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

"Dad, I'll go inside and see if I can find anything good."

When Wang entered the house, she saw that the furniture and furnishings were much better than when Old Man Gu died, and she wanted to dig out some good things to take with her later.

Before she could even take a proper look through it, she was interrupted by Gu Dahan stopping Tong Zhijie from killing the chicken.

She washed the chicken droppings off herself, calmed Tong Zhijie down, and while Gu Dahan went out to buy groceries, she slipped back into the main room.

Tong Zhijie and Tong Zhaodi followed behind, and the three of them began a sweeping operation like bandits entering a village.

“Aunt’s room is here. I know where Aunt keeps her money.” Tong Zhijie arrived at Tong Huaqiong’s room door with familiarity.

"Oh dear, why did Auntie lock herself up?"

Tong Zhijie frowned when he saw the large, gleaming lock on Tong Huaqiong's room door.

Wang said, "It must be because your aunt made a lot of money opening the shop. This is to prepare for the cold winter."

Wang was certain that Tong Huaqiong's large lock was definitely to protect her from her stepson.

Tong Zhijie said, "When my aunt comes back tonight, I want her to make me two sets of silk clothes and two pairs of new shoes. I also want to go to the best restaurant in Yanguan Town for a meal. These days at home, my mouth is so bland."

Wang tapped Tong Zhijie's forehead and said, "Just ask your aunt for it. If she doesn't give it to you, throw a tantrum."

The mother and her two daughters rummaged around in the upper room.

“These new clothes must belong to Gu Jingzhe. I’ll put them on first.”

Tong Zhijie noticed a silk garment hanging on the shelf and picked it up.

His clothes had just been soiled by chicken droppings, and although Wang had washed them with water, they still smelled foul.

Whether this garment belongs to Gu Jingzhe or Gu Dashu, once he wants it, his aunt has no reason to refuse.

Tong Zhijie changed into his new clothes without any psychological barriers.

"Peach Blossom's house was unlocked."

Tong Zhaodi's impression of Gu Taohua was that she was lazy, gluttonous, and had a bad temper; she would get angry if anyone touched her clothes or food.

But her aunt spoiled her.

Tong Zhaodi arrived at Gu Taohua's house, her eyes red with jealousy.

Both being daughters, why does Gu Taohua receive so much love and affection from her family?

Not only did her aunt spoil her, but her brothers also doted on her.

Whenever there was something delicious at home, they would stuff it into Gu Taohua's mouth, and she became so chubby at such a young age.

Tong Zhaodi opened the wardrobe, inside which hung several new clothes. She touched them with her hands and found they were all made of fine materials that she had never worn or seen before.

If Gu Taohua weren't so fat, she would definitely have tried it on.

What made her even more jealous was that Gu Taohua had a lot of jewelry.

She picked up the jewelry box and saw bracelets, earrings, and various hairpins inside.

Especially the hairpin with pearls hanging from it, which looks very valuable.

"Gu Taohua is so lucky." Tong Zhaodi was both envious and jealous.

Wang peeked in and said with a sneer, "Which family doesn't treat their daughter like a blade of grass? Only your aunt treats this wretched girl like a treasure. She's so young, yet she's fat and has a bad temper. Who will want her in the future? I don't think she'll find a good husband. Zhaodi, let me tell you, you mustn't follow Taohua's bad example."

Tong Zhaodi obediently said, "Mother, I won't learn from Tao Hua."

Then, she said indignantly, "Gu Taohua can't cook or do laundry, all she does is lie around eating and drinking. When she gets angry, she even scolds Gu Jingzhe. Why does she have nice clothes to wear and jewelry to wear?"

While cursing, she picked up Gu Taohua's pearl hairpin and put it in her hair.

If Gu Taohua were here, she wouldn't dare touch Gu Taohua's things, but Gu Taohua isn't home now, and she's not even allowed to have her way.

Tong Zhaodi thought she would wear it for a while and then take it off.

Besides wearing a hairpin, Tong Zhaodi also opened the box of rouge and face powder on the table.

I smelled it; it smelled nice. These rouge and face powders were a gift from Huang Jingshan, the daughter of the wealthy Huang family.

Gu Taohua casually placed it on the table.

"These watercolor powders look better on my face than peach blossoms."

Tong Zhaodi applied powder and rouge.

When I left Gu Taohua's room, I saw a bar of soap on the washstand.

Tong Zhaodi felt even more resentful.

She had seen this soap at her sister-in-law's place, where her eldest sister had been waiting for her younger brother. She said it was a very expensive product, something only young ladies from wealthy families in Pingchuan County used.

Pan Di's younger sister-in-law's soap was a gift from a wealthy family's daughter when she went to a banquet in Pingchuan County. She usually didn't want to use it and kept it on the table like a treasure.

Gu Taohua, however, casually placed such a valuable soap on the washstand.

Why does she live a life more pampered than the daughters of wealthy families?
Tong Zhaodi picked up the soap, wet it, and vigorously washed her hands with it.

"Hey, there's a plate of pastries here."

Wang took out a plate of butter cookies, ate one herself, and handed one to Tong Zhijie.

Tong Zhijie picked up the biscuits and wolfed them down.

"Zhijie, give me one."

Normally, Tong Zhaodi would never ask Tong Zhijie for it.

But the aroma of the pastries was too tempting. Having been hungry all day, and having only eaten a leftover steamed bun in the kitchen, she couldn't resist any longer.

"I don't even have enough to eat for myself," Tong Zhijie refused without even thinking.

Wang scolded from the side, "You little brat, how dare you steal your brother's pastries? You think you're worthy? If you eat one more piece, your brother will eat one less. Don't you know your brother hasn't eaten much all day? Instead of showing concern for your brother, you steal his pastries."

Tong Zhaodi was scolded by Wang Shi, and she walked out of the main room while swallowing her saliva.

Tong Zhijie was already used to Wang's scolding of Tong Zhaodi, and he shrugged at Wang's scolding.

"Eat slowly, don't choke." Wang patted Tong Zhijie's back tenderly as she watched her son eat with his neck stiff.

She then yelled outside, "Zhao Di, are you just going to watch your brother eat pastries? Go and get him a bowl of water."

Tong Zhaodi, suppressing her drool, went to the kitchen, poured a bowl of water, and brought it to Tong Zhijie.

The mother and her two children searched the main room but found no silver or anything else, so they left.

Just then, Gu Dahan came in carrying meat and vegetables.

Gu Dahan didn't understand why his uncle Tong Fusheng had given him two taels of silver to buy meat and vegetables, but since he had it, he spent it all.

He bought chickens, ducks, and geese from other people's homes in the village, and Gu Dahan also bought the big carp that Liu Tong, the village chief's son, had caught.

There are also two jars of wine and a block of tofu.

Since he had run out of oil at home at noon and hadn't had time to buy more, he used the money Tong Fusheng had given him to buy a large bucket of rapeseed oil.

"Hurry up and cook, I'm starving." Tong Fusheng ordered like a lord when he saw Gu Dahan carrying meat and vegetables into the house.

“During the Great Cold, you take care of the chickens, ducks, and geese, and Zhao Di and I will cook. You don’t need to go into the kitchen,” Wang Shi said.

Wang didn't want Gu Dahan to get involved, mainly because she didn't want him to eat the meat and vegetables.

Gu Dahan nodded earnestly and said, "Okay then."

Wang quickly started a fire, then took out eggs and flour, intending to make egg pancakes.

Since it was her sister-in-law's oil anyway, she figured she might as well use it, so Wang poured a generous amount of oil into the pot.

Gu Dahan prepared the chicken, duck, goose, and fish and sent them to the kitchen. When he saw the oil glistening on the pancakes, his lips twitched.

Normally he would have felt the pinch, but now he didn't care, since the money for the oil was given to him by Tong Fusheng. (End of Chapter)