177 CBA
Zhao Baogen had just been able to get out of bed, and now, Madam Yang was bedridden.
This was a punishment for their past sins!
Zhao Chuchu’s mood was delightful. She liked this kind of news.
“Using my name to make money? I’m afraid they won’t have the chance to spend the money they’ve earned!”
“Chuchu, why don’t we move into the city? That way, you can stay away from these people.”
Zhao Chuchu refused.
“For me, it’s the same everywhere. I still have a mountain full of crops and have to wait to see the harvest. I don’t feel comfortable leaving it all to them to take care of. It’s not that I don’t trust them. It’s food. It’s better to keep an eye on it personally.”
“Well, let’s do it your way.”
“If the city is more convenient for you to study, you can move to the city, I will take care of Junjun here, and that’s fine also.”
“It’s the same everywhere.”
All Xie Heng cared about was Zhao Chuchu’s presence.
Zhao Chuchu watched Xie Heng’s right hand skillfully handle the chicken and duck. His eyes were downcast and serious. They weren’t as sharp as before, and people didn’t dare look directly at them. He seemed much more gentle.
“Chuchu, why don’t you take the chickens and ducks back first? I’ll give these things a wash.”
Xie Heng pointed to the chicken and duck’s innards.
Zhao Chuchu and Xie Jun both loved to eat them. Xie Heng washed them every time and then fried them with garlic.
“I’ll help you. The sooner we get them done, the sooner we can cook them.”
“Okay.”
Xie Heng preferred Zhao Chuchu to stay.
The two of them washed the chicken and duck together, and Zhao Chuchu went to old Mrs. Chen’s vegetable garden and plucked a small bunch of garlic before going back.
After the chicken with potatoes and the beer-braised duck was ready, Zhao Chuchu gave a bowl of each to the Chen family.
When Old Mrs. Chen saw this, she couldn’t help but stare at Zhao Chuchu. “What are you doing?”
“I didn’t tell you earlier that I plucked some garlic from your garden, so I’m giving you some to try.” Zhao Chuchu laughed. “Just in time, you are also having dinner.”
Zhao Chuchu put down two bowls of meat and left without waiting for Old Mrs. Chen to refuse.
“I still have to head back home to have dinner. Remember to wash the bowls before returning them to me.”
Zhao Chuchu’s words came from far away. Old Mrs. Chen shook her head somewhat helplessly. “This child, she’s too polite.”
Old Mrs. Chen put the two bowls of meat on the dining table, and the eyes of the Chen family were all attracted.
Because it really smelled too good!
“Da Lang’s cooking is getting better and better. Even the chefs of the restaurants can’t make such good dishes!” Chen Dashan swallowed his saliva, and his eyes glowed.
Old Mrs. Chen saw Chen Liang and the others looking at it with bated breath and scolded them with a smile, “You’re all like hungry ghosts, wait, I will give you all a share.”
Zhao Chuchu had already returned to the Xie family by this time.
Xie Jun returned at dinner time, went straight to the water tank to wash his hands, and then helped carry the dishes out.
“Brother, what did you make again today? It smells so good.” Xie Jun stretched his neck to see the dishes in Xie Heng’s hand.
“Chicken with potatoes and beer-braised duck. Aren’t they your favorite? Your sister-in-law suggested that we have this for dinner today.”
“Oh, brother, Chuchu’s awesome. You have to work harder and give me a little nephew soon.”
Xie Jun was worried that if Xie Heng kept this up, Zhao Chuchu would be snatched away!
“I have to prepare for the next Provincial Examination. I can’t make your sister-in-law work too hard,” said Xie Heng. “Don’t bring this up in front of Zhao Chuchu, alright? She’s a girl and can be shy at times.”
“Okay.” Xie Jun pursed his lips.
He then thought, “I’ll keep my mouth shut, but don’t be upset when she’s snatched away!”
Zhao Chuchu pretended not to hear their conversation.
“Junjun, when did you come back? I just went to the Chen family and didn’t see you there. I thought you ran away again.” Zhao Chuchu spoke out first outside the door, interrupting their brotherly conversation, lest they go in later and hear Xie Jun asking something else.
“Chuchu, I was not at the Chen family’s house. I went to the village head’s house to play.” Xie Jun moved the stool. “Wash your hands quickly. Let’s eat.”
The two dishes today were delicious. Zhao Chuchu also could not help but eat a little more.
Xie Heng’s cooking skills were excellent!
If Xie Heng opened a private restaurant, many people would come, no matter how much he charged them.
Xie Heng was different from Zhao Chuchu and Xie Jun. He had stronger self-control. Even if the dishes were delicious, he would always put down his cutlery when he felt it was just right.
Therefore when Zhao Chuchu and Xie Jun leaned back in their chairs, not wanting to move, the job of cleaning up the dishes fell back to Xie Heng.
Xie Heng took the dishes out of the hall just as someone pushed the door open and walked inside. The person met Xie Heng’s eyes.
When Xie Heng saw the visitor, his eyebrows knitted slightly, and coldness appeared at the bottom of his eyes.
“Da Lang, you can see now? Well, thank God for the blessings of the ancestors.” The person who spoke was an old woman with grey hair. She was dressed very well, with gold hairpins in her hair and two high-quality jade bracelets on her wrists, so it was clear that she was pretty rich.
And behind the old woman, followed by two pairs of men and women about the same age as Niu An.
The two men were dressed formally, and the two women, like the old woman, were also well-dressed.
“Da Lang, didn’t you get married? Why are you still doing this kind of work? What is your wife? Doesn’t she know she has to take care of her husband?” When the old woman saw the three sets of used dishes in Xie Heng’s hand, her face darkened. “How dare she? Without elders around, you’re bossing your own husband around, aren’t you?”
“What is your business here?” In return, Xie Heng did not answer the old woman’s words but coldly asked a question. “This is the Xie family.”
“Da Lang, how can you talk to your grandmother like that? We’re all your elders!” the older man said discontentedly. “You are an intellectual person. Don’t you know the most basic manners?”
...
Xie Heng glanced at the man who spoke. “Where were you when my parents passed away?”
The man choked.
The old woman immediately said, “It’s Grandma’s fault. I was sick, your uncle and the others had to attend to take care of me, so they didn’t come in time, you can’t blame them. Where is your wife? Why is she still hiding in the house when Grandma is here and does she know how to behave?”
“I haven’t taught her. How can she know?” Xie Heng said in a faint voice. “My eyes are fine. You may leave if there’s nothing else that you want.”
“Da Lang, your grandmother is here to see you. How can you do this to her?” another man chided. “It’s your good fortune that the elders came to see you.”
“We’ve been in the house for some time now, Da Lang. Are you not even letting us take a seat in the house?”
“If an intellectual person behaves like this, he will be criticized. Aren’t you worried about your reputation? The Wei Dynasty is most concerned with filial piety. Doing so will be spat at.”
Those two women also followed and echoed.
Zhao Chuchu, who had been inside the house, heard these conversations and raised her eyebrows slightly.
Xie Jun whispered, “Chuchu, grandma and the others are so annoying. Every time they come to our house, they either ask father and mother for silver or ask brother to help them write couplets for others or something. And when they leave, everything that can be taken in the house will be taken!”
Zhao Chuchu was at a loss for words.
...
“No wonder the original owner’s memories didn’t have the existence of Xie Heng’s grandparents. It turned out that after Xie Heng’s parents died and Xie Heng turned blind, there wasn’t any advantage for them to take, so they didn’t even bother coming for a visit.”
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶