Chef Hua
Chapter 181 - 114 Rumors_2

Chapter 181: Chapter 114 Rumors_2

Having said that, she turned and entered the kitchen. Before long, the slightly sour aroma of Green Plum Soup wafted from inside.

Unable to avoid it anyway, by dusk, Hua Xiaomai had no choice but to abandon the thought of setting up a stall by the river. She reluctantly made her way toward the Jing Family old mansion at the south end of the village, looking back every three steps.

Although she had lived in Fire Knife Village for over half a year, the number of times Hua Xiaomai had been to this part of the village were few and far between. Firstly, there didn’t seem to be any reason for her to specifically make a trip here, and secondly, apart from the Jing Family old mansion, Guan Rong’s home was also located nearby. Out of sight, out of mind; she really did not want to get entangled with that sickly, frail girl again.

The dinner was prepared by Old Mother Jing. Besides the common summertime dishes of eggplant, flattened beans, and tender squash, she also cooked a fish. She threw in the spring onions before taking the pot off the stove. Although this allowed the scent of the onions to blend nicely into the fish, because they had been cooked for too long, the soft, yellowed pieces of onion sticking to the plate really weren’t a pleasant sight. Among color, fragrance, and taste, the dish had lost points on the aspect of "color."

Hua Xiaomai admitted that she might have an occupational disease. Having been a cook, no matter where she went, she would scrutinize every dish she saw with an extremely critical eye. She knew it was not good to do so, but it was not easy to change this habit immediately.

The dishes were quickly served on the table. Old Father Jing and Old Mother Jing didn’t send their youngest daughter to help in the kitchen, and so Hua Erniang’s expression softened a little. She assumed a protective demeanor, pulling Hua Xiaomai close to sit beside her and casting a wary glance toward her in-laws across the table, whose faces looked dark and gloomy.

"You are well-off now, naturally, the table is rich in dishes. We cannot compare with you, it’s not that we mean to neglect you, let’s just make do and eat," Old Mother Jing said as she placed the last bowl of soup on the table, her eyes downcast, her words neither warm nor cold, as she took a seat at the table edge.

Jing Taihe was also unclear about the reason his parents had summoned them home, and it was improper to inquire right at the beginning of the meal, so he could only give a forced smile, greeting Old Lady Jing and asking about her recent appetite and health.

"Your grandmother is old, and we don’t see you every day. No matter how well we take care of her, it is what it is, what’s there to say?" Old Mother Jing said with a sneer, adding to the conversation as she deftly pinched the tenderest piece of fish belly with her chopsticks and placed it in Jing Taihe’s bowl, "She’s confused now, but when she was young, she was the most assertive person, intolerant of even half a word of gossip from outside. If someone maliciously slandered from nowhere, she would rather fall out with them than not clear things up!"

Pausing for a moment, she then added lightly, "But that’s right, although we were poor back then, we were beyond reproach in our doings, and had no vulnerabilities that could be exploited by others. Even when facing accusations, we stood tall with our spines straight!"

What did she mean by that? Was she saying that... the three people living in the Jing Family’s small courtyard were now involved in something that couldn’t withstand gossip?

Hua Xiaomai was utterly confused and glanced at Hua Erniang, only to see the charming beauty frowning deeply, gripping her chopsticks tightly enough to turn her knuckles white, clearly struggling to maintain her composure.

She quickly reached out to gently pat Hua Erniang’s knee. Although she knew this gesture was futile and would not bring any comfort, at that moment, it was all she could do.

Jing Taihe also began to discern something from his mother’s words, touched his head in bewilderment, and said with a puzzled smile, "Mother, what do you mean by that? Grandfather and grandmother did things in an upright manner, and while we may not measure up to them, we too wouldn’t dare to act recklessly. You..."

Old Mother Jing didn’t engage with his words, merely lifted her eyes slightly to glance at Hua Xiaomai’s face, and said with a semi-smile, "This girl looked frail and thin when she first arrived, as if her arm would break with a light pinch. After half a year, she has filled out a bit and become more sprightly. That’s right, she’s also a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl now. Most girls her age in our village are already engaged. Her parents being gone, it’s inevitable that you, as her sister and brother-in-law, should help make arrangements."

Why did she bring up marriage matters again? Could Old Mother Jing be meddling too much? It had been a struggle to calm Hua Erniang’s mind from constantly spinning around the "marriage" issue. If the Jing Family old mansion also intervened, there would be no peace!

"It’s only natural for a young lady to marry, and no one can argue against it. However, it’s absolutely disgraceful to be unclear and hang about with others outside." Old Mother Jing, unconcerned with the reactions of others and giving Hua Xiaomai a quick glance, continued, "How your Hua Family raises its girls is none of our business and of no interest to us. But now that you are living in my son’s house, you should know to behave more reservedly. We Jings have our pride. You can mess around and become the subject of people’s teasing—that’s your business—but don’t drag our Jing Family down with you!"

...What exactly did this mean? Hua Xiaomai’s mind seemed to be filled with a sticky mess, utterly perplexed. She couldn’t understand what Old Mother Jing was getting at, but at least she knew one thing—for sure, this meal wasn’t going to be a pleasant one.

After a moment’s thought, she put down her chopsticks, sat up straight, and swept her gaze across the faces of Old Mother Jing and Old Father Jing, speaking deliberately, "Uncle and Auntie, although I’m a stranger seeking shelter here, I also know what I should and shouldn’t do. To my knowledge, I have done nothing improper during my time here. If you have something to say, please speak plainly."

"You say there’s nothing improper?" Old Mother Jing scoffed, her eyes suddenly chilling, "What are you playing dumb for? The whole village is buzzing with talk, and you really know nothing? Go out and ask around, who doesn’t know about you and Scholar Wen? Tsk tsk tsk, you’ve been caught red-handed. I’m so embarrassed for you!" (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, we invite you to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian [qidian.com]. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)