Rebirth: Contract Husband Falls in Love with Me
Chapter 68 - 34: An Incident Caused by a Parrot_2

Chapter 68: Chapter 34: An Incident Caused by a Parrot_2

Second Grandma Shi personally welcomed her at the gate, with warm smiles as they held hands and entered.

"With some free time on my hands, I made some pastries and specially invited elder sister-in-law over to try them. If they’re not good, please don’t blame me!" Second Grandma Shi said with a laugh.

"How could that be? Sister-in-law is truly skillful!" Sang Wan smiled. Seeing the golden-brown rectangular pastries, served in a white porcelain dish, each about two inches long, exquisitely adorable with a rich sweet scent wafting warmly towards her.

Amid smiling faces, Second Grandma Shi invited Sang Wan to taste. She picked up a small piece with delicate silver tongs and tasted it, nodding with a smile of approval, "Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, sweet but not cloying, with a hint of sourness in the sweetness, what’s rare is the perfect control of heat, not even a hint of burnt taste, these fried milk cakes are absolutely marvelous!"

Fried milk cake is made from freshly fermented cow’s milk cheese, carefully cutting the curdled cheese into small pieces, then coating them with a thin layer of flour slurry and deep frying them. Cheese is a staple food among the grassland tribes, but it is rarely seen in the households of the south.

Unexpectedly, Sang Wan recognized it.

Second Grandma Shi said with a surprised laugh: "So elder sister-in-law has tried it! I thought I was the only one who knew about it. It seems I’ve been showing off unnecessary skills!"

Sang Wan shook her head and said with a smile: "I’ve seen it in books but never tasted it! Sister-in-law’s culinary skills are truly exceptional!"

Second Grandma Shi burst into laughter, "Elder sister-in-law’s comments are very professional, it’s obvious you are an expert, which shows that your own skills must be good too! Elder sister-in-law, when will you give me a chance to expand my horizons?"

Sang Wan did not refuse and smiled noddingly: "If it’s not good, please don’t make fun of me!" Before marriage, she had learned various cooking styles, pastries, porridges at home, and had delved into related books quite deeply. Her creations were indeed not bad.

"How could that be! I was thinking of asking you to teach me!" said Second Grandma Shi, and the two shared a laugh.

They sat for a while longer, and Sang Wan bid farewell with a smile. Second Grandma Shi accompanied her by holding hands out of the courtyard, and they exchanged smiles as they said goodbye.

"Second Grandma, why didn’t you say it?" Su Qing said quietly, watching the retreating figures of Sang Wan and her servant.

Second Grandma Shi sighed and shook her head, murmuring: "I couldn’t bring myself to say it! How could I say such things!"

Second Grandma Shi couldn’t help but feel a sense of kindred spirit towards Sang Wan, thinking to herself, with such intelligence and gentle grace, why wouldn’t the young master like her? Gu Fangzi is harsh and sycophantic, not even worthy to carry her shoes!

"But as for Second Madam Shi, how will you explain it to her?" Su Qing couldn’t help but worry.

Second Grandma Shi scoffed coldly: "If I can’t explain, then I won’t!" She herself felt ashamed of doing such things, yet they expect her to comply, does she look like a fool? This house doesn’t even feel like a home anymore, she doesn’t want to stay any longer!

Back in Ningyuan, upon learning that Sang Wan had returned from Second Grandma Shi’s, Mrs. Li frowned unconsciously and found a moment when no one was around to softly speak to Sang Wan: "Madam, it’s better to keep a distance from Second Grandma Shi in the future, our Master’s wife is a bit cautious about her!"

"Cautious?" Sang Wan was surprised.

"Yes," Mrs. Li nodded and said, "Master’s wife thinks Second Grandma Shi couldn’t keep Second Master Shi at home; since the moment he walked through the door, he runs away from home, which makes her an unlucky person. Madam, it’s better to keep a distance for no reason!"

How could she be blamed? Indeed, to everyone else, their own child is perfect, and the fault always lies with others!

Sang Wan, unconvinced and in disagreement, but knowing Mrs. Li meant well, nodded with a smile: "I understand, I shall interact less with her. By the way, Mrs. Li, there’s something I’d like to consult with you about, but I’m a bit afraid—"

Mrs. Li smiled and said: "Madam, you’re being too polite. Just tell me whatever it is! Serving my madam and sharing your worries is my privilege; if I can’t help, we can still figure out a solution together!"

"You’re right!" Sang Wan hurriedly smiled earnestly, "When I visited Second Grandma Shi today, I felt as if she had something to tell me, but after all, she didn’t say it, and I didn’t ask, but this feeling in my heart—"

Before Sang Wan could finish, Mrs. Li clapped her hands and said: "I knew it! Second Grandma Shi usually keeping to herself and hardly interacting with others, why would she suddenly invite you over if not for something urgent! Madam, don’t worry, I’ll have someone look into it!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Li!" Sang Wan immediately felt relieved. With Mrs. Li’s status and experience in the house, gathering some information would be easy.

Mrs. Li indeed acted swiftly and brought back news by that evening.

"This is a difficult matter to discuss!" Mrs. Li’s expression was somewhat ugly and furious, "Second Master Shi heard from somewhere that Liu Ya knows how to tame that white parrot, and he’s having Second Madam Shi ask you to send Liu Ya over! They pledged that Liu Ya wouldn’t be mistreated, and upon arrival, would instantly become a concubine, in consideration of your status! Second Madam Shi didn’t dare to ask directly, so she wanted Second Grandma Shi to speak to you! That must have been the reason for today’s invitation! It might be difficult for her to broach such a request, hence she didn’t mention it!"

Upon hearing this, Sang Wan felt as if she had fallen into an ice pit, chilling to the bone.

It finally came!

She still remembered from her past life, when Second Master Shi was drunk in the garden, and Liu Ya happened to pass by, he forcefully pulled her away. After that, Liu Ya cried nonstop, but it was a done deal, she had to leave Sang Wan and go to Second Master Shi’s side.

But Second Master Shi was just momentarily interested in Liu Ya, how could he truly favor her?

To have an uncle forcefully take a niece-in-law’s maidservant wasn’t a glorious affair. Second Madam Shi’s face couldn’t bear it, so she slandered Liu Ya, calling her a seductive, shameless vixen who tempted the Master, blaming Sang Wan as well for not disciplining her maid properly. As a result, Sang Wan was severely reprimanded by her mother-in-law Mrs. Wang, made to kneel all night and confined for three months.