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

Chapter 286 Suitable to be a daughter-in-law of the Lu family
After Peach Blossom Dessert Shop opens, Grandpa Lu will be returning home. Before leaving, he invites Tong Huaqiong to visit the Lu family.

Tong Huaqiong smiled and escorted Grandpa Lu to the edge of the crowd, thanking him for coming to support her.

Grandpa Lu said, "If anyone should be thanking someone, it's you. You saved my grandson."

He once thought that if someone could cure his grandson, he would be willing to give up half of his fortune.

It's just a shop in Tougu Market that's been provided for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Peach Blossom Desserts.

That's not enough, of course. Old Master Lu plans to go to sea to do business in a few days, and give some of the goods to Tong Huaqiong, so that he can make a fortune with her.

Of course, he didn't tell Tong Huaqiong himself; he suggested that his grandson do the favor.

Thinking of this, Old Master Lu glanced around behind Tong Huaqiong and asked her, "Who is Peach Blossom?"

While serving customers, Liu Yue'e heard Grandpa Lu ask her sister-in-law, so she took the tasting plate from Gu Taohua and pushed it towards Gu Taohua.

Gu Taohua stood in front of Grandpa Lu and instantly blocked the sunlight.

"Grandpa Lu, what do you need me for?" Gu Taohua asked, hands on her hips.

Grandpa Lu looked Gu Taohua up and down, thinking she was a sturdy young woman. He then looked at his grandson beside him, who, although he had recovered from his illness, was still a bit weak. The Lu family needed a granddaughter-in-law like her to keep things in order.

Moreover, Gu Taohua is quite beautiful, with a full moon-shaped face and a pair of big, watery eyes; she looks like she'll bring good fortune to her husband.

Grandpa Lu said, "I heard you made a bet for my granddaughter."

Gu Taohua said, "That's right! We made a bet. But I didn't make a bet with Lu Zhaozhao; I actually made a bet with you."

Old Master Lu became interested and asked, "How so?"

Gu Taohua said, "I heard Lu Zhaozhao say that you always say that girls should be pampered and don't need to show their faces in public to do business and run shops. I disagreed with your statement, so I argued with Lu Zhaozhao, which led to this bet."

Grandpa Lu laughed nonstop after hearing Gu Taohua's words and said, "Then I'll take your bet."

After saying that, he beckoned to Lu Zhaozhao and said, "Zhaozhao, now that you're running our family's rouge shop, you can't let your grandfather down."

Lu Zhaozhao readily agreed.

"Master Tong, your Taohua is very capable; she'll have a lot of good fortune in the future." Old Master Lu gave Tong Huaqiong a thumbs up.

Tong Huaqiong was quite proud when her daughter was praised.

Instead of being modest, she said, "My daughter Taohua is indeed very capable."

However, Tong Huaqiong soon found the style of the artwork incomprehensible.

Grandpa Lu said he wanted to give Gu Taohua a gift, but he didn't have time to bring it. So he took a priceless jade pendant from Lu Zhaoyang's body and offered it to Gu Taohua, saying that she could keep it as a plaything or sell it if she wanted.

The peach blossoms in the valley dared not be picked.

Grandpa Lu insisted on giving it to him.

Tong Huaqiong quickly intervened; she could see that Lu Zhaoyang was extremely embarrassed.

What does Grandpa Lu mean by this? No wonder he praised Gu Taohua for being capable and blessed. Does he want Gu Taohua to become Lu Zhaoyang's wife?

Otherwise, who would just tear off their grandson's jade pendant and force him to give it away?
She knew that Old Master Lu sometimes did things unconventionally, but she never expected him to publicly arrange a marriage between two people.

Tong Huaqiong certainly didn't want Gu Taohua to marry Lu Zhaoyang.

It wasn't that Lu Zhaoyang was bad, but Tong Huaqiong knew perfectly well that neither of them was each other's type.

A talented woman who appreciates resonance with others on a spiritual level, and someone who...
As for what kind of person Gu Taohua likes, Tong Huaqiong only knows that he was Fan Tong in her past life, but she doesn't know for sure in this life.

Anyway, it's not someone like Lu Zhaoyang.

Seeing that Tong Huaqiong and her daughter Gu Taohua were determined not to accept the gifts, Old Master Lu looked regretful and repeatedly invited Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua to visit the Lu family.

Tong Huaqiong finally saw Old Master Lu off.

"Mother, Grandpa Lu gave me Lu Zhaoyang's jade pendant because he thinks I'm good and wants me to be his daughter-in-law, right?" Gu Taohua said unhappily. Tong Huaqiong gave Gu Taohua an approving look.

My chubby daughter has gotten smarter now and can see through people's motives.

Tong Huaqiong then asked, "If the Lu family patriarch really thinks that way, what is your opinion?"

Gu Taohua raised her chin and said, "I don't like sickly scholars, no matter how good-looking they are or how rich they are."

Tong Huaqiong said, "If you really marry Lu Zhaoyang, you might be able to control the Lu family's assets after entering the family. The Lu family is a well-known imperial merchant family, which is incomparable to our family's few pastry shops."

Gu Taohua said, "That's not necessarily true. Grandpa Lu never allowed Lu Zhaozhao to do business before, because he thought women weren't suited for it. He's willing to compromise now because he loves Lu Zhaozhao. They're blood relatives, and even if they fall out, they're still family. I'm different. I have no blood relation to him. He can indulge his granddaughter, but he might not be willing to indulge his granddaughter-in-law."

"Furthermore, Lu Zhaoyang is the only son in three generations, so whoever marries him will be under pressure to produce a son. Isn't he the Qilin Scholar of Wanliu Academy? A Qilin Scholar is destined to become a high-ranking official. If his wife can't produce a son, he'll definitely take a concubine. If he then favors his concubine over his wife, unless you fight him with a knife, who can beat him?"

Although Gu Taohua's thinking is a bit unconventional, and although Lu Zhaoyang is a gentleman of upright character, it's never a bad thing for Gu Taohua to think things through more deeply.

After all, no one can remain unchanged for their entire life.

If she had thought of Fan Tong that way in her past life, she wouldn't have ended up being burned to death.

Tong Huaqiong said, "Taohua, you've grown up and you see things more clearly now. You're right to think this way. Don't worry, I won't let you marry into the Lu family."

Gu Taohua turned around and said, "I don't want to get married, and no one can force me."

Tong Huaqiong clapped her hands and laughed.

Gu Taohua is really something, daring to even talk back to her.

Because of Grandpa Lu's personal ribbon-cutting ceremony, many shops and businesses in Ningcheng sent congratulatory gifts to Peach Blossom Dessert Shop, and even other pastry shops that directly compete with Peach Blossom Dessert Shop sent their congratulatory gifts.

Tong Huaqiong couldn't help but sigh that Old Master Lu was indeed a trendsetter for Ningcheng merchants.

Wherever he goes, the wind follows.

"Grandpa, how could you give my jade pendant to Peach Blossom Girl in public? It's so embarrassing."

Lu Zhaoyang was very dissatisfied with his grandfather's act of giving him the jade pendant, and couldn't help but express his dissatisfaction after leaving Peach Blossom Dessert.

Old Master Lu chuckled and said, "I think Peach Blossom is a very good girl. She is capable, good at business, and has a blessed appearance. She is very suitable to be our Lu family's daughter-in-law."

Lu Zhaoyang was shocked and said, "Grandpa, please don't make up such a ridiculous story. I consider Peach Blossom Girl my sister. Aunt Tong is my savior. How could you have such an absurd idea?"

Grandpa Lu slapped his thigh and said, "In operas, people always repay their benefactors with their bodies. Since the Gu family saved you, repaying them with your body is the way to show your gratitude."

Lu Zhaoyang: "."

What is his grandfather talking about?

Grandpa Lu then turned serious and said, “Before, you were weak and didn’t want to delay any girls’ marriages, so we didn’t arrange one for you. Now that you’re better, it’s time to find someone to marry you. There are plenty of boys your age from our clan running around in our village, and you don’t even have an engagement yet. Don’t let Gu Taohua’s plumpness fool you; she’s capable. Our family needs a strong matriarch to manage things.”

Lu Zhaoyang said hurriedly, "Grandpa, you only care about your own thoughts. Have you considered Aunt Tong's thoughts? She would never marry Gu Taohua to the Lu family."

Grandpa Lu said, "That's because your Aunt Tong didn't see your good qualities. As the saying goes, a mother-in-law likes her son-in-law more and more the more she looks at him. She hasn't even met you a few times, so naturally she can't see your good qualities and won't betroth Peach Blossom to you."

Lu Zhaoyang, feeling utterly overwhelmed, said, "I only consider Tao Hua a girl. If I were to get married, it must be to the person I love."

Old Master Lu interrupted Lu Zhaoyang, saying, "A beloved person? You should find me one. I've got my eye on Zhonggu Taohua."

Grandpa Lu stared at his grandson, wanting to say something but then stopped himself.

He was too embarrassed to mention that there were rumors circulating that his grandson was handsome and extremely wealthy, yet still unmarried, because he had homosexual tendencies.

"From now on, you are not allowed to go near Prefect Yao," said Old Master Lu.

Lu Zhaoyang felt completely bewildered.

He and his senior brother were like brothers, but for some reason, his grandfather's face darkened whenever his senior brother was mentioned recently.