The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 246: The County Magistrate’s Son Apologizes

Chapter 246: Chapter 246: The County Magistrate’s Son Apologizes

Since the barren land in the backyard was developed, Boss Qian and He Chao obtained the red contract for the homestead, giving them legal status in Qinghe Bay.

These days, Mrs. Hong often comes to Qinghe Bay to follow Tong Huaqiong into the fields and the pig farm. According to her, Tong Huaqiong has a certain vitality that always infects her when she’s around her.

She feels healthier.

Tong Huaqiong is also happy to have Mrs. Hong in Qinghe Bay, especially since she still needs He Chao to help her build her business empire.

Providing a platform for He Chao, he will be grateful to Tong Huaqiong, and if Mrs. Hong’s illness gets cured, He Chao will be loyal to her.

Tong Huaqiong occasionally sends Man Er to the space to get medicine for Mrs. Hong. Now, Mrs. Hong’s health has improved to the point where she can do laundry, cook, and work in the fields. Of course, this is just a metaphor; He Chao wouldn’t bear to let her do household chores. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

After her health improved, Mrs. Hong’s whole mindset changed. With her generous and cheerful nature, she gets along very well with Tong Huaqiong.

After some time together, the two have almost become sisters of different surnames.

On this day, Mrs. Hong came to Qinghe Bay again, and Tong Huaqiong took her into the cornfield.

It had just rained lightly the day before, and the corn flourished in the rain. The green stalks and the corn ears with pink silks presented a picturesque pastoral scene.

Just looking at it brightens one’s mood.

"Let’s pick some corn ears to boil and eat." Tong Huaqiong said to Mrs. Hong.

This season’s corn is tender, perfect for boiling and eating.

In Tong Huaqiong’s previous life, fruit corn and glutinous corn dominated major supermarkets and convenience stores, making it hard to find the chewy, aromatic old corn from childhood that was neither sticky nor watery.

Now the whole field is full of them, and Tong Huaqiong really wanted to satisfy her craving.

Previously, because of ear rot and the corn kernels not being plump enough, Tong Huaqiong hadn’t eaten any. Now that the ear rot was gone and the kernels were full, Tong Huaqiong decided to have a feast.

"Sure. I’ll listen to you, sister." Mrs. Hong laughed.

Now, Mrs. Hong trusts Tong Huaqiong the most, always calling her sister and agreeing with whatever she says.

Man Er and Gu Yaozu followed behind Tong Huaqiong, both wanting to eat the sweet tender corn stalks.

"Grandma, I want to eat the sweet stalk," Man Er said.

Tong Huaqiong laughed and said, "Okay, you’ll all get some."

Liu Yanhong glanced at the corn stalks and said to Man Er, "Can you eat these corn stalks? They aren’t sugarcane. If you want, I’ll bring you sugarcane next time."

Man Er said, "I don’t want your sugarcane; I just want to eat the sweet stalk."

Tong Huaqiong found three tender corn stalks, first plucked off the corn ears, then peeled the entire stalk and handed one to Man Er, Yaozu, and Liu Yanhong.

Man Er and Yaozu ate with great relish.

The tender corn stalks are a lower version of sugarcane, with the fun of eating exceeding the taste.

For farm kids of this era, corn sweet stalks are a rare treat.

Most families wouldn’t bear to let their kids eat them, as pulling one sweet stalk means ruining an entire corn plant.

Tong Huaqiong watched the two kids with mouths full of residue, reminiscing about her own childhood.

When she was young, her father would occasionally take her back to her grandmother’s house in the countryside.

She and her cousins would clamour for sweet stalks, and though their grandmother hesitated, she would cut them down and hand them over.

She forgot the taste; it surely wasn’t as sweet as sugarcane, but the joy and purity were unmatched by eating sugarcane.

Tong Huaqiong asked Man Er and the three kids to wait on the edge of the field while she and Mrs. Hong went into the cornfield to pick corn.

Liu Yanhong originally disliked the sweet stalks. As the son of a County Magistrate, pampered by Old Madam Liu, he had tasted many things and wouldn’t fancy corn stalks.

Seeing Man Er and Yaozu enjoying them, he disdainfully said, "Corn stalks are for feeding pigs, and if you eat them, you’re pigs."

Man Er retorted, "You’re the pig."

"If you don’t want it, give it to me." Yaozu saw Liu Yanhong holding onto the sweet stalk without eating it, mocking him and Man Er as pigs, and asked for it.

The more Yaozu wanted it, the more Liu Yanhong guarded it. What wasn’t a big deal soon became a coveted item due to their fight.

"It’s mine."

"This is from my family’s field."

The two couldn’t settle their dispute, and Liu Yanhong went to grab Yaozu, only for Yaozu to push him. Liu Yanhong lost his balance and landed on his backside on the edge of the field, stinging with pain.

It was Liu Yanhong’s first time at a disadvantage.

No, the second time. The first was being pushed over by Man Er, and this time by Yaozu.

Liu Yanhong felt both embarrassed and angry, sobbing loudly.

"Stop crying, please! It’s dirty on the ground, get up." Man Er stepped forward to pull Liu Yanhong, but seeing a little girl comforting him made him angrier, and he cried even harder.

Yaozu was frightened.

Although he was just a child, he understood what it meant to have pushed over the son of a County Magistrate.

He remembered the group of government officials around County Magistrate Liu, who had immediately taken Xu Si and Xu Yong away.

It’s over, County Magistrate Liu won’t also have him taken away, right?

Tong Huaqiong and Mrs. Hong heard Liu Yanhong crying and quickly came out of the cornfield.

Tong Huaqiong came to the edge of the field and saw Liu Yanhong sitting and crying, thinking he was bitten by a bug.

There were many poisonous bugs in the field; if he was bitten, it would be serious.

"What’s happened?" Tong Huaqiong asked anxiously.

Seeing Tong Huaqiong, Liu Yanhong felt even more wronged, crying endlessly.

Tong Huaqiong felt as though her head would explode.

While Liu Yanhong was in Qinghe Bay, Tong Huaqiong was responsible for his safety.

If he was bitten and poisoned, how would she explain it to County Magistrate Liu?

Tong Huaqiong already wanted to find time to send this little deity away as soon as possible.

"Yaozu... Yaozu hit me... stole my sweet stalk... boohoo..."

Yaozu hid behind Man Er in fear.

Now that Gu Yaozu had been taught by Tong Huaqiong, much of his mischievous nature had been washed away, and he treated Man Er with particular respect.

Tong Huaqiong believed Gu Yaozu wouldn’t have snatched Liu Yanhong’s sweet stalk without reason.

"Sister, which child doesn’t quarrel and play? I’m sure Yaozu didn’t mean to push Young Master Liu." Mrs. Hong knew how strict Tong Huaqiong was with the children and feared she might punish Yaozu without asking questions, so she spoke up for him first.

From Mrs. Hong’s observation, this County Magistrate’s son wasn’t an angel either.

Tong Huaqiong did not scold Yaozu but instead asked Man Er, "Man Er, can you tell me what happened?"

Man Er said, "Brother Yan Hong said sweet stalks are for pigs and eating them makes us pigs..."

Man Er recounted the entire incident clearly and unbiasedly.

Mrs. Hong laughed and said, "I told you, it’s just a children’s squabble; which kid doesn’t play around? It’s nothing serious."

It indeed wasn’t anything serious.

Tong Huaqiong picked up Liu Yanhong and asked, "What would you do if someone insulted you?"

Liu Yanhong sobbed, "Hit back."

Tong Huaqiong laughed and said, "That’s right, so you insulted Yaozu and Man Er, and they didn’t hit back, did they?"

Liu Yanhong remained silent.

Tong Huaqiong said, "You insulted Yaozu, and he wanted your sweet stalk; you both have faults. But you started it and even falsely accused others, so your fault is greater. Your father entrusted you to my care, and as your nanny, I should discipline you when you’re wrong."

"But since Yaozu is also at fault, let’s call it even. Stop crying; I’ll give you some pastries later."

Liu Yanhong, having been educated by Tong Huaqiong, understood that he was in the wrong. He was merely embarrassed at being pushed over by Yaozu. Hearing about the pastries, he wiped his face and stopped crying.

Tong Huaqiong beckoned to Yaozu.

Yaozu, who had worried that Tong Huaqiong would blame him, was surprised and happy when his grandmother sided with him.

Tong Huaqiong told Yaozu, "In the future, if someone bothers you and Man Er, try reasoning with them first. If they don’t apologize after that, then you fight. This is called being polite before fighting."

Yaozu nodded and proactively said to Liu Yanhong, "Yan Hong, I shouldn’t have grabbed your sweet stalk."

Liu Yanhong waved his hand and said, "I should apologize first; I shouldn’t have hit you first."

It was the first time the County Magistrate’s son had apologized.