The steaming hot dumplings were ready, and Mother Gu first brought a bowl upstairs for her old friend.

Old Madam Yu didn’t need Li Yunshu to feed her.

She asked her to set up the folding table on the bed and sat there to eat on her own.

Seeing that she had started eating, Old Master Li and Lo Boyan finally relaxed, and smiles appeared on their faces.

Standing beside the bed, Li Yunshu reminded gently with concern, “Mom, eat slowly and chew carefully. You’ve missed two meals already. If you eat too fast, it’ll hurt your stomach.”

Old Madam Yu nodded as she slowly chewed.

She had always had good table manners.

Even after skipping two meals, she still ate unhurriedly.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Aunt Wang, the housekeeper, was gossiping with Li Shuping about the Li family.

Aunt Wang said, “Don’t be fooled by how much control that Li Yunshu has in this house. She’s not even the biological daughter of the old master and old madam.”

That’s exactly why she tried so hard to prove her worth in the family and make herself important—meddling in everything.

“Really?” The fire of gossip lit up in Li Shuping’s eyes.

Aunt Wang continued, “The old couple actually had a biological daughter who went missing at the train station. They searched for her for years with no success. This one—she’s the daughter of a company commander under the old master. That commander died in the line of duty, and his wife later passed away from illness. The old master pitied her and adopted her.”

“If it weren’t for being adopted by the Li family, she wouldn’t be living so comfortably.”

Li Shuping nodded. “So the old master and madam are actually kind-hearted.”

“Very kind indeed. It’s just a pity their real daughter has been missing for decades, with no news at all. Truthfully, she’s probably long gone, but the Li family just refuses to accept it.”

“The old madam dreams of her biological daughter every night. Every time she mentions her, she can’t help but cry.”

“You know what…” Aunt Wang lowered her voice, “That one—Li Yunshu—hates it the most when the old madam talks about her lost daughter.”

After working for the Lì family for over ten years, Aunt Wang had seen everything clearly as a bystander.

“Why?” Li Shuping frowned.

“She’s just an adopted daughter taken in by a kind family. Why would she dislike the old madam bringing up her real daughter?”

Aunt Wang curled her lips. “Jealousy. She wants to be the real Miss of the Li family. They never even changed her name officially when they adopted her, but she went and changed it herself to something that sounds almost the same as the real daughter’s. The lost one was called Li Yunshiu, and she changed hers to Li Yunshu. She obviously wants to take her place.”

Li Yunshiu?

Li Shuping tilted her head.

That name sounded really familiar—like she’d heard it somewhere before.

“But isn’t she already like the real Third Miss now? The biological daughter hasn’t turned up for years, probably never will. What’s there to be jealous of?” Li Shuping didn’t quite understand.

Aunt Wang gave her a “you just don’t get it” look.

“Some people are just greedy. It’s not enough to take someone’s place in the house—they want to take their place in everyone’s hearts too.”

Li Shuping: “…”

Now that’s truly greedy.

Just then, the sound of high heels echoed on the staircase.

Aunt Wang quickly shut her mouth and turned back to check on the braised fish in the pot.

Moments later, Li Yunshu walked into the kitchen, shot a cold glance at Li Shuping, and instructed Aunt Wang, “Scoop a bowl of dumpling soup, sprinkle some chopped scallions, and bring it up.”

“Alright,” Aunt Wang quickly complied.

Li Yunshu’s sharp eyes fell back on Li Shuping, and she handed her a ten-yuan bill, bluntly dismissing her. “The dumplings are done. You can go now.”

Li Shuping looked at the crisp ten-yuan bill and a wave of irritation surged up.

She sneered, “Ten yuan? Are you giving charity? When Captain Gu invited me, he said your family would pay whatever price I asked.”

“Heh…” Lì Yunshu let out a mocking laugh.

Just as she expected—this kind of low-class woman only cared about money.

“Fine, name your price.”

Li Shuping held up one finger.

Lì Yunshu frowned. “One hundred yuan?”

This bumpkin really dared to ask!

Li Shuping replied, “Who do you think you’re looking down on? I meant ten thousand.”

“!”

Li Yunshu and Aunt Wang were both stunned.

Li Yunshu’s cheek muscles twitched violently.

She actually dared to ask for ten thousand? Did she even know what ten thousand yuan looked like?

“What’s wrong? Can’t afford it? Then why act so high and mighty, asking me to name my price?”

Li Shuping mimicked Li Yunshu’s tone sarcastically, nailing her haughty attitude perfectly.

Li Yunshu’s molars clenched tight, and she trembled with anger.

“I only came because of Captain Gu. You can keep your ten yuan to buy some stinky tofu. From the way you talk, you must love eating that stuff.”

With that, Li Shuping walked right past her and out of the kitchen.

Pfft! Aunt Wang tried hard not to laugh.

At first, Li Yunshu didn’t get the insult, then she realized Li Shuping was calling her foul-mouthed—and she nearly exploded.

Just as she was about to lash out, Mother Gu’s voice rang out, “Oh? Shuping, where are you going?”

Mother Gu, Gu Zhenyuan, and the Li family father and son were coming downstairs and saw Li Shuping about to leave.

Li Shuping paused and turned around—to see an elderly man with white hair, tall stature, reading glasses, and hands clasped behind his back descending the stairs.

He had sharp, commanding features and an aura of authority.

Behind him was a younger man who looked very much like him—sword-like brows, phoenix eyes, and dressed in a green military uniform, with a naturally stern expression.

This must be Old Master Li that Aunt Wang spoke of, and the younger man his second son, a major general.

Seeing them, Li Shuping should’ve felt nervous—but instead, she found them oddly comforting.

“The dumplings are done. Comrade Li Yunshu asked me to leave,” she replied truthfully.

In the kitchen, Lì Yunshu’s vision darkened.

Mother Gu and Gu Zhenyuan’s expressions changed instantly.

Gu Zhenyuan frowned deeply, while Mother Gu said directly, “That Yunshu is too much. If she wanted Shuping to leave, she should’ve at least had our Zhenyuan come down and see her off. There’s no public transport around here—how long would it take her to walk back on an empty stomach?”

She was clearly saying this for Old Master Li and Li Boyan to hear.

Lì Yunshu clearly had a problem with Li Shuping, and tried to send her away behind their backs.

If they hadn’t come down just in time, Li Yunshu would probably have claimed that Shuping left on her own.

Old Master Lì finished descending the stairs, frowned slightly, and looked apologetically at Li Shuping. “What my daughter did was inconsiderate. You were invited by Zhenyuan on our behalf to make dumplings. That makes you our guest—you shouldn’t be sent away like that.”

“I should also thank you—thanks to your dumplings, my sick wife finally had an appetite. Please stay for lunch, and afterward, we’ll have the driver take you home.”