The group, who were just about to sit down, looked at Jiang Fusheng in astonishment upon hearing this.
“Sister-in-law, did you really make this? It doesn’t seem like it…” Xiao Changhong asked in disbelief.
Her sister-in-law really had been hiding her talents!
To think she could cook dishes you’d only find in a restaurant!
This braised fish would easily cost a yuan and a half in a state-run restaurant!
“What are you on about, girl? Of course it’s genuine!” Mother Xiao gave Xiao Changhong a reproachful look. “Now, sit down and eat. Your elder sister-in-law cooked all the dishes tonight; I merely lent a hand.”
Xiao Changqing gasped, “Big Sister-in-law, you’re absolutely brilliant!”
“You flatter me, you flatter me,” Jiang Fusheng grinned, revealing her pearly white teeth. “Hurry up and sit down to eat; it won’t taste as good once it’s gone cold.”
Everyone took their seats, leaving only the spot between Xiao Changhe and Mother Xiao empty.
Jiang Fuseng glanced over, showing no sign of awkwardness. She sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and placed a small piece of fish into Xiao Changhe’s bowl. “Brother Changhe, why don’t you try it and see if it’s any good?”
Xiao Changhe picked it up and put it in his mouth; the flavour exploded on his taste buds. He nodded. “Delicious.”
“Then have some more. If you fancy it in future, I’ll make it again.” Jiang Fuseng giggled and served Xiao Changhe another piece.
“Oh my!” Xiao Changhong teased from the side, “Big brother, you’re a grown man and you still need your sister-in-law to serve you food. How embarrassing.”
Xiao Changhe’s face flushed involuntarily. He remained silent as he picked up a piece of fish and placed it back into Jiang Fusheng’s bowl, saying slowly, “You eat too. You’re so thin; you should eat more.”
“That’s right, Lai Di, you’re far too thin. You must eat more.” Xiao’s mother also served some food onto Jiang Fusheng’s plate.
This reminded Jiang Fuseng of her past life, and her nose began to tingle with emotion.
Fatherless and motherless, she had grown up in an orphanage where no one treated her kindly; everyone bullied her.
It wasn’t until she was twelve that she could bear it no longer. She left the orphanage in the dead of night and met her master on the street.
Her master was a little old man, the world’s first ‘God of Cooking’. Tired of the spotlight, he had chosen to live in obscurity, always keeping to himself.
At the time, she was penniless and so hungry she was rummaging through rubbish bins for food. Her master couldn’t bear to see her suffer, so he took her home and took her on as his apprentice.
From then on, she lived with her master.
Her master treated her very well; he would cook delicious meals for her, serve her food, and look after her.
Yet in the end, she was unable to protect her master…
“Lai Di, why are you crying?” Mrs Xiao, at a loss, put down her chopsticks and gently turned Jiang Fuseng’s shoulders towards her.
“Am I crying?” Jiang Fuseng wiped her face with the back of her hand, only then realising she had been shedding tears without knowing when.
The originally cheerful atmosphere was shattered by her inexplicable tears.
Xiao Changhe watched her anxiously, his words concise yet to the point: “Why?”
“I… it’s just that this is the first time an elder has been so kind to me. I, I… I’m happy, so I couldn’t help but cry.” Jiang Fuseng told a clumsy lie, forcing a smile that looked even worse than her tears.
“Silly girl,” Mother Xiao sighed with tenderness, reaching out to wipe the tears from Jiang Fuseng’s face. “Don’t cry now. Hurry up and eat. From now on, in the Xiao household, you won’t have to do a thing—just eat your fill, drink your fill, and sleep your fill! Adding one more pair of chopsticks to the Xiao family table won’t make the slightest difference.”
“That’s right, sister-in-law. You can rest assured when you marry my elder brother; we’ll all treat you very well!” Xiao Changhong stood up, picked up a piece of pork tenderloin and placed it in Jiang Fushen’s bowl. “Here, sister-in-law, have some more.”
“Thank you.” Jiang Fushen buried her head in her rice.
The braised fish was soon gone.
As a proper foodie, Xiao Changhong hadn’t even spared the sauce.
If it weren’t for the bones being a bit awkward to eat, she’d have even considered swallowing them whole, just like a cat.
As for the sweet and sour pork tenderloin, needless to say, the plate was completely wiped clean.
Only the blanched Chinese broccoli had any sauce left.
It was clear that this meal had left the entire Xiao family thoroughly satisfied.
Clearing the table is the highest praise a chef can receive.
Jiang Fusheng was delighted that the Xiao family enjoyed her cooking.
Just as she was about to get up to clear the dishes, Xiao’s mother held her hand. “Leave it to us.”
“I’m so sorry to trouble you…”
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about—we’re all family! You cooked the meal tonight, so it’s only right that we wash the dishes.” Having said this, Madam Xiao glanced at the brother and sister who had stretched out on the sofa after their meal. “Which of you two is going to help me tonight?”
“Changqing will do it!” Xiao Changhong patted her younger brother on the shoulder.
Xiao Changqing belched, then stood up. “I’ll do it!”
It was only then that Jiang Fusheng realised the Xiao family had a clear division of labour when it came to household chores.
The heavy lifting was done by Xiao Changhe, cooking was handled by Mother Xiao, with the three siblings occasionally lending a hand; Father Xiao was responsible for earning the money, which he handed over in full; laundry was taken care of in turns by Mother Xiao and Xiao Changhong; and hanging out the washing was done in turns by the two brothers, Xiao Changhe and Xiao Changqing.
In this day and age, such a warm and harmonious family atmosphere was truly rare!
The moonlight was lovely tonight, and it was quite cool outside. Xiao Changhong brought out a stool and invited Jiang Fuseng to join her for a chat in the courtyard.
The Xiao family had a rocking chair, which Xiao Changhe had specially made for his parents to recline in whilst enjoying the cool evening air in the courtyard.
But now, it was the unsuspecting Jiang Fuseng who was reclining in it.
She gazed at the starry sky against the night sky, responding to Xiao Changhong’s words in fits and starts.
Sleepiness overtook her, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep in the gently rocking chair.
“Sister-in-law, you…” Xiao Changhong had been about to say something, but as she turned her head, her voice stopped abruptly. She saw Jiang Fuseng curled up obediently in the rocking chair.
How adorable!
Just like a little kitten!
Xiao Changhong stood up and called softly into the room, “Big Brother, Big Sister’s fallen asleep. Why don’t you go and carry her back to her room?”
Xiao’s mother, hearing this, hurried over. “Your eldest brother hasn’t registered his marriage with Laidi yet, so Laidi will sleep in your room tonight.”
“All right, then I’ll go and carry her—”
“I’ll go!” Xiao Changhe interrupted Xiao Changhong with a calm expression, striding out of the living room.
Jiang Fuseng was fast asleep. He picked her up and, seeing how lovely and delicate she looked in his arms, found himself reluctant to let her go.
Even though they would be officially married tomorrow—she would be his wife—he still couldn’t control the surge of emotion welling up inside him.
Xiao Changhong leaned against the door and teased, “If you can’t bear to let her go, big brother, why not just hold your new wife like this and sleep with her tonight?”
Xiao Changhe paid no heed to his sharp-tongued younger sister. He hurriedly carried Jiang Fuseng to her room, set her down gently, and admonished, “Tonight, you must… sleep properly. Don’t… roll over onto her.”
“Don’t worry, big brother!” Xiao Changhong stood up straight, her back ramrod stiff, her expression utterly grave.
Xiao Changhe tucked the quilt around Jiang Fusheng before turning to leave.
The night was pitch-black, as if thick ink had been splashed across the sky; even the stars and moonlight had vanished.
A sudden feeling of suffocation made Jiang Fusheng’s eyes snap open.
The room was pitch-black; her body felt as though it were being crushed by a thousand-pound weight, and she could hardly breathe.
“Chicken… chicken leg…”
Recognising Xiao Changhong’s voice, she pushed the sleeping figure away with all her might and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
How had she ended up sleeping here?
She vaguely recalled chatting idly with Xiao Changhong in the courtyard earlier…
Her lower abdomen felt tight and the urge to urinate came on suddenly. She quickly got out of bed, put on her shoes, pushed open the door and walked out, passing through the living room to the outside.
“Splash!”
Jiang Fuseng startled and looked over in confusion.
In the middle of the night, where was that sound of water coming from?
She walked towards the sound and froze when she saw the scene.