Chef Hua
Chapter 446: Episode 245 All Efforts in Vain

Chapter 446: Episode 245 All Efforts in Vain

It was high time, all households had already doused their lights to rest, and only occasionally, a few barks could be heard in Fire Knife Village.

Meng’s old mother had returned to her room to sleep early, yet how could she fall asleep? For the most part of the hour, she was just tossing and turning on her cot as if she were griddling pancakes. Every time she heard voices outside, her heart would pound fiercely, and she’d quickly pull open the door to check, but it was always just a disappointment.

She was naturally of a fiery temper, and after repeating this a few times, it was inevitable that she would become irritated. Resignedly, she dressed and went to the main room, didn’t bother with the lights, and just sullenly sat by the table.

When Meng Yuhuai and Hua Xiaomai arrived back at the Meng Family courtyard, they deliberately lightened their steps to avoid disturbing the neighbors. But by this time it was late into the night, and the smallest sound was magnified in the stillness. Meng’s old mother immediately heard their low voices, hurriedly lit a lamp, and ran outside, flinging open the door.

"Mom, we’re back," Hua Xiaomai greeted her with a giggle, pushing Meng Yuhuai forward slightly.

"Hmm," Meng’s old mother uttered, first glancing at her, focusing particularly on her belly, and seeing that she seemed to be without any hint of trouble and still smiling cheerfully, she tucked her heart securely back into her chest. Then, she turned her gaze to Meng Yuhuai’s face, eyeing him from top to bottom.

It looked like... he hadn’t been injured?

She heaved a great sigh of relief in her heart and her face immediately darkened. Lifting her eyelids, she muttered in an irritated whisper, "Such a grown man, yet lacking any sense of propriety. Your wife is pregnant, ran all over the town for you, and if anything had happened, what would you have done to compensate? Just go rest, your room has already been fumigated with mugwort. I’m terribly tired now and don’t have the energy to deal with you both."

With that, she walked away.

Who was pretending like everything was fine? Now putting on an affectation like the breeze was light and the clouds were calm, yet wasn’t it she who turned pale and chattered her teeth when Great Saint Sun came with a message in the afternoon?

Hua Xiaomai chuckled quietly to herself and secretly pinched Meng Yuhuai on his back.

Meng Yuhuai flinched from the pain, couldn’t help but glower at her, and then cleared his throat, somewhat uncomfortably, "Mom, sorry to have worried you."

Meng’s old mother’s steps faltered, but she didn’t turn back, just snorted disdainfully and continued into her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Oh, mom is angry..." Hua Xiaomai bumped Meng Yuhuai’s shoulder with a bit of schadenfreude, "Why don’t you try what Uncle Ke suggested, kneel in front of mom’s door for a night? It might work."

"Stop messing around," Meng Yuhuai shook his head helplessly, "It’s late now, let mom rest. I’ll talk to her properly tomorrow morning."

With that, he led her back inside.

On the table by the window, the warm yellow lamplight came on, casting rings of light on the floor.

The room still held a trace of the smell of mugwort, which was somewhat unpleasant as it entered their noses. Hua Xiaomai stretched her arm to open a slit in the window, turned around, and saw Meng Yuhuai sitting at the table, pouring tea to drink.

All afternoon she had been frightened... No, to be precise, these past few days, her heart had never been at peace, always pondering the dire possibilities, and the more she thought about them, the more terrified she became. Finally, after much difficulty, this person was truly, physically back.

She stood there for a moment, then suddenly stepped forward, snatched the tea cup out of his hand and threw it onto the table, then wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder.

"You scared me to death..."

She was initially a bit choked up, gradually sobbing more violently, the cries growing louder until she was outright bawling.

She had to cry it all out, having pent up her feelings all afternoon.

Meng Yuhuai held her in his arms, knowing she had been terribly frightened half the day, and did not stop her, just gently patting her back.

After a while, Hua Xiaomai cried enough to hurt her throat, finally willing to lift her head from his shoulder and wiped her face, "You could at least comfort me a bit..."

Before she finished speaking, he grabbed the back of her head and pushed her face down, his lips crashing against hers.

It was an aggressive kiss, forceful and leaving no room for refusal, beginning with a fierce tangle of lips and tongues, breaths hurried, as if devouring her.

Hua Xiaomai was firmly clasped in his embrace, unable to move and simply let him have his way, but as time passed, she felt something was amiss.

It started with just kisses, but then this man’s moves became increasingly improper, pulling her onto his lap, his hands starting to roam, reaching under her clothes.