After transmigrating into the book, I helped my mother reconcile with her divorced husband.

Chapter 268 Jealousy Turns to Hatred (Part 1)

She stood in the light autumn rain for two hours, her skirt completely soaked, shivering with cold. It wasn't that she didn't know to go back and change, but she was worried that her parents' carriage would return by the time she did, and she was afraid of missing them.

Both the original owner and she have an innate longing for parental love.

But her mother just pursed her lips and scolded, "How hard could it be for you to follow your grandmother? Can't you go back and change your clothes when they get wet? We are your parents and sister. What's wrong with waiting at the door for a while? Shouldn't we? As children, you criticize and complain about your parents. Where did all the books your grandmother made you study go?"

If it were the original owner, she would probably be heartbroken.

She was also sad, sad for the original owner of the body, but only for a moment. Her parents didn't love her, and only had eyes for their adopted daughter, so she didn't love her parents either, and only had eyes for her grandmother.

Seeing her parents scolding Ayu, the scheming adopted daughter became even more smug and deliberately said, "Sister, are you so angry because you blame Aruo for taking Father and Mother away? Sister, you misunderstand. Aruo is just an adopted daughter who is fulfilling her filial duties to Father and Mother on your behalf."

Ayu said, "So, I should thank you?"

Aruo pretended not to understand and waved her hands repeatedly: "Sister, you are too kind. Aruo doesn't need your thanks. It is only right for Aruo to take care of Father and Mother for you."

Hearing this, the mother said to the father, "A-Ruo is so sensible. Look at this A-Yu, she doesn't resemble our biological daughter at all."

Ayu couldn't hold back any longer and retorted, "It doesn't seem like it. Ayu isn't that stupid. Taking care of me? You adopted her and treated her better than your own daughter. Shouldn't she be filial to you and take care of you? She says she's doing what she should be doing for me... If she's doing it for me, you should praise me for being filial and sensible. Why are you criticizing me instead?"

“It’s all Aruo’s fault. Aruo didn’t explain herself clearly.” The scheming adopted daughter quickly said, “That’s not what Aruo meant. If you want to blame someone, blame Aruo. Father and Mother do care about you. How could Aruo, an adopted daughter, compare to you?”

Hearing her usually lively and cheerful adopted daughter belittle herself like this, and seeing Ayu's determined and aggressive demeanor, the mother felt a nameless anger rise in her heart.

She snorted coldly and said disdainfully, "A'Ruo is my daughter. Her surname is Qin, and her name is Qin Ruo. She is the legitimate daughter of the Qin family."

After saying that, he coaxed his adopted daughter, "Aruo, don't apologize to those irrelevant people."

It's ridiculous. They are clearly her biological parents, and they came back under the guise of picking her up, yet they call her an unrelated person because of their adopted daughter, whose feelings are written all over her face.

Ayu snorted coldly, quickly walked past them, and went to the main hall.

Seeing her like this, her maternal grandmother couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong, Ayu? Weren't you looking forward to your parents coming back? Why are you unhappy now that they're back?"

Ayu shook her head, supported her grandmother, and said softly, "Ayu is not unhappy. It is Father, Mother and Sister who are unhappy."

A mention of "sister" brought Aruo to her grandmother's attention.

She knew that her daughter and son-in-law had adopted a beggar child, and that the child had taken her son-in-law's surname and was being raised as the legitimate daughter of the Qin family. In her imagination, this A'Ruo should be well-behaved, sensible, and know her place. Even if her daughter and son-in-law doted on her, she would know her place in the Qin family and would never harbor any thoughts of replacing A'Yu.

At first glance, she knew that this A'ruo was not what she had imagined.

She wore her pride, jealousy, and greed on her face.

The son-in-law is a scholar, and now he's a county magistrate, busy with official duties all day. It's normal that he doesn't understand these messy things in the inner quarters. Don't women understand either? Can't she see what her adopted daughter is thinking? How can she let her A-Yu be sad for an outsider?

The grandmother's face darkened. As her daughter, arm in arm with her adopted daughter, stepped into the main hall, preparing to greet them, she ordered the bowls and chopsticks to be set out. During the meal, the grandmother, as the matriarch of the Zhou family, naturally sat in the head seat. To her left was her son-in-law, and to her right was A-Yu. Next to her son-in-law sat her daughter; the seat next to her daughter, originally intended for A-Ruo, had been moved to a lower position due to A-Ruo's apparent scheming.

At the grandmother's prompting, the Zhou family uncles and aunts took their seats in the remaining seats. They were all shrewd people and naturally noticed the old lady's dislike for her adopted daughter. Besides, what kind of family was the Zhou family? A beggar picked up from the street could never compare to Ayu, the old lady's darling. Their conversation was filled with praise for Ayu and disdain and mockery for the adopted daughter.

Aruo's face flushed red, feeling both aggrieved and resentful.

The mother was protective of her own, and seeing that Aruo was being wronged, she couldn't help but speak up for her: "Our Aruo is different from those pampered girls raised in the inner quarters. She doesn't know those dirty tricks to win people's hearts. All she knows are real skills."

Grandmother gave her second aunt a wink, and the second aunt immediately said, "Really? I wonder what our Aruo can do?"

Before Mother could speak, Second Aunt stood up, picked up a piece of braised pork, and placed it in Mother's bowl: "What Aruo can do, I, as her second aunt, don't know, after all, we live far away, I can't see or hear. What Ayu can do, I, her second and third uncles, and Third Aunt know very well. Needless to say, she's skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, all taught by masters. Ayu is also very good at them; even in the capital, she's on par with those noble ladies. I'm not saying this myself, but what her teachers said. As for needlework? Just look at the clothes our old lady wears. Ayu made them herself, stitch by stitch. Not to mention the embroidery skills, even the cutting and style are unique."

Qin and A'ruo naturally noticed the clothes the old lady was wearing.

To everyone's surprise, it was actually designed and tailored by Ayu. As if to confirm their suspicions, the third aunt added, "The old lady liked it, so she had the pattern sent to our Zhou family's embroidery workshop and clothing store. In just the last six months, she earned more money than she had in the previous few years. If I'm not mistaken, the dress Aru is wearing was also designed by Ayu. Only our Ayu would know how to design this color and pattern."

Second Uncle said, "Our Ayu is not only good at painting clothes, but she is also extremely good at accounting. She can do the work of four or five accountants. She can calculate the accounts quickly and accurately. And her cooking skills are amazing. This whole table of food was made by Ayu. Her knife skills, her plating, and her taste are no less than those of the chefs in the restaurants."

Uncle San chimed in, "What's A'Ruo good at again? Why don't we have her compete against A'Yu? I guarantee our little A'Yu will win!"

The parents were stunned, never expecting their own daughter to be so capable. Looking at A'Ruo, she twisted her handkerchief tightly, remaining silent. Besides being charming, ingratiating, and spending money, she had no other strengths. What did she have to offer compared to A'Yu?

On second thought, she realized it was normal for her to be inferior to Ayu, since her parents hadn't hired a tutor for her. If she had Ayu's background and resources, she would be a thousand times, ten thousand times better than her.