Chapter 16: Shifting the Blame

“Cough, how’s it going now? Can we use the kitchen?”

Seeing the blush on her cheeks, Zhao Sihai’s eyes also lit up with a smile. He felt a little itchy inside and wanted to do something.

But now, in public, he couldn’t do anything, lest he affect his wife’s reputation.

“It’s ready. I borrowed some pots, bowls, and dishes, as well as tables and chairs. The stove is also lit and heated. Do you need anything else? I’ll go get it.”

Bai Ruojiao gave him a look of approval.

She liked Zhao Sihai’s attentiveness. He always thought of everything.

While they were talking, the things had already been moved to the kitchen.

Guo Dong shouted, “Sister Qiao, we’ve put everything in the kitchen for you.”

Bai Ruojiao smiled, “Okay, I bought a lot of meat. Everyone can eat their fill today.”

“Wow, there’s meat! I’m going to eat a lot later.”

Guo Qing, who was walking up behind him, raised his foot and kicked him in the butt, “You’re always trying to shirk work. You have the nerve to say that?”

“Brother, don’t wrong me. I’ve done a lot of work, Sister Qiao. My brother just wants to have fewer people to compete with him. He’s a bad guy.”

Guo Dong rubbed his butt and winked as he explained.

Then he was directly dragged away by Guo Qing, who grabbed him by the back of his collar, to continue working.

Bai Ruojiao couldn’t help but laugh. This guy was really a live wire.

She waved her hand, telling Zhao Sihai to continue working, and then took the two girls into the kitchen.

The kitchen was quite spacious. There was only a large earthen stove against the wall on one side.

The stove had two fireboxes, and there were two large iron pots on each stove.

There were two other baskets next to them, filled with pots, bowls, and dishes.

There were also two large water buckets by the stove, both filled with water.

Zhao Sihai was really thoughtful.

“Come on, let’s cook. Meizi, you’re in charge of kneading the dough. Yueya, help me wash the vegetables.” She didn’t stand on ceremony with them.

“Okay.” The two girls responded crisply and rolled up their sleeves with gusto.

After a while, the people outside could smell the aroma of meat coming from the kitchen.

It made everyone’s hearts flutter, and they couldn’t focus on their work.

Guo Dong, even more directly, squatted at the kitchen door like a dog, sniffing the aroma. He was drooling.

“Wow, Sister-in-law’s cooking smells so good.” Fang Lizhu couldn’t help but smack his lips. He smelled the aroma and his expression was intoxicated.

Zhao Sihai couldn’t help but kick him, “Get to work.”

At this time, Guo Dong suddenly ran over with a plate, his eyes shining brightly.

“Brothers, have some candy.”

Everyone looked, and their eyes lit up.

Wow, the plate was full of colorful hard candies.

Even though they were all grown men, they couldn’t help but feel a little greedy.

Guo Dong obediently carried out Sister Qiao’s instructions, giving each person one candy fairly and squarely.

There were two extra candies, which he happily kept for himself.

But after everyone got the candy, they basically put it in their pockets.

After all, most of them had children.

Zhao Sihai, however, unwrapped the candy and ate it, folding the wrapper neatly and putting it in his pocket.

He rolled the candy on his tongue, his eyes narrowed in pleasure, like a satisfied large cat.

In the kitchen, Bai Ruojiao was only making one dish and one soup, so it was relatively quick.

Except for the fat that was cut off and fried for oil, the rest was stewed with salted vegetables in a pot.

The chicken was also stewed with corn and mushrooms in a pot. The broth was clear and bright, and it smelled delicious.

Half of the cornmeal was made into dumplings and put in the stew, and the other half was mixed with eggs and fried into a large pan of pancakes.

She left a bowl of each in the basket and then covered it with a cloth for Meizi to take home.

Her son was still at Fang’s house. It was reasonable for her to add some food for him.

Fang Meizi was used to her dislike of owing people favors, so she didn’t refuse. She took the things and went home first.

Bai Ruojiao turned around and called Zhao Sihai to help her prepare the meal.

Originally, she wanted to get some wine to liven things up, but unfortunately, she didn’t have any wine tickets.

The dishes were quickly served. The eight men ate at a table in the yard, while the three of them ate at a small table in the kitchen.

While they were happily eating, over at the Zhao family’s house.

After Zhao Pozi chased away the gossiping busybodies with a broom, she became even angrier. She stood at the door and cursed Zhao Sihai and Bai Ruojiao.

But she cursed for almost half an hour, and no one paid any attention to her.

Even those who had to pass by her door directly took a detour.

She was hoarse from cursing and was about to go back to the house to get some water when she saw her eldest daughter limping towards her, crying.

Seeing her eldest daughter, Zhao Pozi’s eyes first swept over her.

Seeing that she hadn’t brought anything, she immediately put on a stern face.

She crossed her arms and shouted angrily, “What are you back for? You’re married now, why are you still so restless? What kind of daughter goes back to her mother’s house every day to mooch? I raised you for so long, just to have you come back to collect debts. I might as well have raised a pig. At least I could slaughter it and eat the meat.”

Zhao Dani trembled at her mother’s scolding. She didn’t dare to cry anymore and stood at the bottom of the steps, sniffling pitifully, like a deflated balloon.

“Mom, it’s really not my fault this time. It’s all Bai Ruojiao’s fault. Mom, you have to stand up for me.”

Zhao Pozi was stunned for a moment, then her face darkened, “What happened?”

Now, whenever she heard the name Bai Ruojiao, she had a physiological reaction. She wanted to tear her apart.

Unfortunately, three days hadn’t passed yet, and her son’s medicine hadn’t fully worked. She didn’t dare to cause trouble for now.

“Today, my mother-in-law and my younger sister-in-law went to buy things in town, and she humiliated them badly. Mom, she knew that I was having a hard time in the Liu family, but she deliberately picked on me. Isn’t she trying to kill me? This woman is so vicious. We can’t keep her in the Zhao family. Mom, make Sihai divorce her immediately. Then find a more capable and obedient daughter-in-law.”

Zhao Pozi narrowed her eyes, “Is this your own idea, or did someone tell you to say this?”

She knew her daughter well. She was like a shadow puppet, moving whenever someone pulled the strings.

According to her own nature, she wouldn’t suddenly come running to complain.

Although she didn’t want to see that cheapskate either, it didn’t mean she could be bullied by any Tom, Dick, or Harry.

Sure enough, Zhao Dani immediately lowered her head in guilt, “Mom, no, no one told me. It’s just my own idea.”

“Heh, I know your nature. Go back and tell your mother-in-law, that ugly thing of hers, even if Sihai really divorces her, I won’t let him marry her. If she wants to send her daughter to our Zhao family to get something, she might as well prepare a rope for her daughter to hang herself and be reborn.”

“Mom, this…”

“What this, what this? Get out! You’re all debt collectors. What kind of karma did I create to have you lot?”

Zhao Dani trembled in fear, but she still hesitated and didn’t leave. She touched her stomach and whimpered.

“Mom, I haven’t eaten anything since this morning. Can I…”

“No, get out!”

Seeing her mother raise the broom, Zhao Dani retreated in fear and wanted to turn around and run.

But she hadn’t finished the task her younger sister-in-law had given her, so she endured her fear and asked.

“Mom, where’s Sihai? I heard he came back from the army? It’s been a long time since I saw him.”

Zhao Pozi’s eyes became colder and fiercer, scaring Zhao Dani’s scalp. She couldn’t take it anymore and wanted to turn around and run.

But Zhao Pozi suddenly sneered, “That ungrateful thing of yours has already moved out. He’s having a housewarming party at his new house and inviting people to eat meat. If you’re really hungry, you can go and try your luck. See if he’s willing to give you a bite to eat.”

After saying that, she snorted coldly and turned to go into the yard, slamming the yard door shut.

The force of the impact made the newly repaired yard door shake.

Zhao Dani stood there, dumbfounded.

What?

Sihai invited others to eat meat but didn’t call her!

No, how did Sihai move out?

How could Mom agree?

This prodigal son is so bad at managing money. He has meat but doesn’t give it to his own family. He’s giving it to others.

“No, I have to go and talk to him.” She licked her lips and started looking around for directions.

Suddenly, she saw a woman coming out of a small path and ran over to ask.

Lin Qianqian looked up at the other woman’s face, full of urgency and anger, and the undisguised greed in her eyes.

She suddenly smiled, “Oh, I know where Zhao Sihai’s house is. It’s over there. They’re building a house today. It’s very lively. I’ll take you there. You’re his elder sister, so you’ll be blessed in the future. He brought back a lot of good things this time…”