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

Just before leaving, Tong Huaqiong glanced at Gu Jingzhe.

Gu Jingzhe shuddered and said to Tong Huaqiong, "Mother, I know what I'm doing and I certainly won't make things difficult for Zhaozhao."

Tong Huaqiong waved her hand and said, "Go. Let's see what kind of trouble they're up to."

This meal felt like attending a trap.

Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu sat at home waiting for Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao to come over.

They weren't sure if the two would come to dinner, since they had already invited them three times, but Gu Jingzhe had declined each time due to other commitments.

Grandpa Gu was very angry. His grandson was only a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, and he already didn't respect him. If he became an official in the future, wouldn't he respect him even more?

He absolutely had to teach Gu Jingzhe a lesson. He'd lost all filial piety from studying so much. If he treated his grandparents like this, how could he possibly govern the world when he became a high-ranking official?

"Father, what if Jingzhe doesn't come?" Gu Honglian asked anxiously, her mind filled with thoughts of her dowry.

Grandpa Gu slammed his fist on the table and said, "Does he dare not come? If he doesn't come, keep inviting him until he does."

After waiting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, no one came.

Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu were a little anxious.

"Ruinian, go and see if the Awakening of Insects has arrived yet," said Grandpa Gu.

"No need to look anymore, I'm here."

Gu Jingzhe led Lu Zhaozhao through the door.

Grandma Gu glanced at their hands, and was about to blurt out the word "vixen," but she held back for the sake of her daughter's dowry.

"Grandpa, Grandma, is there something you need?"

When Gu Jingzhe entered, he first helped Lu Zhaozhao sit down and then pulled out a soft cushion for her to lean against.

Grandma Gu and the others watched with their eyes twitching.

It's unbearable to look at. Their grandson is handsome and talented, yet he acts like a gigolo in front of his wife. It's a disgrace to the men of the Gu family.

"Zhaozhao and you haven't had a single meal at home since you got married, and since you'll be going to Shengjing soon, I thought I'd invite you all to have a reunion dinner together," Old Master Gu said earnestly.

Gu Jingzhe thought to himself that this was utter nonsense.

Since it's a family reunion dinner, why not call out to his mother, older brother, younger sister, and others?

"They only came after we urged them three or four times. Anyone who didn't know better would think my grandson had become an official and no longer wanted to associate with us poor relatives." Old Mrs. Gu's words were anything but kind.

Gu Jingzhe smiled and said, "It's not that I didn't come on purpose, I've just been very busy lately."

Jia brought the food to the table.

Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao glanced over and saw that there were three meat dishes, four vegetable dishes, and a soup.

Jia said, "My niece-in-law has been raised in luxury since she was a child. I don't know if she can get used to our simple meals."

Before Lu Zhaozhao could reply, Wu Na picked up the chicken leg with her chopsticks and said, "Since she doesn't like it, I'll eat it."

Even though they had already heard about Wu Na's deeds, Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao were still stunned.

Wu Na has completely disregarded her image at this point.

What's the point of caring about appearances? If there's a rare meal of meat at home, and she doesn't eat it, it'll end up in Gu Honglian's stomach.

Everything else is secondary; being well-fed and eating well is the most important thing right now.

Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu were so angry they almost threw down their chopsticks. Madam Jia had a gloomy face. If word of her daughter-in-law's behavior reached Tong Dajiao's ears, Tong Dajiao would probably laugh at her behind her back again.

What shocked Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao even more was that Gu Ruinian picked up his chopsticks and silently took away another chicken leg.

Gu Ruinian's face was indifferent. He had lost to Gu Jingzhe, and he could never rise again, nor could he return to the era when he was the one who brought glory to his ancestors. In his numbness, he could only try to eat as much good food as possible. Gu Honglian clenched her chopsticks tightly.

Wu Na's marriage to Gu Ruinian reminded her that she needed a dowry to avoid living such a miserable life.

"No one at the table has touched their chopsticks, but you two are so clueless. Are you starving ghosts reincarnated? Are you so eager to be reborn after eating?"

"Eat, eat yourselves to death! Be careful not to get so fat and bloated that you'll be stuck on your way to reincarnation."

Grandma Gu started cursing and ranted for the time it takes to drink a bowl of tea.

"Grandma, let's eat," Gu Jingzhe said.

His grandmother's insults were so vulgar in front of Lu Zhaozhao. Although they were directed at Gu Ruinian and Wu Na, they still offended Lu Zhaozhao's ears.

Grandpa Gu took the opportunity to say, "Let's eat, let's eat."

As she spoke, she placed a piece of chicken on Gu Jingzhe's plate.

"Here, Zhao Zhao, have a bowl of egg drop soup. The eggs in this soup were just laid by our chickens today, they're very fresh." He personally ladled a bowl of chicken soup and handed it to Lu Zhao Zhao.

Trying to please one's granddaughter-in-law is naturally not a pleasant experience.

I have to please her; I'm going all out for my daughter's dowry.

"Thank you, Grandma," Lu Zhaozhao said obediently.

Gu Jingzhe placed a piece of plump fish belly on Lu Zhaozhao's plate, which made the old lady Gu's eyes twitch again.

"Grandpa, Grandma, I heard that Aunt is discussing marriage with Fan Tong."

Gu Jingzhe guessed the purpose of Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu inviting him to dinner, so he took the initiative to bring up Gu Honglian's marriage.

Since Gu Jingzhe took the initiative to speak, there was no need for them to wait until after the meal to discuss it.

Grandpa Gu said, "Their birth dates have already been exchanged. Honglian and his birth dates are very compatible. It's your aunt's good fortune that a mere scholar like him would fall for Honglian."

Grandpa Gu looked at Lu Zhaozhao eating quietly and thought to himself that if his granddaughter-in-law hadn't been so clueless, there wouldn't have been this meal.

Gu Jingzhe said, "Fan Tong is not a good match."

Gu Honglian didn't like hearing this. She said, "Fan Tong is arranging a marriage with me. I know whether he is a good match for me."

Gu Jingzhe said, “Aunt, Fan Tong is my senior brother, and I know him. A few years ago, he got engaged to the village chief’s daughter. The village chief supported his studies. After he passed the imperial examination, he wanted to climb the social ladder and abandoned the village chief’s daughter to pursue the daughter of a wealthy man named Huang. When the wealthy man Huang found out, he wouldn’t even let him into the house.”

Gu Jingzhe was too embarrassed to admit that Fan Tong had once flirted with Gu Taohua.

He must have failed to seduce Gu Taohua, so he turned to Gu Honglian instead.

"Have you ever wondered why he suddenly started discussing marriage with his aunt?"

The reason why such a scheming person was willing to marry Gu Honglian was not because he valued Gu Honglian at all, but because of him and his mother.

Grandpa Gu said, "You don't need to remind us why Fan Tong is interested in your aunt. Isn't it because he wants your and your mother's resources? We've known that for a long time. It's nothing. It's your aunt's good fortune to be able to climb the ranks to become a scholar by using your and your mother's resources."

Grandpa Gu's words silenced Gu Jingzhe.

They all knew all along, but they didn't care.

Gu Jingzhe looked at Gu Honglian and asked, "Auntie, do you think so too?"

Gu Honglian said, "Given our family's circumstances, and considering I'm not as beautiful as Taohua and Xiaoxue, I'm very content to have married Xiucai."

Gu Honglian thought to herself that she wasn't stupid.

From now on, she and Fan Tong will try to get their hands on any of the resources that her sister-in-law and Gu Jingzhe have. If they can't, she'll keep Fan Tong hanging on.

Since Gu Honglian thought this way, Gu Jingzhe would definitely not say another word about it. (End of Chapter)