After Transmigration, I Picked Up A Husband and Daughter
Chapter 137: The Little Foodie

Chapter 137: Chapter 137: The Little Foodie

Jiang Xunzhong and Fang Qin at his side also showed an astonished expression, they exchanged an incredulous look, as if asking: What is this performance all about?

"Mother..."

Xie Xinghua mumbled, about to speak and find a suitable excuse, but before she could form her words, she was interrupted by Lady Zhao’s rapid-fire speech.

"Ah, my child, mother admits, I was wrong before. I was too harsh on you all, causing you to suffer too much. But at the end of the day, our family hasn’t truly been divided, has it? I was blind before, always thinking Changping and Ziling were a burden, and I was too strict with you. Now I understand, it’s me, this old woman who was wrong. Can you forgive me, this confused person?"

Lady Zhao’s words carried a plea, a measure of self-blame, which inevitably stirred emotions in the listener.

Xie Xinghua was dumbstruck on the spot, her face full of confusion.

But Fang Qin, with her usual acuteness, detected the subtlety in the situation.

This old woman had always been thoughtful, and today’s sudden change must have an ulterior motive.

Inside the main house, the male head had been ill and bedridden for a long time. Xie Xinghua, a widow with her orphaned daughters, seemed hardly a place of wealth, relying solely on her to take care of the three girls.

Fang Qin sneered internally; the second house was another scene entirely, and clearly, the old woman’s target was there.

With this in mind, Fang Qin sneered quietly.

Initially, the old woman had scorned others as useless, casting them out callously.

Now, seeing their comfortable lives, she shamelessly used the name of family in hopes of getting a share.

However, if that was indeed the case, she too could benefit from the situation.

After all, the enticing smells wafting from the second house had long been tempting.

Thus, Fang Qin lowered her head, holding the infant in her arms tight, and chose to remain silent.

Jiang Xunzhong, mistaking it for the effect of his efforts, eagerly concurred, "Yes, elder sister, mother’s right. We’re all blood-related family, we should be together, united. Let the past misunderstandings be carried away by the wind. Let’s have the children come out, and we’ll all eat together."

Xie Xinghua, gentle and timid by nature, even with many doubts, could only comply with the elder’s arrangement.

She put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, slowly walked inside, and softly called out the children’s names.

Before long, the three daughters, like little sparrows, one by one came to the dining table and took their seats in turn.

Xie Xinghua guided them while surreptitiously observing Lady Zhao’s expressions.

When Lady Zhao’s gaze swept over Da Ya, it seemed there was a momentary shadow passing over the depths of her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a loving smile.

"Not letting you sit at the table with the adults before was grandma’s fault. Now grandma knows her mistake. A family should be together, happy and united. Come on, sit down, eat as you please, don’t be shy."

Lady Zhao’s words, though sounding somewhat half-hearted, felt to the children like a warm and affectionate spring breeze.

The children listened to these abruptly tender words with complex emotions swelling in their hearts.

In private, they believed that it was their third uncle’s departure that had touched their grandmother’s heart, leading this normally stern old lady to undergo such a significant change.

Despite still harboring some caution, they ultimately couldn’t resist the allure of familial warmth and took their seats with restraint.

Unlike Da Ya and Er Ya’s cautiousness, San Ya was particularly clever, wielding her chopsticks like tiny weapons, swift to act and first to engage in the feast.

Although their mother’s cooking skills could not compare with Second Aunt’s, being able to sit around the dining table at such a rare moment of reunion and feel the warmth of home, even the simplest food was far superior to chewing on cold, hard fare alone in their rooms.

At least, in that moment, both their stomachs and hearts were filled with warmth, genuine and content.

And every dish on the table glowed with an inviting sheen, like a meticulously arranged exhibition of spoils of war, no longer like the past when Xinghua could only timidly present a few tasteless cabbage heads and paltry greens, so scant that it was painful to behold, leaving everyone with a lingering sense of unfulfilled desire after each meal.

Today, this sumptuous banquet seemed like a splendid reversal of those bygone days of meager times.

San Ya’s whirlwind eating style, her chopsticks darting swiftly between dishes, inadvertently tightened Da Ya and Er Ya’s throats, who then got swept up in the irresistible tide of appetite and without hesitation joined the scramble for the delicious feast.

Fang Qin curled her lip, her face full of disdain and contempt, and sneered, "Eating in such an ugly manner, you look like reincarnated hungry ghosts, not an ounce of propriety to be seen."

No sooner had these words left her mouth than Da Ya and Er Ya, previously immersed in the sea of food, reined in their arms and legs, and a ripple of embarrassment and tension spread through the air.

But San Ya was unconcerned; picking up a bunch of tender greens with a smile, she offered them to Fang Qin’s bowl with a crisp voice, "Second Aunt, don’t be shy, have some more, lest you really waste away to a ghostly figure."

Upon hearing this, Fang Qin was momentarily choked with indignation, simply staring at San Ya, lips slightly parted, "You... "

Just as Fang Qin was about to lose her temper, Lady Zhao intervened at the right moment, her voice carrying an unmistakable authority, "Alright, let’s focus on eating during a meal, and refrain from speaking such ominous words."

Today, Lady Zhao had uncharacteristically thrown a favor Fang Qin’s way, giving her some broken silver, which barely subdued Fang Qin’s resentment, preventing a further outburst.

She glared viciously at San Ya before bowing her head to immerse herself in the solace of her food, as if that could momentarily erase her displeasure.

Witnessing the children’s lively scramble for food, Xie Xinghua knew waiting any longer might leave nothing for her—these "little gourmands" could lick the platters clean.

While her heart ached at the sight of the children gobbling down their food, she quietly observed Lady Zhao’s changing expressions.

Although a slight twitch appeared on Lady Zhao’s lips, she forced a broad and gentle smile, "Children are at a critical phase of growth; naturally, they have astonishing appetites."

Indeed, the delectable foods on the table hardly lingered before vanishing between the bowls and plates of Lady Zhao and Jiang Xunzhong.

Sensing the subtle shift in her mother-in-law’s demeanor, Xie Xinghua quickly put down her chopsticks, her voice tinged with a hint of probing, "Mother, it looks like I need to prepare more food for tomorrow."

Lady Zhao responded without a second thought, "Hmm, ask your father to go to the market tomorrow and get a few pounds of fresh pork to improve the children’s diet."

This sudden show of concern left Xie Xinghua somewhat incredulous, wondering to herself: Could it be that her mother-in-law had a sudden epiphany after the loss of her son and decided to completely reform, turning into a kind and approachable person?

This thought secretly thrilled Xie Xinghua; if this were indeed the case, perhaps her and the children’s lives would be smoother sailing from now on.