Zeng Nuwan’s grip on her teacup tightened. ’Is she going to deny even this small favor?’
Jin Qianqian glanced at her and continued, "If your brother can wait, we should have a new batch of goods ready in two days."
The main issue was that the last batch had been sent entirely to Shangjing. Because they were goods destined for the imperial palace, they had been made with exceptional care and featured custom designs. Even if the shipnt hadn’t left, Jin Qianqian couldn’t have given those products to Zeng Nuwan.
Zeng Nuwan forced a stiff smile. "That’s truly unfortunate. But my brother is in a hurry to travel and really can’t wait. Is there any way you could help find a solution?"
A flicker of annoyance rose in Jin Qianqian. ’I’ve already made it perfectly clear, yet she’s still here trying to make things difficult for .’
"Then there’s really nothing I can do. The convoy left the city in a grand procession yesterday, and it was all registered at the city gates. I can’t just produce a new batch on such short notice." Jin Qianqian said with a troubled expression, trying to prove she was telling the truth. "If your brother really wants the rchandise, waiting two days would be well worth it."
How could Zeng Nuwan not understand this? But her husband had already essentially asked her to leave, which truly put her in a difficult position.
’She was tempted to ask Jin Qianqian to sell her the formula,’ but the mory of Tian Xiuwen’s tantrum made her stop. She could only close her eyes and take a deep breath. "In that case, I’ll have to trouble Mrs. Gu another ti. I apologize for dropping by so suddenly today and taking up your ti."
Jin Qianqian smiled, her dimples showing. "Madam, I’m delighted to have you as a guest. It’s no disturbance at all."
’As long as she wasn’t creating problems for , everything else was fine.’
After Zeng Nuwan left, Jin Qianqian gave up on her plans to go out. Instead, she went to the backyard to check on the soap workshop.
Without the Gu family sisters-in-law around, Li Lianhua found managing the workshop much easier. Even the few won from Gaoling Village who ca to work didn’t dare slack off by trying to leverage their connection to Jin Qianqian and her husband. After all, everyone saw how she showed no favoritism even to her own sisters-in-law.
＆
Gu Yuanlei was completely dumbfounded. He had just arrived in Fu County when he ran into Liang Xiaojun from his village. Listening to her taunts and ridicule, he couldn’t believe his ears.
Brother Qi was now a scholar? And Seventh Sister-in-law not only had her original pastry shop but also owned the soap workshop that everyone was now clamoring to buy from.
As if that weren’t shocking enough, his other brothers were now running a thriving tofu workshop back ho.
He never would have imagined that the tofu feast so highly sought after in Dao City was actually the creation of his own brothers.
Gu Yuanlei clutched the marriage contract in his hand. His brothers had all co into such good fortune, yet not a single one of them had spared a thought for him.
’And they had so many resources at their disposal. Why weren’t they willing to help back then?’
He took a deep, shuddering breath as he recalled the hardships and humiliations he had endured in Dao City.
He glanced at the marriage contract in his hand. ’Now that I’ve shed the status of a live-in son-in-law, I deserve a share of the Gu family’s glory and wealth.’
＆
Gu Wenheng stared coldly at Gu Yuanlei. "After all that, you just want to go back and plead your case for you."
Gu Yuanlei furtively scanned the furnishings of the reception hall. This room alone was enough to put the Lan Family to sha.
"Brother Qi, we’re blood brothers. Everything before was just a misunderstanding. I’m not marrying into another family anymore, so the clan has no excuse to disown .
It wasn’t easy for our parents to raise us. I want to go ho and fulfill my duties as a son."
"Fulfill your duties?" Gu Wenheng repeated the words, his tone heavy with ridicule. "If you truly had any sense of duty, you wouldn’t have stirred up so much trouble in the first place.
Let’s not even talk about everything else you’ve done. Let’s just talk about when Father went all the way to Dao City to find you. How did you treat him? You knew he was ill, yet you just dumped him at a clinic?
Then you hired so random driver who abandoned him in a ditch in the middle of a snowstorm. If he hadn’t been lucky, the grass on his grave would be overgrown by now."
Gu Yuanlei said, "I know I did so things wrong, but I can change. No matter what, I’m your brother, aren’t I? Aren’t you willing to help ?"
Gu Wenheng sneered. "I don’t care why you’ve co back this ti. But don’t you dare try any of your sches with . If you push things until there isn’t a shred of brotherly affection left between us, you’ll find out what the consequences are."
"Brother Qi, what do you an? I don’t understand what you’re saying."
Seeing Gu Yuanlei continue to play dumb, Gu Wenheng waved his hand dismissively. "Just go. I can’t help you with anything, and I don’t want to."
Gu Yuanlei gritted his teeth. "So it’s true. Once people get rich, they look down on their poor brothers.
I’ll rember this. We’ll see about this."
Gu Wenheng couldn’t believe Gu Yuanlei was still so clueless. The mont things didn’t go his way, he resorted to threats.
With a personality like that, Gu Wenheng was even less willing to let him get involved. He had worked hard to get his other brothers settled and build a relatively stable ho front; he wouldn’t let Gu Yuanlei ruin it.
Besides, the man still had the entire Lan Family tied to him. From what Gu Wenheng had observed, the Lan father and son, who had colluded with bandits for profit, were not to be trifled with.
"Steward, see him out." Gu Wenheng didn’t want to waste another breath on him. "If this person cos again, don’t even bother to announce him."
Gu Yuanlei ground his teeth and snorted coldly. He ignored the steward waiting to the side and stord out on his own.
Once he was gone, Jin Qianqian erged from the back hall. "He’s still so full of himself. I wonder what gives him that confidence? Surely he doesn’t think his father will still spoil him without any principles, just like before?"
In the past, Jin Qianqian might have thought Gu Dashishi simply favored his youngest son. But after everything that had happened recently, they both knew clearly that Gu Dashishi was an utterly selfish man. Even if he once had so paternal affection, it had long since been worn away.
Gu Wenheng frowned. "I’ll have the steward make a trip. I hope our brothers back ho aren’t foolish enough to welco such a nace into the family."
But Jin Qianqian took his hand and shook her head. "Don’t be so hasty. If he goes back to find Eldest Brother and the others, they’re the ones who should be worried."
Gu Wenheng thought for a mont and understood. "You’re right, they’re not fools. Gu Yuanlei’s motive for returning now is obvious. Even if one of them has a soft heart, the others can see things as clear as day."
Jin Qianqian smiled. "And don’t forget the power of the sisters-in-law. After all, we agreed that the secret tofu recipe belongs to the brothers collectively. Even if they have to cause a scene, they’ll never agree to let Gu Yuanlei back in."
"..."
＆
Jin Qianqian’s prediction was spot on. The four Gu sisters-in-law were brandishing brooms and chasing Gu Yuanlei all over the village.
They shouted curses as they ran. "You shaless bastard! You abandoned the family when we were poor to chase after wealth! Now that we’ve suffered and struggled to build this all up, you think you can just waltz back in and reap the rewards!"
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