Free Web NovelChapter 660: Chapter 660: Better to Remarry
Tong Fusheng’s family of three, weary and exhausted, swept the inside and outside of the Gu Family’s house.
As soon as the job was done, they promptly left the Gu Family.
They had spent almost an entire day at Qinghe Bay, feeling both tired, hungry, and cold.
This trip was terribly unlucky. Not only did they get in trouble at Qinghe Bay, but they also had to compensate the Gu Family with five taels of Silver and two hundred catties of grain.
Mrs. Wang cursed incessantly, stating that this compensation would be enough to feed the family for several months.
Of course, they had neither Silver nor grain on them.
In the presence of the villagers, they signed an IOU, and Mr. Gu would come to Black Dragon Pond in two days to collect the grain and Silver.
"Aunt, Big Sister, are you just going to watch us being bullied like this?" Tong Zhijie complained angrily, huffing into his hands when he saw Tong Pandi and Tong Huaqiang after leaving.
The ornaments on Aunt and Big Sister’s heads would be enough to cover the compensation for the Gu Family if plucked randomly.
Tong Huaqiang covered her nose with a handkerchief and said, "How else should I watch? I should’ve brought a handful of melon seeds to munch on."
Tong Pandi rolled her eyes and said, "Were you even bullied? Your legs aren’t broken, your waist isn’t snapped, your hands are still attached, and you’re still breathing. How’s that being bullied?"
Tong Zhijie stomped his feet in anger, feeling like he would freeze.
Tong Fusheng attempted to draw sympathy, "Pandi, I’m still your father."
Tong Pandi replied, "I have no father."
It wasn’t as if Tong Huaqiang was kicking them when they were down, but the three were truly too wretched. She waved her hand and said, "You all should leave quickly; don’t come back to Qinghe Bay again."
The three members of the Tong family gritted their teeth and left.
Tong Huaqiang and Tong Pandi watched their sorry figures leave, their gazes devoid of sympathy.
"I reckon they’re going to Tong Zhaodi to ask for money now," Tong Huaqiang imagined what Tong Fusheng and Mrs. Wang would do next.
Tong Pandi chuckled mockingly and said, "Aunt guessed right; they can only rely on Tong Zhaodi now. I once thought about pulling Tong Zhaodi out of the Tong family’s quagmire, but she not only refused to leave but wanted to drag me in as well. Just wait and see; Tong Zhaodi will end up being dragged down by the Tong family."
Tong Huaqiang shook her head; this was Tong Zhaodi’s own choice.
Neither she nor Tong Pandi was capable of helping Tong Zhaodi, but the girl simply couldn’t be saved.
She could only sink along with the Tong Family and the Wu Family.
Tong Huaqiang was right; after arriving in Black Dragon Pond, the three members of Tong Fusheng’s family didn’t go home but went to the Wu Family instead.
Wu Ren had been removed from the village chief role, and a sense of deterioration permeated the Wu Family.
Even so, Tong Fusheng felt it was still better than their own family foundation.
Though Wu Ren had lost his position as village chief, the businesses and grain were still there.
Tong Zhaodi felt heartbroken seeing her parents and brother covered in dirt and injuries and cried. Upon learning of their ordeal in Qinghe Bay, she scolded Tong Pandi, Tong Huaqiang, and the Gu Family members.
Despite being pregnant, she boiled hot water for Tong Fusheng’s family of three to wash up, found them new clothes, cooked a table full of dishes, and poured some wine.
Mrs. Qiao glared in anger.
Mrs. Wang tearfully complained about the five taels of Silver and two hundred catties of grain needed to compensate the Gu Family. Tong Zhaodi, gritting her teeth, removed a bracelet from her wrist and handed it to Mrs. Wang.
This bracelet was given by Mrs. Qiao during the tea ceremony and was worth at least thirty taels if sold.
Mrs. Wang wiped her tears and, satisfied, patted Tong Zhaodi’s belly, praising her filial nature and speculating that her pregnancy seemed indicative of carrying a son. She cursed Tong Pandi, saying she deserved to be childless, thinking about her actions.
Tong Fusheng took a sip of wine, closed his eyes comfortably, and said earnestly, "If I had known Wu Ren’s position as village chief was unstable, I wouldn’t have married you to the Wu Family. Such a pity, such a pity..."
Tong Zhaodi had the same thought as Tong Fusheng.
She was beautiful and could’ve been taken as a concubine by a wealthy family in the city. Although being a concubine wasn’t honorable, the life would be one of luxury with servants attending to her. But now, the Wu Family’s life was worsening every day, forcing her to economize on food and drink, and the family’s cook and maid were dismissed by Mrs. Qiao.
Even while pregnant, she had to wash clothes herself.
"What can be done? I’m already pregnant," Tong Zhaodi murmured, "I can’t just remarry, right?"
Tong Fusheng suddenly said, "It’s not impossible."
Mrs. Wang looked at Tong Fusheng with wide eyes. What did he mean, suggesting that Tong Zhaodi should remarry?
"She’s already pregnant; who would she remarry?" Mrs. Wang asked.
Tong Fusheng replied slowly, "Even after Tong Pandi divorced with two daughters, she could marry Mr. Su. If Zhaodi leaves the Wu Family, she can only marry into a better family."
Mrs. Wang was puzzled.
But Tong Pandi, thanks to clinging to her younger sister-in-law, managed to snag Mr. Su.
Right now, Tong Zhaodi wasn’t even able to cozy up to her younger sister-in-law.
Tong Fusheng laughed and continued, "You don’t get it. Zhaodi’s looks surpass Pandi’s, she’s younger, and after having a son, she’d be even more sought after if she divorced and remarried."
Tong Zhaodi looked at Tong Fusheng with her mouth wide open. She didn’t understand why she would become more sought after just because she had a son.
No matter how pretty she was, aside from someone like Mr. Su who ignored societal norms, who would marry her?
Mrs. Wang understood and, slapping her thigh, said to Tong Zhaodi, "Your father is right. If this child is a son, it shows you’re capable of having boys. That wealthy man in the city who once considered you as a concubine would still want you in his house. At his age, he only has a daughter, and his concubine’s primary concern is producing a son."
Tong Zhaodi finally understood.
She eagerly looked at Tong Fusheng and said, "Dad, do you really want me to divorce and remarry?"
Tong Fusheng replied, "When you married Wu Musheng, it was firstly because Wu Ren was the village chief, and secondly because the Wu Family was close enough for you to care for them. Now that Wu Ren has lost his position, and Wu Musheng can’t be relied on, the Wu Family’s income from their leased shops and a dozen acres of good land is barely enough to make ends meet. You want to support Zhijie, but there’s no way you can scrape more Silver together. However, if you divorce and remarry in the city as a concubine, it would be different. The wealthy house is affluent, ensuring a good life for you. Once you have a son, you’d stand on equal footing with the main wife, and the family assets would be yours and your son’s. You’d be able to support your family and Zhijie then."
Tong Zhijie, who had been engrossed in munching on chicken legs, looked up and said, "Then let Second Sister remarry; the whole family could then thrive along with her."
Tong Fusheng subtly nodded and then shifted the topic to Tong Pandi: "When Tong Pandi divorced, I cared about false reputations and felt ashamed. Now that I see Pandi’s life is better than the Wu Family’s, I realize one shouldn’t be too rule-bound. Had I known Pandi could remarry someone like Mr. Su, I would’ve taken her home to recuperate and sent her to the city, perhaps even marrying someone better than Mr. Su."
Thinking about how Tong Pandi had slipped away frustrated Tong Fusheng; Tong Zhaodi had to remain under his control.
Tong Zhaodi, having been taught by Tong Fusheng and Mrs. Wang to obey her parents in everything to benefit Tong Zhijie, had her thoughts stirred by Tong Fusheng’s analysis.
She thought about the white-eyed look Mrs. Qiao gave her while preparing the table of wine and dishes, pondering how she would treat her and the Tong family in the future.
Even if she had a son, the Wu Family wouldn’t consider her a significant contributor.
Besides, what could the impoverished Wu Family offer her natal family?
It would be better to remarry!
Tong Zhaodi poured wine for Tong Fusheng, smiling as she said, "I’ll listen to Dad."
