The Challenge of a Farmhouse Son-in-Law
Chapter 245: Huang Xiangwen’s Scheme

Chapter 245: Chapter 245: Huang Xiangwen’s Scheme

Huang Xiangwen spat toward Gu Xiaoqing’s room and cursed, "Lazybones."

"Mom, it’s just washing clothes, it’s no big deal," Lei Qianqian said.

"That won’t do," Huang Xiangwen insisted, taking the basin with clothes and said with a smile, "You can’t compare with us. We villagers are used to rough work, even when heavily pregnant we can still work in the fields. You’re different, you’ve lived in the city since you were young and never done this kind of work. You certainly can’t be like us. I’ve heard that city women are especially prone to accidents when they do work while pregnant. Be careful about the child."

The patriarch of the Gu Family had made it clear—if the first child that Lei Qianqian bore was a son, they would do whatever it took to support him, send him to school, and help him achieve scholarly honors. And Lei Qianqian wouldn’t need to do household or field work; her only duty would be to educate the child well.

Her eldest grandson could very well be a future Magistrate. How could they let him suffer?

Of course they couldn’t.

Lei Qianqian’s face was indescribably pale.

At dinner, the whole Gu Family gathered around the long table, and Huang Xiangwen kept serving delicious food into Lei Qianqian’s bowl, while the usually stingy Elder Huang didn’t say a word and even appeared happy.

"Qianqian really has prospects. She hasn’t been with the Gu Family long and already has a child on the way, putting your mother and your third aunt to shame. Especially your third aunt, humph, it took her nearly two years just to have Erya."

Meng Qiuju, who had been quietly eating, suddenly lost half of her appetite upon hearing this.

It was an unsolvable source of distress for her life.

Huang Xiangwen’s face was full of smiles, and she wasn’t angry even though Elder Huang’s words implied that the daughter-in-law had surpassed her. She continued with Elder Huang’s line, "Exactly, Qianqian looks like someone with good fortune. Not to mention, what that matchmaker said about ’a woman who is three years older bringing home a gold brick’ makes sense. Qianqian definitely has the fate of a high official’s wife. Gu Dabao might not have a future as an official, but this younger one, my eldest grandson, is sure to be a Magistrate someday."

The simple-minded Gu Dabao grinned from ear to ear, while Gu Er and Gu Feng happily clinked glasses and drank. The second branch of the family beamed with pride, while the third branch had nothing to say, like eggplants beaten by frost.

Gu Feng looked darkly at the people from the second branch, his thoughts inscrutable.

As for Lei Qianqian, the person concerned, she kept her head down bashfully and fiddled with her handkerchief as if she were nervous.

Seeing that the stage was set, Huang Xiangwen turned to Elder Huang and said, "Mom, Qianqian isn’t like our village girls, who have grown up doing farm work since they were young. I’ve heard that since she was a child in the city, she’s done nothing but study and embroider flowers; her mother never had her do any work.

Qianqian was raised delicately, and now she’s pregnant. I worry that making her do work will be too much for her, and if it harms the child, it would be terrible."

"Do work?" Before Elder Huang could say anything, Gu Feng, sitting at the long table, asked in surprise, "Haven’t I said it already? Qianqian doesn’t need to do any work; she just needs to focus on nurturing the child. Second brother’s family, why would you still ask her to work?"

Elder Huang’s smile faded and she asked sternly, "Second brother’s family, what’s going on?"

Gu Dabao, feeling protective of his wife and child, quietly asked, "Qianqian, what work did Mom ask you to do?"

Huang Xiangwen’s gaze shifted to Gu Xiaoqing, who was quietly eating, and Gu Xiaoqing understood what was happening.

She snorted and threw her chopsticks down onto the table.

Everyone at the table frowned at Gu Xiaoqing, knowing without asking that she was involved in the matter.