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

Chapter 3 The Gu Family's Nest of Bad Bamboo

The two scoundrels finally quieted down.

The room fell silent instantly, with Chen Sufeng's suppressed sobs breaking out like occasional firecrackers.

Tong Huaqiong tried hard to search her memory of Tong Dajiao.

In her previous life, after her struggles failed, Chen Sufeng secretly ran away to the Zheng family and begged them to release Man'er, but the Zheng family naturally refused.

Tong Dajiao, along with Gu Dashu and others, captured Chen Sufeng and brought her back to the Gu family, ordering her stepson, Gu Dahan, to divorce her.

After being divorced, Chen Sufeng, having nowhere to go, jumped into a well and committed suicide. Gu Dahan, after divorcing his wife, went insane and eventually froze to death on the street.

If even one of the many bad bamboos in Tong Dajiao's family hadn't grown crooked, the eldest son's family wouldn't have been driven to the point of ruin.

Tong Huaqiong looked at Man'er with a complicated expression.

Man'er trembled uncontrollably.

Tong Huaqiong felt that it was her turn to tremble at this moment.

This girl is a hidden master.

In their past lives, Tong Dajiao and her three wicked children never imagined that Man'er, who had been widowed in the Zheng family at a young age, would disappear after setting fire to the Zheng family and killing everyone when she was ten years old.

When Man'er reappeared before the Gu family, she turned out to be the most favored imperial concubine.

Consort Man'er naturally embarked on a path of revenge.

She returned the suffering that Tong Dajiao and others had inflicted on her and her parents a thousandfold.

Gu Jingzhe's downfall was orchestrated by her behind the scenes.

The thought of Man'er ordering people to throw the bloodied heads of all the male members of the Gu family into Tong Dajiao's arms made Tong Huaqiong shudder.

This is a fearsome figure you can't afford to offend!
"Man'er is so thin, give her an extra egg tonight." Tong Huaqiong couldn't help but say, looking at Man'er's pitiful appearance with her thin arms and legs.

She needs to protect this formidable figure from the very beginning.

"Why should she? She's a member of the Zheng family now, yet she's still eating our food!" Gu Taohua jumped up. For every egg Man'er ate, she would have one less.

Gu Dashu held Gu Taohua down, unable to suppress a smile.

He understood what his mother meant; she was just trying to make sure Man'er was well-fed before leaving home.

This was also to appease his sister-in-law, Chen Su-fen.

Tong Huaqiong ignored the two scoundrels and stared at Chen Sufen, saying, "Eldest daughter-in-law, do as I say."

Chen Sufeng and Gu Dashu had the same idea.

Oh no, oh no, if her mother-in-law ever shows her even a little kindness, she and Man'er will be in trouble.

It's like the last meal before execution.

"Mother, please, Man'er can't go to the Zheng family. As long as you let Man'er stay at home, I will take good care of you for the rest of my life. If this life isn't enough, I'll be your slave in my next life to repay you." Chen Sufeng began to plead and cry.

"Grandma, Man'er doesn't want to go to the Zheng family. I can pull weeds, I can cook, I can sew clothes... Man'er will work hard at home... I will work hard to earn money so that Uncle can go to school and Yaozu can eat meat. Man'er will not eat eggs, and will only drink porridge from now on... Don't make me leave... Waaah..." Man'er and Chen Sufeng cried together.

Man'er was still young and couldn't understand why her grandmother insisted on sending her to the Zheng family.

Yaozu said that he sold her to the Zheng family. Only by selling her could his uncle go to school and Yaozu be able to eat meat.

She didn't want to go to the Zheng family, and she didn't want to leave her mother.

She could work with her mother to sew shoe soles to earn money to support her uncle's education, and she could save the best food for Yaozu.

"Alright, stop crying. Man'er isn't going to the Zheng family." Tong Huaqiong made the final decision.

Chen Sufen's sobs faltered; she couldn't believe her mother-in-law would have such good intentions.

He must have said that to keep her calm.

"No. Mother, we've already accepted the Zheng family's money." Gu Taohua's eyes widened.

"Mother, are you out of your mind or what? If Man'er doesn't go to the Zheng family, do you think they'll let us off the hook?" Gu Dashu asked incredulously.

"Grandma, if Man'er doesn't go to the Zheng family, I won't be able to eat meat every meal," Yaozu said, drooling. "Eat your dad's leg."

“Look at your son, he’s grown up so well, and he still eats meat. I think he might end up in jail.”

Tong Huaqiong pulled out a pillow and gave Gu Dashu, who was almost in front of her, a good beating.

Having not eaten for three days, and having given her son a beating, Tong Huaqiong was even hungrier.

"I'm hungry, get me some food!" Tong Huaqiong gasped for breath.

Once she's full, let's see how she deals with those three wicked bamboo stalks in front of her.

Neither Gu Taohua nor Gu Dashu lifted their butts.

Anyway, Chen Su-fen took care of all the housework, plus Man'er.

When Chen Sufeng heard that her mother-in-law was hungry, she didn't bother to plead any further and quickly got up to go to the kitchen to cook.

Man'er followed behind Chen Sufen, wanting to help start the fire.

"Has Mother really changed her mind and won't let Man'er go to the Zheng family?" Gu Taohua asked her second brother, Gu Dashu, quietly.

Gu Dashu gave Gu Taohua a knowing look.

"Mother, do you really have such good intentions? I'm starting to understand now. Mother wants to keep my sister-in-law in check. We'll send Man'er to the Zheng family when she's not paying attention. The other day, my sister-in-law made such a scene, and the steward from the Zheng family was very unhappy. He said the Zheng family didn't want to hear crying at a wedding and changed the date for Man'er's marriage. Once my sister-in-law isn't looking, we'll send Man'er to the Zheng family. We'll make it a fait accompli, and then it'll be too late for her to make a scene."

Gu Taohua pouted and muttered, "I shouldn't have told my sister-in-law back then. I should have just sent her to the Zheng family."

……

Dinner is ready.

Tong Huaqiong got out of bed and sat down at the dining table.

Apart from Gu Dahan, the stepson who was sent to the dock to carry cement by Tong Dajiao, and Gu Jingzhe, who was studying at the private school in town, all the scoundrels of the Gu family sat around the table.

Chen Sufen was busy with Man'er, who was both big and small.

“Peach Blossom, let me tell you, the fabric the Zheng family sent is really good. The village chief’s wife said it’s a new fabric from the south. No wonder your clothes feel so light and soft to the touch.”

A somewhat unfamiliar young woman sat at the table, tugging at her clothes as she discussed the fabric sent by the Zheng family with Gu Taohua.

Tong Huaqiong searched her memory and realized that this wicked bamboo belonged to Gu Dashu's wife, Liu Yue'e, who was also a master at being lazy and bullying Chen Sufeng.

Normally, she would try to sow discord between her and her mother-in-law, but these past three days, with Tong Huaqiong fainting, she had been going around gossiping about this and that until it was time to eat before returning home.

On the table were a large bowl of stewed cabbage, a large bowl of braised winter melon, a dish of pickled vegetable shreds, and a plate of stir-fried eggs with chives, which served as half a meat dish.

Man'er lowered her head and set out the chopsticks, while Chen Sufen served the rice.

"Are you all dead? You're making a child serve me? I was unconscious for three days straight, and you didn't even hand me a pair of chopsticks?"

"Are you all gluttons? You sit at the table and don't budge, just waiting for a child to serve you. You have no shame at all."

Tong Huaqiong was seething with anger at those few scoundrels. Seeing them waiting to eat with a clear conscience only fueled her anger. She slammed her hand on the table with a deafening roar.

Man'er was so startled that she dropped her chopsticks all over the floor.

"I wasn't talking about you, don't be afraid." Tong Huaqiong couldn't control her temper and raised her voice a little to Man'er.

Man'er was so startled she almost tripped, but Tong Huaqiong caught her.

Tong Huaqiong casually picked up Yaozu, who was sitting next to her, and pressed Man'er into a chair, saying, "Man'er, you can sit here for meals from now on."

Liu Yue'e was indignant to see her son being pulled away from the center of the dinner table, but she dared not protest when she met Tong Huaqiong's displeased gaze.

That old geezer, he's lost his mind, gone mad, and can't distinguish between family and relatives. Even if that good-for-nothing wants to be the Zheng family's daughter-in-law, she can't be above their own grandson, can she?

"What are you standing there for? Go help your sister-in-law carry the bowl!" Tong Huaqiong shouted at Liu Yue'e.

Liu Yue'e lifted her buttocks and reluctantly left the dining table.

Just then, Chen Sufeng was handing the food to Tong Huaqiong when she met Tong Huaqiong's gaze and trembled in fright.

(End of this chapter)