The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 367: The Convenient Son-in-Law

Originally thought the New Year’s greetings at Qinghe Bay would be the end, but unexpectedly, Tong Huaqiong received quite a few invitations early on the second day.

There were invitations from the Huang Family, the Liu Family, and some merchants and prominent families from Yan Guan Town and Pingchuan County, all inviting Tong Huaqiong to have drinks during the New Year.

Apart from the Huang Family and Liu Family, Tong Huaqiong declined most of them.

For those she couldn’t refuse, she let the social expert Gu Dashu take Liu Yueer to entertain them.

Liu Yueer was very pleased with her mother-in-law’s arrangements, as she loved socializing outside.

As for treating the clerks from the shop during the New Year, Tong Huaqiong delegated this to He Chao, who would host key clerks along with Gu Taohua.

The custom on the second day of New Year is to visit one’s maternal home, but Tong Huaqiong had severed ties with the Tong Family, so she had nowhere to visit.

Chen Sufen had mostly cut ties with the Chen Family as well, after sending New Year’s gifts earlier, she didn’t plan to visit on the second day.

Among the married women in the family, only Liu Yueer needed to visit her maternal home.

Liu Yueer’s maternal home was in the same village, yet Tong Huaqiong still treated it with importance.

She had Gu Dashu prepare a large cart of gifts and accompanied Liu Yueer and Gu Yaozu to the Liu Family.

Since Man Er and Xiao Long didn’t need to visit relatives, they were very envious that Yaozu could visit his maternal home, so Gu Dashu took all the children along, even bringing Hua Er.

Not visiting her maternal home didn’t mean Tong Huaqiong had nothing to do, as her stepdaughter Gu Baishuang was coming to visit her as a stepmother.

Since Tong Huaqiong arrived, Gu Baishuang rarely visited home, and their relationship was distant.

She hadn’t visited the Nie Family either; during the full moon celebration of Gu Baishuang’s youngest daughter-in-law Sun Shi’s son, Gu Dahuan and Chen Sufen had represented the Gu Family.

This time, Gu Baishuang was visiting her maternal home and Tong Huaqiong thought she would come alone, at most with her son Nie Xiaofeng.

As long as it looked appropriate, it would be fine.

Therefore, she didn’t prepare much, just as it was.

When two carriages stopped clattering at her doorstep, and Gu Dahuan announced, "Brother-in-law has also come," Tong Huaqiong realized that Gu Baishuang’s husband had come along too.

Gu Baishuang’s husband, Nie Mingyuan, was in the ceramics business and spent most of his time away; even when home, he didn’t interact with Tong Huaqiong.

In her past life, Nie Mingyuan looked down upon Tong Dajiao, not acknowledging her as an affordable mother-in-law; apart from the wedding and returning home, he never set foot in the Gu Family’s door again.

So, Tong Huaqiong had never truly met Nie Mingyuan.

Because Tong Dajiao hadn’t interacted with him, Tong Huaqiong wasn’t familiar with Nie Mingyuan’s personality; but considering his past life when he schemed against Gu Baishuang, giving all the family assets to his two sons, forcing Gu Baishuang to leave the Nie Family due to pressure from her stepsons and relatives, he was an insidious schemer.

Thinking of dealing with such a person made Tong Huaqiong feel disgusted.

Tong Huaqiong sat in the main room, playing with Hua Er, along with Chen Sufen, Gu Taohua, and Tong Pandi. After all, she was the mother-in-law, even if Nie Mingyuan came, he should greet her, not her getting up to welcome.

That’s the advantage of being a senior.

Gu Dahuan cheerfully led his sister and brother-in-law inside, and Tong Huaqiong saw a man with a long thin face and older than her entering the door.

She couldn’t help but curse Tong Dajiao inwardly, causing her stepdaughter to marry such an old man.

"Sister, brother-in-law is here." Chen Sufen stood up to greet them.

Gu Taohua only called out "Sister Baishuang" without glancing at Nie Mingyuan.

The last time they saw Gu Baishuang was when she came to inquire about Xiao Long’s situation; it hadn’t been long, yet Tong Huaqiong noticed Gu Baishuang had lost a lot of weight.

Probably Nie Mingyuan had come home to give her a hard time.

Thinking about this, Tong Huaqiong’s impression of Nie Mingyuan worsened.

Nie Mingyuan stepped forward to pay respects to Tong Huaqiong, calling out, "Mother-in-law above, your son-in-law pays his respects."

Tong Huaqiong’s mouth twitched and suggested Nie Mingyuan not to be too formal.

Nie Mingyuan looked around the new house and at Tong Huaqiong herself, surprisingly amazed.

This affordable mother-in-law seemed to grow younger, and her life went more smoothly.

Clearly, heaven didn’t really have its eyes open.

"Uncle, where should we put the stuff?" Nie Xiaofeng’s voice came from the courtyard. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Just put it in the front hall," Gu Jingzhe replied.

"Then you, Uncle, go ahead and place it," Nie Xiaofeng treated Gu Jingzhe rather indifferently.

Nie Xiaofeng ran into the main room, Tong Huaqiong glanced upwards, seeing behind him were two daughters-in-law. One was a little daughter-in-law Sun Shi holding a child, whom Tong Huaqiong had seen before; the older daughter-in-law Zhang Shi was new to her.

"Xiaofeng, child, quickly pay respects to your grandmother," Gu Baishuang said.

Nie Xiaofeng pursed his lips.

Tong Huaqiong waved her hand saying, "Forget it, forget it, it’s not important whether you pay respects or not."

Sun Shi and Zhang Shi stepped up to greet Tong Huaqiong. Tong Huaqiong gave Sun Shi’s son a longevity lock and Zhang Shi’s daughter a bracelet.

Balanced and unbiased.

Gu Baishuang took off her bracelet and gave it to Tong Pandi’s little daughter, Hua Er.

Gu Baishuang was truly refined in her behavior.

Chen Sufen offered seats for Nie Mingyuan and Gu Baishuang, and everyone sat together, serving tea prepared by Tong Pandi.

Sun Shi and Zhang Shi glanced at Tong Pandi.

As Yan Guan Town’s Black Dragon Pond area’s first divorcee, Tong Pandi was quite famous; it was normal for the two daughters-in-law to be curious about her.

What displeased Tong Huaqiong was the evident disdainful looks in their eyes directed at Tong Pandi.

"Mother-in-law, I’ve been traveling outside for a while; with the New Year approaching, I came back. Previously, I hadn’t had the chance to visit you; please forgive me." Nie Mingyuan said apologetically after taking a sip of tea.

His tone was cautious.

Tong Huaqiong thought, who are you fooling?

You never visited before, but now that Tong Huaqiong was conferred a title, rumors of her matchmaking for the Huang Family’s daughter with the Lu Family’s grandson made Nie Mingyuan come to forge a relationship.

"Brother-in-law probably didn’t even know which direction my home’s door faced. If it weren’t for sister leading you here, you’d probably enter the wrong door if you came alone," Gu Taohua commented sarcastically.

Nie Mingyuan smiled awkwardly.

Nie Xiaofeng glared at Gu Taohua, who glared right back.

This little aunt was not easy to mess with, leaving Nie Xiaofeng pouting and turning his head away.

Tong Huaqiong chuckled, saying, "Taohua is still young, loves making jokes."

Nie Mingyuan thought, this is no joke; clearly, it’s mocking him for previously disdaining the Gu Family and never visiting.

Being wealthy in Yan Guan Town, if not for Gu Baishuang being young, gentle, and agreeable, he wouldn’t have considered the Gu Family.

This affordable mother-in-law seemingly encountered good fortune, not only opening a pastry shop but also being conferred a title.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t bother dealing with this old hag.

Nie Mingyuan said with a magnanimous face, "Little aunt is lively and loves making jokes; that’s perfectly normal. By the way, mother-in-law, I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you on your conferment. Upon hearing the news, I was immensely pleased; I’ve been in the northern regions for half a year and brought back gifts that are unavailable here...

Nie Mingyuan instructed Nie Xiaofeng to open the large box they brought, took out a Great Cloak, and handed it to Tong Huaqiong, saying, "Xiaofeng’s mother heard from Dahuan that you’re most afraid of the cold in winter, so I bought a fox hunted by pastoralists from the northern regions to make you this Great Cloak."

Tong Huaqiong looked at the smooth, shiny Great Cloak in front of her.

She could already imagine herself donning it with an air of grandeur.