Mrs. Chen knew Third Grandma was protective of her children, and seeing her get angry, she quickly smiled and said, "Third Aunt, listen to what youâre saying. How could I forget those hard times?"
She patted the basket in her hand, took out a piece of streaky pork, and swayed it in front of Third Grandma and Gu Daya, saying, "Look, I knew Sister Daya and her family were back, so I brought you some meat to help replenish them."
Look at this meat, more fat than lean, easily over a pound, and it cost her more than twenty cents; isnât she generous?
Gu Jinli snatched the streaky pork from Mrs. Chenâs hands with a smile, "Thank you, Aunt Da Gui. Iâll go make some braised pork now; itâs getting late, you should hurry back before Uncle Da Gui comes looking."
Otherwise, he will scold you, which wouldnât look good.
Before Mrs. Chen could show off enough, the meat was taken away by Gu Jinli, and she suddenly panicked, wanting to take it back, but Gu Jinli had already turned and went to the kitchen.
"Thereâs nothing much at home; Iâll help you cook, no need to be polite to me." Mrs. Chen, with an empty basket, followed to the kitchen, rolling up her sleeves, deftly helping Gu Jinli with chores.
"What is this Mrs. Chen really up to?" Third Grandma felt a headache coming, unable to deal with Mrs. Chen, only able to call Gu Daya and others to join in cooking.
Gu Dewang also hurried over, peering at the door, reminding his mother, "Mom, Dad is about to come home for dinner."
If you donât go back now, Dad will come looking, and he will scold you once again.
Mrs. Chen glared harshly at Gu Dewang, scolding, "You brat, why are you loitering at the door? Hurry over and help with cooking; didnât you see itâs getting dark?"
Gu Dewang, behind Mrs. Chenâs back, rolled his eyes and did not run over to help, as the kitchen was simply too crowded for him to squeeze in.
Third Grandma, seeing a bunch of people busy in the kitchen, and Mrs. Chen still pretentiously cutting meat, couldnât hold back and scolded her a few times. However, Mrs. Chen, without talking back, still cheerfully helped with the work.
Third Grandma really was worn out by her, swiftly finished slaughtering a chicken, plucking it, and chopping it, then handed her a bowl of raw chicken, saying, "Here, take this back to satisfy your craving, and stop crowding here."
Mrs. Chen looked at the bowl of chicken, very pleased yet somewhat torn, "Third Aunt, I didnât come to help just for this bowl of chicken."
Even though she really wanted to eat it.
"Then why?" Third Grandma scoffed, "Donât tell me you really came to help, todayâs sun surely rose from the east, not from the west."
Mrs. Chen was stifled, looking at Gu Daya and not daring to state her real purpose in front of her, but she was genuinely worried, as this matter related to the Silver Coin affairs of several families.
Gu Jinli had long seen through Mrs. Chenâs intentions, seeing that she couldnât be sent away by scolding, and finally spoke, "Aunt Da Gui, you should go back first. Donât worry, when we settle accounts tonight, I will inform everyone of Uncleâs family arrangements, and ensure no one incurs losses."
"Really?" Mrs. Chenâs eyes brightened, fearing Gu Jinli might go back on her word, she quickly grabbed her basket and chicken, pulled Brother Wang along, and quickly walked away, while saying, "Remember tonight to clarify things, donât deceive your Aunt Da Gui."
Third Grandma finally understood Mrs. Chenâs real intentions, furiously ran to the kitchen doorway, shouting at Mrs. Chenâs retreating figure, "You stingy creature, I knew you didnât come to bring meat with good intentions today, look at your petty behavior, as if Sister Dayaâs family is a burden to you!"
It infuriated her, just as Sister Dayaâs family had returned and hadnât even eaten a meal yet, Mrs. Chen was already worried Sister Dayaâs family might share their business profits and hurriedly came to inquire.
Mrs. Chen heard Third Grandmaâs curses and hurriedly quickened her pace, running and almost colliding with Gu Dagui who had come to find her.
Upon seeing Mrs. Chen, Gu Dagui immediately grabbed her, angrily saying: "Woman, didnât I tell you not to rush over to Brother Dashanâs house to visit? Why didnât you listen? You didnât say anything you shouldnât have, did you?"
Mrs. Chen felt somewhat guilty, dared not look Gu Dagui in the eye, and pulled her hand back, heading towards her home while retorting: "What wrong things could I have said? I just knew that Sister Daya and the others had returned, so I brought them some meat to add a dish."
"Bringing meat?" Gu Dagui was shocked: "You would be so generous?"
He had been married to her for over a decade, and the only time she brought meat to her parentsâ house was when she visited after their marriage.
Each year thereafter, when she visited her parents, at most she would bring them some oil residue or rice flour caramel, and even if her elder sister-in-law prepared generous New Year gifts, she would secretly sell them to save money for herself, never sending generous gifts to her parents.
How could someone who wouldnât even bring meat to her own parents suddenly become generous enough to bring meat to a relativeâs house without something odd going on?
Gu Dagui felt his legs weaken and hurriedly asked: "Tell me clearly, what inappropriate things did you say at Brother Dashanâs house?"
Mrs. Chen, pressed by his questioning, turned back and glared at him, saying: "Donât you trust me? I really didnât say anything, but Xiao Yu did mention that we shouldnât worry, and that during tonightâs accounts settlement, they would give a proper explanation to each of our families. It seemed like they probably wouldnât let Gu Dayaâs family buy shares and share the tofu and spice profits."
Mrs. Chen said this, her chin raised somewhat proudly, feeling quite important as if she was the first to know this news.
Upon hearing her words and seeing her expression, Gu Dagui wanted to strangle her: "You, you actually went to ask this at Brother Dashanâs house? Canât you stay put?!"
"You handle things this way? Sister Daya just returned and you couldnât wait to ask about this, do you want to die?"
Mrs. Chen said: "Itâs exactly because she just came back that I had to ask. If we donât ask and donât show Xiao Yu our stance, by the time she proposes to include Gu Daya in sharing the dividends, it will be too late."
She added: "You all care too much about face. Can you eat or spend this face? For matters concerning everyoneâs money, we should clarify it early."
After saying this, she turned her head and walked home, bouncing along.
Gu Dagui truly felt defeated by her, completely unable to handle his wife, now only hoping that Xiao Yu wouldnât resent Mrs. Chen, otherwise if Xiao Yu stopped including their family in business, it would spell the end for them.
He followed behind Mrs. Chen, hearing her hum a tune, quite annoyed, and scolded Gu Dewang beside him: "I told you to keep an eye on your mother, not to let her go to Uncle Dashanâs house, how could you handle this?"
Gu Dewang felt very wronged, how could he keep an eye on his mother? He was holding onto her skirt, yet he was dragged all the way to Uncle Dashanâs house by her.
Hearing Gu Dagui scolding Gu Dewang, Mrs. Chen turned back and glared at Gu Dagui: "Why scold my son? You scold him stupid every day, if he doesnât pass the examination for an official position, and canât become an official, Iâll never let you off!"
Then she waved at Gu Dewang: "Brother Wang, letâs go, go home and do your homework. Whether your mother can succeed in the latter half of her life depends on you."
After finishing spring cultivation and the opening of the workshop, their family sent Gu Dexing and Gu Dewang to Xu Tongshengâs house in Songzi Gully to study under Xu Tongsheng.