Chapter 751: The Brother-Spoiling Maniac

“Go on, Mom. I’ll be here, so you can rest easy. I’ll definitely take good care of the house,” Rhonda said with a beaming smile. She couldn’t wait for her mother-in-law to stay for a few more days. Then she would be the mistress of the house and wouldn’t have to walk on eggshells around her anymore.

Mrs. Green saw right through her daughter-in-law’s petty scheming and said pointedly, “I’d feel fine leaving the house to you, but I’m worried some sticky-fingered thief might drop by, and I won’t be able to find my things when I get back.”

“What thieves? It’s perfectly safe nowadays. This isn’t like the old days when it was chaos everywhere. Now, you could leave your door wide open and nothing would go missing…”

Rhonda suddenly trailed off, her expression shifting. It finally dawned on her. ‘The old hag is talking about me!’ Rhonda huffed in annoyance, turning her head to roll her eyes.

Mrs. Green let the matter drop. One warning was enough. ‘This daughter-in-law of mine might be petty and not very bright,’ she thought, ‘but her saving grace is that she isn’t truly malicious. She just has a big mouth. Compared to the kind of daughter-in-law who’s all sweet talk but has a venomous heart, Rhonda is actually decent. She just needs to be put in her place every now and then, or she’d carry off everything in the house.’

It was really Rhonda’s mother who was the problem. She was always egging her daughter on to haul things back home, as she only ever thought about her son. Rhonda and her older sister were two of three siblings, and both of them had married well. They never had to worry about basic necessities, and their parents were still able to earn their own living without needing support from their children.

In truth, Rhonda’s family wasn’t poorly off. Her father had worked at a dyeing and printing factory before retiring two years ago, and her brother was an electrician at the same factory with a decent salary. They had more than enough to get by. But Rhonda’s parents only cared about their son. Ever since their daughters were young, they had drilled into them the need to support their brother. As a result, both Rhonda and her sister had developed the habit of swiping things from their in-laws to take back to their maiden home. Even though it was always small stuff, Mrs. Green disapproved and had to put her foot down every so often.

The ever-composed Mr. Green finally spoke. “Vessaria isn’t far. You should go and stay for a few days.”

Rosalind’s face lit up with a smile. “Dad, when the school has a break, you should come and stay with me, too,” she said. “The scenery where I live is quite nice.”

“We’ll see when the time comes.”

Mr. Green just smiled, giving a noncommittal answer. The future was uncertain.

Mrs. Green was already tempted, and now that Mr. Green had given his approval, her mind was made up. “Alright then,” she said with a smile, “I’ll go stay for a few days.”

Her main goal was to see for herself what her daughter’s living conditions in the countryside were like. After all, seeing is believing, and she wouldn’t have a clear picture until she saw it with her own eyes.

Early the next morning, Mrs. Green made breakfast. After Mr. Green and the others left for work, she tidied up the house, washed the dishes, and even prepped the ingredients for dinner. Then, she locked the two camphor wood chests in her room. Inside were the malted milk extract and White Rabbit candies Adrian Hawthorne had just brought back. She made sure to take the keys with her.

“Mom, it’s not like the house will be empty. Why are you locking the chests?” Rosalind felt it was all a bit much.

“If I don’t lock them, they’ll be empty when I get back. Your sister-in-law’s hands are quicker than any thief’s. She’d haul any little treasure we have back to her family’s home.”

Mrs. Green fastened two locks and gave them a few tugs. Only then was she satisfied.

“Is her family not doing well?” Rosalind asked.

“Not great, but not terrible either. They all earn a salary. She’s just gotten into the habit of taking things.” Mrs. Green’s voice was laced with contempt. She truly looked down on her daughter-in-law’s family for their pettiness. ‘That’s no way to live,’ she thought. ‘It’s absolutely disgraceful.’

Mrs. Green then asked with concern, “Aren’t you going to tell your husband?”

The smile on Rosalind’s face froze. “There’s nothing to say,” she said, her voice turning cold. “He doesn’t even know I’m here.”