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

"This matter seems to be being kept secret, so please don't tell anyone that I told you."

After adding fuel to the fire, Granny Yan ran off.

“Well, she really opened a shop. I underestimated her,” Tong Fusheng said.

Normally, it should be a happy thing for the girl to open a shop, but the fact that she was obviously keeping it from him made Tong Fusheng unhappy.

Don't assume that just because she married into the Gu family, the shop belongs to the Gu family; half of the shop belongs to the Tong family.

Since his surname is Tong, then he must be Tong Fusheng's.

Wang slapped her thigh and angrily scolded, "Didn't you say your sister couldn't possibly keep it from you? She's kept it a secret like an iron barrel. Luckily we came to Qinghe Bay, otherwise we wouldn't have known. Your sister made money and now she's looking up at the sky, trying to get rid of us. I think you're a useless older brother, even your sister doesn't respect you."

Enraged by Wang's words, Tong Fusheng decided to go to the shop in Yanguan Town to find Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Zhijie stopped him.

Tong Zhijie said, "Auntie's shop is right there, we can't just run away. I'm exhausted, let's go to Auntie's house and get something to eat first."

Tong Zhijie knew where Tong Huaqiong kept her house key.

He had been craving it for a long time, and now that his aunt had gone to town to do business, he simply caught the chickens, ducks and geese that his aunt raised, slaughtered them, and stewed them to eat.

Tong Fusheng thought his son's words made sense.

He had walked all day and was exhausted and thirsty, with blisters on the soles of his feet.

I really don't want to leave.

Besides, he was confident he could handle the girl; she'd always listened to him since they were little, and people don't change easily.

Listen to your son, the shop business isn't urgent, let's go to my sister's house to rest first.

Tong Fusheng and his family got up and headed towards Tong Huaqiong's house.

Arriving at Tong Huaqiong's door, Tong Zhijie, familiar with the place, reached under the large stone by the sycamore tree and felt around for a long time but couldn't find the key.

"That's not right, Auntie's key has always been under this rock."

What Tong Zhijie didn't know was that back when the Gu family was poor, the key was kept under a stone, so even if someone found it and opened the door, there was nothing to steal.

Not so now.

Tong Huaqiong is now the richest woman in Qinghe Bay. She has money, land deeds, and things she transported from her space, which must not be discovered.

Therefore, Tong Huaqiong had already changed all the locks on her house, and she also required her family members to carry the keys with them.

I'm afraid my house will be burgled.

"This is clearly a precaution against us."

Tong Zhijie searched through all the stones and bricks at the entrance, but still couldn't find the key, and was panting heavily from exhaustion.

Seeing her son covered in sweat from exhaustion, Wang was so angry that she started cursing him.

Tong Fusheng's expression was also very unpleasant.

The whole family sat down at the door, waiting for Tong Huaqiong to come home.

"Uncle, Aunt, what brings you here?"

When Gu Dahan returned home from the pig farm, he saw Tong Fusheng's family sitting wearily at the door, with his aunt muttering curses.

A bad feeling began to grow in my heart.

Gu Dahan greeted them while unbuckled the keys from his belt.

Tong Fusheng and his family didn't recognize Gu Dahan when they saw him.

After all, the former Gu Dahan was silent and a shadow, timid and hesitant in front of Tong Dajiao, and looked older than Tong Fusheng when working in the wind and sun outside.

At this moment, Gu Dahan was more upright and younger than before. Although his clothes were covered in mud, they were clearly newly made.

"Brother Dahan?" Tong Zhijie asked.

Gu Dahan nodded and said, "It's me. What's wrong? Don't you recognize me? I even came to your house last year to help you harvest wheat."

It turned out to be Gu Dahan.

Tong Fusheng's family then adopted a contemptuous attitude.

Their impression of Gu Dahan was still that of someone carrying sandbags outside. Now that the wheat harvest season was over, why was Gu Dahan still at home? This was very unlike Tong Dajiao's way of treating her stepson. So Wang asked, "Why are you at home?"

Gu Dahan was puzzled as to why his aunt asked this question. Where could he have gone if he wasn't at home?

Despite inwardly complaining, Gu Dahan honestly replied, "My mother made me stay home and manage the land."

Tong Fusheng and Wang Shi exchanged a glance.

They're even managing the land? The Gu family only has five mu of land in total. What's there to manage? They're making it sound like the Gu family is a landlord family.

"Dahan, open the door and let us in. I've been walking all day and I'm dying of thirst," Tong Fusheng said to Gu Dahan, adopting the airs of an uncle.

Gu Dahan opened the door.

Although Tong Huaqiong had said at home that she would sever ties with the Tong family, it hadn't happened yet. Now that she was here, Gu Dahan wasn't going to kick her out.

He's not like Gu Dashu, who had blood ties to him even after doing something outrageous.

Tong Fusheng led his family into the Gu family's house.

There was a deck chair in the courtyard, and Tong Fusheng lay down on it as soon as he entered.

“Uncle, that’s my mother’s chair,” Gu Dahan reminded him.

This recliner is exclusively for Tong Huaqiong; only she can use it.

No one else is allowed to lie down.

Tong Fusheng was no exception, hence Gu Dahan's reminder.

"Don't even mention a chair; it would be right for the entire Gu family to give everything to the Tong family. My daughter from the Tong family married into your family as a stepmother and bore children for your Tong family. The Gu family owes the Tong family far more than just a chair," Tong Fusheng reprimanded Gu Dahan.

Tong Fusheng was furious; how dare his stepson talk to him like that?

It seems my sister has neglected to discipline her family; even her stepson dares to boss her around.

Without Gu Dahan even offering to help, Wang Shi and Tong Zhaodi went to the kitchen to find water and food.

Tong Zhaodi lifted the pot lid and saw that there were only two steamed buns inside, so she exclaimed, "Why are there only steamed buns?"

Gu Dahan usually manages the pigsty and land at home, and just grabs a quick bite for lunch.

These two steamed buns were leftovers from his lunch.

Wang found two watermelons in a corner of the kitchen, cut them up with a knife, and then served them to Tong Fusheng and Tong Zhijie.

Gu Dahan couldn't stop him.

Tong Fusheng and Tong Zhijie devoured both melons completely, leaving not even a scrap for Gu Dahan, and not even for Liu Zhaodi.

After finishing his melon, Tong Zhijie patted his behind and walked towards the chicken coop, chasing the chickens away.

"Zhijie, what are you doing?" Gu Dahan asked.

"Let's kill a chicken and eat it," Tong Zhijie said casually.

"No one can kill a chicken without Mother's order," Gu Dahan said.

"That's true for you. For my aunt, what's hers is mine. Besides, all these chickens are raised for me to eat. My aunt loves me so much. She'd kill all the chickens in the coop for me, let alone just one, and she'd be happy to do it all," Tong Zhijie said nonchalantly.

“Nephew, I’m not trying to be mean, but as a stepson, you shouldn’t concern yourself with your mother’s affairs and her nephew’s. My son Zhijie is your mother’s own nephew. If this chicken isn’t given to her own nephew, who else should it be given to?” Wang said from the side.

Gu Dahan thought to himself that was in the past, but that might not be the case now.

"Then wait until my mother comes back before saying this. If she's willing, I won't interfere. But since she's not home and I'm in charge of the house, I can't let you kill the chickens." Gu Dahan kept his responsibility of looking after the house in mind and went to the chicken coop to stop Tong Zhijie from catching the chickens.

“So what if I kill a chicken? Second sister, bring me the chicken-killing knife.” Tong Zhijie shouted at Tong Zhaodi.

At home, Tong Zhaodi always gave the best food to Tong Zhijie, thinking that when she got to her aunt's house, she could kill a couple more chickens so she could get a few pieces to try.

Therefore, they couldn't be happier for Tong Zhijie to kill the chicken.

She carried a knife from the kitchen to the chicken coop and handed it to Tong Zhijie.

Tong Zhijie chased the chicken with a knife in his hand.

Two of the brooding hens were so frightened that they flapped their wings and ran around, even crushing two eggs.

Gu Dahan was heartbroken and rushed forward to snatch the knife away. (End of Chapter)