The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 215: Respecting Mother-in-Law’s Wishes
Liu Yueer went to Chen Sufen’s room.
"What’s wrong, sister-in-law?"
Seeing Liu Yueer’s angry face, Chen Sufen thought she had argued with Gu Dashu and offered some advice.
Sitting across from Chen Sufen, Liu Yueer shared the accidental event involving her mother-in-law and Boss Qian.
Unlike Liu Yueer, Chen Sufen wasn’t as gossip-prone.
Whenever Liu Yueer caught wind of gossip, she could spin it into a whole story; she had long suspected Boss Qian’s interest in her mother-in-law and had already confided in Chen Sufen and Gu Dashu.
For Chen Sufen, whether her mother-in-law remarried or not, and to whom, was not something a daughter-in-law should discuss or interfere with, so she usually avoided the topic Liu Yueer broached.
Not this time though, because Boss Qian had come to the house.
To refuse discussion would seem too aloof towards Liu Yueer.
Previously, Liu Yueer had really intended to oppress her, but ever since her mother-in-law had asserted authority over the family, Liu Yueer gradually showed some genuine sisterly affection for Chen Sufen.
Thus, the two discussed the day’s events.
After exchanging views, the sisters-in-law realized they were in agreement regarding their mother-in-law’s remarriage.
They decided to fully respect their mother-in-law’s opinion.
Liu Yueer mentioned Gu Dashu’s attitude on the matter, gritting her teeth, "Just wait and see, if mother-in-law really wants to remarry, my husband and brother-in-law will definitely oppose. So what’s the point of having sons? They might seem filial usually but can’t comprehend the hardships of widowhood."
Chen Sufen nodded in agreement, "Who would disagree with that?"
In the past, Chen Sufen had been anxious about only having a daughter after being married for so many years; even now, she felt a bit regretful, but if given the choice, she’d still prefer a daughter.
Consider the mother-in-law; when the father-in-law passed away, it was Gu Taohua who comforted her.
Though both sons cared for her, none compared to a daughter for warmth.
The sisters-in-law spoke a bit more before hearing Tong Huaqiong calling outside, prompting them to head out.
Fengle Building had delivered wine and food.
Boss Qian cheerfully organized the table settings.
Liu Yueer and Chen Sufen initially felt slightly awkward facing Boss Qian, but seeing their mother-in-law acting naturally, they returned to ease.
Just as the dishes were laid out, Gu Dahuan and the others returned to the courtyard under the moonlight.
He Chao was supporting Mrs. Hong, whose eyes were red, indicating she had been crying.
"How did the excavation go?" Tong Huaqiong inquired.
"It’s the remains of my parents and brother," Mrs. Hong tearfully clutched her handkerchief and replied.
Mrs. Hong was so certain because one skeleton lacked a right hand.
That was her mother’s remains.
At that time, her mother’s right hand had a beautiful bracelet that couldn’t be released, prompting rogue soldiers to cut off her right hand, taking both the severed hand and the bracelet.
Tong Huaqiong consoled, "It’s good to confirm it’s your parents and brother, stop crying, just choose a good day and give them a peaceful burial."
Mrs. Hong nodded.
Currently, her parents’ and brother’s remains were temporarily stored at the pig farm’s chapel by Gu Dahuan.
He Chao planned to find a Feng Shui Master to select an auspicious burial spot in Qinghe Bay.
Mrs. Hong finally resolved one of her concerns.
Tong Huaqiong invited the village head and the hired workers who assisted with the excavation to join them for the meal.
Fortunately, Boss Qian was generous, sending someone to town to prepare an additional three tables’ worth of dishes on short notice.
Tong Huaqiong’s table supply was inadequate, so Gu Dashu went to Liu Yueer’s family to borrow tables and chairs.
The hired workers, who first worked at Tong Huaqiong’s house by helping with the burial excavation, cleaned up in the river and changed clothes before coming to eat.
No one had expected Tong Huaqiong to provide such a lavish spread of food; upon learning the dishes were from Fengle Building, everyone was eager to try.
Fengle Building offered the most prestigious dishes, something only Xu Jin’s family and former village head Xu Yong’s family had been able to afford.
With no formality, everyone sat or squatted, briskly clearing the table.
After the meal, He Chao, Mrs. Hong, and Boss Qian returned to town, and before leaving, they arranged with the village head to soon start building a house, entrusting all procurement and construction duties to the village head’s son, Liu Tong.
The village head gleefully agreed.
Once Boss Qian left, Gu Jingzhe and Gu Dashu, the two brothers, breathed a sigh of relief.
Although aware their mother wasn’t interested in Boss Qian at all, they still found him disagreeable.
"Dashu’s mother, should medicine be given to Xu Yong’s, Xu Jin’s, and Yan Pozi’s families?"
After everyone left, Liu Tieshan asked for Tong Huaqiong’s opinion.
Currently, almost every household in the village had received the disinfectant and pest control medicine, except those three families.
They hadn’t come to Tong Huaqiong’s house to collect medicine due to embarrassment, and Liu Tieshan had never informed them.
Logically, considering Tong Huaqiong’s enmity with these three families, it’s unlikely she’d give them the medicine.
However, Tong Huaqiong pointed out, if even one plot of land remains untreated for blight, it’ll spread through the village; even if other fields are treated with pesticides, they will be ruined altogether.
Tong Huaqiong had naturally considered this, so the medicine must be given, but it depended on the manner of giving.
Tong Huaqiong said, "If they want the medicine, I won’t be stingy but there are conditions. I won’t charge other households but for those three families, I’ll charge. One bottle of medicine costs one tael of silver."
The pricing was indeed high for agricultural medicine.
But since it’s Tong Huaqiong’s patent, if they wanted a good maize harvest this year, they had to buy it.
Tong Huaqiong hoped Yan Pozi’s family’s land would yield well, since Yan Pozi owed her silver, and she planned for Yan Pozi to pay back with this year’s corn.
Now that Yan Pozi’s maize field essentially belonged to her, she didn’t want the harvest to suffer.
"Will they pay for it?" Liu Tieshan was unsure of their thoughts.
Confidently, Tong Huaqiong said, "They’ll definitely pay."
Even if Yan Pozi won’t pay, Xu Jin definitely would.
And Xu Yong as well.
Tong Huaqiong predicted Xu Yong wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
She thought based on Xu Yong’s mindset, he’d be waiting for her to agree to sell him the medicine.
If he acquired it, he might try to develop a formula to profit.
If so, Tong Huaqiong thought, he’d be in for a major setback.
Seeing Tong Huaqiong’s confidence, Liu Tieshan said, "Okay, I’ll go tell them."
As anticipated by Tong Huaqiong, when Liu Tieshan visited these families, apart from Yan Pozi, both Xu Yong and Xu Jin agreed to pay for the medicine.
Xu Yong had already secretly checked out the plot where Gu Dahuan applied the medicine; based on his experience, he saw its definite effectiveness.
He worried Tong Huaqiong might hold a grudge and not sell him the medicine.
Once Liu Tieshan relayed Tong Huaqiong’s willingness to sell it, Xu Yong happily paid.
Originally, Yan Pozi refused to buy the medicine, claiming Widow Tong didn’t have good intentions, until Xu Yong lectured her; Yan Pozi insisted she lacked money for it, so Xu Yong generously paid for her.
After distributing the medicine, Tong Huaqiong kept a close eye on Xu Yong’s household activities.
Knowing Xu Yong well, she’d bet he wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
Many capable individuals thrived in this era; using her supplied medicine, they could undoubtedly create knock-offs.
Even without matching the potency of medicine she sourced, killing even half of the blight and aphid infestation would be a huge accomplishment.
For something so tempting, Xu Yong would never pass it up.
