The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!

Chapter 686: Chapter 686: All Just Excuses

Since becoming pregnant, Chen Sufen has focused all her energy on Man Er and her youngest daughter. After the youngest daughter was born, she still wanted a son, but she wasn’t able to conceive.

Of course, she doesn’t stop missing the days at Taohua Dessert, the concentration when hiding in the bakery making pastries, the excitement when newly developed pastries got recognition from customers, the joy of opening the shop with her mother-in-law...

At night, she still recalls these memories fondly.

Now that her mother-in-law asked about her plans, she doesn’t know how to answer.

Since her mother-in-law asked, it means she hopes she’ll return to Taohua Dessert. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked at all.

Return to Taohua Dessert, then? Taohua Dessert is developing well now, and it seems like they don’t really need her.

Besides, she can’t bear to leave the children.

She still wants to put in more effort to give Gu Dahan a son.

If she doesn’t go back, honestly, she envies Gu Taohua and Liu Yue Er. She envies them for being able to step outside and do business.

After hesitating, Chen Sufen carefully said, "Mother, I want to try for a son while I’m still young..."

Tong Huaqiong: "..."

Tong Huaqiong almost choked.

Rationally, Tong Huaqiong understands Chen Sufen’s thoughts.

She doesn’t mind whether Chen Sufen has a son, but it doesn’t matter; Chen Sufen minds herself.

After saying this, Chen Sufen dared not look at Tong Huaqiong, worried her mother-in-law would think she’s unambitious.

Tong Huaqiong said, "Having a son doesn’t prevent you from doing things, right? When you were at Taohua Dessert, didn’t you still manage to have Ying Er?"

Chen Sufen thought for a moment and said, "It’s not that I don’t want to help with the family business, I just feel that since everything in our family is not a small workshop anymore, and I haven’t been to the shop for two years, I’m worried I won’t do well starting from scratch."

Oh, Tong Huaqiong understood, this is the self-doubt and denial of her abilities that has developed from spending so much time raising children.

It’s not that she doesn’t want to go out.

Tong Huaqiong breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Look at Pandie, who never did any business before; we handed her our family’s pig farm, and whether it’s buying, selling, or guiding pig rearing, she’s got it all under control, and she manages more than ten people under her."

"Your eldest sister Baishuang, who was a young mistress at home for so long, decided to start a business and did it. From knowing nothing to being proficient. Now she can calculate with an abacus fluently, and Nie Mingyuan can’t fool her a bit."

"You used to be able to run the shop with me, and if you want to do it now, you can get started."

Chen Sufen still hesitated a bit and said, "Ying Er is still young, I want to spend more years with her."

That’s just an excuse.

Ying Er has maids and caretakers and doesn’t need Chen Sufen’s constant attention.

Moreover, working with Tong Huaqiong in business doesn’t mean she can’t see her children.

It’s just about shifting focus from children to business.

Tong Huaqiong added fuel, "Of course, if you wish to stay at home, I respect your choice. Now our family business has grown. Taohua, Yue Er, and even Dashi have made great efforts to expand our business, and Dashi is still at the border and hasn’t returned. In the future, when we’re dividing the family assets, how should I divide them? If I distribute them equally, what will others think? Dahan has contributed to growing cotton, and there’s a share of Weaving Workshop for her. What about you?"

"Even if I wanted to give Taohua Dessert to you, would it be fair to Taohua and Yue Er?"

"Now you have two daughters, and you might have a son in the future. Don’t you want to fight for more family assets for your kids? I’ve said before that dividing our family assets equally is impossible; everyone, regardless of gender, shares according to their contributions. If you stay at home and don’t contribute to the shop, then your family branch will get less. If you can accept that, then I have no problem with you staying at home with the children."

As Tong Huaqiong said this, it would prevent any disputes about fairness when dividing family assets in the future, avoiding potential family conflicts.

It’s better to speak up early.

It’s not that she doesn’t trust the main branch of the family, but she believes human nature is fickle.

Upon hearing this, Chen Sufen stood up in panic, "Mother... I never intended to divide the family; everything in our family belongs to you, and you decide how to divide it. If I wanted anything of yours, wouldn’t that be unfilial."

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself, it seems she spoke for nothing.

Why is Chen Sufen so fixated on being filial or not?

Seeing Tong Huaqiong’s face fall, Chen Sufen said, "Mother, that’s not what I meant... I... I’m just reluctant to leave the children, afraid I’ll mess things up at the shop..."

Tong Huaqiong took a deep breath, there’s still hope.

Chen Sufen is willing to participate in the family business.

Tong Huaqiong’s tone softened, asking, "If you don’t want to go to Taohua Dessert, you can participate in our family’s Weaving Workshop; it’s in the village, and you can watch your children anytime."

After thinking for a bit, Chen Sufen lifted her head and said, "I’d still like to go to Taohua Dessert. Since I’m participating in the family business, I should do what I’m good at. I like making pastries. As for the children, even if I work in the Weaving Workshop, I can only see them early in the morning and late at night, seeing them all the time would interfere with work."

"I heard from Xiao Long and Man Er while they were studying that a parent’s love for their children should plan for the long term. You’re right; I can’t just think about now. I need to consider more for Man Er and Ying Er. Once they’re married, I’d like to provide them with dowries, properties, and such. I can’t just reach out and ask for these things from you, I need to earn them myself."

Very good, Chen Sufen finally understood.

Tong Huaqiong was very satisfied with this.

Having Chen Sufen go back to Taohua Dessert was what Tong Huaqiong hoped for.

Her skills should shine at Taohua Dessert.

Tong Huaqiong said, "Since you’ve decided, then go to Taohua Dessert and take charge of the bakery."

Chen Sufen nodded, her eyes glistening with tears.

Gu Jingzhe is getting married on March 16, and during this time, arranging the marriage is inseparable from Chen Sufen.

So, Chen Sufen decided to go to work at Taohua Dessert’s bakery after her brother-in-law’s wedding was taken care of.

This aligns with Tong Huaqiong’s intentions.

Initially, in Tong Huaqiong’s mind, arranging her son’s marriage was naturally her responsibility as the mother.

Leaving it to the daughter-in-law feels like shirking responsibility.

But that’s not how Chen Sufen thinks.

Chen Sufen has the sense and responsibility often seen in this era, where an elder sister-in-law acts like a mother.

She’s more attentive to her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law’s affairs than anyone.

Chen Sufen took the initiative to handle Gu Jingzhe’s wedding; if Tong Huaqiong didn’t let her manage it, she’d be suspicious, thinking her mother-in-law didn’t favor her.

Entrusting Gu Jingzhe’s wedding to her made her feel appreciated by her mother-in-law.

With Gu Jingzhe being a scholar and Lu Zhaozhao as an Imperial Merchant and pretty rich, combined with the influence of Tong Huaqiong and Mr. Lu in Ning City’s business world, this wedding couldn’t be low-key.

Tong Huaqiong didn’t want it to be low-key either.

She wanted the wedding to be spectacular.

The house in the provincial city was already bought.

The wedding would be held at Qinghe Bay.

Buying supplies, arranging the banquet, entertaining guests... organizing a grand wedding involves many tasks.

Every day, Chen Sufen bustled about with joy, busy with her brother-in-law’s wedding.

To reduce the pressure on Chen Sufen, Tong Huaqiong enlisted Tong Pandi and Mrs. Hong to help, invited Liu Yueer’s mother, Mrs. Zhao, to decorate the new room, and Gu Fengnian’s wife, Mrs. Wei, to lead the daughters-in-law in sewing new clothes and quilts.

She invited Village Chief Liu and Boss Qian to manage the banquet.

As the eldest sister of the Gu family, Gu Baishuang took initiative in purchasing supplies.

Many hands make light work, and by the end of February, the preparations for the wedding were done.

Entering March, Gu Jingzhe returned home from Wanliu Academy to await his role as groom.