"Mmm, that smells amazing!"
Song Xiaolan glanced at Yu Wanzhu a couple of times, hesitated for a long while, then finally asked, "How did you know about this method?"
She was holding a plate of braised pork, her face full of bliss. The two little ones were also gathered around the kitchen, staring eagerly as they breathed in the aroma, their faces practically screaming "I want some."
Beside them, a small clay stove bubbled away, sending up waves of fragrant steam.
Yu Wanzhu smiled. "This was actually a method I read about in a book. I never expected you to make it so successfully. Xiaolan, you're really talented!"
She didn't know how to make braised pork herself—she'd only roughly explained the process to Song Xiaolan based on a recipe she'd seen online. To think Xiaolan had actually figured it out and made it, with nearly the same aroma.
Such talent was genuinely surprising.
Being praised so suddenly made Song Xiaolan a bit embarrassed. She said shyly, "Not at all, it's all because of the method you gave me, plus the seasonings we bought yesterday. That's the only reason I could make braised pork."
Yu Wanzhu said, "I actually know quite a few more cooking methods, and since I don't know how to cook them myself, I can teach them to you slowly in the future."
Song Xiaolan instinctively didn't want to owe this fat woman any favors, but on second thought—even if the methods came from her, the cooking was still done by herself. So she nodded somewhat awkwardly.
Today's lunch had two meat dishes: one braised pork, one bone soup, both fragrant and delicious.
Song Jun and Song Xiang had already been craning their necks, waiting for the food to hit the table.
Even Song Yubai and Mrs. Xu seemed moved. Never mind the meat-filled wontons from this morning—now the midday meal was this lavish and fragrant too. Was all of this arranged by Yu Wanzhu?
When Song Xiaolan brought the food over, she explained everything to them one by one.
Song Yubai noticed that when his younger sister talked about that woman now, her face no longer held the heavy disgust it used to. He asked in surprise, "Xiaolan, since when did you get so close to her?"
Wasn't this sister of his the one who'd always gotten along worst with that woman?
Feeling the weight of her eldest brother's authority, Song Xiaolan shut her mouth sheepishly. After thinking it over, she said, "Big brother, she's been treating us well these past two days, so I won't make things difficult for her either. But don't worry—if she dares to bully our younger siblings like she used to, I'll be the first to object. I'm not afraid of her, hmph!"
Song Yubai was silent for a moment. "I see. Go eat your meal."
She… had really changed? Or was this not just an act?
At the dinner table, it was still Yu Wanzhu, Song Xiaolan, Song Jun, and Song Xiang—four people.
Yu Wanzhu was mindful of her weight loss goal and didn't dare eat the fatty braised pork. After taking just a small bite, she only scooped up some wild yam and radish from the bone soup.
As she ate, she noticed something odd—none of the three at the table were touching the braised pork?
Song Xiang was the youngest, only five years old. She was shoveling rice into her mouth, but her eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the plate. The way she looked—wanting to eat but not daring to—seemed utterly pitiful.
Yu Wanzhu suppressed a smile and asked gently, "Xiangxiang, why aren't you eating the braised pork?"
Song Xiang hadn't expected Yu Wanzhu to suddenly speak to her. Startled, tears immediately welled up in her big eyes.
But then she noticed that her eldest sister-in-law was speaking softly and gently, with a smile on her face, so she wasn't as scared as before. She plucked up her courage and said, "Eldest sister-in-law eats, Xiangxiang won't eat."
Her soft, sweet voice made Yu Wanzhu's heart soften as well.
So the three siblings weren't eating the braised pork because she hadn't eaten it, and they didn't dare to?
Yu Wanzhu picked up several pieces of braised pork and put them in Song Xiang's bowl, coaxing her gently, "Xiangxiang, eat up. Eldest sister-in-law is too fat, so she can't eat too much meat."
Then she also scooped a good amount of meat into Song Xiaolan's and Song Jun's bowls. Only then did everyone start eating with relish.
After the meal, Yu Wanzhu saw that Song Xiaolan had finished cleaning up the dishes and called her into her room.
Song Xiaolan asked in surprise, "You're looking for me? What is it?"
Yu Wanzhu said, "First close your eyes and open your hands."
Song Xiaolan frowned but still did as she was told. She felt something furry suddenly land in her palm. She wanted to open her eyes to look but held back, asking patiently, "Can I open my eyes now?"
Only after receiving permission did she open them.
There, lying in her palm, was a velvet flower hairpin in the shape of a peach blossom. The blossom was so lifelike, set against emerald green leaves—it was truly beautiful!
Song Xiaolan was too surprised to speak. Wasn't this exactly the velvet flower she'd had her eye on yesterday?
Yu Wanzhu smiled. "I was originally planning to give it to you at New Year's, but I changed my mind. Here's this one for now—when New Year comes, I'll buy you other gifts. You, Ajun, and Xiangxiang will all get something."
"You…"
Song Xiaolan was both shocked and delighted. She never would have imagined that this woman would give her a gift. For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
Should she accept it or not?
If she accepted it, she was afraid this fat woman was up to some trick. But if she didn't, the velvet flower was just so pretty…
While she was hesitating, Yu Wanzhu had already pushed the hairpin into her arms without further ado. "This velvet flower suits you perfectly—it'll look beautiful on you. Hurry back to your room and try it on!"
Song Xiaolan accepted the hairpin with feigned reluctance. The words "thank you" lingered on the tip of her tongue for a long time before she was pushed out of the room.
Yu Wanzhu sat alone for a while longer, then got up and went to Song Yubai's room.
Since she was going to take care of someone, she ought to act like it—there was no harm in checking in on him more often.
That fellow Song Yubai was stubbornly proud and ridiculously sensitive. What if he needed her help but she never showed up? Wouldn't he just die of frustration?
When she came again, Song Yubai's face was less guarded, though still somewhat stiff.
Imagine being carefully tended to by someone you once deeply despised—wasn't that awkward?
Yu Wanzhu quietly tidied everything up, then brought over some hot water. "Wipe your face with this. It's getting late, so I won't come by tonight. I'll come clean up tomorrow morning."
Afraid that Song Yubai might think she still harbored improper feelings for him, she deliberately kept her distance.
Song Yubai leaned against the bed holding a book, watching her skillfully avoid the wound on his left hand as she rinsed and wrung out the cloth. Her plump face wore a calm and composed expression.
He took the cloth from her, and for some inexplicable reason, the words slipped out before he could stop them: "I'm not divorcing you."
Yu Wanzhu was just about to carry the basin out when she heard this. Her hand trembled, and she nearly splashed the water all over Song Yubai.
She was too stunned to react, and said blankly, "Ah? You're not…?"
Why? What made him suddenly change his mind?
Just as she was about to argue with him, he spoke again in a cold tone: "Divorce would harm a woman's reputation and delay your remarriage. If you have no objections, we can do a He-li instead."
Everyone had witnessed her transformation over the past two days. Since she had come to her senses, he couldn't bring himself to say something as heartless as divorce.
But he had also come to terms with it—two people with no feelings for each other had no need to be forcibly bound together. A He-li would free them both.
Even if it meant waiting another three years to take the imperial examination, he would accept it.
Hearing this, Yu Wanzhu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Alright, I agree to the He-li."
"Also, your leg injury will heal in about two months, just in time for the Spring Imperial Examination in March. I won't tell my father about the He-li for now—you can still go to the capital as planned."
Song Yubai was stunned.
Whether he said divorce or He-li, this woman's attitude didn't change in the slightest, as if she simply didn't care.
She didn't even take back the conditions of their original marriage.
Was this really the selfish, domineering, ugly fat woman who had pestered him relentlessly in his memory?