Gu Honglian arrived at Tong Huaqiong’s doorstep.

She happened to meet Gu Dahuan returning from walking his horse.

This foal called Saixue, purchased in the fall, had been carefully fed all winter and now looked like a big horse.

Its body was snow-white, and its beautiful tail swayed gently.

Gu Honglian didn’t recognize Gu Dahuan and raised her hand to knock on the door.

"Is this Auntie?" Gu Dahuan stepped forward and asked.

Gu Honglian sized up Gu Dahuan but didn’t recognize him.

Gu Dahuan grinned and said, "Auntie, I’m Dahuan."

Gu Honglian’s eyes nearly popped out—was this her eldest nephew?

He looked completely different from her memory.

The nephew used to look dark and skinny, just a big skeleton with no flesh on his face.

Now the nephew standing before her was tall and sturdy, fairer, with some flesh on his face, and wore clean clothes and shoes, importantly without a single patch.

Could the sister-in-law’s family life be so good that even the eldest nephew could wear nice clothes?

Gu Honglian said bluntly, "Dahuan, why have you changed so much?"

Gu Dahuan laughed, "Auntie hasn’t been back for so long; it’s understandable not to recognize me at first sight."

Gu Honglian pointed at the horse in Gu Dahuan’s hand and asked, "Where did the horse come from?"

She couldn’t believe this horse belonged to her sister-in-law’s family.

How much would it cost to buy a fine horse?

Even when her brother was at his wealthiest, the family only had a donkey cart.

Sister-in-law was so poor last year; how could she possibly afford a horse in little more than a year?

Gu Dahuan stroked Saixue’s mane and said, "This is a horse bought by the family."

Gu Honglian looked incredulous.

"Where’s Sister-in-law?"

Gu Honglian followed Gu Dahuan into the courtyard and asked.

Gu Dahuan said, "Mom should be inside reading."

Tong Huaqiong often had people buy books from Pingchuan County and the capital, and she loved flipping through them when she had free time.

The family was used to it.

Gu Honglian heard Tong Huaqiong was reading and frowned.

Sister-in-law returned from the city but didn’t visit the old family home; instead, she stayed home reading, which went against the virtues of a wife.

"Auntie has arrived."

Gu Honglian heard someone calling her and looked up, seeing two people standing under the house’s veranda: one was a woman with a swelling belly, the other a sweet-faced, fair-skinned girl about her age.

She recognized the latter as her niece, Gu Taohua.

She didn’t recognize who was standing with Gu Taohua.

"Taohua, why have you gotten thinner?" Gu Honglian spoke, causing Gu Taohua to roll her eyes.

She didn’t like Auntie.

Auntie always competed with her for things.

Auntie wasn’t good-looking herself but always complained she was fat.

Gu Taohua looked Gu Honglian up and down and said, "Auntie, why have you come?"

Gu Honglian shot her a look, saying, "Why can’t I come."

Gu Honglian felt completely uncomfortable.

She used to mock Gu Taohua for being like a stone pillar, intentionally wearing pretty clothes to annoy her niece.

Now the niece had grown tall, slimmed down, her skin pale, a melon-shaped face, clear, large eyes, dressed in pink clothes—living up to her name like a blossoming peach flower in spring.

Her slightly chubby figure didn’t affect her beauty but gave her added energy.

Gu Taohua, who had always been teased to tears, had become so beautiful.

Reflecting on herself, though Gu Honglian didn’t admit she wasn’t good-looking, she could tell her real appearance from others’ eyes.

She had dressed specially for her sister-in-law’s return today, but her new clothes seemed plain and unsophisticated compared to what Gu Taohua was wearing.

Beaten by Gu Taohua, Gu Honglian’s stomach was full of anger.

Gu Taohua touched her face—there was nothing on her face, but Auntie was glaring at her intensely, as if she wanted to bore holes through her.

Chen Sufen, knowing Auntie and Niece didn’t get along, saw they were about to quarrel for no reason and said to Gu Honglian, "Auntie, why have you come at mealtime? Is there something up?"

This made Gu Honglian almost explode.

What did it mean coming at mealtime—she could come to Brother and Sister-in-law’s house anytime she wanted.

Wait a moment, this person called her Auntie; she didn’t sound like Liu Yueer—could she be Chen Sufen?

Gu Honglian asked, "Are you Dahuan’s wife?"

Chen Sufen nodded and smiled, "Auntie has been away for so long; you don’t even remember me."

Gu Honglian looked at Chen Sufen as if she were an unknown creature.

Was this the timid, humble niece-in-law she remembered?

The fabric she wore wasn’t inferior to Gu Taohua’s.

Gu Honglian was even angrier; Sister-in-law had given such nice fabric to Chen Sufen and not to her, even though she helped Sister-in-law bully Chen Sufen back then.

Gu Honglian stepped onto the veranda and asked, "Where’s Sister-in-law? Where is she?"

Chen Sufen and Gu Taohua didn’t stop her; Gu Honglian lifted the curtain and went directly into the familiar room, where the warmth made her want to squeal with happiness.

Even though it was spring now, it had snowed yesterday, and it was as cold as winter these days.

Especially the old family home, unused for years, was even colder; she was so cold she couldn’t sleep at night.

Gu Honglian looked around and was stunned by the person on the chaise longue in the center.

On the chaise sat a woman dressed brightly, reading a book while eating snacks.

She wore a magenta dress, her raised feet in exquisite embroidered shoes.

Rouge, lipstick, and perfume set off her face, making her look radiant and imposing.

Her hair was pinned with a pearl hairpin, shimmering as she moved her head, like water waves flowing.

Was this woman her sister-in-law?

Tong Huaqiong’s image didn’t match Gu Honglian’s memory of her sister-in-law at all.

While Gu Honglian was sizing up Tong Huaqiong, Tong Huaqiong was also evaluating her.

This was her bothersome little sister-in-law.

The girl who backstabbed Tong Dajiao in her previous life, making him deliberately forget her.

The little sister-in-law was about the same age as Gu Taohua, with a long face, narrow eyes, and thin lips.

Though Tong Huaqiong didn’t want to judge by appearance, the little sister-in-law’s features were somewhat sharp.

She heard the talking outside just now, feeling it wasn’t an exaggeration to call her sharp.

Gu Jingzhe, sitting next to Tong Huaqiong, stood up and respectfully called Auntie.

Gu Honglian didn’t even glance at this nephew.

"Is it Honglian?" Tong Huaqiong placed the book she was holding on the table beside her, drank some tea, and asked lightly.

Gu Honglian snapped back to reality and called Sister-in-law.

Her voice carried resentment, grievance, and frustration.

Well, the whole family awaited Sister-in-law’s arrival, yet she leisurely read at home.

Sister-in-law now lived a blessed life, while she lived with the bankrupt second branch in hardship.

Gu Honglian expected Tong Huaqiong to pull her over, embrace her, and show concern.

Gu Honglian waited a while and felt disappointed; Tong Huaqiong showed no intention of being affectionate.

"Sister-in-law." Gu Honglian raised her voice in grievance.

Tong Huaqiong pointed to the chair beside her and said, "Sit."

Then she asked in surprise, "When did you come? Why didn’t you send a message before coming back to the village? Where are you staying now?"

Frustrated, Gu Honglian wanted to roll her eyes.

Sister-in-law did it on purpose; now the entire village knew their family was back, Rui Nian had just come by to see Gu Jingzhe, surely Sister-in-law was aware.