Chef Hua
Chapter 344: Episode 196: Having Money is Also Troublesome

Chapter 344: Episode 196: Having Money is Also Troublesome

Hua Xiaomai was usually busy all day at a small diner in the east of the village, and whenever she found a moment of leisure, she had to visit the Sauce Garden, or else, she would be teaching Zhou Yunyun the art of cooking. Leaving home in the morning and not returning until evening, she definitely wouldn’t come back halfway through the day, a fact well known by Guan Rong’s mother, who lived next door.

At the moment, she was whispering gossip with Old Lady Meng, but the person who shouldn’t have returned appeared suddenly in the yard, which undeniably caused her great fright. She shuddered uncontrollably, then managed to squeeze out a stiff, ugly smile, and forced herself to remain calm, "Oh, Xiaomai is back? Is the diner doing well, not too busy?"

"It’s tolerable," Hua Xiaomai replied with a half-smile, glanced at her, and placed the food box in front of Old Lady Meng with a smile, "Mother, please try the baked spare ribs and fried beef I made. They are quite hearty, and I figure you should like them."

"I’ve had it already, why are you bringing it back now?" Old Lady Meng muttered with a cold face, yet she couldn’t help but lift her eyelids to peek into the food box, "It does look decent, let it sit there, I know to heat it up later."

As she spoke, she turned her head and said to Guan Rong’s mother with a backhanded smile, "My daughter-in-law, if it’s about culinary skills, she’s certainly beyond reproach. However, she tends to be unfair. Usually, she doesn’t come back at noon, and I have to rely on the meals she prepares in the morning to fill my stomach all day. Today, I suppose it’s because Yuhuai is home that she’s willing to bring some fresh and hot food back for me—after all, as a mother-in-law, I still benefit from my son’s presence!"

Luo Yuejiao had been standing at the edge of the courtyard since she entered and had remained silent after exchanging greetings with Old Lady Meng, merely glaring fiercely at Guan Rong’s mother.

She was always on good terms with Hua Xiaomai, and being somewhat impulsive, she couldn’t help pursing her lips as she heard Old Lady Meng’s unpleasant remarks, "Granny, why do you say that? You yourself mentioned that Sister Xiaomai prepares meals for you every morning before she leaves, and you never go hungry, you..."

"You’re the girl from the Luo family, aren’t you?" Old Lady Meng, a discerning woman, wouldn’t bother with a naive girl. She shot Luo Yuejiao a sharp look and said chillingly, "Your sister-in-law is working in the diner to help Xiaomai, right? No wonder you’re defending her! But, you surely lack understanding. When elders speak, if one is well-mannered, they should stay away. Yet here you are, not only eavesdropping but also butting in? Lack of manners and restraint, one can imagine how your mother usually disciplines you."

"How can you..." Luo Yuejiao never expected that, simply by defending someone, she’d end up implicating her own mother in ridicule. Her face flushed with embarrassment and she almost spoke back in her defense.

Hua Xiaomai quickly pulled her behind herself, squeezing her hand firmly to signal not to speak further, and then turned to Old Lady Meng with a gentle voice, "Mother, Yuejiao is young and didn’t think before she spoke. Please don’t take it to heart."

Although she was smiling, her heart truly sank a bit.

Old Lady Meng, perhaps stubborn and difficult to deal with, always knew her priorities well. Internal family conflicts were temporarily insignificant in the face of a common enemy, which was evident from her behavior on Chinese New Year’s Eve when she mistakenly thought the Guan Family was to blame for the burning of the vegetable field. She furiously pointed at the courtyard wall and protected Hua Xiaomai in her speech.

But now, she was enumerating Hua Xiaomai’s faults in front of Guan Rong’s mother. What did that indicate? More likely than not, she had really taken to heart what Guan Rong’s mother had just said!

Having a little money in hand can indeed be troublesome!

Old Lady Meng was not foolish, she probably knew that Guan Rong’s mother’s purpose in rambling was not purely genuine, but what could she do? She couldn’t deny that there was sense in her words! A mother-in-law like her, who lets her daughter-in-law control the cash without gaining a penny herself, was probably unheard of anywhere else!

Reflecting on this, she snorted through her nose, wearing a forced smile, "What is there for me to fuss about? She isn’t the child I raised. If she can’t control her tongue in the future and offends her in-laws, that’s none of my business!"