Chef Hua
Chapter 297: Episode 172: Argument_2

Chapter 297: Episode 172: Argument_2

After all that fuss, it turns out it’s all about the game!

Hua Xiaomai was afraid she would pick a quarrel, and had already prepared her excuse. She smiled calmly, "Oh, that. After someone gave that to me, I left most of it at the store. What I brought back was already divided into two parts. One portion I kept at home, and the other, Yuhuai said he wanted to take to the Escort Agency to replenish Uncle Ke’s health, so..."

This explanation had been agreed upon with Meng Yuhuai beforehand, not for any other reason than to save some trouble and to make Meng’s mother aware that the goods were hers and that she had the right to decide who to give them to. But before she could finish, Meng’s mother let out a mocking laugh and cut her off.

"Who are you trying to fool? You think Grandma here is that brainless, that easy to deceive?" She suddenly stood up, her voice growing loud, "Don’t think I don’t know anything. Your second elder sister’s husband, he has now passed the cooking duties to the Grandma Pan next door, and she even got a bowl of good food to take back. She herself said that the family has been eating wild chicken soup and stewed yellow lamb for several days! Where did that game come from if not from you? And here I wonder why you were so eager to marry into my family, it turns out it was to use your own things to supplement your second elder sister’s husband!"

Hua Xiaomai suddenly clenched her teeth and took a deep breath, squeezing out a smile, "Alright, Mother, I understand. Next time I take something, I’ll tell you first."

"There’s a next time?" Meng’s mother got even angrier upon hearing this, hands on her hips and a fierce look in her eyes, looking like a fury descending from the stars, "Don’t talk to me about next time. First, let’s clarify today’s matter before we move on!"

Her voice was high and clear, Hua Xiaomai clenched her fists and unconsciously glanced towards the courtyard wall, whispering, "Mother, please lower your voice."

"What are you afraid of?" Meng’s mother jumped up, "So you’re also aware that what you’re doing is shameful? Now you feel embarrassed, but who made you do such a thing?"

Hua Xiaomai truly understood today why Hua’s second mother would say Meng’s mother was a stone in a latrine pit. With her impervious and uncompromising nature, what else could she be if not something both stinky and hard?

Her patience gradually wore thin, and the smile on her lips completely faded away. She retorted coldly, "It’s not that I’m afraid of people knowing, it’s just that at this hour, perhaps some people haven’t gotten up yet. Why disturb their peaceful sleep? I..."

"Enough of that!" Meng’s mother waved her hand mid-air, a mocking smile on her face, "You think you can play mind games with me with that paltry level of cunning? I advise you to give it up now! Come on, tell me everything clearly today, and if I’m not satisfied, don’t even think about stepping out of this door. Not even the Jade Emperor can save you! Hmph, I heard the money your restaurant makes, you still share half of it with your second elder sister’s husband’s family. You really have the nerve. That Jing couple, living off of our family, must be rolling in money by now, right? When Hua’s second mother has the baby, are we also supposed to pay for the midwife?!"

The last shred of composure in Hua Xiaomai’s mind snapped, and she hooked her lips into a smile, taking two steps forward to stand directly in front of Meng’s mother, "You want to speak clearly? Then I will make things clear for you. First off, you should get one thing straight; the game was given to me by someone as a token of gratitude, especially for me, Hua Xiaomai. Therefore, I’m free to give it to whomever I please, and no one else has any right to gossip about it."

"You’re spouting nonsense! When you married into our family, let alone those dead objects, even you yourself became the property of my family!" Meng’s mother had not expected her to suddenly change her demeanor, her eyes bulging in a fit of rage as she roared.

Why did those words sound so familiar? A year ago, hadn’t Jing Taihe’s parents also said the same thing in the Jing Family’s courtyard? Why did all these "evil fathers-in-law" and "evil mothers-in-law" sound so similar in their choice of words and tone?

"Is that so? When you married in, did my grandparents say the same thing to you?" Hua Xiaomai curled her lips slightly, "Did they also, like you, quietly move their daughter-in-law’s dowry on the wedding night without anyone noticing?"

"You..." Meng’s mother was beside herself with rage, and just as she spat out a word, she was choked off.

"Didn’t you want to hear what I had to say? Then listen carefully and don’t rush," Hua Xiaomai lifted her chin and looked directly into her eyes, "Secondly, the small restaurant in the east of the village was originally started by my second sister and her husband before we got married. They invested the money, and naturally, they should split the profits equally. Let me be frank with you, even if my parents were still alive, they wouldn’t need me to provide for them. And as for my brother-in-law, he is a proper craftsman who doesn’t lack for a living. But no matter what, I will give what’s due, and I am quite willing to give it. What does this have to do with you? Or would you prefer that I close down the small restaurant and have Yuhuai provide for me from now on? After all, it’s only right and proper, no one can point fingers at me!"

"How dare you have such gall, confronting me like this..." Meng’s mother was so furious she was almost confused, spinning around looking for a handy weapon.

"I’d advise you to save your energy. If we’re talking about fighting with a stick, you may not be able to beat me," Hua Xiaomai didn’t even move an eyebrow, standing her ground and watching the other’s madness.

Meng’s mother stumbled a bit, unable to stand steady, as she charged towards her: "Don’t you give me that attitude here. Now you might think you’re capable, but tonight when Yuhuai comes back, you’re going to play the victim and complain to him, right?"

"Oh dear, thank you for reminding me, I nearly forgot." Hua Xiaomai shrugged her shoulders, "Actually, you don’t have to be envious. If you think you are in the right, you can also go and tell on me! But... ever since I married Yuhuai, he has been coming home every night, you must be very happy about that, right?"

"What... do you mean?" Meng’s mother’s teeth gnashed audibly, "Are you trying to scare me?"

"Why would I scare you?" Hua Xiaomai smiled innocently, "I’m just a little touched. It’s been a while since I came from Shengzhou to Fuzhe County, and I’ve been holed up here in Fire Knife Village this whole time, never knowing what life is like in the County. Let me think about it... Renting a house with both a ground floor and an upper floor to live a life just for the two of us sounds quite nice, doesn’t it? Anyway, I’m young and energetic, not afraid of the hardship of commuting. I can rush over in the morning to take care of the small restaurant, close up early in the evening, and make it back to the city before curfew. Hmm, not difficult, not at all."

Meng’s mother was somewhat dumbfounded, staring blankly at her, unable to utter a word. Hua Xiaomai gave her one last look and, unwilling to engage with her any further, pushed open the courtyard door and left. (To be continued. If you like this novel, you’re welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to continue reading.)

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