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

Chapter 549 Rural Love in Qinghe Bay
“Your mother and I have already lost our eldest daughter, we can’t lose our youngest daughter too.”

"Honglian will not marry Xu Dabao."

Grandpa Gu made the final decision.

Jia's face turned pale, and Gu Ruinian clenched his fingers.

Gu Xiaoxue lowered her head, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips.

This was her second brother's idea—to exchange his aunt for him. In the end, one of them had to be sacrificed to pay off the debt.

He doesn't have to do anything.

Tong Huaqiong naturally took notice of the turmoil at the Gu family's old residence.

First, she learned from Man'er that Gu Honglian was at the foot of the wall and asked her to go to the clan leader's house to call for Old Madam Gu.

Then, the whole story unfolded when Gu Honglian took the initiative to come forward and reveal some information.

"Sister-in-law, you were right. Ruinian and my second sister-in-law were really plotting to use me to pay off their debts. Luckily, I was careful and foiled their scheme. It's no use for them to use me to pay off their debts. Father won't allow it."

Gu Honglian caught Tong Huaqiong under a shed at the edge of the cotton field and couldn't wait to tell her everything.

Gu Daqiao improved and assembled a cotton spinning machine. Tong Huaqiong then selected a few skillful young women and wives in the village to try out the machine and see their hands-on abilities.

Of course, she didn't tell everyone in advance that she planned to open a weaving workshop, so the girls and wives who came to test the machine really thought they were just trying out how well the loom worked.

Gu Honglian sat next to Tong Huaqiong, watching the young women and wives try out the looms one by one, while telling Tong Huaqiong about the old house.

"Did your second brother and sister-in-law agree to let Xiaoxue pay off the debt?" Tong Huaqiong asked.

Gu Honglian said, "Second sister-in-law has no choice but to agree. Second brother disagrees and wants Ruinian to marry Xu Xinghua."

Tong Huaqiong felt that Gu Xiaoxue was the most pitiful.

Even though the matter had nothing to do with her, she was forced to bear it as if she were a commodity to be discussed and asked whether she should be used to pay off a debt.

Of course, Gu Honglian wasn't much better off; her only good fortune was that her parents favored her more.

When Gu Xiaoxue was mentioned, Tong Huaqiong saw Gu Xiaoxue carrying a basket walking from the edge of the field.

"aunt."

Gu Xiaoxue greeted Tong Huaqiong and stopped in front of a cotton plant.

A pale yellow cotton flower bloomed at her temple, making her look exceptionally beautiful, yet carrying an indescribable sorrow.

"Xiaoxue, why are you washing clothes in the field?" Tong Huaqiong asked kindly, pointing to the clothes in Gu Xiaoxue's basket.

Gu Xiaoxue smiled and said, "I just happened to come and take a look at the fields."

Tong Huaqiong glanced at Gu Xiaoxue's rough hands from working, pointed to the cotton spinning machine next to her, and asked, "Do you know how to weave?"

Gu Xiaoxue looked at the loom, shook her head, and then suddenly said, "Auntie, may I try it?"

Tong Huaqiong nodded.

Song Qiaoniang took the basket from Gu Xiaoxue, pulled her along and demonstrated it to her twice, then had her sit in front of the loom.

Gu Xiaoxue started weaving using both her hands and feet, just like Song Qiaoniang did.

"Xiaoxue is quick-witted and learns things very easily."

"Yes, this is their first time weaving cloth."

"It took me several tries to learn it before I could get the hang of it."

The young wife and the young woman praised Gu Xiaoxue with smiles.

Gu Xiaoxue smiled shyly.

"Auntie, I should go back and cook."

Gu Xiaoxue carried the basket and said goodbye to Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong watched Gu Xiaoxue's retreating figure, still pondering how to prevent Xiaoxue from being given to Xu Dabao as payment for his debts. Rescuing Xiaoxue without getting herself into trouble was truly a difficult situation.

As the sun began to set, Tong Huaqiong grew hungry, so she gave Song Qiaoniang some instructions and got up to go home for dinner.

Passing by the village chief's house, Tong Huaqiong went into the Liu family's house.

Voices could be heard coming from inside the house.

"You're thinking too simply. You want to marry Gu Xiaoxue? Even if you did, would the Gu family be willing? They're still counting on Xiaoxue to pay off their debts. Do you have five hundred taels of silver?" It was Liu Tielian's voice.

“Dad, I really love Xiaoxue. If I don’t save her, she will have no way to survive. We have two hundred taels of silver. Please consider it a loan to me, and I will try to raise the remaining three hundred taels. I can endure hardship. I will work at Aunt Tong’s pig farm during the day and burn charcoal in the mountains at night to earn money.”

The voice was unmistakably that of Liu Qingsong, Liu Tielian's youngest son.

Tong Huaqiong originally stopped by the village chief's house, but unexpectedly ended up eating a piece of melon.

Liu Qingsong likes Gu Xiaoxue.

A rural romance in Qinghewan!

Liu Qingsong is seventeen years old this year. He is handsome, sweet-talking, quick-witted, and hardworking. He works at Tong Huaqiong's pig farm.

He never made a mistake when dealing with butchers in the city or collecting piglets and feed from various villages. He was Tong Pandi's capable assistant.

Tong Huaqiong really liked this handsome young man from the countryside.

Unexpectedly, he was still a love-struck fool, willing to help Gu Ruinian pay back five hundred taels of silver for Gu Xiaoxue's sake.

Liu Qingsong works at a pig farm, and Tong Huaqiong now pays him two taels of silver per month.

How long would it take him to earn 500 taels!
"You think you're so capable. What does it have to do with you that Xiaoxue is going to the Xu family? Her brothers and parents don't care about her, but you're here caring. Qingsong, let me tell you, the second branch of the Gu family is off-limits. Even if Xiaoxue is a good girl, even if the Gu family doesn't owe the Xu family five hundred taels, just because she has a troublemaking second brother and parents who favor those who treat others differently, I don't agree to this marriage." Liu Tielian's wife, Yi, felt a pain in her chest upon hearing this.

"I only love Xiaoxue, and I won't marry anyone else but Xiaoxue." Liu Qingsong jumped up and down.

"I'll beat you to death! You think you can marry whoever you want? You're all talk and no action. Just because you can make money with Aunt Tong doesn't mean you can act like you're above everyone else and marry whoever you want. Do you even understand the importance of arranged marriages? Don't you even respect your mother?"

Yi chased after Liu Qingsong, wielding a broom handle.

Liu Qingsong ran into the yard and saw Tong Huaqiong coming from the opposite direction, so he stopped in his tracks.

Tong Huaqiong was rather embarrassed.

She really didn't mean to stumble upon the Liu family's internal conflict.

Liu Qingsong felt he had found a powerful backer. Tong Huaqiong was his employer, and his parents would have to give him face in front of Aunt Tong.

When Madam Yi saw Tong Huaqiong in her courtyard, she wasn't embarrassed at all. She raised her voice and asked Tong Huaqiong to judge the matter.

“Mother Dashu, you just heard it, this unfilial son has taken a fancy to Xiaoxue. He hasn’t even become the second son-in-law of the Gu family yet, and he’s already asking to pay back five hundred taels of silver for that good-for-nothing Gu Ruinian. He’s trying to kill me and his father. Don’t you think I’m right? This marriage won’t work. Our Liu family can’t afford to marry into this family.”

Tong Huaqiong gave an awkward laugh; she couldn't comment on this issue.

Liu Qingsong said with a wronged expression, "It's not necessarily five hundred taels of silver. Let's go to the Gu family to propose marriage and finalize the engagement between me and Xiaoxue first. Surely the Xu family won't come to snatch her away then."

Madam Yi said, “You want to finalize the marriage? Even if I agree, Xiaoxue’s parents will not agree. Didn’t you hear what Xiaoxue’s mother said? The suitors in the south are either sons of officials or scholars, and she looks down on them all. How could she possibly want a peasant as her son-in-law? I advise you to give up on that idea.”

Liu Qingsong's eyes were red.

The thought of Xiaoxue being sent to the Xu family to pay off their debts felt like a knife to his heart.

Liu Tielian coughed twice and slowly asked, "Qingsong, let's put your feelings for Xiaoxue aside for now. Let me ask Xiaoxue if she likes you. This can't be a one-sided affair, can it?"

Liu Qingsong scratched his head.

He didn't ask that question.

But Xiaoxue doesn't dislike him, does she?

In the village, he would help Xiaoxue carry water, chop firewood, and sit beside her and talk to her when she did her laundry.

Xiaoxue always said thank you softly and smiled at him with her eyes crinkled. Once, when she saw that he hadn't eaten breakfast, she even gave him two eggs.

This must be what liking someone is.