Chapter 70: This is Your Home Turf

Lin Shufen merely made a sarcastic remark, but she never expected Jiang Xiangxiang to have so many retorts waiting. Her expression faltered.

At the same time, she realized that Jiang Xiangxiang was not someone to be trifled with. If she dared to start a fight, Jiang Xiangxiang would retaliate tenfold.

With such a niece-in-law, she wouldn’t be able to get any advantage from the Jiang family.

Thinking about this, she felt a deep ache in her heart, as if someone were tearing it apart.

Lu Jianshen calmly added, “Third Aunt, you’ve lived so long, you’ve eaten more salt than we’ve walked on roads. You should know what to say and what not to say.”

Lin Shufen gritted her teeth. “Yes, yes, yes. Third Aunt was just being quick-tongued and said the wrong thing. Don’t take it to heart. Jiannan, Jianbei, hurry and help out!”

She silently retreated a few steps.

If she couldn’t win, she could at least avoid the fight. Neither of them were easy to deal with, but at least she wasn’t their daughter-in-law. Someone like Tian Xiu’e was easy to manipulate.

There would be good shows to watch in the future.

Lin Shufen had already planned how she would instigate Tian Xiu’e, making Jiang Xiangxiang experience what it meant to have a hard life.

Lu Jiannan and Lu Jianbei, hearing this, didn’t rush over. Instead, they looked at Lu Jianshen hesitantly. They were family after all.

Lu Jianshen nodded, and only then did they walk forward.

After all, this was their family recognition banquet. They couldn’t make the scene too awkward. If it got too tense, it would look bad.

Lin Shufen felt increasingly suffocated, as if she couldn’t breathe. It was incredibly uncomfortable.

But she didn’t say anything more. After all, she was in the wrong.

Lu Jiannan and Lu Jianbei went to serve the dishes. Because it was a family recognition banquet, the food was quite extravagant; a traditional eight-bowl feast.

Dishes like braised chicken with mushrooms, white broth braised pork, dried beans, braised mutton, potato and beef stew, steamed pomfret, cold shredded cabbage, and braised carp, were all served.

It was a very sumptuous meal, not just for this era, but even a few years later, this would still be considered a great feast.

Jiang Xiangxiang watched them bring out the dishes and place them on the table. She had to admit that Lin Shufen was clever. Even though she was clearly unhappy, she didn’t try to sabotage anything.

Otherwise, Jiang Xiangxiang would have dealt with her.

Lin Shufen looked at the table full of delicious food and felt angry. She couldn’t help but feel angry. Everyone was equally poor; even during festivals, they couldn’t afford such a meal.

Usually, during the New Year, they would mix some white flour with coarse grains to make dumplings.

Who could be as extravagant as Lu Jianshen’s family? Was it necessary to prepare so much food just for a family recognition banquet? Why didn’t he just bring out a full Manchu-Han banquet? It was infuriating.

Of course, anger aside…

Lin Shufen knew very well that none of this concerned her. It was best for her to keep quiet and not cause any trouble.

She didn’t believe that Lu Hemei could return home safely. Something must have happened.

Lin Shufen was quite nervous, but she didn’t show it on her face. She didn’t go around gossiping; she was afraid of dying.

What if Lu Jianshen turned around and dealt with her?

Lin Shufen knew exactly what she should do: be obedient, or else she would be punished.

She glanced at her husband. As soon as he arrived, he immediately joined the group of men, chatting idly. He had no sense of propriety at all.

It was infuriating!

Lin Shufen felt that she had done her best to teach him how to work at home, but it was useless. As soon as he went out, Lu Hejian was still the same deadbeat.

Look at his second brother, Lu Heping. He always prioritized Tian Xiu’e.

He did whatever Tian Xiu’e said. In fact, when Lin Shufen married Lu Hejian, she did so because she saw how well Lu Heping treated his wife.

She thought that since they were brothers, they would be similar.

She thought life wouldn’t be too difficult.

But what happened?

Lu Hejian and Lu Heping were worlds apart. Everything had to be done by her; otherwise, he would just lie down and pretend to be dead.

It was impossible not to get angry.

Lin Shufen’s cold gaze fell on Lu Hejian, making him tremble. After a long while, he turned his head and looked at her blankly.

Lu Hejian walked to her side. “What’s wrong with you again?”

Lin Shufen forced a smile. “What’s wrong? What could be wrong? Just eat your food!”

Lu Hejian scratched his head. “Eat, eat. You eat too. The food is good today. Heh, second brother is really generous.”

Lin Shufen glared at him, feeling extremely unhappy. Look at what he said. What did it matter to him whether their food was good or not?

He was just eating a meal here, that’s all.

It was infuriating!

Lu Hejian was clueless, and he chuckled at her, clearly not taking it to heart. He was just chatting with people.

So what?

Lin Shufen got angry from time to time, and he was used to it. He simply didn’t care.

Lin Shufen was speechless. She was always so strong and assertive, yet she ended up with such a useless man. They couldn’t communicate at all. It was infuriating.

Lu Hejian felt a little embarrassed and subconsciously moved away from her, going to sit at the men’s table.

This subconscious action irritated Lin Shufen. Just as she was about to lash out, she saw Jiang Xiangxiang looking at her with curious eyes.

Lin Shufen immediately fell silent and forced a stiff smile at her.

Jiang Xiangxiang shrugged. She really didn’t understand her train of thought. Her third uncle seemed to treat her quite well, so she didn’t understand why she was so angry.

But sometimes, women’s minds just worked this way, so she didn’t bother to think about it too much.

Thinking this way, Jiang Xiangxiang calmed down and focused on the family recognition banquet—or rather, the food on the table.

Jiang Chengshan and the others had also come out. Jiang Chengshan, Jiang Chengzhong, and Shen Qiuyue sat at the main seats, with Lu Heping and the others sitting beside them.

It was funny that even with just a few people, they still had a vice-host.

Then, they started drinking and chatting, making a lively scene.

Lu Jianshen didn’t like such occasions, nor did he like drinking, but he couldn’t refuse his father-in-law, especially one who didn’t seem to like him very much.

It was quite awkward. Before he even finished a cup of wine,

Jiang Chengshan waved at him, gesturing for him to come over. “Come, come, Jianshen, come sit over here. This is your home turf; how can you not come over?”

Lu Jianshen: “…”