Chef Hua
Chapter 457: Episode 250: Settled In_2

Chapter 457: Episode 250: Settled In_2

However, on just the first night of Tang Maolin and his family’s arrival, she immediately knew what it felt like to live in such a bustling, large household.

In the heat of summer, everyone had to bathe before they could settle down for the night, and the yard was noisy until the end of the Hai hour. The bathhouse door was opened and closed several times, squeaking and creaking, and for some reason, a large puddle of water was spilled by the door. It was all fun and games until someone accidentally stepped in it and slipped. The chatter and sound of moving trunks and chests never ceased.

Since she had become pregnant, Hua Xiaomai had always tried to sleep early at night, and she was already in bed. She had just started to feel drowsy, resting on Meng someone’s arm, when she suddenly heard a loud shout from old Mrs. Meng’s side—it was Tang Dongyan.

"Ah! There are mosquitoes in the room, they’re biting me to death!"

Immediately after, she heard Mrs. Ding shouting with her throat wide open, "Keep your voice down, your cousin’s wife is pregnant and can’t be frightened!"

She jerked awake, her sleepiness gone, and opened her eyes to see Meng Yuhuai frowning at her, whispering, "Did I give you a scare?"

"I’m fine." She shook her head and simply sat up, "Our family has never been this lively before, I’m just not used to it for now."

"I’ll go and close the windows more tightly." Meng Yuhuai also got up, went to close the windows meticulously, turned back, and smiled at her, "I know it’s hot, you sleep first. When they’re all asleep later, I’ll open the windows again."

"No need, don’t trouble yourself. You have to go to the Escort Agency early tomorrow. How will you be energetic if you don’t sleep well at night?" Hua Xiaomai stretched out her arm to pull him back, pressed her lips together, and added, "But... I wanted to ask you something — today I sensed that grandmother seemed reluctant to let my uncle and aunt know that our family runs a small restaurant?"

Meng Yuhuai tucked her back into bed and chuckled softly: "It’s not that we’re keeping it from them, just to save some trouble, and besides, even the three-year-old children in the village know about it. How could we hide it? They will find out sooner or later, there’s no need to bring it up specifically. Besides, that little restaurant isn’t even doing business now."

Hua Xiaomai’s eyes twinkled as she said with a smile, "My point is, since uncle is skilled at carpentry, couldn’t we use his skills in the garden behind the house? Maybe..."

"Do you really think so?" Meng Yuhuai gave her a half-smile and glanced at her, "Acting cute with me, what’s the point? You won’t come off any better with my mother anyway, so why bother?"

"That may be, but shouldn’t I at least mention it? Wouldn’t it seem like I don’t know how to behave otherwise?" Hua Xiaomai giggled.

Meng someone was at a loss whether to laugh or cry: "I think you’re just bored. There’s no need for you to fuss over this, go to sleep, it’s really late." With that, he laid the thin blanket over her belly and lay down beside her, sweeping her into his embrace with a smooth motion.

...

And so, the suddenly arrived uncle’s family of three settled down in the Meng Family’s courtyard.

During the day, Tang Maolin was mostly not at home; he either wandered around the village or went to the County, looking for work wherever he could find it. If Mrs. Ding and Tang Dongyan felt like it, they would also accompany him to the city, but since the crops had failed this year, they were short on cash and couldn’t buy much. Most of the time, they stayed at home anyway, one helping old Mrs. Meng with chores and the other finding time to chat with Hua Xiaomai.

On the day after the meal was served in the bamboo grove, Zhou Yunyun fell ill, but it wasn’t anything serious—she said it was because of the summer heat and didn’t come to learn cooking for several days. After about three to five days, she came back again.

At that time, old Mrs. Meng and Mrs. Ding were busy with something in the main room, and Tang Dongyan had gone back to her room for a nap, while Hua Xiaomai was as usual hiding under the densely strung chili strands to cool off. Zhou Yunyun, holding a large bunch of gardenias, branches and all, dashed into the courtyard with a beaming smile and blurted out, "Master, look at how beautifully these flowers have bloomed..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she suddenly saw that there were guests in the main room. She promptly shut her mouth and retreated awkwardly, "There are guests at home... I didn’t know..."

"You haven’t done anything wrong; can you stop being so timid? How many times have I told you this?" Hua Xiaomai stood up and walked over, giving her a stern look before pulling her to the side of the wall. She bent down to admire the gardenias, "They’re really beautiful, and so fragrant. Where did you get such nice flowers?"

"They grow by themselves next to our yard, they bloom every year, and we don’t even need to water them for them to grow luxuriantly. At night when you’re sleeping, the fragrance wafts into your nose bit by bit." Zhou Yunyun finally relaxed, and her smile returned, "I picked a lot; you always complain about the smell of mugwort after it’s burnt, right? If you put a couple of these blooms in the room, I’m sure you will sleep soundly at night."

"You don’t need this many though." Hua Xiaomai, grateful that she thought of her, and seeing that Zhou Yunyun could hardly hold them all, hurried to help take some.

At that moment, Tang Dongyan suddenly stepped out of her room, ran up to the two of them in a flash, and said, "Cousin’s wife, let me hold them, be careful not to get scratched by the branches. These flowers... could you give me a couple too? I like the smell as well."

"Why not?" Hua Xiaomai smiled back at her, "With so many flowers, if we put them all in one room, wouldn’t it make people dizzy? Let’s put some in every room; we’ll still have plenty left over. Why don’t we use them to make a delicious snack? What do you think?"

"Your mind really is full of food..." Zhou Yunyun muttered softly with a smile.

Yet Tang Dongyan, with sharp ears, clapped her hands eagerly, "Making a snack? Cousin’s wife, can I watch along too? Just don’t find me too clumsy."

Hua Xiaomai gave her a look and simply said, "Come with me," leading the two girls into the kitchen. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation ticket and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)