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

"You want to join the army now? Do you even have the skills to do so? Besides your muscular physique, what else do you have to offer that makes you a worthy candidate? Are you relying on your mediocre skills or your not-so-bright brain?"

Gu Jingzhe was indeed Su Shi's prized disciple; his words were even more venomous than Su Shi's.

He held a clean, thick coat in his arms and personally helped Master Su put it over his long gown.

Upon hearing this, Nie Xiaofeng laughed instead of getting angry, and said, "Uncle, I know you mean well. You're just encouraging me to improve."

Gu Jingzhe: "."

Nie Xiaofeng had never given Gu Jingzhe a kind look before; the two would bicker and sarcastically exchange insults whenever they met.

After spending more than half a month together, Nie Xiaofeng really started to treat Tong Huaqiong and the group of bad bamboo as family.

Since he's family, I can't possibly betray him.

Gu Jingzhe pondered that this cheap nephew, besides being incredibly strong, wasn't without his merits; his shamelessness was quite something.

You know what, people with thick skin and a bit of insensitivity are actually good at joining the army.

People speak directly in the military; nobody cares about your fragile ego.

“I see you joined the army not just to be a cook or a common soldier. In the army, if you want to become a general or a commander, you have to fight your way up step by step with real skills. Not only do you need to be good at martial arts, but you also need to be quick-witted, able to deploy troops, able to command the soldiers, have a good understanding of the enemy situation, and remain calm and composed whether you are defeated or victorious.” Gu Jingzhe earnestly explained to Nie Xiaofeng.

After listening, Nie Xiaofeng said, "I thought my uncle was just a bookworm, but he knows so much. I might as well become his apprentice from now on."

Gu Jingzhe said, "I don't know anything about military operations. You should learn from Laifu."

As Gu Jingzhe spoke, he carried firewood into the kitchen.

After feeding the flowers, Tong Pandi went to the kitchen to cook.

"Cousin, I'll cook. You go and watch the flowers," Gu Jingzhe said.

"Duo'er is watching; she won't wake up anytime soon."

Tong Pandi looked at her cousin with incredibly mixed feelings.

In her previous life, Gu Jingzhe wouldn't even glance at her, let alone help her start a fire.

My cousin in this life is just as gifted in his studies as he was in his previous life. If nothing unexpected happens, he will pass the imperial examination this spring.

He will marry the beautiful young lady of the Lu family in the autumn, pass the imperial examination the following year, and go to the capital to take the imperial examination the year after to become a famous young scholar who ranks third in the imperial examination.

He then divorced his wife and married a princess, enjoying a life of luxury for over a decade before ultimately bringing about the downfall of both the Gu and Tong families.

Compared to his previous life, my cousin is like a completely different person; he is now humble and down-to-earth.

Moreover, she had not heard of her cousin's engagement to Lu Zhaozhao.

She didn't want her cousin to end up like he did in her previous life.

"Cousin. Cousin"

Tong Pandi snapped out of her daze at Gu Jingzhe's call.

"What's wrong with the Awakening of Insects?" Tong Pandi asked.

"The pot is burnt," Gu Jingzhe said.

I was so focused on my thoughts that I forgot to turn the shovel over.

Tong Pandi, feeling embarrassed, waved the spatula and stirred the food in the pot, casually asking Gu Jingzhe a question.

"Jingzhe, you'll be fifteen after the New Year. Has your aunt arranged a marriage for you?"

Every time he returned to the village, the village wives would ask him if his relatives had a girl they liked.

Now my cousin is no exception.

Gu Jingzhe calmly replied, "No."

Tong Pandi responded with an "oh," her heart filled with indescribable complex emotions. She wanted to see Lu Zhaozhao from her previous life, yet she didn't want Lu Zhaozhao to marry Gu Jingzhe.

In the previous life, after Gu Jingzhe got married, her aunt took Lu Zhaozhao to Black Dragon Pool to show off her marriage to Miss Lu.

Lu Zhaozhao gave Duo'er a pair of bracelets, a longevity lock, and a set of jewelry.

As she was leaving, Lu Zhaozhao sent a maid to secretly slip her a stack of silver notes.

She knew that Lu Zhaozhao had only helped her because she saw that she was having a hard time in the Wu family. Thinking of this, Tong Pandi unconsciously asked, "Last time, Auntie told Master Huang's daughter about the son of the Lu family. I heard that the Lu family has a cousin, do you know him?"

Gu Jingzhe looked up at Tong Pandi in surprise, wondering why her cousin had brought this up out of the blue.

Could it be that his cousin saw Lu Zhaozhao written on the paper while cleaning his house?

"I know him, but we're not close," Gu Jingzhe said awkwardly.

He hoped that Tong Pandi would quickly end the topic.

Fortunately, Tong Pandi didn't continue the conversation there.

"Wow, cousin, you've cooked so many dishes. Luckily, our family is well-off, otherwise we wouldn't be able to support so many people. Just look at the food you provide for Hua'er and Duoduo for a month; it adds up to quite a bit of money."

When Liu Yue'e returned from visiting someone, she stood against the threshold of the kitchen, cracking sunflower seeds and talking.

These days, Tong Pandi has heard Liu Yue'e gossiping behind Tong Huaqiong's back quite a bit.

Tong Pandi smiled. She usually didn't argue with Liu Yue'e, as her cousin's wife was always a loose cannon fodder.

Gu Jingzhe put on a stern face and said to Liu Yue'e, "Second sister-in-law, what are you saying? My cousin isn't just eating and drinking for free in our house. She feeds the pigs, cooks, washes clothes, and does all sorts of chores. Second sister-in-law, I'm not trying to criticize you, but why are you talking like you've swallowed gunpowder these past few days? Is it because Mother won't let you go to the prefectural city with my second brother, and you're holding a grudge but don't dare to vent it on Mother, so you're always picking on my cousin?"

Liu Yue'e was usually a little afraid of Gu Jingzhe, but now, after being spoken to by Gu Jingzhe, she dared not retaliate. She snorted, turned around, and left.

Gu Jingzhe then said to Tong Pandi, "Cousin, don't take it to heart. That's just how my second sister-in-law is. She doesn't dare to say anything harsh to Mother and Taohua, but she'll criticize anyone at home."

Tong Pandi smiled and said, "I know."

At the same time, he made a firm decision that once spring arrived and the flowers were bigger, he would definitely move out of his aunt's new house.

In the evening, Tong Huaqiong returned from Pingchuan County with Gu Taohua and He Chao.

The children, including Man'er and Xiaolong, rushed to greet Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong smiled, hugged Man'er, kissed Duo'er, and told the children that she had brought beautiful lanterns from Pingchuan County.

The children cheered.

“Grandma, we already have lanterns, they were a gift from Master Su,” Man’er said.

Master Su actually came to our house and brought lanterns for the children.

When Tong Huaqiong arrived at the house, she saw that Master Su was also there.

She felt a surge of emotion; Master Su had truly gone to great lengths for Gu Jingzhe.

However, Tong Huaqiong soon discovered that Su Fuzi's purpose in coming to her house did not seem to be so pure.

"Auntie is here."

Tong Pandi sat on the cushion, holding flowers in her arms. She stood up when she saw Tong Huaqiong come in.

"Sit down right away."

"Master Su has arrived."

While gesturing for Tong Pandi to sit down, Tong Huaqiong greeted Master Su.

When Master Su saw Tong Huaqiong arrive, he seemed quite uncomfortable.

Master Su was teasing Hua'er with a rattle drum. As Hua'er's little face turned with the rattle drum, a bright smile appeared on his face.

Tong Huaqiong felt a sense of familiarity with that smile.

The smile that belongs to an old father.

Thinking of this, Tong Huaqiong couldn't help but examine Master Su closely.

Master Su is not very old this year, at most in his early thirties.

Because he taught in a private school, he didn't have to work in the fields or worry about daily necessities, and Master Su's overall demeanor was more refined and youthful than most men in Yanguan Town.

This Spring Festival, Master Su has already visited the Gu family three times.

Before Tong Pandi and Li lived in the Gu family's house, Master Su had only visited once.

Could it be that Master Su has taken a liking to Tong Pandi? (End of Chapter)