Chef Hua
Chapter 189: Episode 118 What a Beautiful Little White Flower_2

Chapter 189: Episode 118 What a Beautiful Little White Flower_2

"Xiaomai, we’ve specifically come to apologize," seeing that she remained silent, Guan Rong’s mother said with an uncomfortable smile, and took down the basket from her elbow, handing it over, "This is just a little something for you. Don’t look down on it, please take it."

As she spoke, she pulled the cloth covering the basket slightly, letting Hua Xiaomai see what was inside.

Inside the basket were dozens of eggs, roughly counting, at least thirty or forty; in another basket Guan Rong held were bamboo leaf cakes, seemingly just steamed not long ago, still emitting steam from the surface.

"These eggs are from our own chickens, we were planning on saving up more to sell at the county all together, but we brought them all today," Guan Rong’s mother said as she handed the basket to Hua Eniang, giving her a glimpse, "These bamboo leaf cakes, I just took them out of the steamer before coming here. My skills can’t compare to Xiaomai, but these cakes are presentable enough for you to try. They have a red bean paste filling and are mixed with lard, both my daughter, Rong, and her brother love them. You..."

"Who cares about your rotten..." Hua Eniang, not wanting to listen to her prattle, waved her hand, ready to erupt.

Hua Xiaomai quickly held her back, as if bewildered, said softly, "Auntie, what do you mean by this apology? Where is this coming from?"

"Sister Xiaomai," before her mother could speak, Guan Rong stepped forward quickly, earnestly grabbing Hua Xiaomai’s hand, tears already welling up in her eyes, "I know you are angry with me, please stop pretending! The village has been spreading rumors about you and Scholar Wen, saying all sorts of things, and it’s all my fault, I..."

Ho, what is this? A guilty conscience or possession by a spirit? Truly frightening...

Hua Xiaomai, overwhelmed by her sincerity from head to toe, couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of her mouth, barely suppressing the urge to spit in her face, and raised an eyebrow subtly, "Oh? How does this matter involve you?"

"It’s all my fault!" Guan Rong introspected deeply and painfully, "Up to now, I dare not hide it from you anymore, I’ll tell you the truth. That day you were in the county’s tavern helping with a cooking contest, I was there with Aunt Geng, saw Scholar Wen...grabbed your hand, it really startled me. I didn’t know what was going on between you and Scholar Wen, and thinking of Aunt Geng’s longstanding animosity toward your family, I feared she might spread it throughout the village at any moment, so in a panic, I immediately told her not to speak of it, but I didn’t realize, my words were actually a reminder to her..."

Hua Xiaomai could not control her astonishment, her eyes widened as she scanned Guan Rong’s face.

Listen, listen, she speaks all the truth, nothing hidden, utterly sincere! With a few delicate words, she turned her actions into an "unintentional mistake," well-done Miss Guan, such a clever scheme!

But, doing such an act of "betraying a teammate," does Aunt Geng know?

"I’m so stupid, really stupid!" Guan Rong exclaimed as tears splashed down, hitting the back of her hand, chokingly adding, "Who could have known that once Aunt Geng returned to the village, she would exaggerate and fabricate the story, making it known to everyone. A girl’s reputation is of utmost importance, how could I just watch Aunt Geng spouting nonsense? I immediately ran to confront her, but she outright claimed it was her own business and that I had no say... It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t gone to the County with her that day, or if I had taken her further away, perhaps none of this would have happened."

Perhaps this is the essence of how Guan Rong handles things? First, she thoroughly disgusts you, and then, as you’re about to burst in anger, she runs before you, offers you a sweet date to eat, making you unable to exert any effort or vent your anger, killing your thoughts of settling accounts with her while, incidentally, clearing her of all blame, leaving you unable to find a single fault.

How on earth did this Madame Guan give birth to such a daughter? She could easily write a book titled "The Making of an Innocent Flower."

"My daughter Rong has also been having a hard time these past few days," Guan Rong’s mother said, wiping her tears, "She can’t eat well, can’t sleep, and tears fall non-stop whenever she thinks about the situation, saying it’s all her fault and insisting on apologizing to you in person. Hua Xiaomai, dear, I know there are some misunderstandings between you and my daughter Rong, and she may have done some things poorly, but she didn’t have any ill intentions, she truly realizes her mistake. Please, for the sake of this old lady, could you not hold it against her?"

Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and a mouse’s son will dig holes—ah, old sayings...they indeed hold truth.

Guan Rong clutched Hua Xiaomai’s hand even tighter, earnestly saying, "Don’t worry, Sister Xiaomai, I’ve already told everyone in the village that the misunderstanding between you and Scholar Wen was just that, a misunderstanding, with nothing untoward, and asked everyone not to gossip. What’s fake can’t turn real, give it a few days, and this will all blow over."

She sobbed again, taking a deep breath, "I don’t expect us to be as close as before, I just hope you can forgive me this time. Despite the misunderstandings, you have always been a dear sister in my heart."

"Yes, Xiaomai dear, just forgive her this time, will you?" Guan Rong’s mother interjected.

The mother and daughter duo weren’t giving Hua Xiaomai any chance to think, pressing two baskets up against her waist, insisting that she accept them.

"Take it away, who wants your stuff!" Hua Ermother said impatiently, pushing the two women out with a raised hand, "You even know it involves my sister’s reputation, trying to settle it by apologizing and bringing some things? Dream on! Let me tell you, this isn’t over. Leave now, or I’ll make you regret staying a moment longer!"

When Hua Ermother gets angry, it’s no joke, and Guan Rong and her mother were a bit afraid of her, shrinking back while still unwillingly glancing towards Hua Xiaomai.

After a moment of thought, Hua Xiaomai held Hua Ermother’s hand, slightly turned her head with an expressionless face towards Guan Rong, and said, "Just leave the things here."