Chapter 78: Mrs. Wang’s Calculation
The commotion on their end attracted many children from the street and also caught Mrs. Wang’s attention.
Tie Zhu’s wife, Mrs. Zheng, who always flattered Mrs. Wang, said coldly, "What’s all this fuss about every day? Don’t they know they’ll disturb the neighbors?"
Mrs. Wang stood at her doorway, glanced at the children, and remarked, "A bunch of ill-mannered brats."
Mrs. Zheng continued to fan the flames. "If you ask me, Zhao Dong’s family is truly unfilial. They’re making money selling tofu but don’t even think of honoring you, their mother. They’re quite close with the Sun Family, though. Aren’t they afraid of being badmouthed by everyone?"
Mrs. Wang snorted, saying disdainfully, "How much money can they make selling tofu? I don’t care for their respect. As long as they don’t come to me for handouts, I’ll be saying my prayers."
Mrs. Zheng chuckled instantly. "True. A shabby tofu business is nothing compared to your family’s tavern. But still, that’s unfilial. When they have something new, they should come and honor you, their mother. Think about it: if this new tofu were sold in your tavern, it would surely make much more money than they’re earning."
Hearing this, Mrs. Wang couldn’t help but feel tempted. Previously, when her daughter-in-law, Xiao Wang, returned from the marketplace, she had complained to her that a new tavern called Guang Ju Restaurant had opened and was always stealing their business.
If our tavern had this exclusive tofu recipe, we could definitely crush Guang Ju Restaurant!
So, after idly chatting with Mrs. Zheng for a bit longer, she went back to find her youngest son, Zhao Qiu, and told him to get the tofu recipe from Zhao Dong.
Upon hearing his mother’s plan, Zhao Qiu was shocked. "Mother, isn’t this wrong? Second Brother has finally found a way to make a living. Isn’t it unethical for us to do this?"
Mrs. Wang flew into a rage and started cursing, "You damn brat! I don’t even know if you’re really my son! It’s ’Second Brother, Second Brother’ all day long. Is your Second Brother your real brother, and your Third Brother isn’t? You only care about your Second Brother; don’t you care if your Third Brother lives or dies?"
This accusation weighed heavily on Zhao Qiu, and he hurriedly explained, "No, Mother, that’s not what I meant. Second Brother, Third Brother, they’re both my real brothers. How could I not care if they live or die?"