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

Lu Zhaozhao felt someone was watching her, and that gaze made her quite uncomfortable.

Lu Zhaozhao looked over and saw the young man in the blue robe under the corridor.

Gu Ruinian noticed that Lu Zhaozhao had turned to face him, so he withdrew his gloomy gaze and smiled at her instead.

Lu Zhaozhao was displeased by the change in her expression, so she turned her head away, which Gu Ruinian interpreted as Lu Zhaozhao being shy.

Gu Ruinian couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion, secretly resenting Gu Jingzhe for being engaged to such a beautiful young woman.

Gu Ruinian and Gu Taohua exchanged a few words with Old Madam Gu in the kitchen before leaving.

"Grandpa, we're going back now," Gu Jingzhe said.

So the three of them left the old house together.

Lu Zhaozhao understood immediately after visiting the old house that the old house and Aunt Tong did not get along.

After walking for a while, the three heard Gu Ruinian call out to Sister Peach Blossom.

"What's the matter?"

Gu Taohua turned around and saw Gu Ruinian following behind them.

Gu Taohua and Gu Ruinian have never gotten along since childhood.

In the past, Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu favored Gu Ruinian, giving him the best meat and vegetables at the dinner table. Gu Taohua was unhappy with her grandparents' favoritism, so she tried to snatch the meat from Gu Ruinian's bowl.

Gu Ruinian tried to protect her from being taken, and they ended up fighting. Gu Taohua was stronger and always had the upper hand.

The resentment stemming from their childhood battles meant that even as adults, the two still couldn't stand each other.

Gu Taohua didn't understand why Gu Ruinian was calling her.

Gu Ruinian glanced at Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao, then said to Gu Taohua, "I have something I'd like to ask Sister Taohua."

In fact, every time Gu Ruinian saw her in the village during this period, he would come up to greet her and even say some random things.

Gu Taohua would always listen impatiently and then turn around and leave.

Gu Taohua glanced at Gu Ruinian's small frame, making sure she could still suppress him if a fight broke out. She then gave Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao a reassuring look before coming to Gu Ruinian's side and saying, "Spit it out."

I wonder what they'll say this time.

Gu Ruinian then asked Gu Taohua, "Where do you get the cream in your dessert shop?"

Gu Taohua said without changing her expression, "You want to know? But why should I tell you?"

Gu Ruinian gave a strange smile and said, "You don't need to tell me, I know where your prescription came from."

Gu Taohua cracked her knuckles as she pressed them together. When Gu Ruinian saw this, the painful memories of being brutally beaten by Gu Taohua when he was a child flooded back to him.

"Tell me, where did I get this recipe from?" Gu Taohua asked.

The secret space in their home was known only to her, her mother, and her niece, and she was certain it hadn't been leaked.

She didn't know why Gu Ruinian wanted to test her cream recipe.

In short, no matter what, it's definitely not a good thing for someone as cunning as Gu Ruinian to ask such a question.

Gu Ruinian carefully examined Gu Taohua and found that there was no clue on Gu Taohua's face.

It must be an act.

Faced with Gu Taohua's questions, instead of explaining how he knew the source of Taohua's dessert cream recipe, he asked Gu Taohua, "Are you content to live like this?"

Gu Taohua was completely confused, wondering what kind of trick Gu Ruinian was up to this time.

Why ask her that question?

Is she destined to end up like everyone else in the village, with no one proposing marriage?
Seeing that Gu Taohua remained silent, Gu Ruinian sighed and said, "I know where you come from. We're from the same place. A capable girl like you, who can do business and make butter, shouldn't be stuck in this small place like Qinghewan."

What does it mean that Gu Taohua and Gu Ruinian come from the same place?
Did he mean to say that Gu Taohua, like him, was a member of the Gu family and came from the same ancestor?
Gu Taohua said impatiently, "Even if we come from the same place, we're not on the same path. Qinghe Bay is where I've been since I opened my eyes. Where else would I be?" Gu Ruinian smiled.

Her persistent efforts to seduce the peach blossoms in the valley have finally yielded some clues.

Gu Ruinian was almost certain that the person from the eldest branch of the family who had traveled through time was neither Tong Huaqiong nor Gu Jingzhe, but Gu Taohua.

Last time, when he hummed Jay Chou's "Seven Mile Fragrance", Gu Taohua paused.

This time, she accidentally revealed that she was in Qinghe Bay when she opened her eyes.

Since they are time travelers, they can be taken advantage of.

Gu Ruinian said, "Since you and I come from the same place, you know your value better than I do. What else can you do in Qinghe Bay besides get married? Once you get married, you'll have to be a good wife and mother. No matter how big your business is now, it's just a wedding dress for your brother and nephew."

Gu Taohua wanted to laugh.

Gu Ruinian still has the nerve to say that? Everyone in the old house is just doing things for him.

Moreover, his self-righteousness was so convincing that even the Wei family wanted to separate from the family.

She didn't know where Gu Ruinian came from, but her mother said that if Gu Ruinian asked her if she came from the same place as him, she should give a vague answer to confuse him.

She was now certain that Gu Ruinian had been bewitched by her.

Gu Taohua sighed and said, "What can a girl like me do after leaving Qinghe Bay and my home? Here, women cannot take the imperial examinations or become emperors. I'll just be content if I can find a way to do business and make a living."

These words were naturally taught to Gu Taohua by Tong Huaqiong.

Listening to Gu Ruinian's embrace meant that he had thoroughly investigated Gu Taohua's background.

Think carefully about what I'm saying.

With a satisfied smile, Gu Ruinian left step by step.

As a time traveler, Gu Taohua's deterrent power is far weaker than Gu Jingzhe's.

No matter how capable she is, she's still just a young woman.

Gu Taohua was right. Fortunately, women in this era could not take the imperial examination or become emperors, otherwise Gu Taohua would have been a real problem for him.

No matter how capable a girl is, she will eventually get married and settle down in a domestic setting.

However, Gu Taohua's abilities have now become apparent. She not only helps the eldest son's family with their businesses such as making pastries and raising pigs, but also earns a good reputation for the eldest daughter-in-law.

As a modern person who has received higher education, Gu Taohua must be unwilling to accept that she could not study and participate in the imperial examinations in this era.

Since she couldn't change the world, the only way was to fully support Gu Jingzhe.

She could use the money she earned from doing business to pave the way for Gu Jingzhe.

Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of Gu Taohua and cut off Gu Jingzhe's arm.

Gu Ruinian turned around and saw Gu Taohua, Gu Jingzhe, and Lu Zhaozhao walking along the village road. Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao, in particular, looked like a perfect couple.

Gu Ruinian's eyes were stung by the prick.

All of this originally belonged to him.

Gu Ruinian thought of Miss Lian Er from Pingchuan County. Ever since he failed the imperial examination, Wang the Matchmaker had never visited his home again.

A few days ago, he couldn't help but go to the matchmaker, Wang, to ask if she had conveyed his message to Miss Lian. Wang hesitated, but after he gave her a string of coins, she finally revealed that she had. She said that he was an ambitious person.

However, now that he has failed the exam, she is too embarrassed to bring up the marriage proposal between the two of them again to the Lian family.

However, for the sake of a single string of cash, he agreed to pass on a message to Miss Lian that the two of them should meet.

I wonder what the Second Miss Lian looks like, and whether she is as pretty as Lu Zhaozhao.

Hopefully, I can outshine Lu Zhaozhao in appearance. (End of Chapter)