The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 68: The Lu Family’s Recompense

Gu Dahuan listened to Tong Huaqiong’s suggestion and planned to escort the Lu siblings to the prefecture city before resigning and returning home.

Thinking about living with his wife and daughter at home was indeed more tempting than three taels of silver each month.

"Alright, I’ll listen to Mother. I’ll go and tender my resignation to Mr. Lu now." Gu Dahuan swiftly stood up and thought, since he had decided to resign, the sooner he informed Mr. Lu, the better.

Lu Zhaoyang had already gotten up and casually picked up a book that belonged to Jingzhe to read.

Upon learning that Gu Dahuan intended to resign, he felt quite regretful and was willing to increase the monthly pay to four taels to keep him.

Gu Dahuan gritted his teeth and refused, stating the reason was to serve his widowed mother at home.

This reason made it hard for Lu Zhaoyang to deny him. He pondered for a moment, then invited Tong Huaqiong into the room.

"...Aunt Tong, thank you for pointing out the root of my illness. After not consuming any wheat products last night, I feel much better this morning, more refreshed than ever. I have no way to repay you. I’ve heard that the young brother of the Gu Family is studying at a private school in town and passed as a child student last year. Even the scholarly administrator praised his knowledge. It would be a waste for him to remain at the town’s private school. Why not let him go with me to Wanliu Academy to study?"

Lu Zhaoyang, seeing Tong Huaqiong enter, didn’t exchange much pleasantries and directly suggested letting Gu Jingzhe study at Wanliu Academy.

Tong Huaqiong frowned.

Well, she had underestimated Gu Jingzhe.

From last night till this morning, with a single oversight, Gu Jingzhe linked up with Lu Zhaoyang, even planning to send him to Wanliu Academy.

However, this time Tong Huaqiong had clearly misjudged Gu Jingzhe.

Since Lu Zhaoyang arrived at the Gu Family, Gu Jingzhe never interacted with him, nor did he intend to use Lu Zhaoyang as a stepping stone to study at Wanliu Academy.

The reason Lu Zhaoyang proposed for Gu Jingzhe to study at Wanliu Academy was merely because he had previously heard from Gu Dahuan about the youngest brother’s studies and his excellent performance as a child student the previous year. Gu Dahuan worked at the Lu Family to support his brother’s education.

For Aunt Tong who saved him, he felt there was no better way to repay her than letting her son further his studies at Wanliu Academy.

Moreover, he had just casually glanced through Gu Jingzhe’s writing and felt it was worth the scholarly administrator’s praise.

"Thank you, Mr. Lu. But there’s no need. For a farming family like ours, Wanliu Academy isn’t a place we dare to aspire to." Tong Huaqiong refused.

Lu Zhaoyang was somewhat surprised by Tong Huaqiong’s refusal.

Biting the bullet, he said, "Aunt Tong, are you worried about the tuition? You needn’t worry about that at all. My grandfather always supports poor students, especially for an benefactor’s son, it’s only right."

An annual tuition of fifty taels, plus the cost of food, ink, and paper in the prefecture city, would add up to nearly a hundred taels a year.

For a poor student, this is indeed a big burden. Especially for the Gu Family, it’s even more so.

Lu Zhaoyang worried that Tong Huaqiong was concerned about the cost of education, so he offered to have the Lu Family pay for Gu Jingzhe’s studies at Wanliu Academy.

After all, such an expense was trivial for the Lu Family.

"It’s not about the tuition. The third one isn’t suited for studying; I’ve already made him quit school." Tong Huaqiong said.

Lu Zhaoyang was taken aback and asked, "Aunt Tong, is it because of money that the young brother of the Gu Family quit school?"

Tong Huaqiong said, "No, I just don’t want him to study."

Tong Huaqiong didn’t want to reveal the real reason for Gu Jingzhe quitting school to Lu Zhaoyang, as his mother, she didn’t want to lose face.

Lu Zhaoyang grew even more puzzled. Logically, for a poor farming family like the Gu’s to rise above, the greatest hope lay in the descendants’ education.

Now that their youngest son had talent for studying, why not let him continue?

This Aunt Tong is really peculiar!

"Aunt Tong, you are a knowledgeable person. To be a scholar, farmer, artisan or merchant, studying is the right path. Just like our Lu Family, we have no worries for food and drink but still hope to shift from commerce to scholarship, so I put in the effort to study. If a family can bring out a scholar, it’s a blessing, and since the young brother of the Gu Family is so talented, you shouldn’t bury him." Lu Zhaoyang tried to persuade Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong smiled and asked, "Did Gu Jingzhe say something to you?"

Lu Zhaoyang, puzzled, asked, "Why do you ask, Aunt Tong? He hasn’t spoken a single word to me since last night."

Thinking for a bit, he added, "You might think the young brother of the Gu Family used me as an intermediary. There’s no such thing. I just found out about his quitting school and think it’s a pity..."

Lu Zhaoyang, holding Gu Jingzhe’s essay, thought of pointing out how good it was, but then he realized that Tong Huaqiong was a rural woman, and he felt quite disappointed.

Learning that Gu Jingzhe hadn’t schemed in this matter, Tong Huaqiong felt slightly comforted.

She didn’t intend to explain to Lu Zhaoyang the reason for not letting Gu Jingzhe study, nor did she want to disclose the plan of temporarily discontinuing Gu Jingzhe’s education.

She did not want Gu Jingzhe to have any ties with the Lu siblings, and even if there was any connection, it would be through her, such as leveraging the Lu Family for business in the prefecture city.

Of course, even with the Lu Family’s assistance, it would be based on mutual benefit.

Not like in the previous life where the entire Gu Family relied on the Lu Family until nothing was left.

Thus, Tong Huaqiong began embodying the rural woman Tong Dajiao, saying, "Mr. Lu, I appreciate your kindness. But I have my reasons for not letting my son study. I understand that the tuition at Wanliu Academy isn’t much for the Lu Family, but for a farming family like ours, it’s a huge sum. Accepting your offer would seem like exploiting generosity, which is not in line with the Gu Family’s principles."

"Mr. Lu, please don’t make it hard for me. I’ve always believed that children have their own fortunes. If my family’s third son truly is a gifted one, we wouldn’t be able to keep him down. If he’s not destined, sending him to Wanliu Academy would be futile. Mr. Lu, you don’t have to worry anymore."

Lu Zhaoyang wanted to say more, but Tong Huaqiong made it clear she didn’t want to discuss it.

Lu Zhaoyang saw that, although Tong Huaqiong had her reasons as a widowed mother, she was too prideful to accept the Lu Family’s payment for Gu Jingzhe’s tuition.

Lu Zhaoyang couldn’t help but let his thoughts wander. He suspected that Tong Huaqiong was worried that if they used the Lu Family’s money for Gu Jingzhe’s education, then Gu Jingzhe would belong to the Lu Family.

Originally, Gu Dahuan was already working for the Lu Family as a carriage driver, considered a servant, which might spark some concern for Aunt Tong.

He thought of her selling pastries at the market; last night, the scent of those pastries kept him awake, but unfortunately, due to his gluten intolerance, he couldn’t eat them. According to Lu Zhaozhao, those pastries were better than any shop in the prefecture city. Since Tong Huaqiong didn’t accept his direct help with Gu Jingzhe’s studies, maybe the Lu Family could help through the Gu Family’s pastry business.

For instance, having Lu Zhaozhao order pastries from the Gu Family could be one form of help. Helping the Gu Family open a shop in the prefecture city would be another.

If Tong Huaqiong could earn money, couldn’t she let Gu Jingzhe continue his studies?

Thinking of Tong Huaqiong’s strong sense of pride, he was a bit hesitant to bring it up.

Tong Huaqiong could see it and took the initiative to say, "Miss Lu ordered pastries from my family. I’m not boasting, but my family’s pastries are definitely better than any in the prefecture city. If I want to open a pastry shop in the city in the future, I’ll definitely ask Mr. Lu for help."

Lu Zhaoyang was genuinely happy to hear this from Tong Huaqiong and said, "Aunt Tong, feel free to come to the Lu Family when you need me."

As Aunt Tong, whom he considered owed a favor to for her help with his illness, if he didn’t repay her, he would feel uneasy.

With Lu Zhaoyang’s assurance, Tong Huaqiong was relieved. She felt that using the connection with the Lu Family for Gu Jingzhe’s education wasn’t as beneficial as using it for her business.

Anyway, judging by Gu Jingzhe’s nature, maybe he could still succeed without the Lu Family’s help, and this lifetime he wouldn’t have to burden Lu Zhaozhao.