Chef Hua
Chapter 241 - 145: Utter Hatred

Chapter 241: Chapter 145: Utter Hatred

Hua Xiaomai lowered her head and glanced at the hand Guan Rong tightly clenched on her sleeve before lifting her eyelids to sweep across her face. She deliberately let her gaze move extremely slowly, sliding from her eyebrows, the tip of her nose, to her deathly pale cheeks and let out a light chuckle, just about to gift her the words "None of your damn business" when the old mother of the Meng Family caught up in a few steps, twisted her hips, and shoved Guan Rong aside.

"Girl Rong, step aside. This is my family’s business. I’ll speak to her myself!"

Guan Rong nearly fell to the ground from the shove, hastily bracing herself against the corner of the table to steady herself. Whether from shock or embarrassment, a flush rose on her face, making her complexion seem much healthier.

Hua Xiaomai almost laughed out loud but quickly pressed her lips together firmly to hold it back.

Even someone as fierce as the second Mrs. Hua showed a measure of fear towards the old mother of the Meng Family, indicating that this woman was definitely not someone easy to deal with. Today’s meeting wouldn’t possibly be cordial and light-hearted as a breeze.

However, regardless, seeing someone put Guan Rong in her place was always a pleasure for Hua Xiaomai. She walked over and seated the old mother of the Meng Family by the table with a grin, "Madam, my restaurant is a bit far from the village, and the weather is so hot. You must be tired from the walk here, right? I have a homemade beverage called Jasmine Soup. It’s refreshing and soothing when drunk. How about I pour you a bowl to try?"

Without waiting for the old mother of the Meng Family to reply, she went straight to a wooden shelf, took a small, lidded tea bowl, filled it with some hot water, and brought it to her.

The Jasmine Soup was made from dried jasmine picked and dried earlier. In the morning, they would spread a thick layer of honey at the bottom of a bowl, toss in a few jasmine blossoms, and let it marinate for half a day. At noon, they’d pour boiling water over it, creating a lovely aromatic and sweet soup. For those who disliked plain or mixed teas, this was the perfect choice.

The old mother of the Meng Family took a sip from the tea cup, glancing at Hua Xiaomai, but the ready-to-spit-out remark, "This tastes awful," ultimately went unsaid. Still, she wasn’t the type to concede easily as she tossed the small bowl onto the table and bluntly asked, "So, you’re the one marrying my son?"

Chun Xi and La Mei, who were picking vegetables in the kitchen, heard voices in the main hall and dropped what they were doing to run out. When they overheard this line, they stood, startled, with their eyes wide, rooted at the doorway of the kitchen, unable to move a step.

As for Guan Rong, she clutched at her clothes even tighter, staring intently at Hua Xiaomai, as if afraid to miss any slight change in her expression.

Hua Xiaomai didn’t even glance at her. She turned her head and smilingly said to Chun Xi and La Mei, "Sisters, Uncle Xu just brought a lot of fresh fish. We’ll need them for lunch. Could you please take them to the kitchen and pick out a couple to clean up? I’ll come later to prepare them."

This clearly meant she wanted to send them away. Chun Xi and La Mei, not wanting to intrude further, obligingly carried the basin of fish that had been placed in the center of the main hall into the kitchen. But they weren’t in a hurry to start working; instead, they snuck up to the door frame, ear-to-ear with glee, listening intently to the commotion outside.

"I’m asking you a question!" the old mother of the Meng Family grew somewhat impatient, her eyebrows knitting together.

Hua Xiaomai smiled softly and nodded, "The eldest brother of the Meng Family did indeed speak to my second sister and brother-in-law about..."

Standing beside them, Guan Rong’s face instantly drained of color, and she swayed, as if about to faint. The old mother of the Meng Family didn’t care to attend to her and snorted coldly with a mocking tone at Hua Xiaomai, "To secure such a good match, your second sister and brother-in-law must be laughing in their dreams, right?"

Hua Xiaomai stayed silent, thinking to herself, would you believe me if I said that my second sister was jumping with opposition before?

Seeing her silence, the old mother of the Meng Family took it as acknowledgement and rolled her eyes with satisfaction, "My son Yuhuai has both looks and talent. Having him take a fancy to you would mean your whole family should be burning incense in gratitude. I hear your parents have long passed away, so this matter of marrying off must rely on your second sister and brother-in-law. Let me ask, how much dowry can your family provide?"

"Well..." Hua Xiaomai sighed internally, "I’m the younger generation; it’s not my place to speak on this matter, and I’m not clear on the details. Madam, if you want to know, perhaps you should talk to my second sister..."

"Your second sister, in my presence, isn’t she also the younger generation? Does she have the right to talk terms with me?" the old mother of the Meng Family interrupted her with a booming voice before she could finish.