Chapter 64: The Elder Sister-in-Law Orders Lin Xiangyi to Do the Work?

“It’s okay,” Lin Xiangyi didn’t mind, nor was she surprised by Sun Lanjun’s indifferent attitude. She had already prepared herself from Xie’s father, Xie’s mother, and Xie’s eldest sister’s words and subtle expressions that this unseen sister-in-law was probably not easy to get along with. She said casually, “Work is important. You must be Xiao Ni, right? I’m your aunt.”

The latter half of the sentence was addressed to Xiao Ni. Xiao Ni looked very cute, and Lin Xiangyi liked her. She wanted to ask her if she wanted candy, because she had some.

Who knew that Xiao Ni, in her childish voice, would say something shocking: “You’re not a good person! I don’t want to talk to you!”

Lin Xiangyi was stunned and glanced at Sun Lanjun.

How could such a young child know what a good person was? Moreover, this was their first meeting. Unless someone had taught her.

Sun Lanjun was inevitably embarrassed and lightly slapped Xiao Ni: “Xiao Ni, what are you talking about?”

“Mom, it wasn’t you… ugh ugh ugh?”

To prevent Xiao Ni from talking nonsense again, Sun Lanjun covered her mouth, preventing her from saying anything more shocking.

She didn’t want to be too close to Xie Qingxiao and Lin Xiangyi, and of course, she didn’t want her daughter to be too close to them either.

But a child like Xiao Ni couldn’t understand her intentions. She could only simply and brutally tell her that her uncle and aunt were bad people, preventing Xiao Ni from getting close to Xie Qingxiao and Lin Xiangyi.

But she never expected Xiao Ni to say it so bluntly.

Sun Lanjun was very embarrassed: “Sister-in-law, don’t mind her, children just like to talk nonsense.”

“By the way, sister-in-law, I bought some bones and they’re in the kitchen. You can stew some soup later. I originally wanted to buy some pork, but the price of pork has gone up these past few days, and we don’t have much money, so I didn’t buy any.” Did you hear that? We’re so poor, you guys shouldn’t come knocking on our door for favors in the future.

“Sister-in-law, I’m a bit tired from just getting back. I’ll go back to my room to rest for a while. Call us when the food is ready.”

After saying that, she pulled Xiao Ni and pushed open the door to enter the house.

Lin Xiangyi was confused.

Not to mention anything else, this sister-in-law was too natural in ordering people around.

But whether Sun Lanjun ordered her or not, Lin Xiangyi was going to cook tonight anyway.

She didn’t go out to do business, nor did she work in the fields with Xie’s father and Xie’s mother. She couldn’t let Xie’s father and Xie’s mother go out to work and come back exhausted, only to have to cook for her.

So she went to the kitchen.

Sun Lanjun had indeed bought two bones. The bones nowadays were all cleaned, with no meat on them. In the eyes of people today, meat is good, while bones are heavy and have no meat, so bones are much cheaper than meat.

Lin Xiangyi first put the rice on to steam and then went to the vegetable patch behind the house to pull out two white radishes, which she would stew with the bones.

Then she took out the chicken meat that Xie Qingxiao had brought back from getting supplies that morning. Now, every day when Xie Qingxiao went to get supplies, he would bring back some meat, pork, chicken, duck, beef, etc., all at the market price and without needing tickets.

Their family now basically had meat to eat every day.

Xie’s father and Xie’s mother felt like they were living in a dream. On the one hand, they felt extravagant, but on the other hand, they ate with gusto. However, they wouldn’t say anything to Xie Qingxiao and Lin Xiangyi anymore.

Mainly because this couple was so resourceful. Before they didn’t work, they couldn’t control them. Now that they were doing business and could support themselves, they probably wouldn’t listen to them anymore.

So they didn’t bother to argue.

Lin Xiangyi took out some dried mushrooms and planned to make a chicken and mushroom stew.

Inside the house, Sun Lanjun was educating Xiao Ni not to repeat what she had said, when she heard Xiao Ni suddenly say: “Mom, it smells so good! What delicious food is it? I want to eat it!”

“What smells good or not good? What delicious food could there be in this broken countryside? Be good, Mom will buy you delicious food when we go back to the city… huh? It really does smell good,” Sun Lanjun finally smelled the tempting aroma.

“It’s the aunt who’s cooking,” Xiao Ni peeked through the crack in the door and then ran back to tell Sun Lanjun: “Mom, let’s go out and take a look…”

“Wait a minute, don’t be in a hurry,” Sun Lanjun stopped her daughter. If she went out now, wouldn’t she have to help with the work? She had already come to this countryside reluctantly, and she didn’t want to help with the work at all, it was dirty and tiring.

“She’s probably making the bones we bought… really, didn’t I tell her to stew soup?” Sun Lanjun muttered, unhappy that Lin Xiangyi didn’t listen to her and had made something else with the bones she bought. However, it did smell pretty good… so she wouldn’t hold it against her.

“It’s probably not ready yet. She’ll call us out to eat when it’s ready,” Sun Lanjun comforted her daughter. “Xiao Ni, don’t be in a hurry, we’ll be able to eat when we go out later.”

Meanwhile, Lin Xiangyi was busy in the kitchen, sweating profusely. The weather was so hot now, especially in the kitchen, it was as stuffy as a furnace.

She was fine doing the lunch, because Xie Qingxiao was at home and would fan her.

She should look into buying an electric fan sometime, Lin Xiangyi thought. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with a towel, and there was another sound from outside, Xie’s mother’s voice:

“Xiangyi, are you making dinner?”

“Yes, Ma,” Lin Xiangyi replied loudly, put the lid on the pot, and then went out.

“Hey, why are you sweating so much? Your hair is all wet. Is it too hot in the kitchen? Then you take a break, Ma will cook,” Xie’s mother said quickly.

“No need, Ma, I’m almost done,” Lin Xiangyi said with a smile.

“Why is there a bicycle here?” Xie’s father was sharp-eyed and saw the bicycle under the eaves, so he asked in confusion.

“Oh, that’s your sister-in-law’s. She came back with Xiao Ni,” Lin Xiangyi said.

“They’re back?” Xie’s mother was surprised and looked around, but didn’t see anyone, so she asked: “Where are they?”

“Your sister-in-law said she’s tired and is resting in her room.”

Xie’s mother’s face immediately fell. Sun Lanjun had been married for several years, and Xie’s mother knew Sun Lanjun better than Lin Xiangyi. She knew very well that Sun Lanjun was just looking for an excuse to go back to her room to rest because she didn’t want to work.

This eldest daughter-in-law of hers was proud and arrogant, always looking down on their poor and remote countryside, and their poor and dilapidated home. She wouldn’t come back unless she had to.

Even if she did come back, she would hide in her room, waiting for them to cook before calling her out.

If it was any other time, Xie’s mother wouldn’t say anything.

Sun Lanjun was on summer vacation and didn’t have to work, what was she tired for? If she was really tired, she wouldn’t have come back at all, based on her personality.

Since she came back, she acted as if they owed her something. They deserved to serve her, right?

Xie’s mother raised her foot and knocked on Sun Lanjun’s door, shouting loudly: “Oldest daughter-in-law, are you awake? If you’re awake, come out and help with the work.”

She knocked so loudly, she would wake up even if she wasn’t awake.