Chapter 437: Chapter 437: Conflict Between Sister-in-Law and Brother-in-Law

Gu Ruinian raised his head and looked at his sister-in-law in astonishment.

He didn’t understand why his sister-in-law suddenly went crazy.

The first thought that came to mind was that people truly are ingratiating to the powerful and contemptuous of the weak. When he brought hope to the family in the past, his sister-in-law didn’t have this attitude.

Gu Ruinian glanced at Mrs. Wei and continued to pick up food.

Mrs. Wei pointed at Gu Ruinian and said, "Ruinian, you’re not young anymore. You talk about manners all day, but do you have any manners when you eat? Before I married into the Gu family, I never knew someone could disregard others and gather all the good food on the table into their own mouth."

"The dinner table isn’t just you; there are elders like grandpa and grandma. And you pick out the good meat and vegetables to eat? Where is the filial piety you’ve been talking about? You say that once you become successful, you won’t forget us, yet now you even snatch and grab food. I think the first thing you’ll do when you succeed is abandon this poor family relationship."

Mrs. Wei’s words plunged the dinner table into silence.

Old Mrs. Gu wanted to say something but was stopped by Mr. Gu.

The eldest granddaughter-in-law lent silver for the mother-in-law’s medical treatment today; she was busy and tired, let her vent if she needs to.

Mr. Gu feared that if he and Old Mrs. Gu defended Gu Ruinian right now, they would anger the granddaughter-in-law, and she might refuse to act. After all, he hoped she would pawn the jewelry sent by her family to support Gu Ruinian’s studies.

Old Mrs. Gu stifled her resentment, while Gu Ruinian put down his chopsticks and looked at Gu Fengnian.

He hoped his brother would stand up to defend him.

Hogging food wasn’t his fault but the family’s poverty.

Sister-in-law accused him today simply because he failed the exam.

If he had become a scholar, her attitude would have been different.

What good is such a snobby sister-in-law to his brother?

Usually, Gu Fengnian would defend Gu Ruinian and scold Mrs. Wei, but this time, he avoided Gu Ruinian’s eyes.

Mrs. Wei is right; investing in Ruinian’s studies isn’t as beneficial as investing in our own son’s studies.

A brother can never be closer than a son.

In the village, those with sons would tighten their belts to send their son to the private school; now only his son hasn’t attended private school in the entire village.

If Gu Ruinian becomes a scholar, it’s understandable, but he failed the exam.

According to the family’s plan, Ruinian will continue studying, meaning the whole family must continue to support him.

Gu Fengnian was swayed by Mrs. Wei’s recent persuasion.

"Ruinian, your sister-in-law is right. You eat too selfishly; we usually keep the good food for you, but you can’t always think only about yourself. Besides, shouldn’t grandpa and grandma, who are elderly, eat well first? And shouldn’t your sister-in-law and Xiao Xue, who work every day, eat well first? It’s fine for you to eat privately, but every time Taohua and Da Han come to deliver food to grandpa and grandma, they see you hogging the food. If word got out, wouldn’t people say our family lacks manners?"

Gu Fengnian avoided Gu Ruinian’s eyes and said these words.

Mrs. Wei breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed her persuasion was effective.

Gu Ruinian gritted his teeth.

He didn’t anticipate his always supportive brother to become so estranged.

He must have misjudged his brother, thinking he was good to him, but turned out to be just as ingratiating to the powerful as the sister-in-law.

It’s said that two different types can’t sleep in one bed.

Just because this exam went poorly, the whole family mourned as if someone had died.

Just wait; they’ll regret it someday.

Although Gu Ruinian didn’t eat to his fill, he didn’t have the mood to stay at the table, so he got up and returned to his room.

Mrs. Wei sneered, truly the good son of his mother, from beginning to end, he never asked how his own mother was doing.

His own mother’s life and death are none of his concern.

So cold-blooded, so selfish.

Mrs. Wei served meat separately to Xiao Xue and Fengnian, saying, "Eat, such good food would be a waste to discard."

Mr. Gu felt uneasy in his heart.

He didn’t know how to ask Mrs. Wei to pawn the hairpin given by her family to send Gu Ruinian to the private school in town.

"Grandpa, don’t say that I have issues with Ruinian; what I said today was for his good. I heard Jingzhe used to be cold and selfish, but was transformed under Aunt Zhao’s guidance. Aunt Zhao told me that to temper Jingzhe’s temperament, the aunt made him work in the fields for several months, exhausted by farm work, he started to study hard and became a top student." Mrs. Wei said to Mr. Gu.

Old Mrs. Gu said, "Your aunt does things unreliably."

Mrs. Wei said, "Unreliable as she may be, she raised a top student son."

Old Mrs. Gu was choked and couldn’t speak.

Mr. Gu coughed twice and said to Mrs. Wei, "Just say whatever you want to say straightforwardly?"

Mrs. Wei said, "Second brother is roughly the same age as Jingzhe. Grandpa, set aside your affection for Ruinian and observe as a bystander: is Ruinian more sensible or Jingzhe? Anyone can tell Jingzhe is more sensible. Since our business failed and we’ve been living frugally, we haven’t treated second brother badly. He gets the best food and drink, we supported his studies, and we’ve raised him to not consider the family at all. Many students go for exams on foot, yet he insists on hiring a carriage, so second brother’s failure this time isn’t entirely unexpected."

"Second brother should consider the family now; the family shouldn’t continue to indulge him like this."

Old Mrs. Gu couldn’t help but say, "Then what do you want?"

Mrs. Wei said, "Jingzhe can do farm work, why can’t he? If he doesn’t want to work in the fields, fine, he can go to town or county to work as an accountant. In any case, second brother shouldn’t keep using studying as an excuse to do nothing at home."

Mr. Gu took a deep breath.

Old Mrs. Gu started to curse, "I said you shouldn’t enter Tong Hua’s house, coming back like this makes you equally vicious as Tong Dajiao."

Old Mrs. Gu firmly believed that Mrs. Wei was led astray by Tong Huaqiong.

"Your brother-in-law studies day and night for what? Isn’t it to change the family’s fate? We have no money to support his studies, which has already wronged him, and you want him to work outside. Like Tong Dajiao, you can’t even accommodate your brother-in-law, you’re just jealous that Ruinian can study."

Being cursed by her mother-in-law she could tolerate, but being cursed by the older generation from a different room was unbearable for Mrs. Wei.

Mrs. Wei said, "Why don’t we have money? Grandpa and grandma, I’ll tell you the truth..."

Gu Fengnian kicked Mrs. Wei under the table, interrupting her, "Don’t argue, just eat, eat."

Not letting Mrs. Wei speak, she insisted on speaking. Why should she protect Gu Ruinian’s image?

Mrs. Wei said, "The reason our family is like this is Ruinian’s doing. He prides himself on being smart, looking down on everything, even our small business. He had the idea to invest in the escort agency business, confidently telling dad he would make money, asking dad to trust him. Just like he confidently said he would become a scholar. Dad then invested all family silver into it, resulting in a total loss and dragged my family silver into it too. I’m too embarrassed to face my family."

Old Mrs. Gu was dumbfounded, defending Ruinian, "He did it for the family; he wanted to make money for the family."

Mrs. Wei sneered, "Money is lost, it’s lost; business has ups and downs. But Ruinian’s idea made the business fail yet he acts like nothing happened, enjoying at home, doing nothing yet getting all the benefits. If he had any sense of regret, any awareness of his mistake, I wouldn’t have an issue with him."

Mrs. Wei while speaking became tearfully aggrieved.

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