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

Chapter 404 Whose Secret Is It?

"Mother, I will earn you an official title in the future. Don't worry, your life will definitely be more glorious than your aunt's."

While tearing into the chicken, Gu Ruinian made grand promises to Jia.

Jia was moved to tears.

The second son is definitely the most considerate.

Gu Ruinian smiled through Jia's tearful eyes.

Just like her mother in the previous life, this mother is hardworking and devoted, with her son as her center of attention.

They don't need to show actual filial piety; they can easily control the situation by making empty promises.

The next day, Gu Ruinian went to town without having breakfast.

Why eat breakfast? It's just plain water. He's going to town to eat big meat buns.

He didn't know until just before he set off that Gu Honglian was going to town with him.

He was very unhappy. When Jia told him that Master Gu had given Gu Honglian one tael of silver so that the two of them could have a treat in town, he changed his expression and started calling Gu Honglian "little aunt" all the time.

Lian Gu Honglian calmly waited for a long time while she dressed in front of the mirror.

Gu Ruinian and Gu Honglian were both delicate people and would never walk to town. They arrived at the village entrance and boarded Grandpa Xu's oxcart to go to town.

When the oxcart set off, it encountered Tong Huaqiong's horse-drawn carriage.

Tong Huaqiong's foal is already old enough to pull a carriage. Every day, Su Chengmin drives Gu Taohua and Liu Yue'e to town and picks them up in the evening.

Today, Tong Huaqiong is also in the carriage; she is going to carry out her weekly guidance work at Peach Blossom Dessert Shop.

When the people in Grandpa Xu's carriage saw Tong Huaqiong's carriage, they shouted to greet her.

Tong Huaqiong lifted the carriage curtain and responded to each question with a smile.

"Sister-in-law."

Gu Honglian looked at Tong Huaqiong pitifully; she wanted to ride in a carriage.

She didn't want to squeeze onto the bus with the villagers; she disliked their smell.

"Honglian is going to town," Tong Huaqiong greeted her warmly.

Gu Honglian was secretly pleased; her sister-in-law was treating her well.

"Sister-in-law, this oxcart is too crowded. I want to ride in a horse-drawn carriage," Gu Honglian said coquettishly.

Like Gu Honglian, Gu Ruinian hoped that Tong Huaqiong would agree, as he also didn't want to ride in an oxcart.

How could a top student like him be squeezed into a car with these roughnecks from the village?

Tong Huaqiong's smile remained unchanged as she said, "Why didn't you say so earlier yesterday? Today the carriage is so full it can't fit anyone else. Next time, tell me earlier and I'll save you a seat. Today, you can ride in the oxcart. Don't worry, Old Xu is a very good driver; you won't get seasick."

After Tong Huaqiong finished speaking, she drew the carriage curtain.

With a shout of "Giddy up!" from Su Chengmin, the carriage sped away.

Rejected in front of everyone, Gu Honglian's eyes welled up with tears.

The villagers on the carriage looked at each other with puzzled expressions.

Everyone in Qinghewan knows that Tong Dajiao was completely devoted to her sister-in-law, so why is her attitude towards her sister-in-law so different now?

Gu Ruinian clenched his fists, secretly seething with resentment.

Don't underestimate a young man's potential. When he achieves great things in the future, he'll make his aunt's entire family kneel at his feet and beg for his help.

Tong Huaqiong and others arrived at Peach Blossom Dessert Shop.

“Your aunt and Gu Ruinian will be coming to the shop later. You can decide what to do,” Tong Huaqiong said to Liu Yue’e.

Liu Yue'e said, "Mother, don't worry, I'll treat them the same way I treat other customers."

Gu Ruinian and Gu Honglian finally arrived in town.

“Auntie, I haven’t had breakfast yet. Let’s go eat breakfast first,” Gu Ruinian said.

Gu Honglian had the same idea.

The two hit it off immediately and went to a steamed bun shop, where they ordered two baskets of large meat buns, four fried dough sticks, and two large bowls of egg drop soup.

The steaming hot buns were served, and the two of them devoured them. When Gu Ruinian first came into this world, he didn't eat pork, and he thought meat buns were the ultimate delicacy.

So delicious!
Two baskets of steamed buns weren't enough, so we ordered another basket.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Gu Ruinian waited for Gu Honglian to pay the bill, but Gu Honglian made him pay instead.

“Auntie, I’m using this money to buy books,” Gu Ruinian said.

He had already planned it all out: at noon, he would find an excuse to ditch his aunt and go to Fenglelou, the best restaurant in town, for a big meal.

As for buying books?

Anyway, his family doesn't care what books he buys.

Gu Honglian said, "You can buy books for one tael of silver? You pay first, and I'll treat you to a better meal at a restaurant at noon."

Gu Ruinian had no choice but to pay the money.

They then asked the owner for directions to Peach Blossom Dessert, and the two of them headed there together.

Arriving near Peach Blossom Dessert Shop, you can smell the aroma of freshly baked pastries and see many people queuing up.

Liu Yue'e and Gu Xiaocao from the village were enthusiastically inviting customers with samples.

"Goodness, why are there so many people at my sister-in-law's shop? Even when my second brother's shop wasn't losing money, there weren't this many people. How much silver do you make in a day?" Gu Honglian clicked her tongue and then said with great dissatisfaction, "My sister-in-law is so stingy. She doesn't even offer to let me spend all the money she makes."

She walked angrily to the Peach Blossom Dessert Shop while talking.

Gu Ruinian was a little excited; he wanted to see what secrets his aunt's peach blossom dessert shop held.

Liu Yue'e spotted Gu Honglian and Gu Ruinian and rushed over to them, saying warmly, "Little Aunt and Ruinian are here. They are guests, please come in."

Gu Honglian glanced at Liu Yue'e and said, "During the Great Heat, my wife, quickly get me some pastries to eat."

Without changing her expression, Liu Yue'e forked a piece of pastry from the plate in her hand and handed it to Gu Honglian, saying, "This is a sample, it doesn't cost any money. Auntie, try it and see if it's good."

"You stingy little thing," Gu Honglian said angrily.

Gu Honglian went straight into the Peach Blossom Dessert Shop, followed by Gu Ruinian.

The two were stunned as soon as they entered the store.

Gu Honglian was completely stunned by the dazzling array of pastries and the spacious, bright room.

My sister-in-law is really capable; she actually opened such a big shop.

Gu Ruinian was shocked. Many of the pastries displayed in the shop were the same ones he had seen in his later life, and there was even a row of birthday cake models on a counter that looked exactly the same as those in his later life.

So whose idea was this?

Gu Jingzhe pointed to the birthday cake model and asked Liu Yue'e, "Sister-in-law Yue'e, what's that?"

Liu Yue'e said, "Birthday cake? What's wrong? You want to order one for your birthday? But we agreed that you have to order two days in advance."

Instead of giving a direct answer, Gu Ruinian pointed to the various types of pastries and asked Liu Yue'e.

He changed his name to Tong Huaqiong, but Gu Ruinian wasn't sure if the pastry ingredients, such as cream, existed in this era. In any case, it was the first time he had seen them since he transmigrated to this world.

So here's the question: if Gu Jingzhe or the other people in his aunt's family were time travelers, how did they invent cream?

Gu Ruinian was a little panicked, just like the pesticides that promote a good corn harvest, he knew nothing about them.

"Sister-in-law Yue'e, who came up with these pastry recipes?" Gu Ruinian asked.

"Why are you asking this? Don't you know our formulas are kept secret?" Liu Yue'e replied, seemingly ignoring the question.

Undeterred, Gu Ruinian continued to ask, "Then what's on top of the birthday cake?"

Liu Yue'e said, "Cream."

Gu Ruinian asked, "Where did you buy this cream?"

Liu Yue'e said with dissatisfaction, "Ruinian, you are Dashu's cousin. In the end, we are all family. But even if we are family, you can't ask me about the secrets of my shop. What, do you want to open a pastry shop too?"

Gu Ruinian's mind was buzzing.

Cream is the secret of Peach Blossom Desserts, so who brought this secret?

Is it Gu Jingzhe?