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

Chapter 61 The Stepmother's Change

“I think Mother is serious, not just saying it. She even brought the bedding from the private school. These past few days, she’s been beating and scolding my third brother to make him work in the fields. I saw his hands were swollen from pulling weeds.” Chen Sufeng said with a sigh.

"So, Third Brother is willing?"

Gu Dahan couldn't believe that Gu Jingzhe would willingly drop out of school!
In his eyes, his third brother was arrogant and would sacrifice everything for studying and making a future.

"Of course he wouldn't want to. Third brother passed the imperial examination at such a young age, and it's said that even the education commissioner of the prefecture praised him. If it were you, would you be willing to drop out of the private school and go home to farm? But there's nothing we can do. You know Mother's temper; she's a woman of her word. She treats Third brother the same way she treated us before. Do you think Third brother can handle it?"

Gu Dahan opened his mouth. If his stepmother really treated his eldest son's family and his third brother the same way she used to, his third brother definitely wouldn't be able to handle it!

“My third brother cried and begged, but it was no use. I think he’s finally accepted it these past few days. He cried and told Mother that he would finish harvesting this season’s wheat at home first, and then go to Pingchuan or the prefectural city to find a job as an accountant, working and studying at the same time, supporting himself and not spending any of the family’s money.”

Chen Sufeng then told Gu Dahan about Gu Jingzhe's situation.

Gu Dahan listened in silence. If Gu Jingzhe really thought that way, he would feel a little more at ease.

While he was working at Pingchuan Wharf, Gu Jingzhe would often ask him for money.

"There's something else I need to make clear to you. My third brother went to Pingchuan County to ask you for money without our mother's knowledge. She found out a while ago and gave him a beating."

Chen Sufeng told Gu Dahan about Gu Jingzhe's request for money.

She felt that her mother-in-law had been bad in the past, but she couldn't bring up things her mother-in-law hadn't done, lest Gu Dahan have a knot in her heart when the matter was brought up later.

What Chen Sufeng said next almost made Gu Dahan rush out to kowtow to Tong Huaqiong.

"Mother said that we will choose a good day to bury your mother and father together. She also said that she will not be buried in the Gu family ancestral grave after she passes away, and will not be buried with your father."

Gu Dahan was speechless with shock. What was his stepmother up to?
The reason she made such a scene at her father's funeral was because she didn't want his mother to be buried with his father. He couldn't win against his stepmother and two half-brothers on this matter, so he eventually compromised.

As a result, his eldest sister, Gu Baishuang, broke off all contact with him.

Now he can understand why his stepmother agreed to let his father and mother be buried together, but he doesn't understand why his stepmother wasn't buried in the ancestral grave after her death.

If it's for redemption, the price is a bit too high.

"Anyway, what's past is past. Mother said that we'll work together to make our lives better from now on." Chen Sufeng sighed. "We're not destined for great wealth and status, so it's good enough that we don't suffer like this. Mother also said that you won't have to go out to work anymore, and we can stay at home and live together as a family. The three of us can be reunited."

She has been living a very comfortable life lately.

I hope this comfortable feeling continues.

Now that Gu Dahan has returned home, in accordance with his mother-in-law's promise, Gu Dahan will stay at home from now on and will never go out to work again.

She then took care of the household chores and devoted her energy to the fields during the coldest days of winter, working together with her mother-in-law to make a good living.

Chen Sufen became happier and happier as she thought about it, and felt more and more hopeful for the future.

"Let's talk about it after I finish working at the Lu family for a while," Gu Dahan said to Chen Sufeng. "The Lu family is very kind. Young Master Lu has given me a lot of things, which I've been saving up. I plan to give them to you and Man'er."

Chen Sufen pursed her lips, lowered her head, and smiled.

When Gu Dahan learned that Tong Huaqiong planned to keep him at home and prevent him from working outside the home, he began to waver.

He would have quit without hesitation if he were carrying sandbags at the dock in the past, but now he has a good job in the Lu family, in charge of driving the Lu siblings on their trips.

This job is easy and respectable, and the Lu family is a respectful employer. They provide food and lodging, pay three taels of silver a month, and give you clothes for all four seasons.

He could earn at least thirty taels of silver a year, enough for the whole family to live comfortably in the countryside.

How much money can you save by farming for a year?
However, he couldn't make the decision himself yet; he had to discuss it with his stepmother. Presumably, for the sake of the money, his stepmother would agree to let him continue driving the cart for the Lu family.

"Is Mother making pastries with Peach Blossom and the others?" Gu Dahan asked, looking outside. Through the window, Gu Dahan saw flames coming from the kitchen and heard his stepmother's loud, angry voice, followed by the rich aroma of pastries.

"Yes, we do this every day. We work day and night, there's never a moment of rest. Mother really meant what she said about giving everyone a good life."

That evening, when Tong Huaqiong gave her some pocket money, she secretly told her that she had made a total of fifty-seven taels of silver from the day's sales, including what Master Huang had ordered. After deducting costs, she could make at least thirty taels in profit.

Moreover, my mother-in-law said that she deserves a lot of credit for this.

Her mother-in-law saw all her hard work.

“During the Great Cold, I really feel that my mother has changed for the better. She didn’t teach her excellent skills to Tao Hua and Yue’e, but to me instead.” Chen Sufeng said with pride.

Today, Gu Dahan learned from Chen Sufeng about his stepmother's series of changes, each one more shocking than the last, and he couldn't even process it all.

"They're all making pastries, isn't it inappropriate for us to rest here?"

Gu Dahan felt guilty for being idle at home because of Tong Dajiao's manipulation. When he saw Tong Huaqiong leading Gu Dashu and others in and out of the kitchen, he couldn't help but go out with Chen Sufeng to help.

Chen Sufeng nodded and said, "Let's go too!"

After sending Chen Sufeng back to her room, Tong Huaqiong went to the kitchen and mobilized Gu Dashu, Gu Jingzhe, Liu Yue'e, and Gu Taohua. First, she sorted out the pastries that Chen Sufeng had made during the day, and then she started baking new pastries.

Tong Huaqiong didn't say anything when she saw Chen Sufeng and Gu Dahan come to the kitchen to help, because she knew that even if she sent the two of them to sleep, they wouldn't go, so there was no need to waste her breath.

Since she was willing to do it, she wouldn't stop her. Anyway, having two more people meant they could finish earlier and go to sleep sooner; she needed to get up early to set up her stall tomorrow.

Gu Dahan followed Chen Sufeng's instructions to beat the eggs.

Tong Huaqiong always felt that Gu Dahan was secretly observing her.

It must be that Chen Sufeng told him about the changes in her body, and he just couldn't adapt to it yet.

Indeed, if someone like Tong Dajiao can turn good, how is that any different from the resurrection of the old man from the Gu family?

"You two better pull yourself together. Don't think you're our heroes just because you've been running around all day. Aren't you and your sister tired after a day of setting up a stall? Aren't you tired from working outside? Aren't you tired from making pastries at home all day?" Tong Huaqiong couldn't help but scold Gu Dashu and Gu Jingzhe when she saw them both yawning.

Gu Dashu and Gu Jingzhe had spent the whole day running around to get the pig eggs, plus pulling Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua on a flatbed cart, and also pulling Lu Zhaoyang and the pig. They were so tired that they just wanted to collapse and sleep.

But they dared not, and dared not utter a single complaint.

Their widowed mother had been selling pastries all day to help the family improve their living conditions, and she was still working hard when she got home in the evening. How could they possibly go to sleep?

So he forced himself to help.

Tong Huaqiong deliberately kept Gu Jingzhe busy so that he wouldn't have time to pay attention to Lu Zhaozhao.

Tong Huaqiong sent Lu Zhaozhao to sleep in Gu Taohua's room. Lu Zhaozhao then went to check on her brother Lu Zhaoyang and saw that he was in good spirits, so she lay down on Gu Taohua's bed.

Lu Zhaozhao had already gone to sleep, but she woke up again in a daze.

The aroma of the pastries was so overwhelming that Lu Zhaozhao felt as if the top of her head was being permeated by the fragrance.

Lu Zhaozhao put on her clothes and went to the kitchen, where she saw Tong Huaqiong picking up freshly baked chestnut pastries and placing them on a bamboo rack.

Those chestnut pastries look so tempting.

want to eat!

(End of this chapter)