The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 327: Getting Rid of Gossiping Habits

Chapter 327: Chapter 327: Getting Rid of Gossiping Habits

Tong Huaqiong felt relieved knowing there was a place for the private school.

"So when is the teacher coming?"

The village chief asked the question he cared about the most.

The most important thing for a private school is the teacher. None of the villages around Qinghe Bay have a scholar. Only Wild Bull Valley has Fan Xiucai, but he’s aiming to take higher exams, so he can’t teach in village schools.

Even if he wanted to come, Tong Huaqiong would oppose it.

Gu Jingzhe is even more impossible.

Though Tong Huaqiong assured the village chief not to worry about the teacher, as the village chief, he still needed to know in advance who the teacher would be to make arrangements.

Tong Huaqiong said, "I’ve asked Jingzhe to get his teacher to hire an instructor. This Mr. Li is a scholar from Pingchuan County, over forty this year. His family was too poor for him to continue the exams. He’s currently teaching for a wealthy family. Since the family plans to move south next spring, Mr. Li doesn’t want to go with them and intends to resign for other teaching opportunities. When I heard this, I quickly asked Jingzhe to request him through Mr. Su. He said he could come to our village anytime."

"Considering that the day after tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, shall we invite him here on the 18th day of the eighth month?"

The village chief was overjoyed upon hearing this and said, "In that case, I’ll tell everyone today, then organize them to tidy up the ancestral hall."

The ancestral hall isn’t messy and is easy to tidy up; it’s just a matter of arranging some tables and benches.

As for benches, each family would bring a bench when their child comes for lessons.

Tong Huaqiong said, "I’ll leave everything to your arrangements, chief. By the way, I plan to invite County Magistrate Liu to speak to the village children on the day classes start. On that day, chief, please organize the villagers to participate; it will make County Magistrate Liu happy to see."

The village chief was so surprised to hear about inviting County Magistrate Liu that he nearly fainted from excitement.

This is an honor for Qinghe Bay.

Not only should our villagers attend the opening ceremony, Liu Tieshan plans to invite the village chief and all village heads from Yan Guan Town to attend, too. He can already imagine how envious the village chief and other village heads would be seeing County Magistrate Liu visiting Qinghe Bay.

Coming out from the village chief’s house, Tong Huaqiong went to Liu Yueer’s parental home on the way.

She remembered that they ran out of soy sauce at home, and since soldiers had been guarding the village entrance these three days, she hadn’t gone to get some, so she decided to borrow half a bottle from Liu Yueer’s mother’s house.

Mrs. Zhao warmly took a bottle of soy sauce, divided it in half, and handed it to Tong Huaqiong, saying, "Mother-in-law, Yue Er just came home. I wanted to keep her for lunch."

Tong Huaqiong said, "There’s nothing wrong with that."

After leaving Liu Yueer’s parental home, Tong Huaqiong reflected on whether she was too strict with her second daughter-in-law.

Now, she even had to be cautious about going back to her own home for lunch.

Liu Yueer, hiding in the main hall, saw her mother-in-law leave and, relieved, grabbed some sunflower seeds and went to the kitchen to chat secretly with Mrs. Zhao.

Liu Yueer talked to Mrs. Zhao about things in the provincial city and said, "Mom, I can’t quite figure out my mother-in-law’s temperament. You say she treats me badly, yet she defended me in front of Dashi. But when I wanted to stay in the city with Dashi, she didn’t agree."

Mrs. Zhao, steaming buns on the stove, glanced at Liu Yueer and said, "No matter what, listening to your mother-in-law is never wrong."

She knew her daughter well; she couldn’t go three days without stirring things up.

She understood what her in-law was worried about.

For the harmony of the Gu family, her daughter was indeed not suited to stay in the city alone with Gu Dashi.

Liu Yueer was displeased, wondering why her mother sided with her mother-in-law.

Liu Yueer mentioned Chen Sufen and said, "Now that the eldest is pregnant, Mother-in-law treats her like a treasure. It’ll leave no place for me in the Gu family."

"But her pregnancy is beneficial for me because Sufen can’t go to Taohua Dessert anymore. I need to get my sister-in-law and Xiu Xiu to quickly step up and take charge of Taohua Dessert Bakery. It’s like having half of Taohua Dessert in my hands."

Mrs. Zhao shot Liu Yueer a sharp look.

This daughter of hers, always stirring up trouble.

Thinking she could hold half of Taohua Dessert, she reckoned that if her mother-in-law knew this, she’d give her nothing and might kick her son’s family out.

Mrs. Zhao observed coldly, feeling that Taohua Dessert would eventually belong to Gu Taohua.

This was her in-law’s business; she could give it to whomever she wanted, and Yue Er shouldn’t overstep to seize it.

She had to knock some sense into this little-headed daughter.

"Yue Er, don’t play tricks in front of your mother-in-law. When your mother-in-law’s business grows, you’ll have your share of the benefits, and Yaozu too. Don’t make other plans. Your brother’s family working at Taohua Dessert already makes the clerks gossip. They dare not step out of line for fear of disgrace, nor do they want your mother-in-law doubting you. How dare you want your sister-in-law and Xiu Xiu to grip the bakery? What’s gotten into you?"

"If you keep on like this, I won’t let them work there. I don’t want people to accuse us publicly of plotting to transfer your in-law’s assets to the Liu family. We can’t bear such shame."

Mrs. Zhao scolded Liu Yueer harshly.

Seeing her mother angry, Liu Yueer said coquettishly, "Mom, I’m just saying. Don’t take it seriously."

Just saying?

Liu Yueer couldn’t keep secrets; whatever she said was what she thought.

Mrs. Zhao resolved to eliminate her daughter’s thinking.

When her son’s family returned at night, Mrs. Zhao decided to talk with her son and daughter-in-law, advising them to keep distance from Yue Er at the store and work diligently and discreetly.

Mrs. Zhao continued instructing Liu Yueer, "Your eldest sister-in-law is pregnant now, so respect her more. Don’t compete with her. Sufen has suffered a lot from you before; consider it building merit for Yaozu and treat her well while she’s pregnant."

Liu Yueer snorted, hinting, "She’s the favorite with Mother-in-law now. Nobody in the Gu family dares cross her after such a big sacrifice."

Mrs. Zhao felt a jolt, then picked up a firewood stick, intending to hit Liu Yueer, and sternly said, "Yue Er, what are you implying? Do you know what can and cannot be spoken? If you vent this to others, and they latch onto what you’re saying and pry further, word by word, you’ll spill it all out before you realize it."

Liu Yueer stared blankly at her mother.

She almost let slip about Chen Sufen and Xiao Long’s staged act.

Luckily, she was interrupted by her mother at the door, preventing a slip-up.

Mrs. Zhao tapped Liu Yueer’s forehead and said, "Blab all you want about other things, but not this one. Xiao Long is your big brother-in-law’s son. Since he’s returned, he’s the Gu family’s descendant. If your sister-in-law accommodates Xiao Long without grievances, that’s her magnanimity. You can’t use this to mock her. This is a matter for your eldest brother’s family. Remember, if anyone brings it up outside, don’t respond at all."

Mrs. Zhao had just broken into a cold sweat.

Whether Xiao Long is really Gu Dahuan’s illegitimate child, Mrs. Zhao leaned towards "no."

Like her, many villagers doubted this matter. Whenever someone pulled Zhao to discuss whether Gu Dahuan had an illegitimate child, Mrs. Zhao either avoided the topic or firmly said Xiao Long was indeed Gu Dahuan’s son.

She had to say this.

Whether Xiao Long was an outcast, she wasn’t sure, but she had to acknowledge to the villagers that Xiao Long was Gu Dahuan’s son.

These past nights, she had trouble sleeping, fearing the exposure of Xiao Long’s identity might bring misfortune to the Liu family.

Her daughter, with a loose tongue, was eager to blurt anything.

She had to curb Liu Yueer’s gossiping habit.