USWHC -Chapter 55 The Big White Jade Radish (Part 5)

The moon hung over the willow tips, and people met after dusk. This time, it was still sweet potatoes that Zhu Jie had arranged to meet with. Yes, after the morning’s commotion, lunch had been tragically canceled—because Old Madam Ji simply couldn’t eat.

Zhu Jie had plenty to say about that. Lunch—one of the three most important meals of the day! How could it just be canceled? If your mood is off and you can’t eat, fine, but we could have forced ourselves to eat!

Luckily, Old Madam Ji didn’t cancel dinner. Otherwise, Zhu Jie would have been seriously depressed. A few miserable sweet potatoes, meal skipped and meal missed—what kind of life was that?

But when Zhu Jie saw the two tiny sweet potatoes in her bowl, she almost dropped her jaw. Really? Even the sweet potatoes are stingy?

She finally understood the “bitterness” Ji Yi had mentioned. Compared to before, the sweet potatoes in her bowl were worlds apart—like a grandson versus a grandfather. And the grandson probably wasn’t even a month old yet.

Pouting, Zhu Jie looked at Ji Yi beside her. Seeing that his bowl also contained two tiny “grandson” sweet potatoes, she couldn’t help but grin at him in sympathy.

Having someone to share the misery with made it bearable. Even if the sweet potatoes were underdeveloped, her mood wasn’t as bad.

She took a bite, only to widen her eyes in disbelief. Not again—these sweet potatoes were sour? Was this intentional?

As Zhu Jie chewed, unsure whether to spit or swallow, Old Madam Ji suddenly coughed loudly. Startled, Zhu Jie swallowed the sour sweet potato in one gulp.

Seeing her like that, Old Madam Ji couldn’t help but smile, though her eyes were sharper than ever. “The eldest was right this morning. This family doesn’t have only the Yu woman. Since the second son has married, shouldn’t his wife help with the chores too?” She deliberately shot a cold glare at Zhu Jie.

Zhu Jie knew she was being deliberately tormented. She rolled her eyes slightly but quickly plastered a smile on her face. “Yes, Mother, you’re right!”

Old Madam Ji’s anger eased a little seeing her obedient attitude. But noticing Zhu Jie holding the sweet potato without taking a bite, she snorted coldly, “What? Don’t like the taste?”

Zhu Jie hurriedly shoved the sweet potato into her mouth, forcing herself to say, “Yes, it’s perfect!”

But as she tried to force down the rest of the half sweet potato, a wave of nausea hit her.

“Ugh…ugh!” she let out a few strangled sounds, jumped up, and bolted for the door. She hadn’t even reached the yard before vomiting at the threshold.

Who inside could eat after that? Even Ji Mei, with her sensitive throat, felt sick.

Old Madam Ji, furious, slammed her hand on the table and stood up. “What’s this? As soon as you have to work, you pretend to be sick? What? The sweet potatoes don’t suit your stomach? Impossible! You used to eat with such gusto!”

After a round of vomiting, Zhu Jie straightened up weakly. “Mother… I don’t know why, but my stomach feels sour, and even the sweet potatoes taste sour.”

“What do you mean? Are you saying Mother is abusing you, giving you sour sweet potatoes?” Sister-in-law You exclaimed, hands on hips, clearly displeased.

Zhu Jie quickly clarified, “No! It’s my stomach, it’s not the sweet potatoes!”

She feigned a frail, wronged little wife, both aggrieved and hesitant to speak.

“Hmph! I see, you just don’t want to work!” Sister-in-law You shouted sharply.

“No, Sister-in-law! I’ll work! I’ll work!” Zhu Jie said, swaying as she walked over. But as she picked up a plate, the nausea returned.

“Ah!” she screamed, and with a loud crack, the plate slipped from her hands and shattered into eight pieces.

“Yah!” Old Madam Ji’s sharp cry rang out instantly. Just as she was about to scold, Zhu Jie dashed out again, covering her mouth and bending over at the door, ready to vomit once more.