Before they knew it, it was lunchtime.
When Song Yutang sat down at the table, Jiang Guoqiang was carrying a platter of spicy, fragrant dry-pot lobster out of the kitchen. He set it before her somewhat awkwardly. "The lobsters I bought today were especially fresh. I made them spicy and numbing, the way you young people like them... Try some and see if it suits your taste."
Li Xiulan personally put a piece on her plate, her face full of anticipation. "Try it. Your dad spent all morning in the kitchen working on this."
Song Yutang had not been hungry.
But the couple's clumsy, sincere care warmed her heart, and she decided to take a few token bites.
The instant the lobster entered her mouth, Song Yutang's eyes lit up. "It's delicious..."
It was spicy, numbing, fragrant, and juicy, yet retained the lobster meat's natural sweetness and springy texture.
Cooking like this could rival an imperial chef's.
Jiang Guoqiang slapped his thigh in excitement. "Wonderful! So you like spicy, numbing flavors. Sichuan cooking is my specialty. Our little restaurant used to be famous for several streets around. I'll head to the market later. With Sichuan food, you have to be very particular about the spices and sauce bases..."
Li Xiulan was delighted too. "The little restaurant's closed now, but your dad cooked for half his life and can't stay idle. Whenever there's something you want to eat, just tell him. He can make anything for you..."
So the family had run a little restaurant before. No wonder they knew so much about cooking.
Song Yutang smiled sincerely and took the initiative to serve both elders some food. "Dad, thank you for working so hard all morning. Have some too. Mom, thank you for your hard work as well. Eat more..."
She had lived for over twenty years in her previous life.
No one had ever cherished her.
Yet in just two short days since marrying into the Jiang Family, Song Yutang had felt her parents-in-law's genuine affection.
This feeling...
Was very nice.
If nothing unexpected happened, she was willing to keep living in this family, willing to remain their daughter-in-law.
Watching the harmonious family of three, Chen Ruyin put on a fake smile and spoke in a snide tone. "Yutang, now that you've married into our Jiang Family, you really ought to improve your life taste. Experience more Brunch or Afternoon Tea. That's a real Lifestyle. Greasy things like this, full of oil and salt, are terribly unhealthy, and they're bad for a girl's figure management too. Look at the real ladies abroad. They only eat salad, fruits, and light meals. They never touch filthy heavy food like this..."
"Oh yes~ We normally only eat organic food. It's very good for both your body and your taste~ That's a lifestyle with real quality..."
Wu Caixia and Jiang Shiya chimed in too.
They all mixed Chinese with English, neither one thing nor the other.
Only then did Song Yutang notice that, although there were not many people having lunch, there was quite a variety of meals.
Old Master Jiang was eating a nutritionally balanced meal.
Chen Ruyin and the other two women were eating Western food.
Only their family of three was eating the six dishes and one soup.
Song Yutang's expression abruptly darkened. She slapped her chopsticks onto the table with a crack. "Grandpa, how can you face your ancestors after doing this?"
Her question left Old Master Jiang bewildered. "I... What have I done now?"
Song Yutang's gaze stabbed at Chen Ruyin like a blade. "Taking a mistress who's neither fish nor fowl is one thing, but how could you not even teach her the rules? Look at what she's turned the concubine-born younger sister and the second-branch aunt into! The Jiang Family rose through patriotism. Your great-uncle died under foreigners' guns. If your descendants all end up fawning over everything foreign like this, how will you have the face to meet your ancestors after you pass away?"
Her rebuke left the old master tongue-tied. "...Surely it's not that serious?"
Song Yutang sneered. "Today, they dare disrespect their elders at home. Tomorrow, they'll dare run their mouths outside. The elders who value a family's foundations cannot stand people who forget their ancestors while reciting the classics. Losing business and face is nothing. But what if, after spending too long in an atmosphere of worshiping everything foreign, this family really produces a few traitors? As the head of the family, you'll have no face to meet your country while alive or your ancestors after death. They'll drag down the Jiang Family's century-old foundations too."
The old master was speechless.
Without waiting for him to react, Song Yutang turned to Butler Wang and ordered firmly, "Escort the elderly concubine, the second-branch aunt, and the concubine-born younger sister to Dining Room Eight. They may return to the main table once they've learned proper manners."
Butler Wang looked hesitantly at the old master.
After a moment's silence, the old master finally sighed. "Shiya does need to learn some manners... Second son's wife, go keep her company."
He admitted that Song Yutang had a point.
But he still wanted to preserve some dignity for Chen Ruyin.
Song Yutang would allow no ambiguity. "Grandpa, I don't care who exactly Ms. Chen is to you. Since she insists on disciplining our Jiang Family's descendants, she must first possess virtue herself. Anyone lacking in virtue is not permitted at the main table."
The old master's face grew hot. He lowered his head and said nothing more.
Butler Wang immediately signaled the servants to remove the three women's meals.
Tears instantly filled Chen Ruyin's eyes, and she looked at the old master in grievance.
Seeing him avert his gaze, she could only bite her lip, rise with a delicate, frail air, and leave.
At the doorway, she quickly glanced back at Song Yutang.
Her gaze was as vicious as a venomous snake.
This little bitch had only been here two days and had already driven her to this point.
She had to find an opportunity to get rid of her completely as soon as possible. She absolutely could not let her ruin things for her and her son...
Jiang Guoqiang and Li Xiulan once again widened their eyes in disbelief, their gazes full of admiration as they looked at Jiang Yutang.
Chen Ruyin had lorded it over everyone in the Jiang Family, and their family had never dared resist.
They had never expected their daughter-in-law to drive her straight from the main table with just a few words.
She was incredible! (✧ω✧)
Song Yutang lowered her eyes, the faintest curve flickering across her lips.
Over these two days of clashes, she had already figured out the old master's temperament-
He valued the family's interests and his posthumous reputation most, and he had also begun to revere his ancestors.
To keep him under her thumb, targeting those points was a sure bet.
Peace finally returned to the dining table.
But Old Master Jiang was clearly in a poor mood.
Jiang Guoqiang was an honest, simple man and instinctively wanted to strike up a conversation with him.
Song Yutang gave a meaningful shake of her head.
Jiang Guoqiang sat back down and enthusiastically continued serving her food. "Yutang, try these pea shoots. Your mom went out to the field to pick them first thing this morning. They still had dew on them when they went into the wok..."
It was a vegetable Song Yutang had never seen before.
After carefully tasting it, her eyes lit up again. "They were stir-fried in lard. They're so fragrant."
Jiang Guoqiang nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, I used lard. I was going to stir-fry them with pork cracklings, but I was afraid you young people wouldn't like that. If you like them, I'll have your mom pick more tonight..."
Song Yutang's appetite had truly been whetted. "Then let's try stir-frying them in lard tonight. They should be even more fragrant..."
"You eat garlic, right? Add some minced garlic and dried chili segments, give it all a quick stir-fry over high heat, and the aroma is something else..."
"I planted a whole patch on the hill behind the house. I'll go pick some later... They're good in hot pot too. The forecast says it'll rain and turn colder in a few days. Why don't we have hot pot..."
"Sure! I like beef tripe and aorta... And duck intestines..." Song Yutang could not help getting a little excited, her eyes sparkling.
The original owner's memories told her that hot pot was delicious, and so were those ingredients.
Unfortunately, she had been too poor and had hardly ever visited a proper hot pot restaurant.
With her cravings thoroughly stirred up, the food before her tasted even better.
She took a mouthful of pearly white rice, then a mouthful of dry-pot lobster, pairing it with the sweet, simply stir-fried pea shoots whenever it grew too rich.
Bite after bite, it was immensely satisfying.
Jiang Guoqiang and Li Xiulan gradually relaxed as well, and the family of three enjoyed themselves together.
Old Master Jiang sat alone on the other side, somehow feeling a little lonely.
He cleared his throat and tried to join the conversation. "Guoqiang, you're a good cook. It smells delicious."