The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 69: Sons Are Meant to Be Bossed Around
Afraid that the weather would be hot after the sun rose high, Tong Huaqiong asked Gu Dahuan to take the Lu siblings back to the city after breakfast.
After the carriage was prepared, Tong Huaqiong instructed Gu Dashu to place the two baskets of pastries ordered by Lu Zhaozhao on the carriage and cover them tightly with cloth.
Lu Zhaozhao gave three taels of silver, which Tong Huaqiong did not refuse and accepted.
Additionally, Tong Huaqiong also prepared rice balls and eggs for Lu Zhaoyang and advised him not to eat any wheat or flour products in the future.
Lu Zhaozhao held Gu Taohua’s hand with a look of reluctance.
Gu Taohua had a bit of social skill, and in just one night and morning, she had captured Lu Zhaozhao’s heart to become half a close friend.
"Taohua, when you have the time to go to the city, you must come to the Lu family to find me," Lu Zhaozhao said.
"I haven’t been to the city yet, but when I go, I’ll definitely find you," Gu Taohua replied, "Go get on the carriage quickly."
Lu Zhaozhao stepped on the carriage, bid farewell to Chen Sufen and Liu Yueer, hesitating to get into the carriage, wanting to speak but stopping, her eyes darting around.
Tong Huaqiong understood in her heart that Lu Zhaozhao was looking for Gu Jingzhe.
After being beaten and brought home from the fields, the Lu siblings were inside the house, and since Gu Jingzhe did not appear during meals, they were unaware that Gu Dahuan had beaten Gu Jingzhe.
Lu Zhaozhao thought Gu Jingzhe was working in the fields and hadn’t returned, so she wanted to wait for him but didn’t know how to say it. She could only speak to one person after another to delay time.
Seeing that departure time was near, Gu Jingzhe still had not appeared.
"Get on the carriage, it’s not good for traveling when it gets hot later," Tong Huaqiong urged.
She had to go to town to sell pastries and couldn’t spend more time on farewells.
"Dad, when will you be back home?"
Man Er stood by the carriage, holding Gu Dahuan’s hand with a reluctant expression.
Although her father had told her that he would soon return from the city and would stay at home with her and not leave anymore,
Man Er was still a bit worried and timidly looked at Tong Huaqiong.
"Your dad will be home by tomorrow or the day after," Tong Huaqiong answered for Gu Dahuan. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
Her words were more convincing to Man Er than Gu Dahuan’s.
There’s no choice, she’s the one who calls the shots in the Gu family, so everything at home, including the animals, listens to her.
"Man Er, be good, listen to Grandma at home. I’ll be back by the latest the day after tomorrow with some hairpins and clothes for you," Gu Dahuan said as he patted Man Er’s head.
Originally, he felt regret over resigning from the Lu family, but when he saw Man Er’s tearful big eyes, he wished he could stay home today.
"Daddy, I’ll be good," Man Er said softly and sweetly.
After saying goodbye to Gu Dahuan, Man Er delayed the time, and Lu Zhaozhao was happy and wanted to take off the hairpin on her head and give it to Man Er.
But then she thought, earlier in the morning, when the second sister-in-law of the Gu family received her clothes, Aunt Tong scolded her; she didn’t dare add fuel to the fire by giving the hairpin, so she thought about it and took out a delicate handkerchief to give to Man Er.
"Man Er, don’t worry, your dad will definitely be back in these two days. Here, this handkerchief is for you," Lu Zhaozhao said as she handed the handkerchief to Man Er.
Tong Huaqiong didn’t stop her from giving just a handkerchief.
Receiving the handkerchief, Man Er pointed at the lotus flowers on it and smiled, "The flowers look like the real ones, thank you, Sister Lu."
Lu Zhaozhao: "..."
It seemed a bit mismatched in terms of seniority; she and Gu Taohua were considered sisters, yet Man Er called her sister.
Before she could correct it, Tong Huaqiong urged them to hurry up and set off.
Gu Jingzhe still didn’t appear, and Lu Zhaozhao’s eyes showed disappointment as she had to get into the carriage.
Gu Dahuan gave a few words of advice to Chen Sufen and drove the carriage away from the Gu family.
After the Lu siblings left, Tong Huaqiong also needed to tidy up and head to the street to set up her stall.
Tong Huaqiong had planned to take Mr. Xu’s carriage to town, but yesterday, when her two sons pushed the flat cart and pulled her, she had a new idea.
Why spend four people’s fare round trip to ride in Mr. Xu’s carriage? She could have her two sons take her to town in the morning and bring her back in the evening.
Why not use her sons if she has them!
As for whether the sons would be tired from taking her there and back on top of their work, she expressed no concern.
If bad bamboo sons are not trained like cattle or horses, they won’t be smooth.
So, Tong Huaqiong shouted towards the house, "Gu Jingzhe, get out here."
The call from the old mother couldn’t be ignored by Gu Jingzhe.
Gu Jingzhe stepped out of the house with a gloomy face; the one who always claimed to be the hope of the entire village had been beaten by his half-brother, and the brother not only got away with it but also received praise from their widowed mother.
Today, the changes in the Gu family have reached a peak.
"You know why your brother hit you, just say whether you deserved it or not? You deserved it! What you’ve done dishonors your father, who even underground must kneel before the ancestors asking for forgiveness. Your brother hitting you was lenient. So, are you convinced? Do you blame your brother?" Tong Huaqiong asked with a series of questions when she saw the two symmetrical bumps on Gu Jingzhe’s head.
Gu Jingzhe rubbed the corner of his mouth and said, "I don’t blame my brother."
He didn’t dare blame him!
These days he’s been reflecting, realizing he was terribly wrong to consider selling Man Er for prospects.
He should be grateful that his brother only beat him up.
Usually silent and just focuses on work alone, his brother no matter how exhausted still found ways to fulfill his requests for money. He always thought his brother was just someone molded from clay.
Unexpectedly, when the clay figure came alive and started beating, he hit hard, especially since Gu Dahuan did all the heavy work and was full of strength, crushing him with just one punch.
What embarrassed him even more was that early in the fields, quite a few people saw him being beaten.
Except for Qin Qingyou and his second brother stepping in, they all stood on the field ridge to watch the show, some even clapping their hands saying Gu Dahuan did well.
After his self-esteem took a hit at the private school, Gu Jingzhe felt the pain of shattered pride in the village too.
He had been so proud in the village before, and today, he was so mortified.
Dropping out, getting beaten, these two things could keep him trending in Qinghe Bay’s hot topics, and of course, probably except for Liu Qiaoyun and her husband Qin Qingyou, all comments would be negative about him.
"Since you don’t blame your brother, stop looking like you’re dead. Pull yourself together, you and your second brother are taking me to my stall in town today," Tong Huaqiong said.
Gu Jingzhe hadn’t reacted much, but Gu Dashu was the first to get excited.
"Mother, you should have done this long ago. With two sons at home, why take Mr. Xu’s carriage and endure people like Xu Si? What’s the point?" Gu Dashu said as he lifted the pastries onto the flat cart.
Since the first crow of dawn, his brother had already watered the driest spot at the base of the mountain. Now there wasn’t much work left, just waiting for the wheat to ripen.
He was already impatient with farming, and now he’s thrilled to follow his mother to town and set up the stall, it’s right up his alley.
"You’re right, so starting today, you and number three will take me and Taohua to town in the morning, come back to tend to the crops, and come pick us up in the afternoon," Tong Huaqiong said with a pat on her thigh.
"Ah, still have to come back and farm?" Gu Dashu shrunk.
He really didn’t like tending to crops!
"Otherwise, you could drop me off in town and just like before your brother did, go to the dock to carry sandbags and earn money for the family." Tong Huaqiong suggested.
Gu Dashu shrank his neck back, doing hard labor like that is surely not for him!
Gu Jingzhe said nothing but silently laid dry grass on the flat cart to make it comfortable for Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua to sit.
Tong Huaqiong watched coldly; Gu Jingzhe indeed had a calmer personality now.
