The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 61: The Stepmother’s Change

"I think mother is serious, not just saying it, she even brought the bedding from the private school. These days, she’s been forcing him to work in the fields, and I’ve seen his hands swollen from pulling weeds."

"Is third brother willing to do it?"

Dahan doesn’t believe Jingzhe would willingly drop out of school!

In his eyes, third brother thinks highly of himself, willing to sacrifice everything to study for a better future.

"Of course he’s not willing. Third brother passed the child student exam at such a young age, and the scholarly administrator in the city praised him. If it were you, would you want to drop out of private school and go home to farm? But there’s no choice, you know mother’s temper; she means what she says. How she treated us before is how she treats third brother. Do you think third brother can withstand it?"

Dahan opened his mouth, thinking if mother really treats third brother like they were treated, third brother definitely couldn’t bear it!

"Third brother cried and begged, but it was of no use. These days, it seems third brother has accepted it. He cried and told mother that he would finish harvesting this season’s wheat at home and then find a bookkeeping job in Pingchuan or another city, working and studying at the same time, supporting himself without spending family money."

Sufen narrated Jingzhe’s situation to Dahan.

Dahan listened and said nothing, thinking if Jingzhe really did this, he’d be relieved.

When he worked at Pingchuan Pier, Jingzhe often came to him for silver.

"There’s another thing I need to clarify; third brother asked you for silver in Pingchuan County without telling mother. When she found out recently, she beat him up."

Sufen told Dahan about Jingzhe asking for silver.

Although she thought her mother-in-law was unreasonable, she didn’t want to pin anything she didn’t do on her, fearing it might leave a knot in Dahan’s heart when the topic came up later.

The next thing Sufen said made Dahan nearly rush out to bow to Tong Hua.

"...Mother said to choose a good day to bury your mother and father together and said she won’t enter the Gu family ancestral tomb after she passes, choosing not to be buried with father."

Dahan was speechless with shock, wondering what this stepmother was after?

Back then, she caused a big scene at father’s mourning hall, unwilling to let his mother and father be buried together. He couldn’t win against his stepmother and two half-brothers, ultimately compromising.

This led to elder sister Baishuang cutting off contact with him.

Now he could understand her agreeing to his parents’ joint burial, but couldn’t fathom her decision not to join the ancestral tomb after death.

If it’s for redemption, the price seemed a bit too high.

"Anyway, no matter what, the past is the past. Mother said we should work together and live well from now on," Sufen sighed, "We weren’t meant for wealth and luxury, but a life without grievances is very good. Mother also said you shouldn’t go out to work anymore but stay home to live together, so our family can reunite."

She has been living comfortably lately. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Hoping it continues to be comfortable like this.

Now that Dahan is back home, per his mother-in-law’s promise, Dahan will stay home and not go out to work anymore.

She’ll worry about the housework, Dahan will work in the fields, and they’ll work together with Mother-in-law to live well.

The more she thinks about it, the more optimistic she is about the future.

"Let’s talk after I finish this stint at the Lu Family," Dahan told Sufen, "The Lu Family is kind; Mr. Lu rewarded me with much, which I saved to give you and Man Er."

Sufen pursed her lips and smiled, lowering her head.

Dahan was a bit tempted knowing Tong Hua planned for him to stay home, no longer going out for work.

If he were still carrying sandbags at the pier, he’d quit without hesitation. But now he had a good job at the Lu Family, managing their trips with horse carts.

The work was easy and respectable, with the Lu Family being esteemed employers, providing room and board plus three taels of silver monthly and seasonal clothing.

Annually, he could earn over thirty taels of silver, enough for the family’s village needs.

Farming for a year to save just a few coins?

But he couldn’t make the decision alone yet; he’ll need to consult with his stepmother. Considering the earnings, she would likely agree to let him continue working for the Lu Family.

"Is mother making pastries with Taohua and them?" Dahan glanced outside and asked.

Through the window, Dahan could see the firelight from the kitchen and hear his stepmother’s robust scolding, followed by the enticing aroma of pastries.

"Yes, they’re doing this daily. Non-stop from dawn to dusk, mother says working together for a good life isn’t just talk."

That night, Tong Hua discreetly told her that today’s sales combined with Huang Yuanwai’s order totaled fifty-seven taels, earning nearly thirty taels after costs.

Moreover, her mother-in-law acknowledged her significant contribution.

Her hard work was noticed by her mother-in-law.

"Dahan, I really think mother’s changed for the better. She taught the good craft to me, not Taohua or Yue Er," Sufen boasted.

Today, Dahan learned from Sufen about a series of changes from his stepmother, each more shocking than the last, leaving him little time to digest.

"They’re all making pastries while we’re resting here; isn’t that inappropriate?"

Dahan felt guilty lounging around the house, conditioned by Tong Dajiao’s influence, and saw Tong Hua along with Dashu and others going in and out of the kitchen, urging Sufen to join them in helping.

Sufen nodded and said, "Let’s go too!"

Tong Hua sent Sufen back to her room and then headed to the kitchen, mobilizing Dashu, Jingzhe, Liu Yueer, and Taohua, first sorting the pastries Sufen made during the day, then continuing to bake new ones.

Tong Hua saw Sufen and Dahan helping in the kitchen and said nothing, knowing that even if she sent them to bed, they wouldn’t go, so there was no point in wasting her breath.

If they’re willing to work, she wouldn’t stop them. More hands meant finishing sooner and sleeping earlier, especially since she had to get up early to set up the stall.

Following Sufen’s guidance, Dahan beat the eggs.

Tong Hua always felt Dahan was secretly observing her.

It must be Sufen who told him about her changes; he was just trying to adapt.

Indeed, if Tong Dajiao can change for the better, its shock value is comparable to the old man from the Gu Family coming back to life.

"You two shape up. Don’t think running around all day makes you family heroes; your sister and I setting up a stall all day isn’t tiring? Your big brother working outside isn’t tiring? Sister-in-law making pastries all day isn’t tiring?" Tong Hua snapped at Dashu and Jingzhe, seeing them yawning.

Dashu and Jingzhe ran around all day fetching eggs for the pigs, pulling Tong Hua and Taohua with a flatbed, and even hauling in Zhaoyang and the pigs, utterly exhausted.

But they didn’t dare complain or utter grievances.

Their widowed mother sold pastries all day for the family to live well, still working hard after returning home at night, so they couldn’t bear to sleep.

They braced themselves to help.

Tong Hua purposely kept Jingzhe busy so he wouldn’t have time to focus on Zhao Zhao.

Tong Hua sent Zhao Zhao to sleep in Taohua’s room; Zhao Zhao checked on brother Zhaoyang and seeing his condition was good, lay down on Taohua’s bed.

Originally, Zhao Zhao was asleep but woke up, slightly dazed.

The pastry’s aroma overwhelmed her, feeling it seep into her mind.

Zhao Zhao donned clothing and came to the kitchen, seeing Tong Hua lifting freshly baked chestnut crisps onto bamboo mats.

Those chestnut crisps looked irresistibly tempting.

She wanted to eat!