Chapter 33

“Hello, I am Lu Yuetang’s fiancée—your sister-in-law.”

“Hu Ouhua, what are you doing here?” Yang Jiaojiao put down her chopsticks. The moment she saw Hu Ouhua approaching, her anger flared up. She jumped up, shouting.

Hu Ouhua remained calm. “That’s none of your business.”

“Who says it isn’t? I’m the future daughter-in-law of the Lu family. Without my invitation, get out! The Lu family doesn’t welcome you—” Yang Jiaojiao shouted, hands on her hips.

But Hu Ouhua completely ignored her, treating her like air, and walked straight into the kitchen to help Liu Mei with chores.

“Hu Ouhua, did you hear me? Get out—”

Furious, Yang Jiaojiao raised her hand, about to slap Hu Ouhua. But before she could, Hu Ouhua caught her wrist.

“Yang Jiaojiao, have some shame. You haven’t even married Commander Lu yet. You have no right to boss me around. I don’t provoke you, so you’d better not provoke me.”

She flung Yang Jiaojiao’s hand away, pushed her out, and went back to helping Liu Mei prepare vegetables.

At first, Yang Jiaojiao was livid.

But then she saw Hu Ouhua doing servant-like chores and thought, What if the Lu family hired her as a maid? That idea comforted her.

However, Hu Ouhua was too beautiful. Keeping her in the Lu family would always be a threat.

I have to find a way to kick this vixen out.

In the Kitchen

After preparing the vegetables, Hu Ouhua turned to Liu Mei. “Aunt Liu, I’ll cook the eggplant. Grandma Lu seems to like it.”

Yesterday, when they had a dish with eggplant, Grandma Lu picked out the eggplant pieces specifically.

Liu Mei was surprised. “But the old lady doesn’t usually like eggplant.”

They only bought it because eggplant is abundant and cheap in the summer. Liu Mei usually steamed it, drizzled some oil, sprinkled scallions, and mixed it with rice.

“Aunt Liu, don’t worry. Leave it to me,” Hu Ouhua said with a smile.

Liu Mei handed the dish to her.

Just then, Yang Jiaojiao walked in and loudly ordered, “I want steamed pork ribs for lunch. It’s my favorite. You should remember my preferences.”

Liu Mei looked troubled. “Comrade Yang, I didn’t buy any pork ribs…”

“I don’t care!”

Rolling her eyes, Yang Jiaojiao returned to the living room to continue eating sunflower seeds.

“What should we do? If Yang Jiaojiao complains to Madam Lu, I’ll be in trouble,” Liu Mei muttered.

Hu Ouhua thought for a moment. “When I left the house this morning, I saw Aunt Shen at the gate. She had bought some ribs—three or four pieces.”

Shen Fubai had walked her out this morning, and his mother had just returned from grocery shopping, holding the ribs tied with a nylon string.

He even introduced Hu Ouhua to his mother, saying she was his god-sister from Ningcheng. Aunt Shen had enthusiastically invited Hu Ouhua to their house for a meal…

“I’ll go ask if we can borrow some to get by for now,” Liu Mei said.

Hu Ouhua assured her it was fine and stayed behind to continue working.

“Thank you, Xiao Hu. You’re such a reliable girl.”

“No need to thank me. It’s nothing.”

Liu Mei hurried out.

After finishing all the kitchen prep, the pressure cooker was stewing pork trotters with soybeans.

Hu Ouhua glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly lunchtime. Even if Liu Mei returned soon, she might not have enough time. So, she picked up the spatula and started cooking.

At first, Yang Jiaojiao suspected that Hu Ouhua was just a maid. But when she heard the clattering of pots and pans and realized Hu Ouhua was actually the one cooking, her suspicions were confirmed.

At the Military District’s August First Building

Lu Yuetang was writing a document in his office. It was lunchtime, but he showed no intention of leaving.

Just then, the phone on his desk rang.

He picked it up, and his mother, Gu Wanyu, spoke from the other end. “Come downstairs. Let’s go home for lunch together.”

“I won’t be coming back. I’ll eat at the canteen,” he replied.

Gu Wanyu knew exactly what her son was thinking. She tried to persuade him, “How long do you plan to avoid this? You’ll have to face it sooner or later. You can’t just live in the office forever, can you?”

“I’ve already sent someone to get my meal.”

With that, Lu Yuetang hung up.

Gu Wanyu shook her head.

To keep her husband from worrying about this mess, she had deliberately arranged for Lu Boting to go on an out-of-town military assignment so he wouldn’t return until later. She didn’t want him coming home to a chaotic scene.

Lu Boting readily agreed.

Early that morning, he had already flown out.

Gu Wanyu had thought that Hu Ouhua from Ningcheng was presentable, and no matter how bad the Yang family girl was, she couldn’t be that terrible.

But she had overestimated Yang Jiaojiao.

When Gu Wanyu arrived home, the living room was a disaster.

Sunflower seed shells covered the floor, along with cracked walnut shells, candy wrappers, and a half-eaten apple on the table…

Seeing the mess, she felt rage bubbling inside.

But she remembered her plan. Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her anger and stepped inside.

Yang Jiaojiao had never met Gu Wanyu.

Seeing her in a military uniform and hat, she assumed she was a guest. Without looking up, she called out, “Hu Ouhua, we have a guest! Come pour some tea.”

For a moment, Gu Wanyu nearly had a heart attack.

Hu Ouhua peeked out, saw that Gu Wanyu had come home, and cheerfully greeted, “Aunt Gu, you’re back! This is Comrade Yang Jiaojiao—Commander Lu’s… fiancée.”

Instantly, Yang Jiaojiao’s face turned green.

She quickly stood up, patted the dust off her clothes, and awkwardly laughed, “Mom, I was a little hungry just now, so I had some snacks.”

Gu Wanyu’s temples throbbed.

She almost fainted but held herself together with sheer willpower.

“So, you’re Yang Jiaojiao? Well… You see, we’re all very busy with work. We don’t have time to entertain guests, and Yuetang’s father is away on duty. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh, not at all. How could I mind? I like this house a lot. It’s just that I haven’t seen Yuetang yet… I really miss him,” Yang Jiaojiao said shyly.

Calm down, don’t get angry.

Gu Wanyu kept telling herself this. Forcing a smile, she said, “He’s very busy with work. Even I don’t know when he’ll be back.”

“Alright,” Yang Jiaojiao replied, looking disappointed.

She saw Liu Mei return from outside and called to her, “Clean this place up. Let Hu Ouhua handle the cooking—she’s used to it at home.”

When Wang Chunlan had introduced Hu Ouhua to the Yang family, she had mentioned that Hu Ouhua was diligent, capable of managing household chores, cooking for the entire family, and even doing all the laundry.

Liu Mei glanced at Gu Wanyu.

“Who told you to buy pork ribs?” Gu Wanyu asked, displeased.

“They’re expensive and don’t even taste good.”

Liu Mei felt bitter but hadn’t even replied before Yang Jiaojiao butted in, “Mom, I wanted steamed pork ribs, so I asked her to make them. You don’t mind, do you?”

“…Ah, no, no, I don’t mind.” Gu Wanyu gritted her teeth.

With no choice, Liu Mei took the ribs to the kitchen and left to clean up the mess in the living room.

Just then, Lu Jingjing came home from school.

“Ugh, what’s that awful smell?” she asked, pinching her nose.

Then she saw a woman playing with her matchstick gun, scattering matchsticks everywhere.

“That was handmade by my brother! Did you ask before touching it?” Lu Jingjing fumed.

Yang Jiaojiao smirked, arms crossed. “I’m your sister-in-law. What’s yours is mine.”

“Bullshit! You’re not my sister-in-law—my brother doesn’t even like you!”