CHAPTER 369: CHAPTER 369: A REMINDER

Zhong Cuilan’s scheme not only harmed the Zhong family but also caused County Magistrate Zou to lose all face, becoming the laughingstock of Tianfu County.

However, being the adopted daughter of the Zhong family, why would Zhong Cuilan harm them? The reason is simple... the Zhong family lived off her, why should she have to die for the Zhong family to continue living?

Especially a few women in the Zhong family, each and every one of them had bullied her. Ever since Zhong Cuilan was abandoned by her family, she swore a venomous oath: whoever dared to bully her would pay with their life!

The news that County Magistrate Zou was cuckolded, along with the entire Zhong family dying on the way to their exile, reached Da Feng Village and shocked several families.

Third Grandpa said to Third Grandma, "At the beginning, you even thought about adopting Ma Cuilan. Now you know she’s a disaster. If we had adopted her, who knows how she might have harmed us."

If it wasn’t for Ma Cuilan having an affair with Zhong Junwang, if Zhong Junwang hadn’t been bewitched by Ma Cuilan, he wouldn’t have gone to the county government to accuse County Magistrate Zou.

"Zhong Junwang is also a fool. He feels guilty towards Ma Cuilan, but he never thought, as a lowly peasant going to accuse County Magistrate Zou, and about such a matter at that, would County Magistrate Zou let his family off the hook? His family was killed by his very own actions."

After a pause, Third Grandpa cursed again at Zhong Junwang: "Ungrateful as a wolf, heartless as a dog!"

If Zhong Junwang had any conscience, thought of his own parents and children, he would not have been able to do such a thing as beating the drum to accuse County Magistrate Zou.

Now, County Magistrate Zou has just lost his dignity, but the Zhong family has been entirely wiped out.

Third Grandma, scared after the fact, patted her chest and said, "Old man, it was fortunate that you stopped me back then, otherwise, I would have made a foolish mistake."

Initially, when Ma Cuilan kneeled down to beg her for adoption, she felt pity for her and almost agreed.

After a moment, Third Grandma again sighed about the Zhong family’s misfortune: "Zhong Junwang deserved to die for his affair, but the children of the Zhong family were really innocent. I just hope that in their next life, they can be reborn into a better family and not encounter such a foolish father again."

Gu Jinli, listening with great interest on the side, heard the words ’foolish father’ and looked at Gu Dashan.

Aware of her gaze, Gu Dashan looked at her and asked, "Xiao Yu, what’s wrong?"

Gu Jinli smiled, "Hearing Third Grandma say Zhong Junwang is a foolish father, I just had some thoughts."

Gu Dashan, though not the sharpest, also knew Xiao Yu was talking about him... he lowered his head with a sense of guilt: "Father was not good before, having you live through those hard times."

If he had been firmer, Mrs. Cui and the children would not have suffered so much.

Third Grandma said, "It’s good that you realize it. Regarding Ms. Pan, that poisonous woman, you should not have respected her!"

When Third Grandma mentioned Granny Gu, she still hated her to the bones, cursing Granny Gu in her heart: Ms. Pan would better die on the run from famine.

Third Grandpa sighed, "Dashan had no choice, Lao Liu didn’t help him, and Ms. Pan had a grip on the household registration. If Dashan dared to fight her, with Ms. Pan’s temper, she could very well have torn up Dashan’s family’s household registration."

Although Third Grandpa spoke on behalf of Gu Dashan, Gu Dashan still said, "It’s because I am incompetent."

If he had been as capable as Brother Luo Er, he would have been able to take his wife and children away from the family back home and live a modest life of their own.

Mrs. Cui, unable to bear it, comforted Gu Dashan: "Father, it’s all in the past now, we don’t blame you."

Although Mrs. Cui suffered much hardship in the Old Gu Family, she was still grateful to have married Gu Dashan... The nanny who raised her once said: "Better to be a wife in a poor family than a concubine in a rich one."

She almost became someone else’s concubine, but on her deathbed, the nanny told her that if she had the misfortune of becoming a concubine, she should choose death to preserve her purity.

So in a way, Gu Dashan saved her life; otherwise, she would have died long ago.

Gu Dashan looked at Mrs. Cui, his honest face showing a gentle smile: "Wife, thank you."

Gu Jinli felt like she was being stuffed with dog food, but still took the opportunity to say, "Dad, the past is the past, but what if you make another foolish mistake in the future?"

Third Grandma, puzzled, asked, "What kind of future mistakes? Ms. Pan and the rest are wandering who knows where, how could they come back to bully you?"

"I don’t know if the Old Devout Woman will come back, but..." Gu Jinli looked at Gu Dashan and slightly raised an eyebrow: "Ever since our shop opened, and after the Lord County Magistrate bestowed a signboard on our shop, our families have become quite well-known in Qingfu Town. Everyone thinks we’re wealthy now, and it’s inevitable that those with ulterior motives... like predatory widows, might set their sights on us."

"What widows?" Third Grandma listened with half-understanding, "Xiao Yu, what are you trying to say? Just spit it out, will you?"

Gu Jinli respected Gu Dashan, so instead of speaking directly, she whispered a few words in Third Grandma’s ear and then slipped back into the room she shared with Gu Jinxiu.

Gu Jinxiu was inside the room, sorting embroidery threads, planning to organize them first so she could embroider a street scene filled with life when she had the time. Seeing Gu Jinli run into the room and half-close the door, peering into the hall, she couldn’t help but ask, "Xiao Yu, what are you doing?"

Did she cause trouble?

Gu Jinli turned around and gestured for her to be silent.

So Gu Jinxiu didn’t ask any further.

It wasn’t long before Third Grandma’s voice came from the hall.

Third Grandma told Gu Dashan, "Dashan, there are always some poisonous women in this world who don’t think about working and earning money, but instead plot harm against others. You must be careful not to get entangled with these greed-driven widows, or you’ll have a tough time."

Xiao Yu’s warning was right; their families had a bit of money now, and in ten miles and eight villages, there is no shortage of widows. If any shameless widow saw Dashan as an honest man and schemed against him, hoping to marry him, it would be terrible.

However, Xiao Yu was quite sensible. Although she worried about this, she didn’t speak out herself but had her, the elder, talk to Gu Dashan to remind him.

Gu Dashan became anxious upon hearing it, glanced at Mrs. Cui who was looking down silently, his face turned red, and he quickly said, "Third Aunt, don’t worry. I—I won’t do anything to wrong Mrs. Cui."

In this life, being able to marry Mrs. Cui was enough for him; he would no longer fancy anyone else.

Third Grandma said, "Third Aunt knows you’re honest, that’s why she reminds you. You have to be careful. If you encounter a widow, keep your distance, even if she falls into the river and is about to drown, you must not go to save her."

She didn’t know why Xiao Yu specifically asked her to say this, but since Xiao Yu had mentioned it, she just relayed the message.

"Ah? Even if she falls into the river and is about to drown, I shouldn’t save her?" Gu Dashan felt that it was wrong to not rescue someone, as it was a matter of life.

Third Grandma glared at him: "The old lady just said you’re too honest. Save what save? When do such coincidences ever happen that someone falls into the river just as you come by? It’s obviously a trick! Remember, if you really encounter a woman falling into the river, you must not go to save her. If you can’t bear it, then run, run to find others to rescue her, but you must not go yourself, got it?"