At the dining table.
When it was time to eat, Liu Guimei's stomach ache immediately ceased. She was the first to arrive at the table.
After the last dish was served, Jiang Xinghua closed the door of the central room. Mdm Fu came out of her room to eat.
Even Old Mrs Fu insisted on joining the table. Second Fu wheeled her in from the backyard.
It was rare for the whole family to be sitting and eating together.
Inside the room, Fu Xing'er had just drunk the goat milk and fallen asleep again.
She was an easy child to look after. The adults were able to eat their meals in peace without worry.
The dinner tonight was more than sumptuous.
There were fish, meat, and eggs. A total of four dishes and a soup. Every bowl of porridge was dense and not as watery as usual.
Normally, they could only eat like this during the Lunar New Year.
The three children were overjoyed.
"We get to eat meat once Youngest Aunt is born. I love Youngest Aunt!" Fu Xiaolong said happily.
Fu Xiaohu raised his little arm with slightly refined muscles and said, "I'll eat more and grow stronger to protect Youngest Aunt in the future."
Fu Daxing patted his two sons' heads contentedly and said, "Very good, you two."
Seeing this, Fu Xiaoma learned quickly too, "In the future, I'll give the money that I earn to Youngest Aunt to spend."
Fu Erxing patted his son's shoulder too and said, "Very good, Xiaoma."
This little sister was hard to come by. They had to pamper her.
Satisfied with their performance, Second Fu personally picked a large piece of pork belly into each of their bowls as a reward.
They were even more encouraged.
Fu Xiaolong said, "Grandpa, I will build a big house for my youngest aunt so that she can live there comfortably."
Fu Xiaohu said, "Grandpa, I'll be the bodyguard of my youngest aunt and make sure nobody bullies her."
Fu Xiaoma said, "Grandpa, I'll buy everything in the world for my youngest aunt so that she can live a luxurious life."
Each of them were trying to outdo the other with their future contributions to their youngest aunt with all their might.
Everyone in the room was amused and laughing joyfully.
Second Fu looked like a proud teacher, satisfied with the mindset that he had successfully inculcated to his grandsons.
He would continue drilling the message into them every few days.
He must ensure that those would not just remain as empty words. They must make them come true in the future.
"Your youngest aunt is a blessing for our family. The more you adore and pamper her, the more opportunities we would have to eat meat in the future," Old Mrs Fu said with a smile.
All of them nodded vigorously.
They thought in their heart that they would give their toys and food to their youngest aunt in the future.
Liu Guimei was secretly unhappy.
To have all this food on the table was all thanks to her. It had nothing to do with Fu Xing'er.
Also, her son–what a little rascal. What was he thinking?
When he's grown up, of course he should give the money he earned to his parents. What was he thinking, saying that he would give it to his youngest aunt? Had he not considered that Fu Xing'er might compete with him for the family inheritance in the future?
She would have to correct his wrong mindsets and thoughts later that night when they returned to their room later.
"Grandma, Mother, have a bowl of pigeon soup first." After Jiang Xinghua had finished scooping bowls of porridge for everyone in the family, she scooped a bowl of pigeon soup for Mdm Fu. It was full of pigeon meat.
Thereafter, she picked some meat and placed them into the bowls of the three children. Finally, she began to eat.
As for Liu Guimei, she was too engrossed in eating and had totally forgotten to get food for her own son. Jiang Xinghua had assumed her role and was looking after him alongside her two children.
Fu Daxing said, "Dad, it's such a good day today. Let's have a sip."
"Big Brother is right. Let's drink some wine to celebrate." Fu Erxing was also excited. Wine would go extremely well with the fish and the meat on the table.
Second Fu didn't respond immediately. Instead, he looked towards Mdm Fu to ask for her opinion.
He was a henpecked man.
Old Mrs Fu had no objections at all with regards to this.
This was because all the men in the Fu family doted on their wives very much.
Not wanting to embarrass her husband, Mdm Fu smiled and nodded. "Drink if you want to, but don't drink too much."
It was rare to have so many happy events happening one after another. It was indeed worth celebrating.
"Father, I'll go and get the wine for you." Jiang Xinghua put down her chopsticks and stood up to get the wine. She fetched a few small bowls and poured some wine into each of them.
Second Fu and his two sons clinked their bowls and drank them all in one gulp.
"Xinghua, don't keep getting up. Sit down and eat."
Mdm Fu placed a few pieces of pork belly into her bowl in case she wasn't left with any later.
As for the other one, there was no need for her to worry at all.
The only worry she would need to have about her was that she might become overly bloated.
"Thank you, Mother."
Seeing that there was so much meat in Jiang Xinghua's bowl, Liu Guimei felt jealous. She reached out her chopsticks, wanting to take more meat before she even finished biting the meat inside her mouth. However, her hand was hit by Fu Erxing's chopsticks.
How much meat has she already eaten?!
Save some from others!
This woman was like the reincarnation of a hungry ghost.
She would eat as much as she could whenever she encountered something delicious.
She would not even consider leaving some for others. In this aspect, she was less considerate than a child.
Initially, he had thought that she would eventually learn her place. He had not expected that her actions would become increasingly exorbitant.
Liu Guimei retracted her hand in pain. When she met her husband's stern look of warning, she lowered her head.
She pouted unhappily.
If it weren't for her, there wouldn't be such a sumptuous meal today.
What's wrong with her eating more?
"Mother, you eat too." Mdm Fu stacked some fish and braised soft meat into Old Mrs Fu's bowl till it was full.
She was worried that her chances to be filial to her mother-in-law in the future were limited.
"No, no. Second Daughter-in-law, you should eat more yourself." Old Mrs Fu responded.
She was in great spirits now. She would have lots of time in the future to eat and drink well.
However, her second daughter-in-law should eat better during her confinement period.
Mdm Fu nodded and took a sip of the pigeon soup. She couldn't taste anything. "Wait, what's wrong with this soup?"
Old Mrs Fu also looked at the pigeon soup in the pot. There was no visible oil on it at all.
"That's weird. Logically speaking, boiling four pigeons in the soup would definitely produce some oil. Why is it as clear as plain water?" Old Mrs Fu took a sip. "It's no different from clear water and doesn't have any herbal taste either. Guimei, what's going on?"
She was the one who made the pigeon soup. How did it turn out like this?
Liu Guimei was gobbling up fish when they pointed out that there was something wrong with the soup. She was so shocked that she swallowed the fish-bone that she was about to spit out. The fish-bone slid down and got stuck in her throat.
"Argh!!!"
She clutched her throat and pounded her chest, her face flushing red.
She was in so much pain and scrunched her face so hard that her eyeballs seemed about to fall out.
She was about to choke to death.
"Erxing, quickly carry her up from behind and help her push out the food, aim at the right spot." Mdm Fu said quickly. She was able to keep her calm.
How did she eat?!
Fu Erxing carried her up and shook her up and down.
With a bang, the fish-bone was spat out in a parabola.
Seeing this, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
Liu Guimei collapsed on Fu Erxing as she panted heavily, trying to catch her breath.
She was so shocked that her face turned pale and her hands and feet turned cold. She made a few whimpers.
She had almost lost her life just now. Fear from the horrifying feeling of suffocation continued to linger on.
It was too terrifying!
"Guimei, have some soup." Jiang Xinghua quickly scooped a bowl of pigeon soup for her to calm down.
Liu Guimei took a sip and spat it out. She blurted out, "Why does this taste so bad?!"
She had drunk a few bowls of soup full of essence just a while ago. This diluted version definitely tasted different.
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone looked at her.
Oh, she knew that it tasted bad too?
She had made this soup herself.
Needless to say, they knew what was going on.
Mdm Fu's expression hardened.
Old Mrs Fu shook her head and sighed.
This was too much!
The soup was so bland. She had probably drunk the entire pot of pigeon soup.
Then added another pot of water into the soup.
Fu Erxing recognized the grim expression on his mother's face. He took some soup and tasted it too. He immediately frowned.
He pushed Liu Guimei away from him and roared, "Liu Guimei, you better explain what's wrong with this pigeon soup! Did you finish them all?!!!"