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

Chapter 401 Is Gu Jingzhe really a time traveler?

"My husband found a pest control recipe in a book when he went to the provincial capital, and I just put it together," Tong Huaqiong said nonchalantly.

Did Gu Jingzhe find the prescription in a book?

Gu Ruinian's gaze darkened.

This cousin is something else. Could he have also traveled from the future?

He said it himself, how could his uncle and aunt, who were playing whack-a-mole, give birth to a dragon?

He didn't believe that Gu Jingzhe could find pesticide formulas in some worthless book.

Only people of this era believe it.

"My cousin is amazing." Gu Ruinian chuckled dryly, praising him insincerely.

"What's so impressive about that? Those are all things written in books by people from the past. Everyone else in the village is illiterate except him. Otherwise, even if he saw them, he wouldn't remember them," Tong Huaqiong said dismissively.

Gu Ruinian's jealousy burned fiercely.

Gu Jingzhe's luck was truly remarkable.

In his previous life, Gu Ruinian was born into a farming family. He had three older sisters, and he was the only one who brought glory to his ancestors.

He excelled in his studies from a young age, and his family poured all their resources into him. His three older sisters, who were even better than him academically, went to work in an electronics factory in the south after graduating from junior high school to support him.

As the only son of Yaozu, although he came from a rural area, he had never done farm work and did not recognize the grass and crops in the fields.

Gu Ruinian was filled with regret.

If he had known more about agriculture in his previous life, would Gu Jingzhe have ever received this pesticide prescription?

"Why did you suddenly ask this? Ruinian, let me tell you, this recipe is mine, it's authorized by the government, don't even think about getting your hands on it," Tong Huaqiong said bluntly.

Gu Ruinian said calmly, "Auntie, you've misunderstood. I was just curious."

I felt a deep contempt for Tong Huaqiong.

Isn't it just a pesticide formula?

Let you be smug for now; you'll see him stir up trouble later.

Gu Ruinian thought he had gotten the key information, so he bowed to Tong Huaqiong and said goodbye: "Auntie, it's almost lunchtime, I should go home. By the way, when will Brother Jingzhe be back? I'd like to come and ask him for help with my studies."

Tong Huaqiong said, "He might be back anytime soon. The provincial examination is next month, and he's studying in town. Why aren't you studying?"

Gu Ruinian smiled faintly and said, "Reviewing lessons is not about time, but about efficiency."

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself, "Keep pretending."

Gu Ruinian was sobered up immediately by the cold spring wind after leaving the pig farm.

Was Gu Jingzhe a time traveler or not?

He couldn't make a judgment based solely on the pesticide formula, since it was normal for pesticides to be accidentally concocted and recorded in ancient times when alchemy was involved.

Whether Gu Jingzhe simply stumbled upon a book recording pesticide formulas by sheer luck, or whether he transmigrated with agricultural knowledge from later generations, he still needs to confirm.

At this moment, Gu Ruinian wanted to have an in-depth conversation with Gu Jingzhe more than ever.

If Gu Jingzhe really is from the future like him, he doesn't intend to expose himself; he wants to accumulate power in the shadows.

In this era, only he, a time traveler, can stir up trouble.

If Gu Jingzhe were a pure ancient person, then it would be even more important to win him over and make him a follower.

Tong Huaqiong has basically confirmed that Gu Ruinian, like her, is a time traveler.

She deliberately pushed Gu Jingzhe in front to confuse Gu Ruinian.

It's estimated that Gu Ruinian's words at the pig farm made him suspect that Gu Jingzhe was a time traveler.

The next step depends on Gu Ruinian's plans. If he acknowledges his kinship with Gu Jingzhe, it means he doesn't intend to oppose Tong Huaqiong and the others, and she wouldn't mind exposing herself in front of him. However, if he doesn't acknowledge his kinship and instead tries to trick Gu Jingzhe into revealing information, he's definitely plotting to climb over her and her children to gain power, and in that case, she shouldn't blame her for being ruthless towards him.

Gu Jingzhe returned home from the private school that evening.

When he got home, he told Tong Huaqiong that he had been stopped on the road by Gu Ruinian, who asked him a lot of strange questions.

Tong Huaqiong laughed heartily and asked, "What did they ask you?"

Gu Jingzhe said, "He asked me which book I saw the pesticide formula in, what else I could make besides pesticides, and what my views were on the imperial court."

This is the Valley of Trials and Tribulations, the time of Awakening of Insects.

Tong Huaqiong asked, "So how did you answer?"

Gu Jingzhe said, "I think he has ulterior motives. The pesticide recipe was found in your treasure space, Mother. How could I tell the truth? I just gave him a few evasive answers. As for other questions, I can also try to evade them as much as possible. I'm too lazy to talk to him. The provincial examination is next month, and I need to study hard."

Tong Huaqiong laughed and said, "If he asks you any more strange questions in the future, just make up some nonsense."

Gu Jingzhe nodded.

If it weren't for the sake of his deceased father, he wouldn't want to talk to this cousin at all.

Gu Ruinian tested Gu Jingzhe, but became even more uncertain whether Gu Jingzhe was a time traveler or not. He desperately wanted to know the answer: was Gu Jingzhe a skilled imposter, or was there another time traveler in his aunt's family?

He remembered that in the original owner's memories, this cousin was a good student from a young age and was also quite arrogant.

Aside from studying, Gu Jingzhe did not display any other talents.

Moreover, Gu Jingzhe's tone of voice, actions, and expressions when speaking to him are no different from those in the original owner's memories.

Gu Ruinian walked home feeling dejected.

The village children were returning home from the private school.

One of the children said to Man'er, "Man'er, my birthday is in a few days. My mother said she has already ordered a birthday cake from your shop. Please come to my house to celebrate my birthday with me."

Man'er smiled and said, "Okay."

and many more.

Birthday cake.

Do birthday cakes still exist in this day and age?
These pastries were ordered from the main house's shop.

In a letter the clan chief wrote to my grandfather before the New Year, he mentioned that my aunt had opened a pastry shop, which was not only doing well in Yanguan Town, but had even expanded to Pingchuan County and Fucheng.

In the few days since they returned, they've been busy with family gatherings and negotiations with the clan about how to reclaim the land they had leased out. With so many things piling up, no one thought to go to town to see the main branch's pastry shop in person.

The birthday cake stirred up Gu Ruinian's thoughts, and he decided to go to town tomorrow to visit his aunt's pastry shop.

"Grandpa, could you give me a tael of silver? I want to go to town to buy some books," Gu Ruinian said to his grandfather during dinner.

Grandpa Gu paused.

The family was short of money; he only had a dozen or so taels left for his coffin.

Even so, there are still unavoidable expenses.

When they went south, the land given to the second son was rented out to other members of the clan for cultivation. Now they want to take it back, but the other party disagrees.

After all, there was still wheat planted in the field, and if it were harvested, money would have to be paid.

Also, you can't do without oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar at home, and you need money to buy chickens and ducklings.

Seeing that Master Gu was reluctant, Madam Jia quickly said from the side, "Ruinian will be taking the provincial examination next month. Jingzhe was able to concentrate on studying at the private school, but Ruinian can only stay at home. He didn't buy these books for nothing; they are for the purpose of passing the county-level examination."

Gu Ruinian swallowed hard and said, "Grandpa, once I pass the imperial examination and become a scholar, I will receive rice every month, which will give our family an extra source of income."

These words touched Grandpa Gu.