The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 84: Different Stepmothers, Different Fates
"Ha, a stepmother is just a stepmother. How can she be truly sincere to a child that’s not her own?"
The discussion about stepmothers had already died down, but a young wife sitting next to Gu Baishuang suddenly sneered, and her words seemed intent on stirring up trouble.
Tong Huaqiong looked over at the young wife. Her attire was conspicuously luxurious, and her slightly protruding belly clearly indicated she was pregnant.
"The stepmother even blocked the original wife’s burial with her husband, and you’re still defending her?" the young wife said to Gu Baishuang.
From her words, it was clear she deeply understood the grievances between Gu Baishuang and Tong Huaqiong.
Tong Huaqiong remembered that this young wife was the second daughter-in-law of the Nie family, surnamed Sun, which meant she was Gu Baishuang’s stepdaughter-in-law.
As stepdaughters-in-law go, Gu Baishuang’s two daughters-in-law were not as respectful to her as Chen Sufen was.
The eldest daughter-in-law was a smiling tiger, already had a son, and outwardly respected Gu Baishuang as her mother-in-law while scheming behind her back, often speaking sarcastically in a roundabout way. She didn’t attend the birthday banquet this time, so Tong Huaqiong didn’t see her in person.
The second daughter-in-law was the actual person sitting beside Gu Baishuang now.
She was also not someone easy to deal with, straightforward in her actions, and sharp-tongued. Because Gu Baishuang wasn’t her biological mother-in-law, she had no respect for her.
Gu Baishuang’s life in the Nie household wasn’t as easy as she had imagined.
After she gave birth to a son, it became even more so. It wouldn’t have been an issue if she hadn’t had a son, but having one meant a share of the Nie family inheritance; how could the two older stepsons be content?
With two wolf-like stepsons eyeing her every move, and two difficult stepdaughters-in-law, Tong Huaqiong felt that Gu Baishuang had a more comfortable life in terms of material wealth, but for true peace of mind, her life wasn’t as good as hers.
If she wasn’t happy, she could take it out on Gu Dahuan and Chen Sufen.
No matter how unhappy Gu Baishuang was, she had to endure it for Nie Xiaofeng’s sake.
Gu Baishuang herself had lived under a stepmother, knowing how unpleasant it was. After becoming a stepmother, she vowed to treat her two stepsons as her own, which only enlarged their appetites, developing into a lack of respect for her daily.
Gu Baishuang’s face changed as she listened to Sun’s words.
She knew that this stepdaughter-in-law brought this up not to seek justice for her against Tong Huaqiong, but purely to disgust her.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been making deliberate jabs by repeatedly mentioning "stepmother."
Everyone at the table knew she was the stepmother of the Nie family!
Sun was pleased with herself for embarrassing her stepmother-in-law in public.
She had a reason for making her stepmother-in-law look bad this time; her husband wanted control of Pingchuan County’s shops, but his father disagreed, causing a rift between them.
She assumed that her stepmother-in-law was whispering in her father-in-law’s ear, so she kept giving Gu Baishuang the cold shoulder, even in front of outsiders.
The ladies at the table, hearing this, assumed it was Gu Baishuang who was preventing the original wife from being buried with Master Nie. Some sided with Gu Baishuang, others with the stepsons and their wives, but regardless of whose side they were on, everyone was eager to witness the drama unfold.
"Granddaughter-in-law, are you implying me? Then you’ve got the wrong person. A few days ago, I decided that your grandmother and grandfather would be buried together. You probably haven’t received the news, right? At the burial ceremony, you’ll have to bow to the tablet as the granddaughter-in-law,"
Tong Huaqiong smiled at Sun, and the term "granddaughter-in-law" greatly disgusted Sun.
"Does a stepmother have such a kind heart?" Sun muttered.
"This matter is already decided," Gu Baishuang said flatly.
Sun pursed her lips, dissatisfied that she hadn’t managed to hurt her stepmother-in-law.
Tong Huaqiong took note of everything in front of her and said to Sun, "You want to know why I didn’t allow the burial at first, right? Wasn’t it because when the old man died, I was like a crab with no legs, just trying to stir things up a bit?"
Instead of letting Sun exploit the issue, she might as well reveal the truth herself.
Everyone looked at Tong Huaqiong, realizing that it was she who hadn’t allowed the original wife and husband to be buried together.
This Nie family daughter-in-law was supposedly standing up for Madam Nie, but it didn’t seem like it; it was more like she was using the matter to make a point.
Tong Huaqiong nodded to the ladies and said, "These days, I’ve been making money with my business, and I figure I can live without relying on a man. Ladies, don’t laugh at me, but honestly, I feel I’m not that old, and who knows, maybe I can remarry in the future. So, I no longer plan to be buried with the old man. There’s no problem letting the two deceased be buried together."
Tong Huaqiong’s words made Gu Taohua and Gu Baishuang widen their eyes, leaving the ladies in shock and speechless.
While truthfully, this Widow Tong doesn’t look old, with her well-groomed appearance and attractive features, who would marry her again when she already has grandchildren?
Gu Baishuang’s thoughts were turbulent, realizing her stepmother wanted her mother and father to be buried together because Tong Huaqiong had the idea of remarriage. How daring she was!
However, no matter what, she couldn’t interfere with her stepmother’s decisions. A moment ago, the stepmother had taken the blame for not allowing the original couple’s burial, making her feel a hint of gratitude.
Sun just thought Tong Huaqiong was shameless. At her age, shouldn’t she be quietly widowed instead of thinking about remarrying?
Who would want her!
She mockingly said, "What old man would want a widow? Does she really think she’s such a catch?"
Tong Huaqiong said, "I don’t know which old widower would want a widow, but granddaughter-in-law, isn’t it disrespectful to speak ill of a widow while you’re a guest in someone’s home? You’re attending a widow’s birthday celebration, and the County Magistrate’s wife sitting beside you is also a widow."
"Should we ask the two widows above us for their opinions?"
Sun’s face turned red and then white with anger and said, "I see you’re used to being a stepmother, always wanting to be one in another household, dreaming of remarriage."
This remark was a broad shot at both Tong Huaqiong and Gu Baishuang.
Gu Baishuang couldn’t hold back and scolded Sun, "Second daughter-in-law, what are you talking about? What do you mean by stepmother this and that?"
Sun retorted, "Well, you are a stepmother, or did I get it wrong?"
Gu Baishuang’s face turned livid with anger.
Tong Huaqiong was not upset and stood with Gu Baishuang against Sun, saying, "What woman can guarantee she won’t become someone else’s stepmother? Who can control the big issues of marriage? For instance, did you, when marrying into the Nie family as the original wife, seek it yourself? If your parents had married you off to an old widower like your father-in-law, would you have had a choice?"
Sun wanted to counter that she was personally sought after by the second son of the Nie family with betrothal gifts.
Tong Huaqiong, not waiting for her to speak, continued, "Talking about stepmothers every day, did a stepmother eat your family’s rice? You should be grateful to have a stepmother as your mother-in-law, considering if you had a biological one, with your careless way of talking, you’d have been slapped by now. You haven’t met a stepmother-in-law like me. I should have shaped your mother-in-law into the stepmother you speak of, and you wouldn’t even have the chance to sit here babbling, not to mention attending this feast."
Gu Taohua took a sip of tea and said, "Exactly, I think sister is too lenient. Sister, you’ve wasted your time learning from my mother. If you’re already enduring the bad name of a wicked stepmother, you should slap right back."
Gu Baishuang: "..."
Under the combined assault of Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua, Sun was furious.
"Also."
Tong Huaqiong glanced at Sun’s belly and said, "Mind your words in the future and accumulate some good karma for your child. You like to talk about stepmothers so much, aren’t you afraid people might think you’re wishing for a stepmother for your son?"
Sun was livid, her face pale. This was a curse on her!
