Jiang Tao’er was wearing a peach-pink jacket. With her shy expression, it made her cheeks look even rosier and prettier.
But after hearing those words, her little face slowly turned pale, and her eyes filled with tears.
“Sister, what do you mean by that…? Are you unhappy with me? Do you think I’m not good enough for Jiabao?”
Su Wan’ning said nothing. She glanced toward the kitchen.
A large barrel of loaches sat in the corner. There were still pieces of flesh and blood on the cutting board that had not been cleaned away. The water in the pot was boiling, and a dozen or so wontons were bobbing up and down inside.
There was also a large bowl containing salt and a few drops of sesame oil.
Jiang Tao’er began to sob softly.
“I heard loaches can slowly help repair damaged muscles and tendons, so I got up in the middle of the night to dig some for Sister. But the moment I came back, you said such things to me. Tao’er feels so hurt.”
“Tao’er, you went to all that trouble for me. I can’t ignore your kindness.”
Su Wan’ning pointed toward the pot.
“Come, serve me a bowl and let it cool. And serve your mother one too. Loaches are fresh and nourishing. Her head is injured, so she needs to eat some as well.”
“No, no, I’m not eating.”
Madam Li immediately refused.
“If you won’t eat, how could I dare to? What if people say I’m being unfilial and eating by myself?”
Su Wan’ning went straight to the basin to wash up and added,
“Tao’er, have a bowl too. Your brain is made of nerves too. You need to nourish it.”
“You!”
Jiang Tao’er reacted quickly.
Wasn’t that basically saying there was something wrong with her brain?
She wanted to retort, but then remembered what Jiabao had told her: she had to placate Su Wan’ning first.
She swallowed her anger.
Besides, there was no way she dared eat those wontons herself.
So when Su Wan’ning returned after washing up, there was still only one lonely bowl on the table, prepared for her.
Jiang Tao’er was very good at making excuses.
“Sister, there’s a drought right now, and loaches are precious. It would be such a waste for us to eat them. You should have them.”
Su Wan’ning split one open.
Sure enough, the filling was simply chopped-up loach, complete with mud and guts, wrapped inside. They had not even added the most basic ginger or scallions.
The wonton skin was as thick as a shoe sole.
She picked one up and asked,
“It’s only a waste when you eat them?”
“Yes…”
The moment Jiang Tao’er opened her mouth, Su Wan’ning stuffed the wonton inside.
“Don’t waste food. Otherwise, I won’t acknowledge you as my younger sister-in-law.”
“Mmph!”
The moment the wonton entered her mouth, the strong muddy, fishy taste filled it. Jiang Tao’er immediately tried to spit it out.
But Su Wan’ning pinched her lips together and smiled.
“Swallow it. Otherwise, I’ll throw you out and find my younger brother another wife. Then I’ll take them both to the county to choose a bigger house.”
Madam Li had been about to speak, but the words “bigger house” immediately made her reconsider.
There was no need to offend Su Wan’ning for Jiang Tao’er.
This girl might have gone crazy.
She was frightening enough now.
That useless Zhao Escort Leader had promised to cripple both her hands, yet only one had been injured. With her left hand intact, she could still cause trouble here!
Yesterday, she’d claimed she had no money.
But now she had money to choose a house?
What a pity she couldn’t tear off the mask yet. Otherwise, Madam Li would have searched her from head to toe and taken everything.
Still, the house was for their family anyway.
That could barely count as a sign of filial piety from her.
Jiang Tao’er was both frightened and furious. Tears filled her eyes as she forced herself to chew twice.
The foul, fishy smell rushed straight up her throat. Her stomach churned, and the slippery texture against her tongue was unbearable.
“Urgh!”
Su Wan’ning stepped back just in time, avoiding the mess completely.
“Oh? So you know it’s disgusting too?”
She pointed toward the kitchen.
“Make it again. Otherwise, get out of the Lin family.”
“Why do you get to tell me to leave? The one who should leave is—”
Jiang Tao’er could no longer stand it, but before she could finish, Madam Li stopped her.
“That’s enough. Tao’er has never cooked before. She didn’t do it on purpose. I’ll teach her.”
Madam Li rubbed her aching head.
“Tao’er, you should have known your sister came from the Imperial Food Bureau. She’s naturally very particular about food.”
She had found Jiang Tao’er a convenient excuse while taking a subtle jab at Su Wan’ning at the same time.
What a wonderful aunt.
Su Wan’ning couldn’t be bothered to argue with them.
She called Little Radish over and asked her to buy a rattan chair, then told Madam Li to pay for it.
Madam Li refused.
“Where would we get the money? We used everything to redeem your uncle.”
“The rattan chair is for Uncle. Once he starts recovering, he can’t stay cooped up in the house all day, can he? Put a soft cushion on it and let him rest under the shade of a tree. It’ll help his wounds heal, and it’ll put him in a better mood too.”
Only then did Madam Li take out some money.
Little Radish returned with the rattan chair.
Su Wan’ning reclined comfortably in it and ordered Jiang Tao’er to carefully clean the loaches.
It was still early. The weather wasn’t too hot yet. The sunlight was soft, white clouds drifted overhead, and a gentle breeze made the scene quite pleasant.
However, before the new batch of wontons was ready, Lin Jiabao brought Lin Mao home.
Lin Mao’s wounds had already been treated, but he had been lying on a wooden cart the entire way, bumping along the road. Several wounds had started bleeding again.
“Uncle can’t stay like this. I’ll get some medicine for you.”
Su Wan’ning was extremely enthusiastic.
“Auntie, you should take off the bandage on your head too. We didn’t have time to apply medicine last night.”
“Wait. Those people outside are looking for you.”
Lin Jiabao’s expression was strange.
Early that morning, he had rushed around borrowing money to redeem his father and was exhausted.
On the way back, he noticed a carriage and a donkey cart traveling in the same direction, accompanied by several people.
Once they entered the village, he heard them asking around for Su Wan’ning’s home.
He hurriedly told them he was her cousin and tried to ask what they wanted, but they refused to say.
It was none other than Madam Zhou.
She stood at the entrance to the courtyard, her attitude extremely respectful.
“Miss Su, this old servant has come to apologize to you.”
“Madam Zhou?”
Only then did Su Wan’ning stand up from the rattan chair and slowly walk over.
“There’s no need for you to say that. You’re giving me too much credit.”
Madam Zhou lowered herself even further.
“This old servant was foolish and took it upon herself to—”
“Madam Zhou, it’s all right.”
Su Wan’ning interrupted her gently.
“But it’s still several days before the agreed date. Has Miss Xu sent for me?”
“Yes. Miss Xu would like to invite you to the estate.”
Seeing that she did not want to discuss the matter further, Madam Zhou wisely set it aside for now.
She pointed toward the donkey cart.
“These are the gifts this old servant brought to apologize, along with some things our young lady prepared for you. Where would you like us to unload them?”
“No need. Just have Miss Xu keep them for me for now.”
Leaving them in the Lin family home was no different from leaving them in a rat’s nest.
Su Wan’ning glanced back at everyone in the Lin family.
“I’ll come back later to apply medicine to Uncle and Auntie’s wounds.”
Without waiting for their response, she climbed into the carriage Madam Zhou had brought.
“Let’s go, Madam Zhou. I miss Miss Xu too.”
Madam Zhou was stunned for a moment, then had no choice but to turn around and head back with everyone and all the gifts.
“What is going on?”
Madam Li hurriedly asked Lin Jiabao.
Lin Jiabao was equally confused.
“I was so exhausted pushing Dad back that I didn’t even notice when all these people showed up.”
“Don’t you still have to return the wooden cart to the Li family? Just follow them. You’ll find out.”
Jiang Tao’er’s eyes darted around.
“There aren’t any families around here with people this imposing. Maybe this Miss Xu is actually from the Li family. If Su Wan’ning has managed to get close to Miss Xu, wouldn’t it be easy for you to become the head chef for the birthday banquet?”
“Still, Tao’er is the clever one!”
Lin Jiabao had arranged for his father to work for the Li family precisely because he wanted to secure a place as a banquet helper.
Now that his father was injured, he had assumed that opportunity was gone.
But if Su Wan’ning could put in a good word for him, perhaps he could even become the head chef!
Lin Jiabao immediately forgot his exhaustion.
He put down the cart carrying his father and hurried after them.
Meanwhile, Su Wan’ning’s face inside the carriage slowly turned pale.
She lifted the curtain and took another look outside.
If she remembered correctly, one of the servants among those people was the very man who had dragged her to the Li family in her previous life.
That man had grabbed her by the hair and arm, so she had gotten a very clear look at him.
He had only four fingers.