The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!

Chapter 553: It’s Not Pesticide, It’s Brown Sugar Water

Jingzhe in the crowd rushed out like an arrow and knocked the bottle away.

Tong Huaqiong picked up the bottle and held it in her hand.

Everyone exclaimed.

"It’s pesticide."

"Did Xiao Xue drink it just now?"

"Quick, quickly get mung bean water."

Because everything happened so fast, everyone was unsure whether Gu Xiaoxue had actually drunk it.

At this moment, the old lady of the Gu Family finally shouted in distress, "Xiao Xue, did you drink it or not?"

Mrs. Wei hurried out to get mung bean water.

Gu Xiaoxue ignored the old lady of the Gu Family and said to Tong Huaqiong, "Auntie, just let me die. Brother Qingsong drank half a bottle of the potion, he won’t survive, and I don’t want to live either."

Tears rolled down as she spoke.

Since she returned to Qinghe Bay, Liu Qingsong has been the kindest to her. She thought Liu Qingsong liked her just because of her beauty, but she didn’t expect Liu Qingsong would even disregard his life for her.

This was the first time in her life that someone treated her with their own life.

Liu Tieshan almost fainted upon hearing this.

Mr. Gu’s face turned ashen. If Liu Qingsong died, he would hand Xiao Xue over to the Liu Family, for them to deal with as they saw fit.

Whether sinking in the pond or being buried with Liu Qingsong.

Tong Huaqiong calmly looked at the bottle and said, "Xiao Xue, this bottle looks so familiar. Did you take it from my cotton field?"

Gu Xiaoxue suddenly raised her head.

Indeed, during the summer, Tong Huaqiong had her test the weaving machine, and she secretly took it from the edge of the cotton field.

She didn’t want to drag Tong Huaqiong into this, after all, Auntie had been really good to her.

Tong Huaqiong opened the bottle, sniffed it, and smiled.

She told the nearly collapsing Liu Tieshan, "Village Chief, this bottle does not contain pesticide, it’s brown sugar water, Qingsong is fine."

The bottle contained cola that Tong Huaqiong had Man Er take from the space. She placed it at the edge of the cotton field, and she hadn’t noticed one missing.

Gu Xiaoxue’s eyes widened.

Tong Huaqiong said to Gu Xiaoxue, "Xiao Xue, it’s okay, it’s okay, Qingsong won’t die."

Thinking about how everyone was holding Liu Qingsong down on the riverbank, forcing him to drink mung bean soup and soap water, Liu Qingsong’s pale face and weak legs were purely from the ordeal.

Liu Tieshan wiped his sweat and asked again, "Dashi’s mother, is Qingsong really okay?"

Tong Huaqiong said, "He’s really fine! If you don’t believe it, smell it, it’s brown sugar water."

Liu Tieshan took the bottle and smelled it, and his brows instantly relaxed.

Upon hearing that Liu Qingsong was fine, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Especially the Gu Family, as no one wanted Gu Xiaoxue to die.

At this moment, Xu Dabao started acting up.

Gu Xiaoxue, with the intention of perishing together with him and Gu Ruinian, wondered why Liu Qingsong had to snatch the bottle and drink it to save her and Ruinian? Xu Dabao knew he wasn’t a good person, and no one apart from the Xu Family would swap lives for him.

The only reason was that Liu Qingsong had his eyes on Gu Xiaoxue, and he didn’t want her dead.

Now that Liu Qingsong didn’t die, with Gu Xiaoxue making it clear she didn’t want to marry him, she had to poison him.

With Tong Dajiao backing Gu Xiaoxue, she was likely to regret the marriage.

How could he swallow this insult?

Xu Dabao said, "In that case, I won’t pursue the charge of Gu Xiaoxue trying to poison her husband. Anyway, I have nothing to lose either way."

Gu Xiaoxue glared at Xu Dabao with hatred.

Xu Dabao said to Mr. Gu and others, "Xiao Xue was in despair and tried to poison me, but I won’t hold it against her. In ten days, it’s our wedding day, and I’ll come to the Gu Family to fetch her."

Gu Xiaoxue coldly said, "I won’t marry you even if I die."

Xu Dabao glared fiercely at Gu Xiaoxue, and Gu Xiaoxue met his gaze.

Mr. Gu sighed.

He realized that this marriage would drive Xiao Xue to her death.

Xu Dabao, indifferent, said, "Fine, in that case, you’ll die as a ghost of the Xu Family."

"Gu Xiaoxue said she wouldn’t marry, don’t you understand human language?"

Liu Qingsong had somehow arrived at the chamber.

When Tong Huaqiong revealed the bottle didn’t contain pesticide, a member of the Liu Family quickly informed Mrs. Yi and others at Liu Tieshan’s home.

Mrs. Yi was crying like a tearful person, and Liu Qingsong, having barely survived, ran to the chamber to support Xiao Xue, despite his legs being weak from being forcibly hydrated.

He feared his father might send Gu Xiaoxue to see the authorities.

Liu Tieshan was furious. What’s the matter between the Xu and Gu families got to do with his foolish son, who just meddled?

"Qingsong, this is none of your business." If not for his son’s pale face, Liu Tieshan would have taken off his shoe and given him a beating.

Liu Qingsong was willing to drink poison to stop Gu Xiaoxue from killing someone, and even the village’s blind and heartless people could see he was fond of Gu Xiaoxue.

Although the village didn’t care much about gender separation, apart from Gu Dashu, Liu Qingsong was the second to dare to publicly declare affection for someone without parental consent.

Liu Qingsong stood stubbornly, looking at Gu Xiaoxue.

Gu Xiaoxue didn’t look at him and said, "Brother Qingsong, this is a matter between me and the Xu Family."

Liu Qingsong opened his mouth, and Mr. Gu said, "A girl from the Gu Family cannot be promised to two families, and an already promised marriage cannot be revoked."

This meant not agreeing to Gu Xiaoxue and Xu Dabao breaking off the engagement.

Mr. Gu felt it was for the Gu Family’s sake, as from Xu Dabao’s words just now, it was clear he wouldn’t let Gu Xiaoxue go.

Mrs. Yi, however, said, "We can’t afford a daughter-in-law who tries to poison her husband, you can keep her in the Gu Family as a nun, and return the five hundred taels of silver to settle us."

When Mrs. Jia heard about returning the five hundred taels of silver, she started a confrontation with Mrs. Yi.

Magistrate Yao, standing outside the chamber, listened and couldn’t help but walk in, saying, "What case are you trying to resolve? The more I listen, the more confused I get. What so-called attempted murderer of a husband — there’s no husband before a marriage. What so-called arranged marriage when the girl doesn’t consent, isn’t that one-sided coercion? What sense is there in having a girl to pay off a supposed five hundred taels of silver debt?"

Tong Huaqiong’s eyes lit up, as Magistrate Yao, the Lord, came.

"Mind your own business," snapped Mrs. Yi, turning her head to curse.

The Government Official beside Magistrate Yao twitched his mouth and almost stepped forward to bind someone.

Last autumn, the villagers of Qinghe Bay saw Magistrate Yao once, but everyone was too nervous. Upon hearing that the magistrate was here, they only dared to briefly glance up, so most villagers didn’t get a clear look whether Magistrate Yao was black or white. Additionally, since this time Magistrate Yao wasn’t wearing official robes, but a straw hat, it was even harder for the villagers to recognize him.

Tong Huaqiong stood up and greeted Magistrate Yao with a bow.

Only then did the villagers realize that it was Magistrate Yao whom Mrs. Yi had been cursing.

Mr. Gu and Xu Jin instantly knelt down and were about to kowtow but were called to stand by Magistrate Yao.

Liu Qingsong seized the chance to cry injustice to Magistrate Yao.

"Where is the injustice?" Magistrate Yao asked kindly.

Liu Qingsong then recounted how Xu Dabao was forcing Gu Xiaoxue to be his wife.

Of course, he omitted the attempted poisoning part.

Since no one died, it wasn’t considered poisoning.

Being his first encounter with the magistrate, Liu Qingsong spoke hesitantly and didn’t present a coherent story.

Jingzhe couldn’t stand it any longer and stepped forward, narrating how Gu Ruinian owed money to the Xu Family, how the Xu Family was pressuring Gu Xiaoxue to marry, and how Gu Xiaoxue didn’t want it... unveiling everything.

Of course, the troubles Gu Ruinian caused in Pingchuan were things Gu Dashi had talked to Jingzhe about when he went to the city some time ago.

Gu Ruinian stood aside.

His right leg couldn’t muster strength, straining to support his body with his left leg.

Although his reputation had turned notorious throughout Qinghe Bay, having Jingzhe publicly recount his deeds, especially in front of the magistrate, made him feel extremely embarrassed.