Chapter 22: Have You Ever Eaten Beggar’s Chicken?

Xu Jiaojiao took a closer look.

These little brats, weren’t they the ones who bullied Dani and Erni at noon?

Seeing them, the two daughters-in-law of the Qin family’s faces turned black at the same time.

“Jiaojiao, my Tiedan is not sensible, I brought him here to apologize to your Dani and Erni.”

The speaker was Liu Cuihua from the team, usually her mouth was very sharp, and she wouldn’t easily bow her head to anyone.

Now she was actually sincerely bringing her child to apologize to them?

Not only was Xu Jiaojiao surprised, even Ding Xiujing looked suspicious.

Liu Cuihua’s heart was full of bitterness, but she still squeezed out a smile on her face.

She slapped her son’s back and gritted her teeth, saying,

“Hurry up and apologize to them!”

Tiedan twisted his body, looking unconvinced, and glared at Dani and Erni, shouting,

“I’m sorry, Dani and Erni.”

Xu Jiaojiao: …

Is this an apology? This is more like threatening their Dani and Erni, right?

Seeing her expression as if she was dissatisfied, Liu Cuihua’s heart skipped a beat.

Immediately, she slapped her son’s back again, hard.

Another “slap” sound, followed by Liu Cuihua’s rough voice,

“Is that your attitude? You give me a serious apology!” It was as if he wouldn’t be allowed to leave if his apology wasn’t sincere.

Tiedan’s face flushed red, he turned his head to look at his mother’s fierce look.

He instantly wilted.

He turned his head again, facing the two figures, one tall and one short, and stammered, “I, I’m sorry.”

There were three other children and a parent standing beside Tiedan.

They were also here to apologize.

Seeing that the leader, Tiedan, had caved in, the other children also followed suit, apologizing weakly.

“No, no problem.” Dani waved her hand in a panic.

She never thought that someone would actually apologize to her, for a moment, her face also flushed red.

Seeing that she had forgiven them, the children quickly ran away, afraid that if they were slow, she wouldn’t be satisfied and they would have to continue apologizing.

“I’m really sorry.” Peng Jinlan said apologetically.

Since they had apologized, Xu Jiaojiao and the others couldn’t hold on to it.

The adults chatted amicably for a few more words before Liu Cuihua and Peng Jinlan left together.

However, the two sisters-in-law who remained were still bewildered.

What was going on?

“Jiaojiao, did you go find them?” Ding Xiujing asked curiously.

Otherwise, why would Liu Cuihua be so obedient and come to apologize herself?

“No.” Xu Jiaojiao was equally confused.

The two looked at each other, both puzzled.

However, they wouldn’t take this matter to heart, since they had apologized, they would just turn the page.

The group continued to walk home.

Xu Jiaojiao carried firewood, walking briskly, looking relaxed.

Not only was Ding Xiujing dumbfounded.

Even the people in the team were looking at her.

“This Xu Jiaojiao is amazing, she has such great strength.”

“Who says not? That hundred-plus pounds of firewood, she carries it as if it’s nothing.”

“It’s really better to have a man at home, look how energetic she is now?”

Xu Jiaojiao: …

Really, what the heck!

She was more at ease when the man wasn’t home.

But thinking about her mission being tied to him, Xu Jiaojiao felt depressed.

A bad start, the man was too much of a dog.

Not long after, they saw the Qin family’s courtyard in the distance.

The houses in their team were relatively scattered, one here, one there.

The houses were usually spaced twenty or thirty meters apart.

And the Qin family’s house was even further away from the other houses.

It stood alone at the end of the village, not next to anyone.

If it weren’t for the fact that the original owner and Ding Xiujing often bickered outside, no one would have noticed that the two sisters-in-law were not getting along.

As they approached home, the children seemed to be unable to wait any longer.

They ran towards home.

Before they even entered the courtyard, they could smell a delicious aroma.

Not only did the children drool, even Xu Jiaojiao couldn’t help but feel tempted.

Before she crossed over, meat was a staple in people’s daily meals.

But unfortunately, the original owner had rarely seen meat for years, and the first whiff of that meaty aroma made Xu Jiaojiao unable to move.

While washing her hands, her eyes kept looking at the kitchen.

She was no different from the other children waiting for dinner.

Qin Shuo, who had just returned from outside.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw a group of children squatting outside the kitchen door.

Among them was a slender figure, particularly noticeable.

She looked like a good little kid waiting for dinner.

Qin Shuo paused for a moment, then withdrew his gaze and went to the water tank to wash his hands.

“It must be braised chicken.” Dahu said.

“It’s obviously chicken soup!” Erhu disagreed.

“Is it possible it’s beggar’s chicken?”

…

Xu Jiaojiao’s mind was full of various chicken dishes, and she unconsciously echoed,

“What’s beggar’s chicken?” Erhu asked, his face full of curiosity.

He had never eaten it, was it delicious?

“I know beggars, they’re dirty.” Dahu was obviously a well-informed kid.

Upon hearing the word “dirty”, the children looked at Xu Jiaojiao with suspicion.

It was so dirty, how could it be delicious?

“It’s just dirty on the outside, it’s not dirty at all on the inside.”

Xu Jiaojiao swallowed her saliva and then told the children about how beggar’s chicken was made.

She didn’t stop talking until she almost made the children cry from hunger.

“Third Aunt, have you ever eaten it?”

Xiao Ni’s question was a death knell, instantly drawing all the eyes in the courtyard to Xu Jiaojiao.

One of those eyes made her want to stand at attention and confess honestly.

Xu Jiaojiao: …

She cleared her throat and said calmly, “I haven’t.”

Hearing that she hadn’t eaten it, the children were disappointed.

The expressions on their faces were almost saying that Third Aunt was a liar.

Uh!

This was awkward!

“But I’ve seen it in books, it’s said to be very delicious when made this way.”

Xu Jiaojiao affirmed.

Gulp gulp…

The sound of swallowing saliva, one after another, drowned out Xu Jiaojiao’s voice.

“I really want to eat it…” Dahu said dreamily.

“Me too, I can eat a whole one!” Erhu was not to be outdone.

The two brothers started their daily bickering.

Xu Jiaojiao, who had barely saved face as Third Aunt, couldn’t help but wipe the sweat from her forehead.

She looked up and met the man’s deep eyes.

She didn’t know if it was her imagination, but Xu Jiaojiao felt that his gaze was a little strange.

Xu Jiaojiao: …

She turned her head and started focusing on waiting for dinner.

She didn’t know how long it had been.

Just as Xu Jiaojiao’s throat was about to be sore from swallowing saliva, a heavenly voice came from the kitchen.

“Dinner is ready!”

As soon as the voice fell, with a bang, the children who had been surrounding her disappeared without a trace.

The entire courtyard was just Xu Jiaojiao alone, still squatting on the ground.

Xu Jiaojiao: …

This was too much!

Muttering to herself, Xu Jiaojiao also stood up.

Just as she was about to walk towards the kitchen, the tall figure behind her also walked up.

Seeing that he was about to pass her, her position as the person who would eat first was about to be lost.

Xu Jiaojiao’s feet moved before her brain, blocking the man’s path.

Qin Shuo: …