Chapter 76 - 77: Making a Fool of Myself

Chapter 76: Chapter 77: Making a Fool of Myself

Ancient Wen Heng was helplessly at the mercy of the two women. Swaddled in a quilt by the fire, he looked both comical and pathetic.

Jin Qianqian did her best to stifle a laugh. ’This poor senior of mine looks utterly ridiculous.’

"You little rascal, just laugh if you want to," Ancient Wen Heng said irritably. "And just who do you think is to blame for this?"

Jin Qianqian immediately protested her innocence. "You can’t just go blaming a good person, especially one as kind and considerate as me.

"Look at this treatment you’re getting. It’s filled with my love and Mother’s love for you. You should be enjoying this moment."

Ancient Wen Heng retorted, "Why don’t we trade places? I think you deserve to enjoy this more than I do."

’Being forced to sit by the fire wrapped in a quilt to sweat is practically a sauna.’

’I have no idea what that old lady was thinking. I’m not a three-year-old child. Is this trick really going to work?’

Jin Qianqian held up the wild vegetables in her hand. "No can do. I just went and picked all these wild greens from nearby. We’ll make some vegetable flatbreads for dinner tonight. Today, you’ll get to taste my cooking."

They had used their disappearance over the last few days as a chance to bring out some coarse grains, and now they could openly improve their meals.

"Why don’t you go ask Mother again? We shouldn’t waste it. The old lady will definitely start nagging otherwise." Ancient Wen Heng tightened the quilt around himself at the mere thought.

"How could it be a waste? Don’t forget, even though we haven’t cooked much on this journey, I’ve still memorized the steps." Jin Qianqian leaned close to his ear. "Don’t worry! I’ve been secretly looking through the recipes I collected. There won’t be any major problems."

Ancient Wen Heng was speechless. ’...So there will be minor problems, then?’

Jin Qianqian watched the expression on his face change. Inwardly, she was already rolling with laughter. ’This senior of mine really can’t take a joke. Back in the day, even when I was starving one meal and full the next, I at least managed not to starve myself to death.’

"Seventh Sister-in-law, didn’t you say you were out of grain? Where did this come from?" Li Xiaohua asked, holding a basket of freshly washed wild vegetables, her eyes full of jealousy.

She had seen her mother-in-law bustling about for them earlier. ’She must have tricked it out of her!’

Jin Qianqian kneaded the dough in her hands. "It’s not every day we get to eat a refreshing meal. I just decided to be extravagant for once and take out the dark flour I bought in the city."

"You actually bought things in the city?" Li Xiaohua’s mouth hung slightly open. ’Why didn’t we think of that at the time?’

"Of course. It’s rare to get into the city, so we had to get something out of it, no matter what.

"Even though soldiers were searching everywhere, we still managed to find an opportunity. It was a way of giving ourselves another chance to survive."

Liu Liu walked over just then, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "It seems Seventh Sister-in-law is full of hidden talents. I wonder how much of your dowry you have stashed away. You see, your sisters-in-law here are all so unworldly. Why don’t you take it out and broaden our horizons?"

"Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea," Jin Qianqian said, raising her flour-dusted hands to cover her mouth in mock surprise. "What if you sisters-in-law feel even worse after seeing it? Wouldn’t my sin be even greater?

"Besides, what woman doesn’t have a dowry item or two to her name? I haven’t seen any of my dear sisters-in-law show me theirs to broaden my horizons, so I won’t make a fool of myself showing off here."

Li Xiaohua was speechless. ’...’ ’When did this woman from the Jin Family get so sharp-tongued?’

Liu Liu was also speechless. ’...’ ’I really want to tear that smug look right off her face.’

Jin Qianqian hummed a song they didn’t know, happily kneading the dough. ’That’s right, arguing with heaven, earth, and everyone in between... as long as you’re unhappy, I’m happy. This feeling is so damn good.’

Throughout it all, Ancient Wen Heng kept his eyes tightly shut. If not for the slight upturn of his lips, anyone watching would have thought he had fallen asleep.

Li Cuicui watched her daughters-in-law bicker the entire time, at most rolling her eyes a few times, but she didn’t say a single word.

"What are we eating today?" Gu Dashishi asked, his tone full of anticipation. "We’re near water now. Why don’t we stew some meat?"

"Stew what meat? We’ve been walking all day. You may not be tired, but I am. Seventh and I carried everything. Now that you have some free time, not only are you not helping, you’re here ordering people around. If you want to eat, make it yourself." Li Cuicui casually tossed the wild vegetables into the pot to blanch them, and their unique aroma immediately filled the air.

Gu Dashishi argued, "But I’m still injured! And when Seventh and his wife gave us that meat, it was to help me recover. Before, we were just gnawing on it dry. Now that we finally have a chance to have some meat broth, you’re being difficult."

Li Cuicui couldn’t be bothered to respond. She just threw a few grains of salt into the pot and dished out a bowl for each person. This was dinner for the day. Take it or leave it.

It had been a long time since Gu Dashishi had vegetable soup. Unable to resist the tempting aroma, he ignored the heat, grabbed his bowl, and began to sip it down.

Jin Qianqian placed the cooked flatbreads in a basin, and Ancient Wen Heng moved a relatively flat stone over to serve as a temporary table.

"Take a small bowl and bring two over to Father and Mother," she said. The flatbreads were a bit large; one each should be enough for them.

But Ancient Wen Heng pushed the bowl right back into her arms. "Shouldn’t you be the one to do such a good deed?"

Jin Qianqian was confused. "...?"

"Don’t forget about the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship. The old lady may be fierce, but she’s fiercely protective of her own. If you can get into her good graces, I guarantee she’ll protect you fiercely." Ancient Wen Heng finished with a mysterious wink, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Jin Qianqian was speechless. ’...’ ’Am I really that pathetic? To the point where I need an old lady to protect me?’

Looking at Li Cuicui quietly drinking her vegetable soup, Jin Qianqian couldn’t help but smile slightly. ’In modern times, this old lady would still be a woman of principle.’

’She said she wouldn’t interfere in her sons’ family matters after the family property was divided, and she’s actually stuck to her word.’

"You eat first, then. I’ll take two over to them."

"I’ll wait for you," Ancient Wen Heng said, nudging the fire closer. It was already late autumn, and sitting by the lake, the temperature felt much lower.

&

"Father, Mother, I made some coarse grain flatbreads. Please, try them and tell me how they are." Jin Qianqian crouched down and placed the bowl in front of them.

"You should have just eaten them yourselves. Why did you bring them over?" Li Cuicui said with a stern face. "There are still many days ahead. You can’t be so wasteful."

Jin Qianqian was speechless. ’...’ ’This is so different from what I imagined. Shouldn’t this be a moment of smiling faces and good feelings all around?’

Gu Dashishi snatched the bowl, pulled out a flatbread, and took a bite. "They are our son and daughter-in-law; it’s their duty to be filial to us. You old woman, she gives you something to eat and you just grumble."

Li Cuicui snorted, forcing herself not to snatch the bowl back. "There’s a time and place for filial piety. We old folks still have grain. Why should we take advantage of them?

"Have you forgotten they just gave us so much meat? We’ve barely started eating it. How can we let the young couple subsidize us?"