Chef Hua
Chapter 187: Episode 117: Colluding with the Enemy_2

Chapter 187: Episode 117: Colluding with the Enemy_2

Before the echoes of her voice died away, someone had already charged in with great urgency.

Hua Xiaomai hurried out from the kitchen and glanced behind her, only to find it was utterly deserted, instantly feeling a surge of deep disappointment.

What was going on? Luo Yuejiao had boasted about her sister-in-law’s knack for prying into gossip as something unparalleled on heaven or earth, but now she had shown up empty-handed. Hadn’t she said that she already had some leads?

Hua Erniang hastily poured a bowl of sour plum soup and carried it out from the main room in a fluster. Seeing that no one followed Chun Xi, she too was a bit surprised. Shoving the bowl into her hands with a stern face, she said, "Yesterday didn’t you say that you’d help my sister root out that rumor-spreading scum? Where is the person?"

"Why the rush?" Chun Xi gulped down most of the sour plum soup in one breath, smilingly said, "We’ve known each other for so long. When have I ever failed to take care of something I promised you? It’s just that I’m not a government officer. Why would anyone bother following me just because I said so? I did find out who the person is for you. Still, you will have to pay them a visit yourselves, to either put them to the sword or butcher them as you please."

Chun Xi’s insinuation seemed to be a caution to avoid implicating herself, which, despite being slightly inconsistent with the righteous and forthright attitude she exhibited yesterday, was quite understandable. Hua Xiaomai didn’t say more but just smiled, "Sister-in-law Chun Xi, who exactly is that person?"

Knowing full well her eagerness, Chun Xi still insisted on playing coy, with a barely concealed smirk at the corners of her mouth, "Just think, in the whole Fire Knife Village, who has always been at odds with you, bearing old grudges?"

"Guan Rong?" That was the first thought that popped into Hua Xiaomai’s mind, and without further consideration, it slipped out of her mouth.

On the other side, Hua Erniang hesitated slightly, "Could it be... Aunt Geng?"

"Ah-ha!" Chun Xi clapped her hands together with a hearty laugh, but then she added with a sarcastic tone, "This matter is indeed a curious coincidence. The day you two happened to encounter Scholar Wen in Fuzhe County and helped out in that small tavern with the cooking competition, these two just so happened to be on their way to the County to buy things. As you stood up for that person in front of the tavern, they were nearby and saw everything crystal clear, and by the next day, rumors started to spread throughout our village. Do I really need to elaborate on the connection here?"

Hua Xiaomai’s eyes widened suddenly.

That Guan Rong would gossip behind her back was honestly not a surprise to her. In fact, the moment she first heard about it, her intuition was that it must involve her.

But... when did she start colluding with Aunt Geng? If this incident was indeed related to these two, could Aunt Geng’s earlier visit to Old Man Liu to lodge false complaints, claiming Hua Xiaomai’s stall was a disturbance, also have something to do with her?

"These two shameless women, how did they become involved?" Hua Erniang, who obviously was thinking along the same lines as Hua Xiaomai, ground her teeth with a clatter, "Can you confirm that the rumors indeed originated with them?"

"If I could not be certain, why would I come here to inform you so rashly?" Chun Xi kept fanning herself, her eyelids flipping dismissively, "Just now, I caught Aunt Geng on the road and with a little intimidation and threat; it only took a few words before she confessed the truth. The gossip about Little Sister Xiaomai and Scholar Wen did, in fact, come from her. As for that Guan Family girl..."

She chuckled, paused, and then raised her hand to smooth down the stray hair by her temples.

"Just say it, will you? With all that is happening, you’re still acting coy!" Hua Erniang stamped her feet in frustration, "What about Guan Rong? She must have played a significant role, didn’t she?"

"Not at all!" Chun Xi rebuked her with a glare, her words laced with sarcasm, "Back then, that Guan Family girl saw everything clear as day between Little Sister Xiaomai and Scholar Wen, and before Aunt Geng could even react, she was already pulling her aside earnestly, warning her ’not to tell a soul about this,’ as if she was wholeheartedly protecting you! On the surface, she seems to be safeguarding you, but only she knows what she’s really thinking. Tsk tsk tsk, thankfully she’s sickly, otherwise, our Fire Knife Village would undoubtedly be turned upside down by her sooner or later!"

A fury surged to Hua Xiaomai’s head, and in an uncontrollable rage, she slammed her fist onto the table.

That Guan Rong, truly cunning as ever! With just a single word, she didn’t have to lift a finger to instigate that fool, Aunt Geng, spreading an utterly baseless rumor throughout the village, while she herself emerged squeaky clean. Even if Hua Xiaomai knew it was her doing, confronting Guan Rong would yield no fault to pin on her!

It was always like this. Miss, I wonder, do you exist in this world solely to vex and disgust others? With the state you’re in, why don’t you learn to accumulate some good karma?

Hua Erniang started to sense something fishy based on Chun Xi’s words and was ready to explode with anger, but when she turned around, she saw that Hua Xiaomai had already turned ashen with rage, causing her heart to skip a beat with worry.

"Don’t be like this..." She patted her younger sister’s back in a comforting gesture, "For people like them, we just need to deal with them decisively and they’ll fall in line. But it’s not worth getting angry over it. I have a myriad of ways to handle that foolish Aunt Geng, but what about Guan Rong? What do you plan to do?"

"...I don’t want to let her off easily," Hua Xiaomai said after a long silence and then added through gritted teeth, "If I can’t teach her a lesson this time around, then I’ll eat my words! (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)