When the meal was ready, the family gathered around the dining table. Liu Yun first scooped a bowl of chicken soup for Lin Jinxiao, then a bowl for Chu Nanzhi. Then, she deliberately placed the two chicken drumsticks in their bowls and said glibly,
"A pair of chicken drumsticks, a loving couple, a harmonious and beautiful life, health and happiness."
The four children did not understand their grandma's intentions. They looked at the drumsticks greedily, their eyes rolling.
Liu Yun passed the four children the mutton pancakes that Chu Nanzhi had washed and reheated. She said kindly, "Darlings, don't eat the chicken drumsticks today. Granny will give you mutton. Mutton is so rare, it's much better than chicken drumsticks."
Lin Jinxiao looked at the drumstick in his bowl and knew that his mother-in-law was trying to make peace between him and Chu Nanzhi.
However, he really did not dare to accept her good intentions.
Priest Ximen wanted to harm him, but this woman had saved him. He really could not understand the logic behind this.
He wondered what this woman was up to.
And how had she solved the case?
Nothing made sense to him.
He lowered his head and placed the drumstick into the eldest child's bowl. He said softly, "After eating the pancake, share the drumstick with your younger siblings."
The eldest child, Lin Ruiwen, gulped as he held the drumstick. But he placed the drumstick back into Lin Jinxiao's bowl. "Granny asked Father to eat the drumsticks to nourish his body. Father, you have it."
"Father doesn't like chicken drumsticks. Father likes soup."
Lin Jinxiao stuffed the drumstick into the eldest child's hand and said in a commanding tone, "Eat up."
This time, the child obediently took a bite of the drumstick and handed it to the other three children.
But one chicken drumstick was not enough for four children. When she saw that, Chu Nanzhi also prepared to put her chicken drumstick into Lin Ruixi's bowl so that she and the fourth child could share it.
However, just as the drumstick neared the child, she pushed it away. Her small eyes glared as she cried both fearfully and reluctantly, "Boohoo, I don't want to eat it. I don't want to eat it. This is from the bad woman's bowl."
D*mn it.
Chu Nanzhi looked at the mutton pancake in her hand angrily. "I bought that pancake too. Don't eat it then."
The four children looked at the half-eaten mutton pancakes in their hands. They were reluctant to let go and began to wail.
Chu Nanzhi continued, "Your granny is my mother and your aunt is my younger sister. They bought all the food here. Don't eat any of the other food either."
After a pause, she looked at the group of dejected children and continued,
"Also, where did you children come from without me? Why won't you eat from my bowl? Did I poison you or give you something dirty?"
The four children cried even harder when they heard that.
Lin Jinxiao listened to her words quietly. He actually felt a little uncomfortable and even angry, but it was not appropriate to quarrel with her in front of his mother-in-law.
But no matter what, he would not tolerate her beating the children any longer.
This crisis had given him an epiphany. He would fight this evil woman to the bitter end, even if it was just for the sake of the children.
Liu Yun's heart ached even more when she saw the children crying. She glanced meaningfully at Lin Jinxiao, whose expression was getting darker and darker, and said to the children half accusingly and half comfortingly,
"Who taught you to call her that? She's your mother. What bad woman? Don't call her that in the future. Hurry up and eat. If you don't listen to me, I'll sell you to Old Wang the butcher later."
Old Wang, the village butcher, had only one eye because his right eye had been injured by a pig's leg when he was killing pigs many years ago. All the children were afraid of him.
So when Liu Yun mentioned Old Wang, th children all lowered their heads and obediently started eating.
When Chu Nanzhi saw that the children had stopped crying, she reached for the pork she had stir-fried.
The fourth child, Lin Ruijia, watched gloomily for awhile. She felt very puzzled as she watched the bad woman take several helpings of the dish and eat it with relish.
She mustered her courage, blinked her small eyes, and tentatively reached her chopsticks shakily into the dish in front of the bad woman.
Seeing that the bad woman did not stop her, she quickly picked up a piece of meat and put it in her mouth to chew.
A moment later, she suddenly looked at Liu Yun with sparkling eyes and said with a smile, "Granny, it's delicious."
Liu Yun and Chu Nanzhu looked at each other and frowned. "It's delicious?"
Lin Ruijia hurriedly picked up a piece of green pepper and placed it in her mouth. Although the green pepper was not spicy, she choked because it was more heavily seasoned than the usual steamed vegetables. She swallowed and coughed a few times. Liu Yun was so frightened that she put down her bowl and chopsticks and hurriedly patted her back.
After awhile, Lin Ruijia smiled brightly again. "This dish is delicious."
"It is?"
Liu Yun refused to believe it. She had seen her eldest daughter stirring that dish for a long time. Both she and Chu Nanzhu had been disdainful.
So she tentatively picked up a piece of meat and placed it in her mouth and chewed.
Hmm, it was a bit odd.
The taste was indescribable.
After chewing slowly, she suddenly looked at Chu Nanzhi. She was surprised and gratified as she nodded in satisfaction. "It tastes quite special."
Then she immediately wolfed down a large helping. She ate happily and forgot everything she had said.
Seeing that, Chu Nanzhu and the other children also tried the stir-fried meat.
Chu Nanzhi gripped her chopsticks and watched as the food that even a dog would not eat vanished. She was about to pick up a piece when she saw that Lin Jinxiao had already reached his chopsticks towards the only piece of green pepper left on the plate.
D*mn it. This family is really too much.
It seemed that her plan to have the dish to herself had failed.
She could only retract her chopsticks.
Liu Yun's face filled with joy when she saw the harmonious atmosphere that the dish had created. She tactfully praised the food as she chewed on a green pepper. "This dish is really good."
Lin Ruijia, stared at her grandmother in bewilderment. Why would she praise herself?
She asked Liu Yun repeatedly, "Granny, why haven't I seen you make this dish before? Is this a new recipe that you've discovered at home? Can Granny make this dish for me every day in the future?"
Liu Yun stroked her little head and smiled happily. "Granny doesn't know how to make such a dish. Your mother cooked it. When the family grows rich in the future, your mother will make it for you every day."
"Her?"
"When did she learn how to cook?"
"?"
The children turned to look at Chu Nanzhi in unison. It was unbelievable. All of them were stunned.
The green pepper that Lin Jinxiao had just swallowed stuck in his throat and tears streamed down his face.
He had not expected that the dish that the entire family had eaten with relish had come from this shrew who only knew how to cook porridge.
How absurd.
This woman had acted mysteriously the whole night. Then, in an ridiculous turn of events, she had solved the case and saved the lives of the whole family.
And now, she had suddenly produced a delicacy.
Unbelievable!
It was unbelievable!
He stared blankly at the four children. The four children also stared blankly at him.
Was this the woman they knew?
The eldest child, Lin Ruiwen, licked his lips discontentedly. He was still holding the bowl with both hands. Suddenly, he stared at Chu Nanzhi and shouted, "I want more."
Chu Nanzhi put down her chopsticks and gave Lin Ruiwen a terrifying look. "Who are you talking to? Don't I have a name?"
She actually did not care if he addressed her as mother or not. But he was so rude at such a young age. He would be insufferable when he grew up.
No wonder Madam Qi scolded them for being badly brought up.
Since she was occupying this body, she did not want anyone judging her behind her back.
The other three children were so frightened by Chu Nanzhi's fierce air that they lowered their heads silently, not daring to speak or look at her.
Trembling, Lin Ruiwen hid behind Lin Jinxiao. After a while, he shouted fearlessly, "Madam Chu, I want more."