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

"This aroma smells like it's coming from our house. What are you cooking at home, big brother?" Gu Taohua sniffed and said.

Tong Huaqiong led Gu Taohua, Chen Sufen, and others home from the town. As soon as they entered the village, they saw wisps of smoke rising from their own kitchen.

The aroma of the food wafted straight into my nose.

Gu Taohua's mouth watered with envy.

"It smells like stewed chicken," Chen Sufeng said to Gu Taohua. "Your older brother is a very good cook; this stewed chicken smells delicious."

Wang and Tong Zhaodi worked at full speed in Tong Huaqiong's kitchen, quickly preparing a table full of dishes.

Tong Fusheng and Tong Zhijie were drooling with envy.

They hadn't had a proper meal in a very, very long time.

Gu Dahan guessed that Tong Huaqiong would be back soon, so he cleared out the dining table in the house and went into the kitchen to bring the dishes into the house.

And I must say, my aunt and cousin are quite efficient at their work, so Chen Sufen and the others can have a meal as soon as they get home from the shop.

"Hey, Dahan, go out and see if your mother and the others have come back yet," Wang said to Gu Dahan, carrying a basket of egg pancakes.

With such good food, she had to send Gu Dahan away.

She planned to lock the door after Gu Dahan left.

Wait until the family has finished eating before opening the door.

Gu Dahan said, "No need, my mother and the others will be back soon."

Wang's face showed dissatisfaction.

"Dahan, I've run out of tobacco. Go out and get me some more." Tong Fusheng saw through Wang's intention and sent Gu Dahan away.

Gu Dahan said, "Uncle, my mother said that tobacco leaves are no good. They can blacken your intestines. Even my second brother has quit. You should stop smoking too."

Tong Fu was furious. He slapped his pipe loudly and said angrily, "Just go when I tell you to, stop with the nonsense."

Gu Dahan's stubborn temper flared up, and he said, "Uncle, think about it, how can you survive if your intestines are blackened by tobacco leaves? My cousin is still young, and my cousin is not married yet. If you leave like my father, how will my aunt manage to raise the two children?"

Tong Fu was so angry that he couldn't speak.

Wang gasped. Was Gu Dahan cursing her to become a widow like her sister-in-law?

In order to get Gu Dahan out of the house, Tong Fusheng and Wang Shi temporarily suppressed their anger.

"Brother Dahan, why don't you go and see where Aunt is?" Tong Zhaodi came out of the kitchen and pushed Gu Dahan toward the door.

Gu Dahan was pushed by his cousin and had nowhere to put his hands and feet.

Tong Zhaodi pushed Gu Dahan out the door, and just as she was about to lock it, Gu Taohua got off the carriage.

"What's wrong, bro? Who's the fool who kicked you out?"

Gu Taohua pushed the door open.

Tong Zhaodi couldn't withstand Gu Taohua's strength and sat down on the ground with a thud.

She wanted to curse him out, but she held back.

Gu Taohua is someone she can't afford to offend.

"Big brother, have some people from our family arrived?" Gu Taohua turned to ask Gu Dahan.

"It's my uncle's family who's here," Gu Dahan said.

Hearing the commotion, Tong Fusheng and Wang Shi knew that Tong Huaqiong had returned, so they quickly went to the door and looked outside.

Tong Huaqiong jumped down from the carriage.

Tong Fusheng and Wang Shi exchanged a glance. Goodness, this girl has really struck it rich; she can even afford such a magnificent carriage.

Looking again at Tong Huaqiong's overall demeanor, she was dressed in silk clothes and adorned with gold and silver ornaments in her hair. Even her two daughters-in-law following behind her were dressed in new clothes and wearing headdresses.

Tong Fusheng felt displeased.

Now that the girl is doing well, she looks down on people.

He asked people to deliver messages to his sister several times, but she didn't go back to her parents' home even once.

Luckily they came to Qinghe Bay today, otherwise the girl would still be keeping her good life a secret.

Wang was equally dissatisfied, as her sister-in-law was living such a good life, yet she didn't care about the well-being of her brother and sister-in-law's family.

Tong Fusheng and Wang Shi didn't even greet Tong Huaqiong. They turned around and went back to the courtyard with an air of importance. They clearly wanted Tong Huaqiong to apologize and make amends, and ideally, to give the Tong family everything she was wearing, including her clothes, hair ornaments, silver, and grain.

Otherwise, they would never forgive her.

When Tong Huaqiong heard Gu Dahan say that her uncle's family had arrived, she thought to herself, "So the vampire was waiting at home."

Seeing Tong Fusheng and Wang Shi arrive at the door and then quickly disappear back into the courtyard, Tong Huaqiong thought to herself that they really treated this place as their own home.

Although she was an only child in her previous life, she had a very accurate grasp of Tong Fusheng's desire to show off his ancestors. They were putting on airs, waiting for her to back down and apologize.

If it were Tong Dajiao, she would definitely do that.

But sorry, she is not Tong Dajiao, she is Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong walked across the courtyard and into the house with an air of arrogance.

There was a table full of dishes in the main room. Wow, it was quite a feast, with chicken, fish, meat, and eggs.

Tong Huaqiong looked at Gu Dahan, who had followed her in, her face turning cold. "They don't deserve such good food."
Seeing the displeasure on Tong Huaqiong's face, Gu Dahan said from the side, "Mother, this whole table of dishes was prepared by my aunt and cousin. Your son is unfilial; I have no money, and I even made my uncle pay two taels of silver to buy a lot of meat and vegetables."

Tong Huaqiong's expression instantly improved.

Gu Dahan is quite something; he even managed to get Tong Fusheng to spend money on him.

Tong Fusheng sat upright at the head of the table like an old man, his face grim. Wang Shi sat to the side, her expression icy.

Tong Zhaodi and Tong Zhijie sat at opposite ends.

"Dad, Mom, let's eat, I'm starving!" Tong Zhijie reached for a chicken leg.

He saw Tong Huaqiong but didn't greet her.

Tong Huaqiong felt very sorry for Tong Dajiao, who had raised such an ungrateful nephew.

Seeing that Tong Huaqiong hadn't apologized for a long time, Tong Fusheng and Wang Shi were quite embarrassed. In addition, they were very hungry, so they waved their hands and said, "Eat, eat."

We'll settle the bill with them after we finish eating.

When Gu Taohua and Gu Dashu entered the house, they were displeased to see their uncle's family of four sitting at their own dining table as if they were the hosts.

Tong Huaqiong raised her chin as she looked at Tao Hua and Gu Dashu.

The brother and sister understood what Tong Huaqiong meant: don't be polite with them.

"The chicken leg is mine." Gu Taohua went up and snatched the chicken leg from Tong Zhijie's hand.

Tong Zhijie looked at Tong Huaqiong.

Back when he was with the Gu family, he had sometimes fought with Gu Taohua over things, but Tong Dajiao usually sided with him.

But Tong Huaqiong didn't even look at Tong Zhijie and said, "My daughter is precious, so chicken legs should be eaten by girls."

Gu Taohua took a bite of the chicken leg, then tore off the other chicken leg and handed it to Man'er, who came in afterward.

Tong Fusheng and the others stared wide-eyed.

It's fine if Tao Hua eats it, but what right does that little brat Man'er have to eat it?

Gu Taohua placed the chicken leg in the bowl in front of her, then yanked the hairpin out of Tong Zhaodi's hair and said fiercely, "Who told you to wear my hairpin?"

Tong Zhaodi forgot that she was still wearing a hairpin in her hair; otherwise, she wouldn't have dared to wear Gu Taohua's hairpin in front of Gu Taohua even if she had ten times the courage.

Gu Taohua pointed the sharp end of her hairpin at Tong Zhaodi's face and said, "Did you come into my room? If you dare to come into my room again and touch my things, I'll slash your face."

Tong Zhaodi was so frightened that she dared not breathe.

Gu Dashu looked Tong Zhijie up and down; the little brat dared to wear his clothes.

He's been behaving well lately, and his mother finally managed to get him a piece of satin, and his wife made him some clothes. He hasn't even worn them yet, but this little brat has already put them on.

He'd rather die than be named Gu than not teach this brat a lesson today.

Gu Dashu said to Tong Zhijie, "Take my clothes off."

Tong Zhijie looked at Gu Dashu with disbelief.

Gu Dashu said nonchalantly, "What are you looking at? Didn't you hear me tell you to take off your clothes? Fine, don't bother, I'll do it."

While Tong Zhijie was completely bewildered, Gu Dashu stripped Tong Zhijie of his clothes.

Tong Huaqiong's lips twitched; Tong Zhijie had been stripped down to only his underwear. (End of Chapter)