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

Chapter 697: Chapter 697: Sincerity Can’t Fill Your Belly

"True love is important, but you can’t eat true love."

Gu Honglian took a deep breath.

She really didn’t expect Lu Zhaozhao’s thoughts to be so naïve.

There are indeed people who value true love over money, like Wu Na, who initially cherished Gu Ruinian himself, but after marrying into the old Gu Family house, there weren’t many chances to eat meat, and her true love quickly wore away.

Poor and humble couples have sorrow for everything.

Wu Na’s life was a mess, and now she fights with Gu Ruinian every day.

With the example of Wu Na and Gu Ruinian in front of her, Gu Honglian didn’t believe that true love outweighed material wealth.

Wu Na hinted for her to learn from her, to make a cooked rice with Fan Tong and get married without a dowry.

Gu Honglian wouldn’t do that.

She knew full well that Fan Tong’s mother and sister didn’t like her looks, but they were willing to discuss marriage because they valued Jingzhe’s future and mistakenly thought that Tong Huaqiong, the sister-in-law, would give her a dowry.

If she really married into the Fan Family empty-handed, she’d have to endure a lot.

That’s exactly what happened to Wu Na.

Her mother-in-law and second sister-in-law always mentioned Wu Na’s premarital pregnancy and lack of dowry.

She not only wanted to marry Fan Tong smoothly but also wanted to live a life valued by her husband’s family after the marriage.

Therefore, a dowry was indispensable.

"When we girls marry into the husband’s family, if we don’t have a dowry in hand, we’ll lack confidence in speaking and doing things. With a dowry, it’s different; you’ll have a backbone in the husband’s family, and even if your husband changes his heart in the future, you won’t worry about not having a place to live."

Gu Honglian straightforwardly brought up the issue of dowry.

With things said to this point, Lu Zhaozhao should understand what she meant by now.

But once again, Lu Zhaozhao let Gu Honglian down.

After pondering for a while, Lu Zhaozhao said, "Auntie, you’re right. We girls feel stronger with a dowry in hand. But I think just having a dowry isn’t enough; you also have to have the ability to keep it. If you can’t keep your dowry yourself and the man is out to get it too, even with a huge dowry, life won’t be good."

"Auntie, don’t you think I’m right?"

Gu Honglian nodded absentmindedly; she was so led by Lu Zhaozhao that she didn’t know how to guide the conversation to Lu Zhaozhao offering her a dowry on her own.

"So, Auntie, you should learn from Grandma and the second aunt before getting married, learn how to keep your dowry." Lu Zhaozhao looked as if she was sincerely giving Gu Honglian advice.

Gu Honglian was so angry that she almost couldn’t catch her breath.

What was there to learn, she didn’t even have a dowry yet.

Seeing the topic veer further and further away, Gu Honglian gritted her teeth and said, "Zhaozhao, mom and dad don’t have a dowry for me, and big sister-in-law won’t give it to me either. Can you give me some dowry? After all, you have so much dowry, giving me a bit shouldn’t be a problem."

"I’m not asking for much, just a shop, ten or so acres of good land, or a box of jewelry will be enough."

Gu Honglian looked at Lu Zhaozhao expectantly.

She really wasn’t asking for much; this was just like plucking a feather from a phoenix for Lu Zhaozhao.

Lu Zhaozhao thought to herself, here it finally comes.

Gu Honglian had finally asked her for a dowry.

Gu Taohua had warned her that Gu Honglian would ask for dowry, so she was already mentally prepared.

Gu Honglian was right; she had so much dowry that she couldn’t spend it all in a lifetime.

She was willing to add dowry to some lesser-positioned girls in the Gu Family when they marry, to help them, like girls such as Gu Xiaoxue.

But Gu Honglian was not among those she considered.

Not only because she was an ungrateful daughter-in-law to Tong Huaqiong, but also because Gu Honglian’s self-righteous manner disgusted her.

She had money but wasn’t the Holy Mother, willing to throw silver everywhere just because someone asked.

Lu Zhaozhao put away her smile and said coldly, "Auntie seems to have found the wrong person. Your dowry should be prepared by your grandparents, it certainly won’t be my turn, and since when does a niece-in-law prepare a dowry for her husband’s aunt?"

Gu Honglian looked at her with wide eyes in shock.

Lu Zhaozhao had rejected her.

She didn’t understand why Lu Zhaozhao was so heartless towards her.

She really wasn’t asking for much.

Yet, Lu Zhaozhao wouldn’t give her a shop, ten or so acres of good land, or a box of jewelry.

"Auntie, I’m going to the Weaving Workshop, so I can’t chat with you anymore."

Lu Zhaozhao stood up and walked toward the Weaving Workshop.

Gu Honglian was both ashamed and angry, tears welling up in her eyes.

Her last hope was shattered.

Without a dowry, whether her marriage with Fan Tong could still proceed was a question.

She dreamed of marrying a Scholar.

She didn’t want to marry an ordinary farmer and live a life where she couldn’t afford meat for several meals.

Gu Honglian returned home with a tearful face.

Old Mrs. Gu saw her and thought someone had bullied her. After questioning, she found out that Lu Zhaozhao was unwilling to give her a dowry; Old Mrs. Gu looked incredulous.

"Said she donated two hundred taels of silver to the village school a few days ago, I thought when you asked for a dowry, she’d at least give you five hundred taels, but she just refused outright?" Old Mrs. Gu said.

Had that naïve girl become so stingy?

Mrs. Jia said, "Of course, she’s afraid of the big sister-in-law. After all, you’re only her aunt, and when asking for a dowry, she naturally has to consider what her mother-in-law thinks."

"It was a mistake from the beginning to have you ask for it directly; it should’ve been mom and dad who spoke up."

Old Mrs. Gu felt that Mrs. Jia made sense.

Surely, it was Tong Huaqiong preventing her from associating with the old house, and just after marrying into the Gu Family, she hadn’t found her footing yet and had to listen to her mother-in-law in everything.

As the great-grandmother, in theory, she could suppress Tong Huaqiong. Since she was going to speak up, surely Lu Zhaozhao wouldn’t refuse.

The reason Old Mr. and Mrs. Gu had let Gu Honglian ask for the dowry herself was to save face.

For two elders to force their grandson’s wife to fork out a dowry for the aunt would be too embarrassing to speak of.

"Mom, you must help me. If it’s late, Fan Tong will be snatched away by someone else." Gu Honglian pleaded bitterly.

Old Mrs. Gu gritted her teeth and said, "Alright, your father and I will step in; would she dare refuse?"

Old Mrs. Gu was intent on securing Lu Zhaozhao’s dowry.

A daughter-in-law defying the great-grandmother, bearing the label of being unfilial, does she still want Jingzhe to earn her the title of Lady of Rank in the future?

Thinking like this, Old Mrs. Gu felt incredibly confident.

...

Gu Family.

Jingzhe was reading a book, while Lu Zhaozhao was writing beside him.

A scene of peaceful times.

"Master, the old residence invites the third young master and third young mistress to come over for a meal," Granny Lei said to Tong Huaqiong.

This was the third time the old residence had invited Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao over for dinner, though Jingzhe had rejected them every time.

Gu Honglian asking Lu Zhaozhao for dowry, Tong Huaqiong had already heard about it from Lu Zhaozhao.

She was relieved that Lu Zhaozhao didn’t act with a Saint’s heart but instead decisively rejected Gu Honglian.

Now the old residence was inviting Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao over for dinner for the fourth time, certainly with the intent of the two elders combining forces to ask for dowry for Gu Honglian.

This matter, Tong Huaqiong still did not plan to intervene.

Anyway, Jingzhe was at home, and these were matters within their Gu Family that he should handle.

Thinking about this, Tong Huaqiong asked Granny Lei to seek Jingzhe’s opinion.

Jingzhe put down his book and said to Lu Zhaozhao, "Since the old residence has repeatedly invited us over for dinner, let’s go and have a meal."

Lu Zhaozhao agreed with a smile.

She was also curious to see how the Gu elders would act after she refused to give Gu Honglian the dowry.