Su quickly declined, "Mother, I don't want it. If you do this, aren't you accusing your daughter-in-law of being greedy?"
Chen Yuezhi raised her hand to stop her, "I'm not saying you're greedy, it's just that we parents want to be fair. After you married, you also suffered with us for over a year. Now that our family's life has improved a bit, there's naturally no reason to continue being stingy with you."
As she spoke, Chen Yuezhi pressed the silver she brought into Su's hand.
Su still wanted to refuse, but Chen Yuezhi pushed her hand down, "If it's given to you, then accept it. A gift from an elder cannot be refused."
"But in the future, if you have anything on your mind, just tell me directly. I hope you and Qiao Xiu can get along well. I don't expect you to be as close as sisters, but at least you should respect and yield to each other."
"The Jiang family is simple, and the people are simple. You don't need to be too calculating, understand?"
This last sentence was a clear warning.
Hearing this, Su felt a little flustered, "Mother, I understand."
Chen Yuezhi nodded and spoke a few more words to her before getting up to leave.
She was satisfied with Su as her daughter-in-law. Capable, meticulous, with excellent embroidery skills, good relationship with Da Lang, and handled both superiors and inferiors appropriately.
However, being from the Su family, Su's conduct carried a bit of the Su family's style. It wasn't obvious, but it would show up from time to time.
If she were to ignore it, it might develop into the Su family's disposition in the future.
As the mistress of the Jiang family, she had the right and obligation to correct her daughter-in-law's behavior.
After being warned by Chen Yuezhi, Su felt a strange sense of calm.
Before, when she was overthinking alone, her heart was always flustered and chaotic, and she would often blame herself, fearing that her in-laws would discover her jealousy.
Now that her mother-in-law had pointed it out and warned her, her jealousy dissipated, leaving only admiration and obedience towards her mother-in-law.
At dinner that evening, Jiang Wan noticed that the gloom in Su's eyes that had been there for days had completely disappeared. She turned and gave Chen Yuezhi a thumbs-up.
Her mother was truly amazing, so skilled at handling daughters-in-law!
Chen Yuezhi raised an eyebrow, feeling a little proud.
Little did she know, she had also been a daughter-in-law before, and she understood a daughter-in-law's little thoughts like the back of her hand.
The next day was Zhang Qiao Xiu's return visit. Early in the morning, Chen Yuezhi prepared gifts, and after breakfast, she sent them off to the Zhang family early.
After their daughter had just married, even if it was to a village nearby, parents would still worry.
So she let the young couple return to the Zhang family early, to put the Zhang parents' minds at ease.
After her parents left, Jiang Wan took her horse and went to the county.
As soon as she arrived, Jiang Wan lay down beside Gu Chen Zhou, took out a storybook, and read while absorbing energy.
Gu Chen Zhou didn't understand why she liked to snuggle up next to him so much. He wanted to move away, but his body had no strength at all.
Counting the time, the effects of the muscle-weakening pill would wear off in two days.
Once the effects wore off, he would immediately escape!
With a plan in mind, Gu Chen Zhou calmed himself, rolled his eyes, and looked at the storybook in her hand.
Jiang Wan noticed Gu Chen Zhou looking at her book and glanced at him curiously, "Do you also like these romantic stories of scholars and beautiful ladies?"
Gu Chen Zhou gave her a glare. How could he possibly like such things!
He turned his eyes away and said coldly, "You'd better read less of this kind of thing, lest it corrupt you."
Jiang Wan frowned, "It will corrupt people? How can it? The scholar is young, handsome, and talented, admiring a gentle and kind rich young lady. They are in love and dare to break through the shackles of the world... Tsk, what a beautiful love!"
Gu Chen Zhou snorted, "Since ancient times, betrothal means wife, and elopement means concubine. Wouldn't this scholar know that?"
"If he truly loves that young lady, why doesn't he strive to achieve success in his studies? When he passes the imperial examinations, he can bring a sedan chair and betrothal gifts to marry the young lady with proper ceremony!"
"It's nothing more than the scholar being unlearned, having a good appearance but a dirty heart, deceiving the young lady who was raised in a deep boudoir into eloping, wanting the young lady's family to be forced to accept him, this useless man who wants to freeload, due to their familial affection!"
As he spoke, Gu Chen Zhou turned his eyes to look at her, "If you encounter such a scholar pestering you in the future, just break his legs!"
Jiang Wan listened to him and couldn't help but ponder.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized Gu Chen Zhou was right. The scholar in the book was not a good match at all, but a cunning poor man who deceived the feelings of a wealthy young lady to gain what he wanted.
To think she had enjoyed it so much before, thinking the love between the scholar and the young lady was so touching, and their defiance of worldly etiquette was so great.
Bah, morally corrupt.
Jiang Wan threw her hand aside.
In her previous life, she hadn't even lived to adulthood, nor had she experienced romance. She had no idea what kind of view of love was correct.
Gu Chen Zhou raised an eyebrow, "Why aren't you reading anymore?"
Jiang Wan said in a muffled voice, "Since you said this book is indecent, why are you still reading it?"
Gu Chen Zhou said earnestly, "I'm idle anyway, so I'll read it with you and analyze the scholar's tactics in the book in detail, so you don't get tricked in the future."
Jiang Wan thought it made some sense and picked up the book again.
Holding it with one hand was tiring, and it was inconvenient to turn pages. Jiang Wan simply let go of the hand she was holding Gu Shen Hang with and switched to holding the book with both hands.
Feeling the energy absorption rate slow down, she twisted her body, tilted her head, and leaned on Gu Chen Zhou's shoulder. A strand of her hair tickled Gu Chen Zhou's face.
"Tuck your hair away, it's ticklish."
Jiang Wan snorted, "Endure it!"
Gu Chen Zhou secretly grumbled in his heart: Bossy, overbearing, unreasonable!
Jiang Wan knew he was unhappy but didn't care at all, continuing to happily absorb energy and read the storybook.
After reading for about half an hour, Jiang Wan suddenly felt something inside her body crack.
Gu Chen Zhou felt the little girl on him stiffen abruptly, then quickly got up, jumped off the bed, and rushed towards the door.
"Yuan Bao, keep an eye on my brother, I'll be back tomorrow!"
Yuan Bao was confused, "Why is the young lady running so fast?"
Gu Chen Zhou didn't know either. They were reading the book peacefully, what was she up to now?
If he couldn't figure it out, then he wouldn't bother. Gu Chen Zhou pouted, "Take that book and help me turn the pages."
It felt unsatisfactory not to continue the story he was halfway through.
Yuan Bao said "oh" and dutifully stepped forward to pick up the book.
Jiang Wan ran all the way out of the inn, retrieved her horse, and headed towards the small mountain village. Upon entering the village, she told Xiao Hong to go home by herself, while she herself plunged into the forest.
She needed to find a place where she wouldn't be disturbed to stay for a while, because her ability was about to level up!