NOVPUB
Chapter 895: Chapter 898 Pretense
"We’ve finally had Jin Gui, and we just want him to have a good life. Now that you sisters are capable, you should help your own brother. If the brother from your maternal family is doing well, it reflects well on you, and you’ll have someone to stand up for you when you face grievances in your marital home."
Liu’s family said it as if it were the most natural thing, as if a woman’s life is only to serve men, right?
She had regarded this as the truth for half her life.
Qiao Duo’er rolled her eyes. Dependent on others for a living, how could one stand firm for oneself, let alone support others?
Cough, cough, not that kind of "stand."
But judging by Qiao Jingu’s frail appearance, it seemed unlikely anyway.
Qiao Laixi, afraid that Liu’s family might ruin things, quickly said, "Your mother and I have thought it over, and all the silver in the world isn’t as good as having the family together. From now on, even if we have to beg for food, we won’t sell our children."
"We beg your and Mei’er’s forgiveness. In the future, we are still a family, and we’ll all be well."
This was the main point!
"Don’t even think about buying back those who’ve been sold, or it’ll affect your reputation," Qiao Duo’er said with annoyance.
There was still Qiao Hua’er at home. If they couldn’t sell her, the loss would be great.
After all, out of the three Qiao sisters, Qiao Hua’er was the most adaptable and had the best chance of fetching a high price.
Liu’s family said sadly, "Your father and I are not capable; we didn’t take good care of you sisters. But every parent loves their children; who doesn’t ache for their own?
"I can’t bear to see you unable to eat or sleep day and night, but what can I do? I can’t just watch you starve to death with me!"
"You’re a mother now; you must understand the difficulties your father and I are going through, right?"
If Qiao Duo hadn’t already understood Liu’s family’s true character, perhaps she would have believed that she was a good mother.
Unfortunately, Qiao Duo’er had seen through her a long time ago.
Liu’s family relied on her own parents at home, deferred to Qiao Laixi after marriage, and doted on her son once she had one. A woman like her who looked down on her own gender from the bottom of her heart would never change in this lifetime.
"Let’s not talk about the past," Qiao Duo’er said indifferently.
Does that mean they are forgiven then?
The Silly Sister was always the easiest to deceive. In the past at home, give her half a bun and she’d happily work half a day. It seemed nothing had changed.
Before Qiao Laixi and Liu’s family could finish their thoughts, Duo’er continued, "You still have two children, take good care of them."
The faces of Liu’s family and Qiao Laixi immediately fell.
They were groveling not for the sake of family bonds but for the silver!
Now that Qiao Jingu was not young anymore, they were preparing to find him a wife. Otherwise, he would age, and by then, how could they pick a good girl for him?
Moreover, they were almost certain that Qiao Duo’er was feigning ignorance intentionally, just to avoid giving them silver.
Having seen enough of their performance of deep familial love, Qiao Duo’er was ready to see the guests out.
"Ah Hong, I’m tired. Please show them out."
Tan Zhenghong nodded, "Father-in-law, mother-in-law, Duo’er is not in a condition to keep you, so I won’t keep you here."
What if his wife got upset?
Qiao Laixi’s face turned red with anger. Qiao Duo’er was pregnant, but did that make Tan Zhenghong pregnant too? Why was he inconvenienced?
"Son-in-law, we haven’t had a meal together as father and son-in-law. Why not have a good talk?"
"Dining together is useless; I don’t have silver for you,"
Tan Zhenghong said bluntly. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓾𝒷.𝒸ℴ𝓂
Qiao Laixi and Liu’s family felt as though they had an internal injury. They wanted to react, but remembering that Ah Hong was an official, they held back.
