“Fine, I’ll do it then.”
After saying this, Zhao Guifang reluctantly entered the kitchen.
After tying on her apron, she stared at the spatula she hadn’t touched in over twenty years, frozen in front of the stove, unsure where to begin.
Scanning the kitchen, she finally decided to make a simple dough drop soup.
It was easy, quick, and didn’t taste bad.
Soon, a pot of steaming dough drop soup was ready.
Zhao Guifang first ladled out a bowl of the thick portion for her own family before calling Old Mrs. Wang and the Second and Third Branches to eat.
“Aunt, couldn’t you have added more flour? This soup is so watery, there’s no way it’ll fill anyone up.”
Song Sihai was almost speechless. Whether it was his aunt or his second aunt cooking, they were both equally half-hearted.
“If you think it’s too watery, tell your mother to make it again. This is just how I cook!” Zhao Guifang shot Song Sihai a glance and scolded, “You should be grateful you have something to eat at all, yet you’re still picky. You’re always the one causing trouble.”
Song Sihai wasn’t bothered, replying with a cheeky grin, “My mother’s hands hurt, she can’t cook!”
“If her hands hurt, how can she still make shoe soles?” Zhao Guifang said sarcastically, “Just admit you’re slacking off, don’t make excuses about your hands hurting!”
Shen Xiuzhen put down the shoe sole and needlework, stepped out of her room, and stood at the doorway, speaking loudly:
“Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law have been slacking off for twenty years. What’s wrong with me slacking off for a few days? If Sister-in-law can’t stand it, then let’s just split the family.”
Zhao Guifang was seething with anger and wanted to say, “Fine, let’s split,” but the words caught in her throat.
She wouldn’t split up. Doing so would only benefit the Third Branch, that whole bunch of lazy good-for-nothings.
“Third Sister-in-law, you’ve worked hard all these years. You deserve a good rest for a few days.” Liu Zhaodi quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Don’t worry, Sister-in-law and I will handle the meals these next few days. Once your hands feel better, you can take over again.”
As she spoke, she pushed Zhao Guifang toward her own room.
Zhao Guifang wore a sour expression, as if someone owed her two hundred yuan.
“Zhaodi, stop pushing me. I can walk on my own.”
Once inside the room, Liu Zhaodi began earnestly persuading her.
“Sister-in-law, just say less. Can’t you see the Third Branch is dead set on splitting the family?”
“I can see it.”
“Then why are you still provoking them? I don’t care what you and Elder Brother think, but Second Brother and I don’t want to split up.”
Zhao Guifang: “…”
She didn’t want to either!
Seeing Zhao Guifang fall silent, Liu Zhaodi guessed that the First Branch also didn’t want to split up.
“Sister-in-law, since you don’t want to split up either, let’s just humor the Third Branch for now.
After some time passes and they’re in a better mood, they might go back to how they were before.”
Zhao Guifang was unwilling in her heart, but she had no other choice. She could only nod silently.
After the meal, she had no choice but to go to the kitchen to wash the pots and dishes.
No sooner had she finished cleaning the kitchen than Shen Xiuzhen and Song Shulin entered.
Shen Xiuzhen kneaded the dough while Song Shulin prepared the vegetables and lit the fire. Before long, the rich aroma of oil-splashed noodles wafted through the old Song family courtyard.
Song Sihai deliberately squatted in the courtyard with a large bowl of oil-splashed noodles, slurping them down noisily.
The sight made Song Yaozhong and the others drool with envy.
Song Dabao couldn’t resist and was the first to run to the kitchen to ask for noodles.
“Third Aunt, give me a bowl of noodles.”
Shen Xiuzhen ignored him. Song Sihai walked over, still holding his bowl.
“If you want noodles, tell your mother to make them for you. Why are you asking my mother?”
“My mom can’t cook!” Song Dabao thought of the ‘pig slop’ he’d been eating these past two days and frowned.
He still preferred his Third Aunt’s cooking.
“If she can’t cook, can’t she learn? It’s not like she doesn’t have hands. If she really can’t learn, then you’ll just have to go hungry. With all that fat on you, skipping a few meals might just help you lose some weight anyway.”
Song Sihai shut Song Dabao down with just a few words.
“Hmph, fine, I’ll go hungry then! As if I care!” Song Dabao tossed out this remark and went inside to find his parents. “Mom, I want oil-splashed noodles.”
The Second Branch only had this one son, so Liu Zhaodi naturally doted on him.
“Alright, Mom will make it for you!”
“I don’t want yours. I want my Third Aunt’s. Your cooking is awful, just like pig slop.”
Liu Zhaodi was angry, but for the sake of her precious son, she had to swallow her pride and go to the kitchen to find Shen Xiuzhen.
“Third Sister-in-law, do you have any noodles left? Dabao says your cooking is delicious…”
She wanted to say a few nice things to flatter Shen Xiuzhen, but before she could, Shen Xiuzhen didn’t even glance at her and said coldly:
“None left!”
Liu Zhaodi peeked into the pot—there really were no noodles left—and turned back to her own room.
“Dabao, there are no noodles left. How about Mom makes you something else?”
Song Dabao was stubborn. “No, I only want what Third Aunt makes!”
Song Sihai stood at their doorway, holding his bowl of noodles, eating as he spoke:
“Dabao, how about I sell you this bowl of mine?”
Looking at the noodles coated in red oil in his bowl, Song Dabao swallowed his saliva.
“How much?”
“Fifty cents!”
“Mom, give me fifty cents!”
Song Sihai: “…”
Huh? That was quick. If he’d known, he would’ve asked for more.
Liu Zhaodi shot a glance at Song Sihai. “Sihai, how can you be so stingy?
It’s just a bowl of oil-splashed noodles. How is it worth fifty cents? Besides, you’ve already eaten some of it.
Just let Dabao have a taste. Tomorrow, Second Aunt will make you something delicious.”
“Forget it then. This little bit isn’t even enough for me!”
After saying this, Song Sihai scooped up another chopstickful of noodles and stuffed it into his mouth.
“Hehe, my mom’s noodles are just so fragrant!”
That cheeky look of his was almost unbearable to watch.
But Song Dabao’s appetite was still stirred. He began rummaging through drawers and cabinets, looking for money.
Liu Zhaodi couldn’t stop him and could only turn to Song Erlin for help.
“Husband, you need to do something.”
Song Erlin couldn’t bear to scold him. He was counting on his son to support him in his old age someday. It was just fifty cents—he could have it.
Watching helplessly as Song Dabao exchanged fifty cents for less than half a bowl of leftover noodles, Liu Zhaodi slapped her thigh in frustration.
Song Sihai licked the corner of his mouth, happily took the fifty cents, and went to find his mother.
“Mom, here you go!”
“You keep it.” Shen Xiuzhen’s lips twitched. To swindle money out of Liu Zhaodi—Song Sihai really was something!
Song Sihai stuffed the money into his mother’s hand. “What would I do with it? My eldest brother hands over all his wages.
I eat and live at home every day. Finally earning fifty cents, how could I possibly keep it all for myself?
Besides, you work so hard cooking. Consider this fifty cents your wages.”
Shen Xiuzhen was moved to tears by Song Sihai’s words. It was her own child who truly cared for her.
In her past life, she must have had her head squeezed by a door to pour her heart and soul into other people’s children while neglecting her own.
She turned her back, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, then turned around with a smile.
“In a bit, after washing the pot, Mom will fry some melon seeds for you!”
“Great!” Song Sihai’s eyes darted around, thinking that once the melon seeds were fried, he could sell a few to Song Dabao.
After all, he’s greedy and has plenty of money—easy to fool!