USWHC -Chapter 130 Happy New Year (Part 10)

The braised pork glistened with oil, the steamed fish was fresh and tender, the stir-fried greens crisp and bright, the winter bamboo shoots pale and delicate, and the tofu smooth and silky.

Looking at the spread before her, Zhu Jie had to admit that when Old Madam Ji cooked seriously, the food was actually quite delicious. Without the slightest bit of courtesy, she grabbed her chopsticks first and dug in heartily, and before long her mouth was shining with grease.

But for such a fine dinner, the pity was that the side dishes were not very good.

Side dishes? Wasn’t there stir-fried greens?

Not at all, not at all.

The real “side dishes” were the pairs of blazing little eyes from the Ji family fixed on her from all directions. Especially the women of the Ji family—they practically looked ready to devour Zhu Jie alive.

They had not even gotten a chance to sit at the table yet!

Yes, such were the rules in ancient times. No matter how much status Old Madam Ji held at home, on major holidays she still had to serve the men while they ate.

But tonight Zhu Jie alone was different.

As she gracefully swallowed the piece of fish in her mouth, she softly apologized, “Mother, I’m sorry. Your daughter-in-law has an important task. I have to eat first so I’ll have time to properly think about the second half of that couplet!”

Wasn’t that basically threatening them?

The anger in Old Madam Ji’s heart—she could only force it down. Right now, she seriously suspected that Zhu Jie had torn down the original couplet. But what good was suspicion? They were simply outmatched and had no choice but to swallow their anger.

And even then, she still had to watch her useless husband constantly picking food for his enemies!

“Erhan, eat more!” Old Master Ji said grandly, directly placing half a fish into Ji Yi’s bowl. This, this favoritism was way too blatant, wasn’t it?!

“In the future, you’ll have to live on your own, so eat more!” As he spoke, Old Master Ji’s eyes even began to glisten with tears. “From now on, think more for yourself in everything. Wrong anyone if you must, but never wrong yourself!”

Hearing that, Old Madam Ji could not help but sneer. “He eats better than you out there. You eat sweet potatoes every day, while he gets to eat meat buns!”

“How can that be the same?” Old Master Ji, perhaps having had too much to drink, suddenly grew unusually sentimental. “At home, even eating sweet potatoes means the whole family is together, eating in warmth and bustle. Outside, even if you’re eating meat buns, it’s still cold and lonely all by yourself!”

Yet the first person to object was unexpectedly the eldest Ji brother.

“Dad, you’ve got it wrong, haven’t you?” said Ji Laoda. “He’s got a beauty by his side—how is that lonely? If that’s loneliness, I’d like to suffer some of it too!”

“You want to die, do you?!” No sooner had he finished speaking than Eldest Sister-in-law You reached out from behind and viciously twisted his ear. “What exactly are you trying to do?!”

“Ow, ow, ow! It hurts, hurts, hurts!” Ji Laoda cried out in pain, his face twisting out of shape. “What? I can’t even tell the truth now?”

Listening to Ji Laoda’s noisy protests and Eldest Sister-in-law You’s exasperated scolding, Zhu Jie suddenly smiled.

Actually, this family was quite warm too.

Everyone’s expressions were so genuine. Even the disgust on Ji Mei’s face was completely undisguised.

Perhaps without her, this family might not have been like this?

The thought suddenly made Zhu Jie feel full. Those delicious home-cooked dishes—better leave some for Old Madam Ji.

“Mother, I’m full!” Zhu Jie actually stood up on her own initiative and gave her seat to Old Madam Ji.

Seeing this sudden change in her, Old Madam Ji truly did not know how to react. Since when had she become so humble and courteous? Could it be that she had scattered nails on the stool?

Old Madam Ji bent over the stool and examined it with extreme seriousness, afraid that she might fall into some trap on New Year’s of all days.

Seeing how ridiculous she looked, Zhu Jie could not help but laugh. “Mother, you all worked hard cooking too. How could I let you just stand there watching? Better sit down and eat together.”

Hearing such warm-hearted words come out of her mouth, Old Madam Ji was genuinely stunned. She could not help lifting her head and staring at her in astonishment.

Then she saw Zhu Jie let out a faint sigh and say, “I know that ever since I came here, I’ve caused you all a lot of trouble. There are also many things I haven’t done well. I hope Mother can be more understanding.”

Be understanding?

Old Madam Ji felt certain she must have heard wrong! Could it be that while eating just now, Zhu Jie had poisoned the food? Was this the last supper?

“Sister-in-law, please be more understanding too. I haven’t really helped with anything, and instead I’ve only caused you trouble,” Zhu Jie actually apologized to Eldest Sister-in-law You as well. “Sometimes I really am too childish. I can’t change it all at once.”

Eldest Sister-in-law You was so flustered she did not know how to reply. What? Had Old Madam Ji secretly slipped something into the dishes and she just had not noticed? How had Zhu Jie become such a better person after just one meal?

Looking at their awkward expressions, Zhu Jie only smiled faintly.

Sometimes, between people, there really ought to be a little more warmth.