"Dad, Mom, let me tell you about my Qiao'er..." Remembering everything that had happened lately, Zhou Lihua had a whole bellyful of things to say.
Afraid she might say something inappropriate, Su Qiao hurriedly cut her off. "Mom, let me explain!"
She glanced at the others and smiled. "I can explain it more clearly."
Then she briefly explained the matter of the toothbrushes and tooth powder.
"One hundred and ten taels?"
"That much?"
"Is that true?"
Everyone in the room gaped, their faces full of disbelief.
"Of course it's true. The silver is still clutched in my mother-in-law's hands!" Zhou Lihua was proud, but also felt a little sour.
She glared fiercely at Su Qiao. "It's all because of this wretched girl. She only thinks about her grandfather and grandmother and never thinks about her own mother."
Old Master Zhou's expression darkened. "What kind of thing are you saying? We haven't split up yet. If the silver isn't kept by your mother-in-law, should it be kept by you?"
The old madam glanced at several of her daughters-in-law. "Ahem, yes, your father is right. We haven't split up yet, so naturally this silver belongs to the family coffers."
Otherwise, what if the daughters-in-law all followed her example?
Zhou Lihua shrank her neck. "I didn't say anything. I was just grumbling a little. Can't I even grumble a little?"
Old Master Zhou took two puffs of his pipe before looking at his granddaughter. "Qiao'er, is your recipe reliable?"
The eldest maternal uncle hurriedly added, "Qiao'er, how come I heard that the toothbrushes and tooth powder recently introduced in town are harmful? The Old Liu Family's general store that sold the tooth powder was smashed, and later it was even sealed by the authorities?"
At the mention of this, Zhou Lihua's anger surged.