The old lady of the Gu family felt aggrieved.

Especially tonight, it reached a peak.

Back then, the whole village knew she followed her younger son to the south to enjoy life, and she had no intention of returning.

Now the money’s gone, the business has collapsed, and in her old age, she has to return home to farm.

She thought the eldest son’s family would be well-off, and she could stand tall in the village, but the eldest daughter-in-law holds grudges and doesn’t give face.

It took repeated invitations for her to come, and she hasn’t even called her "mother" since she arrived.

How could she hold her head up in the village in the future?

Thinking of this, the old lady of the Gu family cried even more sorrowfully.

"Oh, my son. My son. If you were alive, who would dare bully me, who would dare not respect me?"

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself: Is she hinting at me? Who bullied you, who disrespected you?

What is all this nonsense?

Judging by how deftly this old woman reproaches her daughters-in-law, she doesn’t seem like a soft touch.

"Oh, my son, my poor son, why did you leave me...boohoo..."

The old lady of the Gu family cried mournfully.

Tong Huaqiong sat steadily, unruffled.

Gu Dahuan, Gu Jingzhe, and Gu Taohua exchanged glances amidst their grandmother’s sorrow for their father.

Not really, this grandmother wasn’t that nice to their father when he was alive, squeezing him for money to support the second uncle’s family.

Neither did she cry like this when he passed; rather, she united with the clan leader before the mourning hall to force their mother to give money for their support, on the grounds that the mother was a young second wife who might remarry.

Nie Xiaofeng was annoyed by the old lady’s crying and stepped forward, saying, "Great-grandmother, please stop crying. Your tears won’t bring grandfather back to life. Don’t you still have the second grandfather and a big family of grandchildren?"

The old lady of the Gu family looked up at Nie Xiaofeng and asked, "Whose family are you from?"

Nie Xiaofeng was speechless.

Tong Huaqiong said, "He’s Bai Shuang’s son."

The old lady, Mr. Gu, and the second son’s entire family looked shocked.

Tong Huaqiong actually tolerated this unofficial grandson living in her house.

They thought the Nie family was the reason the eldest son’s family thrived now.

The old lady’s crying was interrupted. Gu Ruinian handed over a handkerchief and said to Tong Huaqiong, "It was supposed to be a festive day, but it upset grandmother. Eldest aunt, don’t take it to heart. After all, grandma lost her son, and it’s normal to feel emotional seeing you and thinking of my uncle."

Tong Huaqiong met Gu Ruinian’s gaze with a half-smile.

Showing your true colors.

"Grandma, please stop crying. You always said you missed Qinghe Bay, and now that we’re back, you should be happy," Gu Ruinian consoled the old lady.

Gu Ruinian, now the old lady’s cherished grandson, managed to calm her tears.

She just resented the eldest family for not cooperating with her grief.

"It’s late, and the two elders should rest. There are lots of tasks waiting at home, so I won’t stay. Second brother, second sister-in-law, please take good care of the elders," Tong Huaqiong stood up to take her leave.

If she stayed longer, there would be nothing to talk about with this room full of people.

Mr. Gu, who had been silent for a long time, called out, "Wait."

Tong Huaqiong sat back down, wondering what nonsense Mr. Gu was up to.

"The reason I called you here today was to discuss the care arrangements for your mother and me," Mr. Gu hastily revealed his intentions.

So eager, bringing up elder care as soon as she arrived.

Tong Huaqiong, in a listening posture, said, "Go ahead."

Mr. Gu took a puff of smoke and slowly said, "Normally, care should fall on the shoulders of the eldest family. Your second brother took care of us and let us enjoy life for so many years. Living outside can’t compare to being home; outsiders don’t know we lived with our youngest son. Now we’re back, and to have the youngest son continue to support us would make people criticize the eldest family. Even though my son is gone, you are still the Gu family woman; this duty falls to you."

Tong Huaqiong thought, truly shameless.

The favoritism runs deep; the money and land were given to the younger son, yet the care is thrust upon the eldest family.

She hadn’t even spoken, and Mr. Gu had already started the moral coercion.

Tong Huaqiong said, "By rights, the eldest family should take care of the elders, but the premise for elder care is that the family assets should be largely theirs. Since we’re airing it out now, I have nothing to hide. You gave the money and land to the second brother; expecting the eldest family to take care of the elders isn’t quite right, is it?"

Before Mr. Gu could speak, Tong Huaqiong turned to Gu Youtian and said, "Second brother, you are shameless. Back then, you declared in the ancestral hall before the clan leader and everyone that you would take care of our parents later. Now you deny it, only because you see that your elder brother is dead and you bully his widow and orphans."

If this is about moral coercion, anyone can do it.

Tong Huaqiong started to tear up.

Gu Youtian couldn’t sit still any longer and stood up to say, "Eldest sister-in-law, back then, I was angry at you for arguing with our parents over respect, and in my anger, I said I would take care of them. Later my elder brother passed, and I understood your situation with your fatherless family, so I continued caring for our parents without asking you for a penny. Now our parents are back home, your situation is better, shouldn’t your family care for them?"

Tong Huaqiong slapped the table and retorted, "How come you didn’t have this theory when taking the money and land? If you want me to care for them, fine, give back the money and land."

Gu Youtian felt bitter.

How could he possibly give it back?

The money was lost, and the land was rented out to the clan; he planned to reclaim it in a few days.

Seeing the sibling-in-law stalemate, Mr. Gu spoke up, "Stop arguing. The Gu character can’t be split in two; we’re one family after all. Your arguing only brings laughter to outsiders and doesn’t benefit us."

Tong Huaqiong snorted; why the quarrel, wasn’t it all your fault?

The old lady clapped and said, "Who we as elders give our money and land to is our business; no one can interfere. Speaking of money, back when we married off the eldest, we spent thirty taels for your brother Tong Fusheng; not much was spent getting the second married. Shouldn’t land and money go to him in compensation? I raised the eldest with all the care, and now he’s gone, his wife and children should act filially for him."

Tong Huaqiong said, "Old lady, you’re mistaken. You spent thirty taels not to marry me, but for your son to have a wife. There are women you could marry for less than a tael; wouldn’t your family want such a woman? Surely, but you couldn’t find one. Old Gu was an old widower with two children; if not for me, who would marry him? Now you’re asking for money, but it never reached me; if you’re upset, go ask Tong Fusheng for money."

"You raised him with all that care, and now you claim grievance. You should have drowned him at birth, saving yourself the trouble."

Tong Huaqiong’s statement was explosive for people of that era.

Even Gu Jingzhe and Gu Dahuan felt their mother had gone berserk.

Mr. Gu and the old lady were furious.

This eldest daughter-in-law was becoming more outrageous.

She had always been wild, but never openly declared not to care for the elders.

Only Gu Ruinian remained expressionless but thoughtful.