Chapter 30

Only Want to Eat Hu Ouhua’s Cooking

Yang Wei noticed that the Lu family’s house was quite large and said, “Mother-in-law, if there are empty rooms at home, there’s no need to spend money living outside. My mother and I can squeeze in together; it’s not a problem.”

“That’s right, that’s right. We don’t have many belongings either. Staying at home can save some money,” Qing Fen chimed in eagerly.

More importantly, this would allow them to build a relationship with the Lu family. If possible, it would be even better to arrange a job for their son in the military district.

Shen Fubai felt like his head was going to explode.

He lowered his head in silence, not daring to look at Auntie Lu and Uncle Lu.

Gu Wanru clenched her teeth so hard that they were about to shatter.

Forcing a smile, she pretended to be in a difficult position and said, “Mother-in-law, the military district has its own rules. If too many people move in, it will trigger an investigation, and even Jiaojiao might not be able to stay.”

“Then how did that little tramp Hu Ouhua manage to move in? In Ning City, she’s notorious for seducing men. Who knows, maybe she came here specifically for Yuetang!” Qing Fen ranted indignantly.

Damn.

Trying to start a fight, huh?

Hu Ouhua silently rolled her eyes but then stepped forward and said, “Auntie Gu, I’ve already troubled your family for too long. Brother Shen helped me find a job, so I’ll be moving out tomorrow.”

Previously, Gu Wanru would have been overjoyed.

But now, with these “troublemakers” in the house, she suddenly didn’t want Hu Ouhua to leave. Holding Hu Ouhua’s hand warmly, she said, “Silly child, you were the top scorer in the Ning Province college entrance exam and got into Beijing University. You’re a heroine among women. Having you here brings honor to our home, and I couldn’t be happier.”

The underlying message was clear—implying that Yang Jiaojiao was uneducated and only focused on seducing men…

Even with her low emotional intelligence, Qing Fen could pick up on the hint, and she instantly harbored a grudge against Hu Ouhua.

Feigning modesty, Qing Fen smiled and said, “Mother-in-law, that’s not right. When a man marries, he wants a virtuous wife, not a strong woman to compete with him. My Jiaojiao may not be well-read, but she’s good at managing a household. If she marries into the Lu family, she will surely bear many children and bring prosperity.”

“Exactly! My sister has wide hips; she can give birth!” Yang Wei added, making things worse.

Wow.

That was a direct stab at the Lu family’s sore spot.

Gu Wanru was so furious that she wanted to grab a knife and deal with these shameless people. She finally lost her patience and ordered Liu Mei, “Go handle it. Don’t waste any more time.”

“Yes.”

Liu Mei exchanged a glance with the sanitation officers, and together they practically dragged the mother and son out of the Lu family home.

The military district compound wasn’t a place where just anyone could come and go as they pleased.

Especially this inner courtyard.

Once someone was kicked out, it was nearly impossible to return. If they hadn’t run into Lu Boting on his way home, the mother and son would have already been taken away.

Hu Ouhua, on the other hand, was registered and allowed to enter and exit freely.

Now, the Lu family found her surprisingly agreeable.

Even Grandma Lu felt the same.

She pulled Hu Ouhua over to introduce her to her son, saying, “This young comrade is very capable—she can cook and do laundry. When Yuetang fell ill, she took care of him diligently. She has a very upright character; she’s a good kid.”

“Hmm.”

Lu Boting responded indifferently.

His head was pounding, and just thinking about the Yang family’s drama put him in a terrible mood. Seeing a stranger, he couldn’t even force a polite expression.

After greeting him briefly, Hu Ouhua turned to Grandma Lu and said, “I noticed that no one has eaten yet, and Auntie Liu is busy. Why don’t I cook dinner tonight?”

The Lu family members had no appetite.

Only Shen Fubai immediately responded, “Sure!”

He was promptly glared at by Lu Jingjing.

“Grandma, when Lu Commander falls ill, he usually likes to drink a little sour soup to stimulate his appetite. How about I make some for him?” Hu Ouhua suggested.

Hearing this, Grandma Lu’s anger eased a little.

She was right.

No matter how upset they were, Yuetang still needed to replenish his strength. He hadn’t eaten or drunk anything all day—how could he endure it?

“You’re thoughtful. Alright, I’ll leave it to you. If you need help, just call Jingjing.” Grandma Lu patted her hand with a smile.

“No need, no need. I can manage on my own.”

Hu Ouhua didn’t want to invite unnecessary resentment.

She immediately headed to the kitchen.

To make a good sour soup, the key was using the right tomatoes. Fortunately, at this time, imported varieties hadn’t been introduced yet, and the local tomatoes were naturally tangy.

While the broth simmered, she busied herself cutting and preparing ingredients.

The tofu was sliced paper-thin, and once it was added to the pot along with the egg, a fragrant and flavorful sour soup was ready.

“Jingjing, bring the sour soup upstairs.” Hu Ouhua called out.

“Coming!”

Lu Jingjing had never seen anyone make tomato egg soup like this before. The aroma made her mouth water. She quickly said, “Sister, save me a bowl! I want some when I come back!”

“No problem.”

Hu Ouhua patted her shoulder.

Lu Jingjing carried the bowl upstairs and knocked gently on the door. Hearing no response, she entered quietly.

“Brother, sister made sour soup for you. Do you want to get up and have some?”

She gently shook Lu Yuetang.

In his dream, Lu Yuetang saw Yang Jiaojiao turning into a beam of light and lunging at him. Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed, shouting, “Yang Jiaojiao, stay away—”

Lu Jingjing was so startled that she turned pale and shouted, “Brother, brother! It’s me, your sister Jingjing, not Yang Jiaojiao! Wake up and look properly!”

At that moment, Lu Yuetang slowly opened his bloodshot eyes.

Seeing it was his sister, he finally relaxed.

“You made sour soup?” he asked with his eyes closed.

Lu Jingjing nodded eagerly. “Yes! Sister made it for you. Grandma wouldn’t let her come upstairs. Do you want me to feed you, or do you want to drink it yourself?”

“I’ll drink it myself.”

Lu Yuetang struggled to sit up, took the bowl from the bedside, and took a sip. The hollow feeling in his stomach eased. He drank a few more gulps.

His appetite was back.

He turned to his sister and said, “I want to eat dry-fried green beans. Tell her to make some.”

“Got it!”

Lu Jingjing happily took the empty bowl and rushed downstairs to deliver the message.

When she reached the dining area, she excitedly told Grandma Lu, “Grandma! After drinking the sour soup, Brother actually asked to eat sister’s cooking! This is the first time!”

In the past, Lu Yuetang often went three days without eating, relying solely on IV drips for sustenance.

Grandma Lu listened to the sounds from the kitchen and found herself warming up to Hu Ouhua.

It seemed that in Ning City, this girl had really put in a lot of effort to take care of Yuetang.

“Dinner’s ready!”

Lu Jingjing called everyone to the table.

The table was filled with dry-fried green beans, three-delicacy stir-fry, tomato scrambled eggs, spicy stir-fried pork, scallion oil king oyster mushrooms, braised pork, a big bowl of sour soup, egg pancakes, and grilled bread slices.

The Lu family, who had been boiling with anger earlier, found themselves drawn to the table.

Hu Ouhua picked up a tray and smiled. “Commander Lu likes dry-fried green beans and king oyster mushrooms… I’ll plate some for him.”

“No need.”

A deep, captivating voice came from the staircase.