The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 157: Let Gu Jingzhe Return to the Private School
After Tong Huaqiong finished teaching Gu Taohua to read the account book, she saw Gu Jingzhe leaning on the counter drawing something.

"Jingzhe, what are you doing?" Tong Huaqiong asked.

"I'm drawing a cake," Gu Jingzhe said, unfolding the cake drawing for Tong Huaqiong to see.

Tong Huaqiong peeked out and saw that Gu Jingzhe's calligraphy was indeed worthy of being sought after by everyone in the capital in his previous life.

Since there were no cake models in this era, Tong Huaqiong came up with the idea of ​​using catalogs to showcase cakes to customers.

This task fell to Gu Jingzhe.

Every time Tong Huaqiong makes a new fancy cake, Gu Jingzhe will draw it.

Not only did they draw it, but they also categorized it.

For example, birthday cakes are in one category, baby's full moon celebration is in another, coming-of-age ceremony is in another, and coming-of-age ceremony is in yet another.
The cakes were drawn so realistically.

Tong Huaqiong sighed inwardly, thinking it was such a waste to keep Gu Jingzhe in the shop drawing cakes all the time.

It's time for Gu Jingzhe to go back to school.

She decided that once she finished dealing with the shop, she would have a proper talk with Gu Jingzhe.

After the pastry shop closed, Tong Huaqiong still had to return to Qinghe Bay.

Now that Tong Huaqiong can afford a horse-drawn carriage, she refuses to compromise by riding in a bumpy, open-topped flatbed.

Tong Huaqiong rented a horse-drawn carriage and used it to pick up and drop off herself, Gu Taohua, Liu Yue'e, Chen Sufen, and other female relatives in Qinghewan and Yanguan Town every day.

Gu Dashu and Gu Jingzhe took turns staying at the shop to guard the gate, while the one who wasn't on duty went home with Qin Qingyou and the others by donkey cart.

The coachman was already waiting outside Peach Blossom Dessert Shop. Tong Huaqiong led Gu Taohua and the other women toward the carriage.

"Shopkeeper Tong."

Tong Huaqiong frowned when she heard that familiar voice.

This person was none other than Mr. Qian, the owner of Fenglelou Restaurant.

Last time she went home to harvest wheat, Boss Qian bought a bunch of expensive gifts, including bird's nest, to send her off. Fearing that this guy would try to seduce her, she threw the gifts away.

I originally thought this embarrassing incident would cause Fenglelou to stop ordering pastries from Taohua Dessert Shop.

Surprisingly, Fenglelou continued to order daily pastries from Taohua Dessert Shop.

Tong Huaqiong had just finished harvesting the wheat and arrived at the shop when Boss Qian followed her in. He chatted idly with Gu Taohua and Ma Huateng for a few moments before disappearing under Tong Huaqiong's piercing gaze.

Tong Huaqiong spent the entire day making pastries in the bakery. She subtly inquired with Liu Qiaoyun about the matter, and Liu Qiaoyun said that Boss Qian had come several times during the day, and after saying a few words to her when he saw that she was not there, he returned to Fenglelou.

Tong Huaqiong then asked Liu Qiaoyun how often Boss Qian came to the shop when Gu Taohua was there a few days ago.

Liu Qiaoyun's expression was intriguing, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she vaguely said that when Gu Taohua was in the shop, Boss Qian did come and chat with Gu Taohua, but the topic of conversation revolved around Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong cursed this old lecher in her heart, thinking he was using the guise of a roundabout way to pursue Gu Taohua.

As Gu Taohua's mother, she absolutely would not allow Boss Qian to have any designs on Gu Taohua.

Thinking this, Tong Huaqiong coldly asked, "What is it? Boss Qian, I don't think your Fengle Restaurant is so idle. Why do you keep coming to my shop? My shop doesn't need any more employees."

Boss Qian seemed not to hear Tong Huaqiong's sarcasm, and said with a smile, "It's been a long time since I've seen Manager Tong. How is the wheat harvest at home?"

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself, "You old lecher, what business is it of yours what my harvest is?"

Tong Huaqiong sneered and couldn't help but swear: "Mr. Qian, you shouldn't be so nosy. Whether my wheat harvest is good or bad has nothing to do with you."

When Manager Qian was scolded, he wasn't angry at all; instead, he smiled.

He meant to say that he did want to have connections.

Shopkeeper Qian blushed a little at the thought, looked at the carriage that Tong Huaqiong had rented, and said, "Shopkeeper Tong, your carriage is too narrow and it's too crowded with so many people. The carriages in my shop are more spacious, and you can use them anytime."

Tong Huaqiong swiftly pulled down the carriage curtain and said, "You don't need to worry about it." After saying that, she ordered the driver to drive away from Rouge Lane quickly.

Mr. Qian looked somewhat lost.

Mr. Qian felt that although he had feelings for Tong Huaqiong, he had kept it well hidden and had not offended her in his words. So why did Manager Tong's attitude towards him change so drastically?

Everything was fine before the wheat harvest.

Do we sometimes do things recklessly without even realizing it?
Mr. Qian was filled with deep doubt.

“Mom, I think Boss Qian is a pretty good person, why are you so mean to him?” Gu Taohua said.

Tong Huaqiong said, "You're too young to judge people. You don't understand. He's not a good person."

Gu Taohua retorted, "How is he not a good person? On the first day our shop opened, he ordered the pastries that Fenglelou usually uses from us, and he even helped promote us at Fenglelou. Several of the birthday banquet pastries we received were introduced by Boss Qian."

Tong Huaqiong sneered. Gu Taohua was still too inexperienced to see through the fog and uncover the truth.

Mr. Qian did all this with ulterior motives.

That was her intention.

She was even happily helping them count the money.

But Tong Huaqiong couldn't tell Gu Taohua that Boss Qian had taken a liking to her.

“Mother, I share the same opinion as Tao Hua. You don’t need to embarrass Boss Qian.” Liu Yue’e continued, “We are neighbors after all. Besides, Fenglelou has such deep roots. It wouldn’t be good for us to offend Boss Qian.”

Liu Yue'e is also a fool.

I can't see what Mr. Qian's intentions are.

Tong Huaqiong told Liu Yue'e and Gu Taohua that they were too inexperienced to see through Boss Qian's true colors.

"Taohua, if Boss Qian comes to the shop to chat with you again, ignore him. If necessary, you can give him a hard time," Tong Huaqiong said to Gu Taohua.

"Mother, I'll listen to you," Gu Taohua replied readily.

Although Gu Taohua didn't understand the reason, she still decided to listen to Tong Huaqiong, since her mother wouldn't harm her anyway.

After arriving home and having dinner, Tong Huaqiong went to Gu Jingzhe's house.

Gu Jingzhe spent the whole day smiling at the aunties and grandmas in the shop. After seeing off the customers, she had to draw cake catalogs. After finishing her work at the shop, she still had to help Gu Dashu tidy up the pig farm when she got home.

It was quite a tough job.

Even so, he still made time to read.

"Mother," Gu Jingzhe called out, putting down his book.

These books were brought to him by Lu Zhaozhao, and Lu Zhaoyang personally selected them one by one. Gu Jingzhe treasured them and read them with great eagerness.

"You really enjoy studying that much?" Tong Huaqiong asked directly.

Gu Jingzhe nodded.

Tong Huaqiong asked, "Why do you study?"

Gu Jingzhe thought for a moment and said, "In the past, I studied to get ahead and to make my mother proud. Now I still study to get ahead, to get a good ranking in the imperial examinations, to pursue an official career, and to be promoted. But it seems to be more than that, though I can't quite put my finger on it."

“These days I’ve been working in the fields with my older brother and running the shop with my mother. I’ve realized how shallow the knowledge I learned from books was. Take farming, for example. You can’t just do whatever you want: when to water, when to sow, and when to harvest. I’ve learned how much grain an acre of land can produce and I’ve also learned about the different attitudes of the villagers towards rainy and sunny days.”

“I know how hard it is to make money by running the shop with my mother, especially since she has to deal with the government and various officials when she runs the shop. I have seen how hard it is for my mother.”

Tong Huaqiong saw a complex mix of emotions on her youngest son's face: confusion, sympathy, and regret.

It seems this young prodigy has been thinking a lot lately.

(End of this chapter)