Someone placed a large bone into the Jin Shanyao bowl, saying, "Girl, this is a wedding feast... You have to eat it, to share in the joy. When the time comes, if you fancy someone, just tell your aunt, and I'll play matchmaker for you."
Jin Shanyao like she was sitting on pins and needles, and wanted to overturn the table, but this was Wang Household banquet.
"Auntie... well, it's getting late, I have to go now," she grabbed Meng Anzhi and ran home, causing everyone at the table to burst into laughter.
Qing Yang asked in confusion when she saw them return, "The banquet is over?"
"The banquet has just begun."
"Why are you back already?"
Jin Shanyao into a chair. "Don't even mention it! I've been busy all morning and haven't even had a single peanut. I just sat down and I was attacked. Those old ladies' mouths are like waterwheels, constantly running and spewing water."
Qing Yang's eyes narrowed. "You were bullied?"
"It's not exactly bullying, it's just that I can't get a word in edgewise."
"Are they laughing and joking, but every word they say makes your heart ache?"
Jin Shanyao's eyes suddenly lit up, "Yes, yes, that's the feeling..."
Qing Yang scoffed, "That's a soft knife..." With that, she turned and left the counter, opening the back door and calling out, " Qing He, Master is being bullied by the neighbors."
"Huh..." Qing He paused in her chopping of medicinal herbs, thinking she had misheard. She wiped her hands and walked over. "What happened?"
"Those gossipy aunts and uncles next door were subtly sabotaging their mistress, causing her to work all morning without getting a single hot meal."
"Shameless... They can't even shut their mouths with food. Just wait... and see how I deal with them," Qing He pushed Qing Yang aside and tried to walk through the shop.
Seeing that Meng Anzhi was still holding chopsticks, her temper flared up. "Come on, I'll take you to eat. You don't need to say a word; just watch how I deal with them."
After saying this, he stormed off to the next room, with Jin Shanyao closely behind.
The Wang Household's banquet was noisy and chaotic; with so many tables, it was hard to find a specific seat. Qing He glanced at Jin Shanyao, "Where are you sitting?"
Jin Shanyao in a direction, Qing He strode through the crowd to sit down. Someone at the table asked curiously, "Miss, you look unfamiliar. Are you related to someone?"
Qing He laughed heartily, "Oh... Auntie, you stay in the village all day, who don't you recognize?" As she spoke, she waved to Jin Shanyao.
Seeing that there weren't enough chairs, he turned around and pulled one over from the next table, moving himself so much that the woman next to him cried out in pain.
Qing He smiled apologetically, "Look at me, so clumsy and impulsive all day. Is Auntie alright?"
The woman forced a smile. Qing He glanced at the table covered in leftover food and called out loudly, " Auntie Zhang, bring three sets of bowls and chopsticks. There's no more food."
"Yes..." Xiaohua responded and came over with bowls and chopsticks a moment later. She glanced at the table and smiled, "Wait a moment, Auntie will serve you some new dishes."
A moment later, someone brought out the dishes. As soon as the dishes were placed down, several pairs of chopsticks fell to the ground. Unexpectedly, Qing He, holding a bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, quickly filled the bowl with chopsticks.
So fast it was almost too fast for anyone to react. Qing He quickly shoved the food into Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi's bowls, then continued chatting with everyone with a smile, "Auntie, how old are you this year?"
The woman gave a forced smile, "At my age, I could be your mother."
"Oh..." Qing He exclaimed, "Auntie, you look so young. You don't look like someone who raised three sons and doesn't have any grandchildren yet."
Oh, by the way, has Auntie had her grandson yet? If not, urge her not to be like my family's kids, all they know is giving money to my mother."
As they were talking, new dishes were served. Qing He took them and poured the food into Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi's bowls, put the remaining scraps on the table, and continued their previous conversation.
"Oh, by the way, Auntie, does your son give you money to spend?"
Qing He spoke sincerely, even using her chopsticks to stir the bottom of the plate, picking up a piece of cabbage and putting it in the other person's bowl, "Auntie, I see you don't look well, and you even have gray hair at your temples. You should eat more good food and not be too hard on yourself."
We women, being good to ourselves is better than being good to anyone else, don't you think?
The woman slammed her chopsticks on the table with a loud bang. Qing He immediately covered her mouth. "Oh my god, did I just say that?" She sighed. "Every family has its own problems. If the son won't give us money, then so be it. Come on, let's eat."
Then, looking at the others, she asked, "Why aren't you eating? Is the food not to your liking?"
Everyone at the table was furious, but she was still laughing. Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi were shoveling rice into their mouths with their chopsticks, as if they would miss the next dish if they were a step too slow.
The people at the table held their chopsticks, their eyes fixed on the food being served. If they couldn't win the argument, they'd at least try to snatch it away. As soon as the new dishes were placed down, Qing He flicked her wrist, knocking all the outstretched chopsticks away.
She picked up the bowl and shoveled all the chicken gizzards, hearts, and drumstick pieces into it, then served them to Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi.
He then smiled at everyone and said, "I've been holed up at home all day, so it's rare for me to see these people. I've been a bit talkative... Please don't mind, aunties."
The woman who hadn't managed to grab any vegetables gritted her teeth and laughed, "Young lady, you really know how to talk! You're so eloquent; no one can out-argue you."
"That's right, girls who are too talkative make others hesitant to visit them easily."
"Does your daughter not have a husband yet? With that mouth of hers, she'll scare all the men away!" This remark caused everyone at the table to burst into laughter.
Qing He laughed along with everyone, "Oh my, you aunties are so worried! Whether someone is sharp-tongued or not doesn't depend on the person. I'm not like some people who worry about outsiders before they've even finished worrying about their own families."
*Burp... Jin Shanyao couldn't help but let out a burp. She tugged at Qing He's sleeve, "I can't eat anymore."
Qing He casually took her bowl, intending to turn the leftovers back onto the plate, but then thought that she shouldn't let them have the leftovers, so she picked up her chopsticks and ate them in a few bites.
Seeing that no one at the table spoke, Jin Shanyao grinned. She had been in the human world for so long, always standing up for others, but this was the first time someone had stood up for her.
Qing He put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth, and looked around. "Do you know the secret to longevity?"
Everyone looked bewildered and instinctively asked, "What is it?"
Qing He laughed and said, "Don't meddle in other people's business, and you'll live a long life." After saying that, she left with Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi, looking very proud and arrogant.
Back at the shop, Qing Yang asked, "How's the battle going?"
Qing He slightly raised her chin, a smile in her eyes, "Dealing with these old hags is a piece of cake, isn't it?"
She grew up in the village and had seen all kinds of storms; how could she let them bully her? It was only because her master had never seen anything like this before that they took advantage of her.
Meng Anzhi went to brew some digestive tea.
Jin Shanyao curiously, " Qing He, when did your mother give birth to her third son?" If she remembered correctly, the Qing Household only had these two sisters, and they were the ones who sent money home every year.
Qing He laughed, "I was just kidding them."
Jin Shanyao suddenly realized what was going on. She hurriedly returned to her study and took out " The Record of Seeking Evil ". Article 1564 was about the precautions for eating at a grand banquet: one should eat quickly, accurately, and steadily, and the topic should revolve around her family's ancestors for eighteen generations, preferably stirring up internal strife.
As night fell, Meng Anci returned home from school. Before he even entered his study, he heard his aunt's voice from inside, "Oh dear, all you aunties are so worried about! Don't you know how sharp your tongues are, regardless of who you're talking to..."
Meng Anci wondered who she was talking to. He pulled Qing He, who had come out to pour water, and asked, "Has anyone come to the house?"
No.
Meng Anci was suspicious. She went to the study again and heard her aunt laugh, "Auntie, your son doesn't give you money? No way, no way."
He pushed open the door and saw his aunt sitting behind the table, muttering to herself as she quickly put food into her bowl, and even adding some to the bowl next to her.
"Auntie, what's going on?"
Jin Shanyao her sleeves to her elbows and casually said, "Prepare for battle. Tomorrow is Wang Xiaohua's wedding, and I'm going to slaughter everyone in sight."
She practiced diligently all night, memorizing her lines perfectly, just as she was about to dominate the scene. However, Xiaohua told her that on the wedding day, the groom's family would host the banquet, and the bride's family would have no part in it.
This is a bolt from the blue! Does that mean all that knowledge she's memorizing is useless???