Chef Hua
Chapter 432 - 238: Sleeping with Mom

Chapter 432: Chapter 238: Sleeping with Mom

Although Hua Xiaomai had made up her mind to take a good rest for a while, she couldn’t immediately idle away her time as there were still some leftover tasks to handle, one of which was dealing with the recently harvested chili from the fields.

Things were relatively smooth at Sauce Garden, as Lei An and his wife were seasoned experts in sauce-making, not just experienced but truly proficient. Hua Xiaomai simply explained the process of making chili sauce and broad bean paste and watched them operate for a while. The couple got the hang of it and produced the sauces without any hitch. As for everyday chores, Pan Ping’an, who had spiritedly returned from the Provincial City, took care of everything, sparing her the need to worry.

However, the situation was entirely different at the small restaurant.

Since they weren’t selling, the freshly harvested chili could only be temporarily piled up in the backyard. They were to start decorating in a few days, and unavoidably, the shop would get messy. If contaminated with unpurified substances, it would indeed be a bit of a waste. Left with no other options, Hua Xiaomai had to use the ox cart to transport several hundred kilograms of chili back to the Meng Family courtyard over two trips.

Chili, once dried, wouldn’t spoil easily if stored properly. Fortunately, the weather had been continuously sunny lately. Hua Xiaomai called over Chun Xi and La Mei to help strand the bright red fruits and hang them all around the inner courtyard and under the eaves.

About this, Old Lady Meng was initially somewhat discontent, complaining that the chili strings were too many and cumbersome, seriously bothersome. She had intended to scold Hua Xiaomai, but one morning, when she returned from buying vegetables in the village and casually glanced at her courtyard, she immediately dismissed the idea.

The bunches of chili adorned every corner of the courtyard, strikingly red and subtly glistening. Particularly on the wall adjacent to the neighbor’s, a whole swath of chili was densely strung, completely covering the original color of the semi-old bricks. At a glance, it looked like blazing red clouds, which was pleasing to the eye and added a touch of festive cheer to the otherwise quiet and sparse courtyard.

No one disliked festive things, especially when the Meng family was about to welcome a new member. Thus, Old Lady Meng felt rather optimistic about the scene in the courtyard, seeing it as a good sign. Uncharacteristically, she didn’t speak up and let Hua Xiaomai transform the household, humorously thinking that perhaps one day, a chili spirit might jump out.

However, just because Old Lady Meng conceded on this matter did not mean she would let Hua Xiaomai do as she pleased.

In truth, the inhabitants of Fire Knife Village were mostly farming families, where women often worked in the fields even two days before giving birth. There weren’t many formalities. But Old Lady Meng was always one to go against the grain. From the day Hua Xiaomai was confirmed pregnant, she imposed thorough and varied restrictions on her daughter-in-law.

Not lifting heavy objects, not touching knives or scissors, and never raising her arms above her head all seemed conventional. On normal days, if Hua Xiaomai walked a bit more than usual outside, it would also provoke a scolding. As for the kitchen door, Hua Xiaomai couldn’t even touch it. If she dared set foot inside, she wouldn’t get a moment’s peace all day.

As Old Lady Meng put it, "Just look at Great Saint and your second brother-in-law; did they not marry their wives when they were just eighteen or nineteen? Especially Great Saint, his children are already running around happily! Yuhuai was late getting married by several years, but now that you are finally pregnant, what if you mess up again and something goes wrong? Can you take that responsibility? Go back to your room and stay there. If I see you wandering around again, I..."

"What would you do?"

Having been nagged at by her mother-in-law for a long time, Hua Xiaomai was somewhat impatient, glanced at her while sitting in the courtyard, clearly fearless: "Since I can’t sit still anyway, why don’t you just beat me up? Make it so I can’t even get off the bed; then I’ll be at peace."

Giving birth was a big deal, which Hua Xiaomai fully agreed with, and it was precisely for this reason that she willingly closed the doors of the little restaurant and stayed home to rest. But... How could she have imagined that she wouldn’t even be allowed to touch her own stove? For someone who loved cooking immensely, living like this for a month or two was nothing short of torture!