The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 273: Setting the Trap

Old Lady Luo and Tian Fugui thought Mrs. Cao looked more pleasing than ever before, indicating she had some influence with Tong Huaqiong.

As soon as she opened her mouth, perhaps Tong Huaqiong would reduce the price.

Tong Huaqiong sneered at Mrs. Cao, saying, "You make it sound so easy. Why should I clean up after your son’s mess and lose my own money?"

Old Lady Luo and Tian Fugui felt a chill in their hearts.

Tong Huaqiong said with a troubled expression, "I understand your family’s situation, but I can’t lose money for no reason. What’ll you do if you can’t pay? How about this?"

Seeing Tong Huaqiong stop midway, Tian Fugui hurriedly said, "Please go on! I promise, as long as I can do it."

Tong Huaqiong said, "I’m just worried you won’t agree."

Old Lady Luo grabbed Tong Huaqiong like a savior and said, "Dashiniang, just speak up. If it can save Chun Wang, I’m willing to give up my old bones."

Tong Huaqiong laughed, teasingly said, "Your bones aren’t worth much. But your daughter-in-law and granddaughter are!"

Old Lady Luo thought, how could those two losers be worth anything?

Mrs. Cao raised her head and stared fixedly at Tong Huaqiong.

Standing in the shadow at the door, Chun Ni’s heart was pounding.

Tong Huaqiong said, "Chun Wang’s mother is capable, even more so than most men. Chun Ni, I heard, could be a child bride for thirty silver at Black Dragon Pond. That’s why I said they are worth something. So, let them work for me to pay off the eighty silver—no, seventy because Mrs. Luo, you still owe me ten."

"They’ll work at my place until they’ve worked off the eighty silver in wages, then they can leave."

After Tong Huaqiong finished talking, she fake-smiled at Old Lady Luo and Tian Fugui.

If they didn’t agree, they could forget about covering up Chun Wang’s theft of the Jade Pendant.

Whether to protect Chun Wang or hand over Mrs. Cao and Chun Ni to her, as long as they weren’t foolish, they’d make a choice that would satisfy Tong Huaqiong.

"Fine, Chun Wang’s mother and Chun Ni will work at your place," Tian Fugui gave up his wife and daughter without hesitation.

Old Lady Luo nodded, thinking Tong Huaqiong’s idea was good.

As long as the grandson was safe, sacrificing the daughter-in-law and granddaughter was no big deal.

It was just a pity that whatever money they earned at Tong Huaqiong’s couldn’t be brought home, and Chun Wang couldn’t eat meat every day anymore.

"All right, Taohua, bring out the contract."

Tong Huaqiong glanced at Taohua, who pulled two pieces of paper from her bosom.

No one in the Tian Family could read, so Old Lady Luo and Tian Fugui had no idea what was written.

Taohua read aloud the words: the Tian Family owed Tong Huaqiong eighty silver, agreeing to let Mrs. Cao and Chun Ni work to pay off the debt.

Old Lady Luo bitterly laughed inside, guessing Widow Tong was prepared to take advantage of Chun Wang’s loophole to get free labor from Mrs. Cao and Chun Ni.

What a sinister heart!

Tong Huaqiong couldn’t care less about Old Lady Luo’s thoughts; the Jade Pendant really was stolen by Chun Wang, and whoever broke it was irrelevant.

Taohua took out the ink stamp for Mrs. Cao to make her thumbprint.

Old Lady Luo mumbled, "They can’t read, shouldn’t we get the village head to be a witness," but Tong Huaqiong glared and said, "You want your grandson’s theft to be known?"

Frightened, Old Lady Luo didn’t dare utter another word.

Tian Fugui, as the head of the family, made his thumbprint, then made Mrs. Cao do the same.

Isn’t it only natural to repay a son’s debt?

"Chun Ni, what are you standing there for? Come here and make your thumbprint," Tian Fugui spotted Chun Ni at the door and yelled angrily.

Chun Ni walked in and made her thumbprint without hesitation, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

"It’s all your fault; when your brother argued with the County Magistrate’s son, why didn’t you advise him?" Tian Fugui was about to hit Chun Ni.

Taohua reached out and shoved Tian Fugui away.

"Remember, from now on, Mrs. Cao and Chun Ni are my hired workers. Only my family gets to hit them. If you harm them, and they can’t work, then Chun Wang will have to pay the debt." Taohua said fiercely, hands on her hips.

Tian Fugui stepped back, his attempt to hit them thwarted.

"Taohua is right. Your wife and daughter are my people now. If you hit them, it’s like hitting my face. Don’t think I’m all sweet and easygoing. If I’m embarrassed, I’ll hit back." Tong Huaqiong said.

Old Lady Luo’s lips twitched. What misunderstanding does Tong Dajiao have about herself, thinking she’s kind and easygoing?

An evil heart! Quietly trapping the Tian family’s two laborers.

Mrs. Cao was bewildered until she finished pressing her handprint. Was she now a servant of the Gu Family?

Tong Huaqiong seemed to read Mrs. Cao’s thoughts and said, "It wasn’t me who sold you, but your mother-in-law and husband."

Mrs. Cao was speechless.

She could only comfort herself that Tong Huaqiong wouldn’t mistreat the workers at her home.

As long as she worked hard, she wouldn’t have trouble earning eighty silver.

"Chun Ni, you and your mother are my people now, and no one in the Tian Family can casually hit or scold you. Understand?" Tong Huaqiong said to Chun Ni.

Chun Ni nodded.

She remembered!

"Tomorrow morning, come to my place to shuck corn and feed the pigs," Tong Huaqiong waved the contract, leaving the courtyard with Taohua.

Not long after leaving the Tian Family, Chun Ni caught up with Tong Huaqiong.

"Grandma Tong, Auntie Taohua, I know you came to my house to save me," Chun Ni knelt in front of Tong Huaqiong, tears reflecting in the moonlight.

Tong Huaqiong lifted her up and said, "The reason I helped you is because you’re willing to help yourself. So young and so smart—I like smart people who fight for themselves."

"If they bully you in the future, fight back, understand? Just like today." Tong Huaqiong said.

Chun Ni nodded firmly and said, "I understand. I will."

Tong Huaqiong took out twenty silver and said to Chun Ni, "This is the silver I fished out from your father and grandmother. I’ll save it for you."

Chun Ni stared blankly at the silver in the moonlight and suddenly kowtowed before Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong left, stepping into the moonlight.

"Mom, you have to admit Chun Ni is quite smart and tough." Taohua said.

"All forced by the family," Tong Huaqiong replied.

The events of today made Tong Huaqiong see Chun Ni in a new light and decided to pull Chun Ni out of the mire.

The Jade Pendant was part of a trap set by Tong Huaqiong with Chun Ni’s cooperation.

Chun Wang had stolen a cheap Jade Pendant from Liu Yanhong’s waist, and Liu Yanhong didn’t notice until he got home.

It was Chun Ni who revealed Chun Wang’s actions to Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong asked Chun Ni to break the pendant in half. Chun Ni did so without hesitation.

This led to the story of the broken pendant needing silver for repair.

If not for Chun Ni’s self-rescue spirit and decisiveness, Tong Huaqiong wouldn’t have had such an easy grip on Tian Fugui and Old Lady Luo.

Now, Tong Huaqiong ensured Mrs. Cao and Chun Ni both could work for her and also be protected from bullying at their home.

It was, indeed, a win-win.

As for what’s on that contract, it’s not servitude but an employment agreement.

Old Lady Luo and Tian Fugui were illiterate, leaving them to mistakenly believe they had ’sold’ Mrs. Cao and Chun Ni to Tong Huaqiong.

As for what awaits Mrs. Cao and Chun Ni in the future, Tong Huaqiong hasn’t thought that far ahead.

Mrs. Cao still held onto hopes for the Tian Family and couldn’t cut off her maternal love for Chun Wang. If Mrs. Cao tries to deceive the Gu Family for the Tian Family or causes harm to Chun Ni, Tong Huaqiong would not hesitate to abandon her.

Regarding Chun Ni, Tong Huaqiong believed she had completely lost all affection for the Tian Family.