Let's see who has the last laugh

Aaaaah! Mi Ling had finally made it to mealtime.

Even if there was nothing to eat tomorrow, she didn't care. At least she could eat her fill this time.

Enjoy today's wine today, and leave tomorrow's worries for tomorrow.

"Food's ready!"

Chen Luo gave Mi Ling a "puzzled" look. "What are you sitting here for?"

Mi Ling sounded just as puzzled. "Does it matter where I sit?"

I'm not sitting on your lap. I'm sitting next to Mi Li. What's wrong with that?

Knowing what was about to happen, and that her sister would be dying for a taste yet unable to have any, Mi Li felt a pang of sympathy. But remembering that it was all for her sister's sake, she could only let her suffer for now.

Chen Luo is a really good guy. Just bear with it, Sis.

Chen Luo coughed. "We're about to eat. Isn't it a little awkward for you to sit here? Though if you want to watch us eat, you're welcome to stay."

Mi Ling froze, then asked in shock, "What do you mean? None of this is for me?"

Chen Luo looked astonished. "Why would you think any of it was for you? Haven't you already eaten?"

Mi Ling asked incredulously, "Didn't you say this was to celebrate my reunion with Mi Li?"

Chen Luo nodded. "Yes, but I never said you were invited. Everyone at this table except you is one of mine."

"Only my people get to eat the delicious food I risked my life to bring back."

Chen Luo turned to Mi Li. "Mi Li, are you one of mine? Call me big brother."

Mi Li shyly lowered her head. "Yes, I belong to you, Big Brother Chen Luo."

"What about you, Dazhu?"

Su Dazhu nodded. "Through fire and hell, bro, I'll be right there with you."

Were they pledging their loyalty?

Ma Yu hurriedly said, "Chen Luo, you rescued me. I could never repay that kindness."

The Dharma King barked loudly, declaring that he belonged to his master too.

Whenever Rice wanted fried Little Fish Dried Fish, Chen Luo would have Ma Yu fry some fresh. They tasted best straight out of the pan.

Rice, who was eating some Little Fish Dried Fish, immediately put down the piece in its mouth. Not to be outdone, it patted its chest and belly with a paw.

"I'll live and die with Chen Luo."

Chen Luo smiled. "See? Everyone at this table is either one of my people, my dog, or my cat. They're all with me, so I'm happy to share with them."

"But who are you to me? You don't qualify to eat with us."

"Unless you agree to listen to me, call me big brother, and join me. Then you can eat with us."

Listen to him? Call him big brother?

Mi Ling stood up, embarrassed and furious.

"Chen Luo, don't push your luck! You think you can humiliate me like this over a single meal?"

"Let me tell you, I, Mi Ling, won't accept insulting handouts!"

Mi Ling stormed over to the living room sofa and sat down, growing angrier the more she thought about it.

Wasn't he obviously messing with me?

Oh, he couldn't tell me beforehand that I wasn't invited. He had to wait until the food was ready to tell me I couldn't eat any.

What's so special about one meal?

Is it something I've never eaten before? Or does he think I can't resist temptation?

Should I kick them out?

This is my home, Mi Ling thought furiously.

But she quickly dismissed the idea.

You really are a bastard, Chen Luo, but I still know right from wrong and gratitude from grudges.

Chen Luo had looked after Mi Li. Mi Ling couldn't repay him like that. It would make her seem petty and incompetent.

Damn it! The spicy aroma of the Sichuan dishes kept tempting her. Normally, Mi Ling wouldn't have cared, but just look at what she'd been eating for the past two weeks.

Seeing Rice constantly eating greasy Little Fish Dried Fish, Mi Ling frowned. "Rice, stop eating so much greasy food. It's bad for your stomach."

Rice licked the oil from the corner of its mouth. "Right, right. Eating nothing but rice or junk food is so much healthier. You should worry about yourself."

That cut deep.

Those words landed a ten-thousand-point critical hit on Mi Ling. The corners of her mouth twitched, and her chest hurt with anger.

What angered Mi Ling even more was that, despite Chen Luo treating her like this, her own sister Mi Li was still sitting there eating. She hadn't said a single word in her defense.

She wasn't on her side at all.

Are you even my sister?

My Rice, my Mi Li-they've all betrayed me.

Mi Ling had never imagined that after all the hardships she'd endured to get home, she would find herself utterly "betrayed and abandoned."

Chen Luo said appreciatively, "Ma Yu, this spicy diced chicken is delicious. Here, Mi Li, try this spicy crab. It's great too."

Mi Ling couldn't stay in the living room anymore, much less keep smelling the food. With an icy expression, she returned to her room.

The moment she entered, her chest began hurting again. There was a pair of men's underwear on her bed.

This...

Was it Chen Luo's, or that Su Dazhu's?

A moment's thought told her it had to be Chen Luo's.

Aaaaah! Mi Li, you've really outdone yourself! You let a man stay in your sister's room!

Mi Ling clenched her fists and said through gritted teeth, "For the sake of you looking after my sister, I'll put up with this."

Mi Ling gathered her clothes and belongings. Fortunately, there was no sign that the underwear in her wardrobe had been touched.

Chen Luo might have been a real bastard, but at least he wasn't a pervert.

Mi Ling planned to move into Mi Li's room and share it with her. When she got the chance, she wanted to ask her something.

Mi Li, whose sister are you, anyway?

Since coming home, she'd fallen out with Zhang Zhen and Wang Xinwu, wolfed down three bowls of rice, then been tempted by the food. Only now did Mi Ling notice how uncomfortable she felt all over.

She hadn't showered in over two weeks. She was on the verge of stinking.

Mi Ling decided to take a shower. There were still people she barely knew in the house, but she didn't want to put up with it anymore.

Her room had its own shower, but the body wash seemed to be gone, so she went to the bathroom outside to get some.

Seeing her, Mi Li couldn't help saying with concern, "Sis, Big Brother Chen Luo said it's okay to shower, as long as you don't let any water get into your mouth."

Mi Ling gave a soft huff. Now you remember to care about your sister.

Mi Ling locked the door first, then began showering.

As she showered, she still couldn't stop thinking, How did I end up all alone?

Rice's behavior was understandable. People said cats were disloyal, and they were right.

Whoever feeds them is their mother.

But Mi Li? Surely she wouldn't sell out her sister just for food?

As something occurred to her, a smile spread across Mi Ling's face.

At the rate you're eating, in three days at most, you'll have to settle for plain rice or flour, just like me.

Then Rice will have to come meekly back into my arms.

Mi Li is my own sister, after all. She won't run off with an outsider. Once I figure things out and expose Chen Luo's scheme, she'll take my side again.

There was a fridge at home, but how much could a single fridge hold?

The supermarkets outside had supplies, even meat, fruit, and vegetables. But their power was out. Even if they could collect any, it would surely have spoiled.

Just you wait. Let's see who has the last laugh.