Gu Taohua, Gu Jingzhe, and Lu Zhaozhao returned home.

The aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, where Tong Pandi and Liu Yueer had already prepared several dishes.

The scent of zongzi floated through the air from the stove room.

The zongzi boiling in the big pot was ready.

Tong Huaqiong brought out freshly cooked meat zongzi and handed it to Lu Zhaozhao.

Eating zongzi is a must for the Dragon Boat Festival.

"This meat zongzi is really delicious," Lu Zhaozhao remarked, taking a bite after peeling it open.

The flavor of the meat mixed with the salted egg yolk and the fragrance of the glutinous rice exploded between her lips and teeth.

Tong Huaqiong used the best glutinous rice, the best meat wrapped with salted egg yolk, fresh and tender reed leaves, and simmered them in a wood-fired pot overnight. It was naturally incomparable to other zongzi.

Since last year, when Tong Huaqiong brought this meat zongzi here, many shops and vendors had imitated it this Dragon Boat Festival.

But imitations ultimately couldn’t match the original.

Moreover, the pork used this year came from neutered pigs, making it even more tender, so the meat zongzi from the Taohua Dessert Shop tasted better than last year.

Once launched, it sold out immediately.

Compared to what was sold at the Taohua Dessert Shop, the ingredients at home were even more substantial and cost-free.

It naturally conquered Lu Zhaozhao’s palate, accustomed to delicacies.

"If it’s good, have a few more," said Tong Huaqiong.

Then Tong Huaqiong asked, "When you visited Grandpa and Grandma Jingzhe, did they give you a hard time?"

Lu Zhaozhao replied with a smile, "No."

But she also didn’t flatter them with sweet words.

Gu Taohua said, "Grandpa and Grandma weren’t in a good mood. Second Aunt couldn’t get over Rui Nian’s failure in the exam, but Brother Feng Nian’s sister-in-law was quite polite to Zhaozhao, though."

It was just as Tong Huaqiong had thought.

Tong Huaqiong said to Lu Zhaozhao, "I won’t hide it from you; our relationship with the old house isn’t good. It’s because Jingzhe’s grandparents favor the second branch. I hold grudges and don’t forgive easily, so the relationship just stays lukewarm. You and Jingzhe are engaged, and I didn’t let them get involved. When you two get married, at most we’ll invite them for a glass of wine."

Tong Huaqiong thought it best to explain clearly to Lu Zhaozhao.

This way, episodes like Gu Honglian looking down on Lu Zhaozhao wouldn’t happen again.

Lu Zhaozhao nodded and said, "I understand. In that case, I’ll definitely stand with Aunt Tong."

Gu Taohua peeled open a zongzi and repeated what Gu Ruinian had told her to Tong Huaqiong.

Lu Zhaozhao listened, utterly confused.

Of course, Tong Huaqiong understood and smiled as she said to Gu Taohua, "Next time, reply as I taught you."

Gu Ruinian was probably starting to suspect that Gu Taohua was the transmigrator.

Tong Huaqiong intentionally confused him.

If Gu Ruinian later found out that the transmigrator wasn’t Gu Taohua but Tong Huaqiong, who knew how he’d react.

...

When Gu Ruinian returned home, he heard Old Lady Gu scolding loudly.

Of course, she was cursing the main branch for not respecting the old house or her and Mr. Gu.

This time, Gu Jingzhe brought Lu Zhaozhao to the old house, making Mr. and Mrs. Gu very angry.

Mrs. Jia was stuck in the "if Gu Ruinian was the top scorer, all this would be his" heart demon, unable to extricate herself.

Moreover, this heart demon intensified after seeing Gu Jingzhe.

Only Gu Honglian was unaffected; before eating, she held up cloth to show off to Old Lady Gu and the others.

"Jingzhe’s wife is really considerate, gave me a good piece of material. This material isn’t less than fifty taels of silver. Mom, touch it."

Gu Honglian handed the cloth to Old Lady Gu.

Old Lady Gu felt the material and said, "It’s good material, but to that Miss Lu, it doesn’t mean much. If she really valued you as her aunt, shouldn’t she give you hairpins or bracelets? What’s a piece of cloth?"

"Don’t let this little favor buy you over."

Gu Honglian pouted and said, "Her hairpin is crafted in the Shengjing Palace. I complimented it once, and she was going to give it to me. She even took it off but probably reconsidered, fearing Big Sister-in-law’s anger, so she took it back."

Gu Honglian blamed Tong Huaqiong for Lu Zhaozhao not giving her the hairpin.

Indeed, Big Sister-in-law wasn’t easy to get along with.

Lu Zhaozhao must have considered her future mother-in-law’s opinion.

Old Lady Gu believed this and scolded, "She’s a viper, no good intentions."

Gu Honglian draped the cloth over herself. When it unfurled, it looked light and soft, with a shimmering gloss, like the evening glow on water.

It was extremely beautiful.

Old Lady Gu, along with Mrs. Jia and Mrs. Wei, looked dumbfounded.

Even in the wealthy south, they hadn’t seen a young lady wearing such fabric.

The Lu Family are Imperial Merchants, likely acquiring palace materials, explaining why one piece is worth fifty taels of silver.

Mrs. Wei couldn’t resist touching it, "It’s beautiful."

"Don’t dirty it."

Gu Honglian pulled the cloth from Mrs. Wei’s hand and patted it.

Mrs. Wei looked embarrassed.

Gu Honglian joyfully said, "This fabric’s so nice, I should visit the town and find a tailor to make clothes. If it’s ruined here, there’s no second piece."

She had already decided to make a dress and use the remaining fabric for a skirt.

Wearing it would make all the girls in Qinghe Bay envious of her.

Even Fan Xiucai, whom she had met a few times and took a liking to in town, would be captivated by the dress made from this fabric.

The more Gu Honglian thought about it, the more delighted she became. She decided to go to town to make clothes right after lunch.

At this time, Mrs. Jia frowned, suddenly remembering her son’s lack of money for books.

The cloth on Gu Honglian was wasted. Selling it at the pawnshop for fifty taels would solve Rui Nian’s need for books and stationery.

With that in mind, Mrs. Jia said, "Sister, this fabric is so precious, but wearing it around the village, it’s hard to work in. Besides, there are weeds and thorns everywhere. If it’s accidentally damaged, it’d be a pity."

Gu Honglian said, "I don’t work."

Mrs. Jia lifted her eyelids and said, "Sister, it’s not for me to say; after all, an unmarried girl in the family is a cherished guest. But you should consider the family. We’re short on silver. Rui Nian doesn’t have money for books and stationery; how will he take next year’s county exam? Since your fabric is valuable, why not pawn it for fifty taels? It could supplement the household and buy Rui Nian’s books, which is proper."

Gu Honglian was stunned. She hadn’t expected Mrs. Jia to propose such an excessive demand.

Gu Honglian shouted at Mrs. Jia, "Second Sister-in-law, you can’t stand to see me happy. I barely got a piece of cloth, and you want to pawn it for your son’s schooling. What does your son’s schooling have to do with me? If you want to support his schooling, learn to make money like Big Sister-in-law."

Old Lady Gu also didn’t like Mrs. Jia calculating against Honglian and scolded, "You’re just like the main branch daughter-in-law, always scheming. Your sister just got something nice, and you can’t seem to stand it. Do you think I don’t know? You just dislike your sister not working. Honglian is a Gu Family member, eating and drinking from the Gu Family, and someone with the surname Jia has no room to comment."

Old Lady Gu was infuriated.

In Old Lady Gu’s mind, grandsons were naturally more important than daughters.

If Gu Youtian had proposed pawning the cloth, she might have considered it.

But the daughter-in-law proposing it made Old Lady Gu feel that Mrs. Jia was scheming against her daughter.