She got pregnant after the swap marriage, and the scumbag's family regretted it so much they cr

Faced with Lu Huan's teasing smile, Gao Yan felt a little wronged: "It's not that they're blocking me, it's all about these two hundred taels of silver! That guy Cheng Yi even started making a fuss, trying to borrow money from me!"

Lu Huan went into the inner room, took out a box containing money from the trunk, and wrote down the amount in the register.

Did you lend it to him?

"How could that be! This money is all for Huan'er to spend, I can't make that decision!"

Lu Huan closed the lid and praised, "Your brother is quite clever. Given the close relationship between you two, the fact that you didn't agree when he asked shows that others would have given up."

After Lu Huan's explanation, Gao Yan finally remembered: "No wonder all the aunties shut up after Cheng Yi finished speaking. He truly is a good brother!"

In a few days, the village will be sending a batch of charcoal to the Prince's Mansion. I'll take him to town for a meal then!

"Sending charcoal? Aren't you supposed to go to other counties to teach charcoal making?"

Gao Yan rubbed his hands together, not daring to look Lu Huan in the eye: "Because the Prince's Mansion will give me an extra coin of silver a day for going to the county town, I gave this job to the villagers. They need the money more than I do."

Lu Huancai didn't believe that Gao Yan really thought that way.

"Tell the truth!"

He stammered, "Huan'er, I...I can't bear to part with you, um...we haven't..."

Thinking back to those disgusting dirty clothes from before, Lu Huan understood everything.

She shoved Gao Yan hard, her face flushing red: "You're being indecent!"

Gao Yan lost his balance and almost knelt on the ground, but when he saw Lu Huan's blushing face, he chuckled foolishly.

Their smiles faded as they saw their aunt's figure.

"Eighth Aunt is here!" Gao Yan greeted her politely, and Lu Huan echoed him.

"Hey, I've finished speaking. I won't disturb your meal any longer!" Aunt Ba waved her handkerchief, didn't exchange any pleasantries with them, and left without looking back.

"Huan'er..."

Lu Huan watched her eighth aunt leave, then pursed her lips and said, "I know. Don't say anything later, leave it to me to deal with my mother-in-law."

She brought this trouble upon herself, yet Lu Huan is forced to bear the consequences.

Looking at her slightly frail figure, the idyllic feeling I had earlier was replaced by worry.

Eighth Aunt has always been at odds with Zhou Shi, so her visit this time could not possibly be to celebrate Gao Yan being favored by the Chief Secretary.

Her purpose was nothing more than to sow discord.

Next, not only will the silver notes be lost, but Huan'er and I might also get a good scolding from Zhou Shi.

It's all his fault! He wanted to give Huan'er a surprise, but he forgot about handing over the money!

Where Lu Huan couldn't see, Gao Yan's clenched fist made a cracking sound.

Sure enough, Gao Shangzhi was not in the main hall. Zhou Shi sat in the main seat, while Gao Manting stood to the side, beaming with joy.

In the center of the round table sat a brass pot, inside which a milky white soup was slowly bubbling and making a gurgling sound.

Lu Huan acted as if she had never seen her eighth aunt before, and asked with a smile, "Mother-in-law, why haven't you started eating yet? It's cold, the food will get cold easily, don't wait for us."

Zhou was the first to lash out: "You have quite the nerve, thinking I was waiting for you here!"

"Are there any other guests coming? Or are you waiting for your father-in-law?"

Although Gao Manting received Lu Huan's promise, she didn't actually get it, so her attitude towards him didn't change much.

"Don't drag others into this! I'm just asking you, didn't the clan leader reward Gao Yan with two hundred taels of silver?"

"Manting, you shouldn't call the boss by his name so directly. You've gotten used to it, what if you're just as outspoken on the 12th!" Zhou Shi gave Gao Manting a few mild reprimands, then turned her gaze to Lu Huan, "Is what Manting asked true?"

“It’s true.” Lu Huan walked to Zhou Shi’s side with a smile and picked up the soup bowl in front of her.

While serving soup to Zhou, she listed all the expenses she had incurred since marrying into the family, even specifying the price of the few bolts of cloth she had given them.

Zhou looked up, her eyes wide: "Lu, what do you mean by this? You're willing to give me this as a gift, so do you expect me to spend the money myself?!"

Lu Huan placed a full bowl of soup in front of Zhou Shi. Wisps of white steam dissipated into the air. Gao Manting smelled the aroma and couldn't resist saying, "Sister-in-law, can you get me a bowl too?"

Gao Manting is just spoiled at a young age, but compared to Lu Huan, she seems even more unreasonable.

Gao Yan couldn't stand Gao Manting's behavior, so he took a soup spoon from the side and handed it to Gao Manting: "Help yourself to eat, what a stupid habit!"

Before Zhou could continue to get angry, Lu Huan replied, "It is normal for children to be filial to their elders. But if Mother-in-law takes away all of Zhongbao's wages, I'm afraid that in the future, we will be willing but unable to afford it, and Mother-in-law will have to pay for her own food every day."

It wasn't that Lu Huan was willing to take on such a thankless task; it was simply that Zhou was too stingy.

If Lu Huan were to expect to get money from the Zhou family for food and other necessities, he would have to hide it whenever he wanted to eat anything good, living like a thief every day.

Lu Huan couldn't live like this for even a single day.

Zhou's lips trembled, and she couldn't figure out the score for a long time.

Gao Manting took a sip of the soup and her eyes lit up: "Sister-in-law Lu, how did you make this soup? It's so delicious! There's not a hint of gamey smell!"

"Mom! Leave the kitchen to my sister-in-law! I don't want to eat... cough, my brother's cooking anymore! It's awful!"

Lu Huan thought to herself: How could it be that bad? In her previous life, when she first married into the family, she had eaten Gao Yan's cooking for a few days, and it was much better than what the people in Gaojia Village ate.

It's just that He Niang's cooking skills are so good that his cooking doesn't seem as good.

Zhou suddenly realized that after a few days of comfortable living, she had completely forgotten about the past.

Her heart was heavy with sorrow. On one hand, there was a gleaming two hundred taels of silver, and on the other hand, there was a life of ease where she was waited on hand and foot.

Lu Huan did this to put an end to Zhou's hopes.

Gao Yan cannot remain a farmer forever. Once they settle down in Jinling, the connection with the Prince of Yan's mansion can be established.

Although the Prince of Yan is in the north, the Princess Consort's family is the Duke of Dingguo's mansion. With proper maneuvering, it wouldn't be difficult for her to secure a position in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

If Lu Ruyi fails to persuade Gao Zhongbao and the Gao family continues to stay in the north, then it will be even simpler—all she needs to do is agree the next time the Prince of Yan brings it up.

Lu Huan snapped out of her thoughts and pushed the bowl towards Zhou Shi again: "Mother-in-law, try this mutton soup. By the way, this half-piece of mutton cost nearly one tael of silver."

It's a pity my brother-in-law's birthday is still several days away, otherwise I could freeze this mutton and serve it to guests.

Zhou was clearly lacking in confidence: "What nonsense are you talking about! Mutton naturally has a strong gamey smell, and you want to serve Zhongbao's teachers and classmates with stale mutton! Are you deliberately trying to embarrass Zhongbao?!"