"Go get an ounce of silver for Rui Nian," Mr. Gu said to Mrs. Gu.

Mrs. Gu walked into the room, opened the box, and reluctantly handed an ounce of silver to Gu Ruinian.

Gu Fengnian’s wife, Mrs. Wei, sneered internally. What kind of book would cost an ounce of silver?

This little brother-in-law, somehow lucky enough to pass the child student exams, is now arrogant, asking for money under the pretense of studying.

Mrs. Wei couldn’t help but jab at Gu Ruinian: "If it weren’t for the family’s business losses, why would we be so stingy about buying a few books?"

This was a veiled jab at Gu Ruinian for suggesting ideas that led the family to suffer losses.

Gu Ruinian, clutching the silver, felt indignant inside.

Gu Fengnian reprimanded Mrs. Wei: "Isn’t Second Brother reading to ensure a better life for our family?"

Mrs. Wei said no more, angrily placing a large portion of scrambled eggs in her son’s bowl.

Gu Honglian was displeased and shouted, "These eggs are for me and Rui Nian."

Mrs. Gu cast a sharp glance at Mrs. Wei.

Mrs. Wei, angry, set down her chopsticks and said, "Is it easy for me? Following you all to live in this godforsaken place, and it’s already mid-February but still so cold. Not a bit of meat on the table, and today just placing one chopstick of eggs gets me a look. If not, nobody will eat anything."

Increasingly indignant, Mrs. Wei began to cry.

"Why do the family’s best things go to the niece and Rui Nian? Is my son not deserving of food?"

Crying, she pulled Gu Honglian close, overturning the plate of scrambled eggs on the floor.

Gu Honglian, infuriated, threw down her chopsticks.

Mrs. Gu scolded: "What has come over you? Why are your thoughts so wicked? You can’t eat, so you won’t let your niece and Rui Nian eat either."

Mrs. Wei shouted: "I made the dinner. Can my son not eat one chopstick of eggs? You favor the niece and Rui Nian, I can’t interfere. But if my son doesn’t get eggs, no one will eat any. The niece and Rui Nian do nothing all day. All the good food ends up in their bowls. If they want to eat well so much, why not go live with the main family? Why can’t they earn money themselves?"

Mrs. Gu pointed at Mrs. Wei, furious and trembling all over.

In this family, apart from Gu Honglian, no one dared to speak to her this way.

Gu Honglian had never been spoken to harshly from childhood to adulthood. Now, she couldn’t bear it, pointed at Gu Fengnian across the table and yelled: "Fengnian, hit your wife. Hit her for me!"

Gu Fengnian gritted his teeth, faced Mrs. Wei’s tearful eyes, and ultimately lowered his hand.

Gu Ruinian pressed his lips together, lowered his head to hide the disappointment in his eyes.

Big Brother is still too soft-hearted, unable to discipline.

Women like Big Sister-in-law, mere daughters of common merchants, always causing trouble in the family, what right does she have?

He was baffled, thinking, where are the values of obedience and virtue expected of women in this era, why are the elder aunt and sister-in-law so fierce?

Yao Family’s child saw his mother crying and began wailing loudly.

The dinner table descended into chaos.

Gu Honglian, sniffling, directed her anger at Gu Ruinian sitting beside her, yelling: "It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t needed silver for books, would my eggs have been knocked to the ground?"

Mrs. Jia was displeased, and she held back her temper in front of her in-laws as she said to Gu Honglian: "Sister, your nephew buys books to ensure you have a good life."

As for Mrs. Wei, she was unapologetic, raising her voice: "Rui Nian is the only reader in our family. You begrudge him eating well? If he doesn’t eat well, how can he use his brain? Calling him idle, his reading is the greatest contribution."

Mr. Gu slapped the table and said: "Alright, stop arguing."

Gu Ruinian set down his chopsticks; the bland and oily-less food already made him lose his appetite, and the commotion made it worse.

When they were in the south, all the good food went to him and his aunt, all the good clothes too, no one had ever said a single word against it.

Now the reason for family conflicts.

Boiled down, it’s all because the family’s poor.

Gu Ruinian felt no guilt about eating well while the family ate poorly; rather, he saw it as natural.

He’s the only hope for the Gu family’s second branch.

Big Sister-in-law, really, what’s the rush? Once he achieves success, won’t he look after Yao Family’s child?

"Rui Nian, you’re not eating anymore?" Mrs. Jia asked worriedly.

Gu Ruinian ignored Mrs. Jia, glancing around at everyone at the table, and said calmly: "Next month, I will definitely become a Scholar. I promise you, being a Scholar is just the first step, I will become a scholar, become an advanced scholar, and enter the cabinet as a minister. You’re all my family; all my efforts are to bring a good life to you."

After finishing, he stood up and walked out calmly without looking back.

Mrs. Jia and Mrs. Gu, the mother-in-law, were deeply moved.

Equally moved, Mr. Gu said: "Rui Nian’s ambition is the blessing of my Gu family."

Then he said to Mrs. Gu: "Go take another ounce of silver for Rui Nian. I noticed he’s lost weight recently; he shouldn’t miss meals when he goes to town, let him have a good meal to replenish." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Mrs. Gu took out silver and handed it to Gu Honglian, instructing her to go to town with Rui Nian for a feast.

"No one can say we older folks are biased. Honglian is our cherished young lady, Rui Nian is our family’s golden child."

Mrs. Wei sneered.

Gu Ruinian with his grand ambitions, Scholar, scholar, advanced scholar.

Is it that easy to pass?

Don’t see him reading, she knows he burns the midnight oil without studying a single page.

And aren’t the exams up high costly?

Who’s going to fund him?

"Grandpa, Grandma, I’m here to bring you something," Taohua entered with a cheerful smile.

Everything that unfolded at the dinner table just now was witnessed by Taohua.

A few days ago, Tong Huaqiong was summoned by the clan for a "meeting," though she didn’t relent on the issue of supporting her elders completely, she compromised somewhat.

Her duty to show filial respect, such as offering a bowl of good food, providing medical care when ill, nothing more than that.

She was true to her word, from today regularly sent a bowl of food to the old residence, anyway it wasn’t a big deal.

Taohua brought over a bowl of chicken this time.

"This is a token of respect for Grandpa and Grandma."

Taohua placed the chicken on the table.

Immediately the room filled with the aroma of meat.

Everyone swallowed their drool.

Since coming to Qinghe Bay, they hadn’t had chicken yet.

Gu Honglian wouldn’t let anyone else take it, reaching with her chopsticks for the tenderest piece of meat.

Mrs. Gu picked a piece for Mr. Gu.

Mrs. Jia then selected the prime pieces, intending to bring them to Gu Ruinian’s room.

Taohua reminded Mrs. Jia: "Second Aunt, the chicken is a tribute for Grandpa and Grandma, not for Rui Nian."

Taohua didn’t want this meat to end up wasted on Gu Ruinian.

Mrs. Jia paused her meat selection.

This Taohua was meddling too much.

Mr. Gu spoke up: "Since the meat is a tribute for me and your grandmother, who we share it with is our business."

Taohua rolled her eyes.