Volume One, Chapter 19: Showing Off Just for Cooking a Meal

“Therefore, Auntie, please rest assured. Next month, I will definitely pay back the money to my mother,” Su Wanyue said, a faint, reassuring smile curving her lips, her tone sincere and gentle.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Guihua’s mouth, which had been slightly open, froze instantly, her face registering surprise as if she had just heard something unbelievable.

Then, a tinge of bitterness quietly surfaced in her eyes, her lips involuntarily curling slightly as she softly responded.

After finishing her assistance, Su Wanyue sighed lightly, turned, and walked back into the house with somewhat heavy steps.

“Sis, why don’t you go mash some garlic?” Lu Zemin said, turning his body slightly, his head facing Lu Shufen, his expression carrying an air of entitlement.

Lu Shufen’s previously calm brows instantly furrowed into a scowl. A flash of displeasure flickered in her eyes as she raised her voice, “You’re not that young anymore, why do you only know how to boss your own sister around? Go do it yourself!”

Mid-sentence, she caught sight of Su Wanyue from the corner of her eye and abruptly shifted her tone, adding a hint of mockery, “Why don’t you boss your sister-in-law around instead?”

At that moment, Zhao Guihua happened to step over the threshold, hearing her daughter’s words loud and clear.

Her expression darkened immediately as she cast a reproachful glance at Lu Shufen. “Wanyue is a guest in our home, and she has already helped us quite a bit. And you? Sitting there cracking sunflower seeds and peanuts—what kind of behavior is that? Hurry up and mash the garlic.”

Heh!

After learning that Su Wanyue and Su Junye could earn money, Zhao Guihua’s expression shifted faster than turning a page.

Her previously stern face instantly transformed into one of warm enthusiasm, a peculiar gleam shining in her eyes.

Lu Shufen reluctantly stood up from her chair, muttering under her breath as she lazily followed Zhao Guihua into the kitchen.

Before long, the steamed buns were ready.

Zhao Guihua carried a large basin of buns steadily with both hands, a proud smile lighting her face as she walked briskly back inside.

Lu Shufen came in behind her, holding the mashed garlic.

“It’s getting late, let’s eat,” Lu Futian said with a simple, honest smile, his eyes narrowing into slits as he warmly invited everyone.

Zhao Guihua reached for her chopsticks but abruptly struck Lu Futian’s hand with a sharp “clack,” her eyes full of impatience as she said hurriedly, “What’s the rush? I have something to say.”

Lu Futian, known for his fear of his wife, immediately withdrew his chopsticks like a child caught misbehaving, plastering on an ingratiating smile with a chuckle.

“Ahem…”

Zhao Guihua deliberately cleared her throat, scanning everyone present with a serious gaze.

“Everyone knows our family’s situation well. Tonight’s meat buns cost us over half a month’s living expenses. Ze Tao, Wanyue—you both should understand this. These were specially prepared for you.”

Su Wanyue felt a ripple of irritation at the words—having to flaunt making a meal? Perhaps Lu Zetao had even paid for it, so why make such a fuss?

Though inwardly displeased, she maintained a composed expression.

Lu Zetao, however, was used to it. He nodded slightly and responded softly, “Yeah, got it.”

Seeing him so calm, Su Wanyue said nothing further, lowering her head and gently twirling her chopsticks in her hands.

“All right, everyone start eating,” Zhao Guihua said, satisfied with their attitude, and called everyone to enjoy the buns.

Though Old Master Lu had a voice in the family, he was elderly and Zhao Guihua was in charge, so he refrained from speaking much.

He simply looked at Su Wanyue with affectionate eyes and said, “Wanyue, have a few more.”

Su Wanyue wanted to eat more, but the meat hadn’t been properly prepared to remove the gamey taste—it was too strong. After one or two bites, she felt queasy and simply couldn’t eat more.

Meanwhile, Lu Shufen beside her ate messily, utterly lacking decorum.

She bit into the buns heartily, her cheeks puffing out, soup dripping from the corners of her mouth.

“Eat slower!” Zhao Guihua secretly stomped on Lu Shufen’s foot under the table, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face, disdain filling her eyes as she whispered, “Look at you! No wonder you can’t get married!”

After scolding her own daughter, Zhao Guihua turned her gaze to Lu Zetao.

“Zetao, how much money do you still have?” she asked, leaning forward slightly.

Lu Zetao wiped the corner of his mouth unhurriedly, set down his bowl and chopsticks, and looked at Zhao Guihua calmly, replying, “I just gave the family fifty at the start of the month. Isn’t that enough?”

“That’s not the point.” Zhao Guihua smiled weakly, but there was calculation in her eyes. “Look at how dilapidated our old house is. I’m thinking of renovating it for when Zemin gets married.”

“I’ve got at most forty left. Forty won’t be enough to renovate the house,” Lu Zetao said, frowning, his tone tinged with helplessness.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Guihua’s eyes widened as if flames might burst forth, her voice sharp. “Only that much left? Zemin’s medical bills for half a year aren’t even covered!”

This infuriated Lu Zetao greatly.

His monthly salary was only thirty or forty, and he almost always handed all of it to the family, so there were no savings.

Besides, because Zemin was ill, he had been pulling strings to reduce some hospital costs.

Clenching his fists tightly, he struggled to suppress his anger, his voice trembling slightly, “That’s all there is. We’ll talk about renovating the house later.”

“That won’t do! The house is in such a state that if we don’t fix it, your grandfather won’t even have a place to live, let alone waiting for Zemin’s wedding day.” Zhao Guihua said this with undeniable conviction, hands on her hips, her gaze resolute.

Lu Zemin frowned unhappily, displeasure flashing in his eyes as he said loudly, “Mom, getting married is my own business. Why do you expect my brother to pay for everything? I’m still young now; I’ll be able to earn money after I graduate from university!”

Her words struck a chord with Su Wanyue as well.

She wondered why the whole family depended so heavily on Lu Zetao when he didn’t owe them anything.

Isn’t raising children the responsibility of both parents?

Why always squeeze the eldest so much?

“He’s your own big brother! The eldest brother is like a father. If he doesn’t care for you, who will? You shut your mouth!” Zhao Guihua shouted, her face flushed red, pointing at Lu Zemin and assuming the role of the head of the household.

“Besides, didn’t he spend the family’s money on his own wedding? A full two hundred yuan! Whenever I think of that, it just makes me unhappy.” After saying this, Zhao Guihua turned her ire toward Su Wanyue.

“Your family was already poor as can be, and you demanded such a large bride price. We gave your Su family face, didn’t we? And what happened? You divorced just like that. Those two hundred yuan were truly wasted.”

Hearing this, a surge of anger welled up within Su Wanyue, her face flushing slightly.

She remembered that the original family had collected two hundred yuan as bride price from the groom’s side—a demand insisted upon by the eccentric biological mother, Liu Xiangling.

However, they had given her a substantial dowry at the time.

Now, Zhao Guihua’s words were utterly heartless.

She must have just learned that Su Wanyue’s family was now well-off and was trying to claw back some money.