The voice was low but hysterical, the fingers thin yet exerting unusual force. The handle of the horsetail whisk struck Meisheng's leg once more, leaving deep marks on the fabric.
Lin Cui was skilled in embroidery and knew fabrics intimately. A single glance at the marks on the cloth told her she could not continue.
If she tore the fabric of Meisheng's clothes, anyone with sharp eyes would notice the moment they left this room, and then things would take a bad turn.
Scolding a child, she could still claim to be the birth mother merely disciplining her child; but if she were discovered beating a child this viciously…
Last month, Cao Sanqiao had pinched Jusheng twice in a fit of pregnancy-fueled temper, and Grandmother had given her a thorough scolding!
Cao Sanqiao had a baby in her belly, so Grandmother wouldn't lay hands on her—but Lin Cui's belly held nothing, and whether Grandmother would resort to physical force was anyone's guess.
She hastily tossed the whisk aside, but did not relent in using harsh words to suppress her daughter.
"You remember this—don't go pushing yourself forward for everything! You, the eldest granddaughter of the main branch, are nothing but a joke in their eyes! In this entire Zhu family, I'm the only one who's on your side! You just focus on your embroidery, and when I find you a good high-ranking family, then you can help your cousin along—that's what's right, that's what'll be comfortable! Your grandfather was a scholar, your uncle is a scholar, and your cousin is destined to pass the imperial examinations, bring glory to the family, and even earn a place on the golden list! That second branch—hah, his father couldn't even pass the scholar exam, so what hope is there for him! Do you hear me!"
Still keeping her voice low, Lin Cui glared with her swollen, peach-like eyes and jabbed her finger at Meisheng's head again and again, waiting for Meisheng to nod in agreement.
Meisheng's scalp ached beneath the jabs, and she could only softly assent.
But in her heart, she thought otherwise.
She didn't like going back to her mother's natal family, and she especially didn't like her cousin Yao-ge'er.
Her mother always said Yao-ge'er was wonderful, but Yao-ge'er never called her "cousin" when he saw her. He always snatched her things and ordered her around.
As for Junsheng—though he was indeed a bit mischievous, a bit prone to wheedling, and favored by Grandfather and Grandmother—whenever he saw her, his elder cousin, he would always respectfully call her "Elder Sister." And whenever he got something good, he would always share it with the sisters of the household.
Even if it was just a few fruits, Junsheng would have Grandmother cut them into small pieces and share them with the sisters.
But her mother always said Junsheng was putting on a show to win Grandfather and Grandmother's favor. She had always felt her mother was wrong about that.
Yet these thoughts, she dared not voice easily.
If she did, her mother would beat her severely in private.
Meisheng lifted her eyelids to glance at Lin Cui, who was wiping her tears with her sleeve. Seeing that her mother's expression had gradually calmed, she hesitantly spoke: "Mother, the work Grandmother assigned me—I haven't finished it yet!"
She didn't want to stay in this room any longer.
Though she didn't have the courage to complain to Grandmother, she didn't want to be here right now either.
Her mother was most afraid of Grandmother.
Lin Cui's anger flared up again.
But as Meisheng knew, she was indeed afraid of Grandmother Yang Tieniang.
"Worthless thing!" She shot Meisheng a vicious glare but ultimately had to concede: "Then go, quickly!"
Meisheng fled out of the room like he was escaping.
Hearing the sound of the door curtain being lifted and then falling back into place, Lin Cui turned her gaze away as if what she couldn't see wouldn't bother her, her eyes landing by chance on the horsetail whisk she had tossed aside.
"None of them will give me any satisfaction!"
As if venting her frustration, Lin Cui threw the horsetail whisk to the ground. It made quite a noise, startling even herself.
Pressing a hand to her chest, she saw that no one outside asked what had happened, and only then did she relax a little.
Of course, "relax" wasn't quite the right word—she had things on her mind, and her heart was still hanging in suspense!
"This can't just be left like this. There's no reason for all the benefits to go to the Second Branch!"
Lin Cui began to compose words in her mind, using her rather limited command of language.
…
"Good Third Aunt, is this bun ready to eat?"
Lansheng held a pair of chopsticks in her hand, with a steaming, fluffy-looking bun pinched between them—one that Fusheng had shoved into her hand the moment it came out of the steamer.
She had only heard Fusheng say the buns were ready to come out, and seeing that Third Aunt showed no sign of going to find First Aunt, she had slipped over to see the commotion and check out the first batch of buns her little sister had steamed.
Who would have thought that just by getting a little closer, pressing in a bit tighter, her dear little sister would stuff one right into her hand?
The very first one out of the steamer!
And she'd even handed her the chopsticks along with it.
How thoughtful…
With her mother-in-law and her own mother still in the kitchen, Lansheng felt it wasn't quite right for her to eat the first one. She tried to pass it back to Junsheng, but when she turned her head, she remembered that Fusheng had already sent Junsheng off to practice calligraphy.
"Eat it!"
Fusheng had truly just done it on a whim—whose fault was it that Lansheng had been standing so close?
It was a habit she'd developed when learning to cook in her past life: the person keeping watch by the pot got to enjoy the first bite.
Though she'd changed her shell, the core inside was still the same!
It wasn't until after she'd shoved it into Lansheng's hand that she remembered the first one should have gone to Yang Tieniang to taste.
But snatch it back from Lansheng? What kind of scene would that be!
So instead, she quickly grabbed two bowls from the stove and picked out two buns specifically for Yang Tieniang and Hu Xiangdi.
"Third Girl's strength takes after me—she kneaded this dough really well. And Lady He truly lives up to her reputation as one of Wenzhou's famous cook women; what she teaches is indeed excellent."
Yang Tieniang was very pleased with the flavor of the bamboo shoot and pork buns. She gave Fusheng a kind smile and praised:
"Our Third Girl is even more clever—she learns fast and does it well!"
Fusheng accepted the praise with grace.
Only Hu Xiangdi, who was eating happily beside them and thus had no desire to speak, felt a little embarrassed—her youngest daughter had been clumsy and slow at chopping vegetables just before!
All she could say was, it was wonderful that the girl had finally come into her own.
"Big Sister, you should eat too."
After watching Jusheng carry a bowl with two buns out to find Cao Sanqiao, Fusheng turned back and saw Meisheng sitting dazedly by the stove tending the fire, not coming over to join them in eating the buns. She went straight over to pull Meisheng up. But unexpectedly, with so many people in the kitchen, her movement was a bit too vigorous, and she bumped straight into Meisheng.
Meisheng was sitting on a small stool, and Fusheng had collided with one side of her body.
"Hiss~"
An extremely faint intake of breath, but because she was so close, Fusheng heard it. And when she looked down, she saw Meisheng clutching the side of her thigh, her brows slightly furrowed.
"Big Sister, are you alright?" Fusheng asked urgently.
She could tell that Meisheng seemed to be in a great deal of pain.
But who would have thought—in just a single instant, before Yang Tieniang could even look over, Meisheng's slightly furrowed brow relaxed, a serene smile spreading across her face as she stood up as if nothing were wrong.
"It's fine, I just wasn't quick enough to react." Meisheng was gentle by nature. She took Fusheng's hand and walked over to the stove with a smile, picked up chopsticks, and took a bite of the steamed bun: "This is Third Sister's first time making food at home, so as the eldest sister, of course I have to taste it."
She had always been that kind of gentle, soft-spoken person, and her behavior was so natural that no one noticed anything amiss.
Only Fusheng had clearly heard that sharp intake of breath and seen that furrowed brow. Her two lifetimes of experience made her keenly aware that Meisheng was hiding something from everyone. But this matter… unless one stumbled upon it directly, it wasn't something to meddle in.
After all, Meisheng was a cousin from a different branch of the family. If one were to intervene, it would have to be at the right opportunity.
Not to mention that Meisheng had only been like this after returning from her mother's place… matters between mother and daughter—how could an outsider easily interfere?
Meisheng's expression grew even more natural as the bun went down. Over in the north building, Junsheng's head poking in and out of the large east window was far too conspicuous.
Fusheng temporarily set aside that chain of thoughts, picked out two buns onto a plate, and carried it toward the north building.
The sun was already leaning toward the west, and her mother-in-law was about to take her mother out to the stall. She needed to check on Junsheng's studies for the day.
Daytime with clear weather was the best time for reading—burning oil lamps at night was such a waste! If Junsheng had idled away the daylight hours and would need to light the lamp and burn oil tonight… then those buns on the plate would be fine fuel for her iron fist!
Her stride across the courtyard was like a general heading into battle. Cao Sanqiao, who had just stuffed the last bite of bun into her mouth, raised an eyebrow at the sight.
Third Sister's way of disciplining her brother in his studies was truly imposing, and it clearly showed results. Once the child in her belly came out… she would go beg Second Sister-in-law to ask Third Sister to discipline hers too!
Junsheng was being disciplined late, but the one in her belly—if strictly guided from a young age… who knows, maybe he could become like that child prodigy of Lianqu Village, a boy scholar at five and a licentiate at ten!
Cao Sanqiao was lost in delightful fantasies, completely unaware that behind the window of the east room in the east building, Lin Cui was staring at her with a contemplative expression.
At the same time, in the accounting room of Guangyuan Restaurant, Zhu Yongwen, who was drinking and chatting with the restaurant's manager He Xing, let out a violent sneeze. Had he not turned his head quickly, the spittle would have sprayed evenly over the lotus duck skewers¹, vinegar-ginger raw snails², fried bones, quail crystal aspic, and hangxie wine³ on the table.
"Brother Yongwen caught a chill?" He Xing, having a favor to ask, was naturally extra attentive.
Zhu Yongwen merely waved his hand: "It's nothing, nothing."
But inwardly he was muttering—he hadn't caught a chill, so why such a big sneeze out of nowhere? Could something bad be about to happen? Today He Xing had invited him to drink, and all the dishes served were fine ones…
Zhu Yongwen glanced up at He Xing, noting his slightly ingratiating expression, and his mind was already calculating how to slip away from the feast.