindness. Once he turns his fortune around, he’ll destroy his benefactors and those who know his impoverished past.

Huang Yuanwai is a nouveau riche, always hoping to bask in the glory of scholars.

For his daughter’s marriage, he desires a match with an educated and respectable family.

These days, educated folks believe in the literary saying, "In books, there is beauty," and they value a girl’s looks, so several proposals fell through.

Only a scholar like Fan Tong from a poor family would be willing to be a half-son-in-law of Huang Yuanwai’s household.

It didn’t take Tong Huaqiong long to piece together the harsh truth of this marriage proposal.

Tong Huaqiong searched Aunt Tong’s memories but found no previous ties between Fan Tong and Miss Huang.

Perhaps it was because in the past world, Gu Taohua regularly kept an eye on Fan Tong, preventing him from approaching Miss Huang.

In this life, though Gu Taohua still fancied Fan Tong, she was too busy helping Tong Huaqiong with the business to bother with him, allowing Fan Tong to seize the chance to cozy up to the Huang family.

For Gu Taohua, Fan Tong getting involved with the Huang family was good news, as it relieved her of any responsibility regarding Fan Tong’s potential dalliance with the village chief’s daughter.

Nonetheless, Huang Yuanwai was the benefactor who enabled her new life here.

She couldn’t bear to see Huang Yuanwai ruin his daughter’s prospects and squander his wealth on someone like Fan Tong, only to end with nothing.

And what did Miss Huang do wrong?

Just because she’s not pretty doesn’t mean she deserves to marry a poor scholar, sacrificing her dowry and serving her mother-in-law while tolerating multiple concubines in the future.

What right does Fan Tong have?

In his previous life, he exploited Gu Taohua, and now he seeks to exploit Miss Huang.

Such scoundrels should end up with nothing.

So Tong Huaqiong said to Yu Qin, "Miss Yu Qin, it might be out of line for me to comment on your young lady’s engagement, but Mr. Huang has been kind to me. My son studies at the private academy, and I heard that Scholar Fan also has intentions toward the village chief’s daughter in Wild Bull Valley."

"Perhaps I heard wrong. Mr. Huang is insightful and surely knows better than me."

A hint was enough.

Yu Qin, serving by Old Mrs. Huang’s side, was sharp and understood immediately.

Such things aren’t likely baseless rumors. Aunt Tong’s claims were probably true.

Wild Bull Valley is two mountains away from Yan Guan Town. Few people venture there, and most of their households survive on hunting or local resources. It’s rare for them to visit Yan Guan Town.

It’s certainly necessary to send someone dependable to Wild Bull Valley to investigate thoroughly.

When arranging the match between Xu Zaohua and Fan Tong, Tong Huaqiong wasn’t worried about the Xu family investigating.

She knew Xu Jin was destined to use his daughter to pave the way for the Xu family. If Xu Jin favored Fan Tong, he’d disregard the village chief’s daughter’s engagement unless it was finalized.

But Huang Yuanwai was different.

From what Tong Huaqiong knew of Huang Yuanwai, he genuinely wanted to find a good match for his daughter.

Once he recognized Fan Tong’s true nature, he would never allow his daughter to marry him.

By evening, the zongzi in the pot had been cooked.

Mrs. Hu took them out.

Tong Huaqiong packed the zongzi in boxes, and handed over two more boxes of pastries to Yu Qin.

The rest of the zongzi were displayed in the shop for sale.

Throughout the afternoon, anyone who tried the Taohua Dessert zongzi praised it, arousing curiosity and the desire to taste it themselves.

People queued up in front of Taohua Desserts, buying up the zongzi as soon as they were served.

Those who missed out looked disappointed.

"Come back tomorrow, and everyone can enjoy it," Tong Huaqiong, as the shopkeeper, personally apologized to everyone.

Then she instructed Ma Huateng to register customers who hadn’t gotten zongzi, promising they could come the next day for zongzi and claim an egg yolk pastry with their name on the list.

This move by Tong Huaqiong appeased the customers.

As Ma Huateng was recording names, he sighed inwardly.

The winds have changed, forsaking tradition.

What are these meat zongzi? They’re heretical to the world of zongzi.

"Looks like we need to make more meat zongzi; today’s batch wasn’t nearly enough," Liu Yueer said excitedly after closing.

Liu Qiaoyun asked, "A few shops from Rouge Alley inquired about pre-ordering some. Should we take their orders or not?"

After thinking it over, Tong Huaqiong said, "Only accept orders for zongzi delivered on the Dragon Boat Festival day. Over the next few days, let’s focus our efforts on walk-in customers."

Everyone agreed with Tong Huaqiong’s suggestion.

Gu Taohua sat listlessly, saying nothing the entire time.

Tong Huaqiong asked, "Taohua, what’s wrong with you?"

Gu Taohua forced a smile and said, "Just hot from inviting customers inside."

Gu Taohua was plump, and it was midsummer.

Ever since Gu Jingzhe went to study at the private academy, Gu Taohua would occasionally stand at the door to draw in the aunties, naturally getting hot from standing too long.

Tong Huaqiong suggested, "Quick, go sit by the ice basin and fan yourself."

"I’ll fan my Aunt Taohua,"

Liu Xiuxiu brought over a chair and placed it by the ice basin, and Gu Taohua sat down against it.

Soon, Gu Taohua’s face regained its color.

Gu Taohua felt very upset.

She had come to check on the zongzi in the yard when she overheard Yu Qin and Tong Huaqiong talking.

That’s how she learned Fan Tong had attached himself to Miss Huang.

Just a few days ago, Fan Tong had sent a poetry-laden handkerchief to her through a student from the private academy.

If it weren’t for this incident, Gu Taohua wouldn’t be so enraged.