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

Chapter 412 The Grievance of Eating Alone
"Brother Dahan, your pork is delicious, it doesn't have any gamey smell."

Gu Ruinian ate with gusto, his mouth dripping with oil, and couldn't help but praise the delicious pork that Gu Dahan had given him.

Since I had already indulged in the meat at Fenglelou at noon and hadn't had a chance to properly savor it, I'm not hungry in the evening, so I can finally enjoy this bowl of meat properly.

To be honest, the meat Gu Dahan sent didn't taste like the pork he made at home; it had that unpleasant, gamey smell that he couldn't get rid of, no matter how he braised it or stir-fried it.

Gu Dahan did not answer, but instead pushed the meat towards the eyes of Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu.

Gu Ruinian was somewhat taken aback.

This Gu Dahan has come to interfere at the old house's dinner table.

"Grandpa, Grandma, this meat is for you," Gu Dahan said.

Grandpa Gu didn't want to eat it at first, but he couldn't resist the aroma of the meat, so he picked up a piece and put it in his mouth.

Grandma Gu used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of meat for each of her sons, Gu Youtian, Gu Fengnian, Gu Yaojia, and Gu Honglian, and then pushed the meat back to Gu Ruinian.

Women were not entitled to eat meat, except for men and Gu Honglian.

Seeing her mother-in-law push the meat back to her youngest son, Jia's expression changed from unpleasant to pleasant.

When Madam Wei saw that her son also had meat in his bowl, she didn't say anything.

Gu Ruinian didn't care at all and continued to pick up another piece of meat and place it on his rice.

He sighed inwardly. The reason why his grandmother, mother, and sister couldn't afford meat was ultimately because the family was too poor. He had to find a way to improve their meals.

Gu Dahan couldn't stand it anymore and said to Gu Ruinian, "Ruinian, it's none of my business if my family gives you the meat that we're serving to our grandparents. But you can't eat it all by yourself. Putting aside everything else, your nephew Yao is a growing child. You can see your reflection in the porridge in Xiaoxue's bowl. How can you eat it all by yourself?"

Wei raised her eyes.

Her in-laws always spoke ill of the eldest son's wife. In her opinion, whether it was the domineering and unreasonable Gu Taohua or the stubborn Gu Dahan, they were both more humane than Gu Ruinian.

Gu Ruinian was unhappy. He put down his chopsticks and said with a wronged look, "Brother Dahan, do you think I want to eat alone? Grandpa and Grandma gave me the best food because they care about me. If I don't eat it, I will hurt their feelings and that would be unfilial."

Is it your own choice to eat alone? It's just because your family is poor.

Since the family is poor, resources should be concentrated on the most promising member of the family.

It's not his fault; it's just that Gu Fengnian is useless.

He had neither the ability to do business nor the talent for studying.

He's going to ascend to heaven with his whole family in the future, so it's not right for him to eat an extra bite.

Gu Dahan was stunned by Gu Ruinian's logic: eating while others watch—what kind of rubbish is this filial piety?

“Ruinian, I can’t argue with you, you’re a scholar, because you’re spouting nonsense. But your sister Xiaoxue is so thin, and she still has to wash your clothes and do chores for you. How can you bear to eat alone in front of her?”

Gu Dahan decided not to reason with Gu Ruinian, picked up his chopsticks, put some meat in Xiaoxue's bowl.

Xiaoxue smiled gratefully at Chaogu Dahan and said softly, "Brother Dahan, I'll just have porridge."

Xiaoxue doesn't want any conflicts to occur in the family!
Old Mrs. Gu and Madam Jia were about to say something when Gu Ruinian interrupted them. He suppressed his anger and told Gu Dahan that it was because he hadn't thought things through and hadn't considered others.

Of course, he wasn't really backing down; he was just worried that the eldest son's family might get angry and stop sending food to his grandparents.

“Grandpa, there’s something else I need to say.” Gu Dahan’s expression softened slightly as he spoke to Grandpa Gu. “I went home and discussed it with my mother. Most of the fifty mu of land on the west side has already been leased out and it’s hard to get it back. I still need to plant cotton on the remaining thirty mu. We can lease the five mu of land next to the riverbank to you, Grandpa. The rent will be 30% of the harvest, while other families only pay 40%.”

Grandpa Gu's face froze. He'd always said his grandson was a blockhead; did he really want to rent the land?
He was pressured to give Tong Huaqiong a few acres of land to the old house by offering it as a tenancy.

He actually treated the people in the old house as tenant farmers.

Seeing that Old Master Gu's expression was not very good, Gu Dahan turned to Gu Youtian, who had been silent, and asked, "Second Uncle, what do you think?"

Gu Dahan realized on the way here that the land was probably rented to his second uncle by his grandfather himself.

Since Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu don't need to rent land at all, as long as they sever ties with the second wife's family, Tong Huaqiong can't possibly ignore them.

While a life of great wealth and luxury may not be attainable, one can at least have enough to eat and wear, even if it's just simple food.

Gu Youtian said without looking up, "Your grandfather will decide this."

He'll eventually have to do business.

Wei's heart skipped a beat, and she kicked Gu Fengnian under the table, hoping that Gu Fengnian would step forward and take over the tenancy.

She had previously thought, like everyone else in the old house, that since the eldest son's family was so wealthy, perhaps they could share some of their wealth with the second son's family, or lend them the principal. Now it seems that the eldest daughter-in-law is more shrewd than anyone else in the old house.

She was a pragmatic person. Since she couldn't get any benefits from the first wife, she might as well accept what they gave her.

First, we'll rent and cultivate these five acres of land properly; the remaining seventy percent will be enough for our own needs.

Gu Fengnian withdrew his foot.

This is not his decision.

Wei lowered her head to hide the disappointment in her eyes.

"Dazhan, could you spare ten mu of the remaining thirty mu of land at the foot of Xishan for me? If I had any other way, I wouldn't have stooped to begging you for help," Old Master Gu said, suppressing his anger.

Gu Dahan shook his head and said, "Grandpa, this is not something I can decide. The five mu of land on the riverbank is also very fertile. Last year, our wheat harvest from those five mu was quite good. If you'd like, you can plant corn directly after the wheat harvest in May this year. It won't delay anything."

Grandpa Gu frowned.

Grandma Gu couldn't help but slam her hand on the table and said, "Aren't we getting the land now? We have to wait until May?"

Gu Dahan said, "Of course, there are still crops in that field."

Grandma Gu's chest heaved with anger.

The five acres of land on the riverbank belonged to her eldest son before he died. Now that he is dead, it should belong to her and Grandpa Gu.

Grandpa Gu waved his hand and said, "If we plant corn in May, are we going to starve before then? Since you have so much land and are not short of food, you can rent these five acres to me now, and I will give you 30% when the wheat is harvested."

Gu Dahan said, "Grandpa, Mom said in the clan last time that she wouldn't abandon you and Grandma, and we'll take care of your daily meals. But our family can only support you and Grandma, and maybe Auntie at most. Uncle's family isn't under our care, is it?"

Gu Youtian slammed down his chopsticks and said, "Who's eating or drinking at your house?"

Gu Dahan continued, "Grandpa, this matter is not unnecessarily negotiable. If we lease the five acres of land on the riverbank to you now, the division will not be 30/70, but 70/30."

This was the result of a discussion between Gu Dahan and Tong Huaqiong.

They planted the wheat and cultivated the land.

Based on past experience, the Qinghewan area has always enjoyed favorable weather during the wheat harvest season, and the people in the old houses only need to put in the hard work of irrigating and harvesting to reap 30% of the harvest for free.

Tong Huaqiong has already been very generous with this proposal.