"Do you think you have a say in this? Taking her side, do you also think the same way? If your man were home, would you dare to talk back to me like she does and confront Old Granny Zhang? All of you ungrateful, shameless harlots..."
Lady Jiang dared not speak again.
Just as the situation was getting completely out of hand, a system interface suddenly appeared in Ming Zhu's mind.
"As the old saying goes, a harmonious family leads to prosperity, and a discordant home brings endless misfortune! Task issued: The host must improve relations with three family members to reach a positive affection level as soon as possible! Currently (1/3)... After completion, receive 3 points and a Newbie Gift Pack reward."
Ming Zhu...!!
Was this her first task?
Xiao Tiantian's voice came just in time, "That's right, host, super easy newbie tasks, and there's a Newbie Gift Pack too! Not every task comes with item rewards!"
"Oh, got it."
Ming Zhu decisively closed the interface, cutting off the System's rambling tendency.
Improve relations with three family members to positive affection levels! It's currently 1/3, and this one is undoubtedly Old Granny Zhang, her biological mother.
In other words, apart from Old Granny Zhang, everyone else in their hearts dislikes her.
Indeed, a lazy and good-for-nothing sister-in-law like her is repulsive.
With 12 family members currently present, and one positive score already, she needed to find two more people to improve relations with.
In the midst of the argument raging like a firestorm, Ming Zhu cleared her throat appropriately.
"Mother, sister-in-law has already admitted her fault. Let's be forgiving where we can. Dad and big brother have been working hard in the fields all day; they deserve to enjoy a good meal in peace, right? You should also take care of yourself. When I grow up and make something of myself, I want to provide you with the good life, with all the delicacies you could wish for. You have to stay healthy and not let little things upset you; damaging your health over such trifles just wouldn't do, would it?"
Old Granny Zhang felt as if her heart was coated with honey upon hearing this, and her mood instantly improved a lot.
There was no one more caring than her own daughter.
Ming Zhu helped Old Granny Zhang to sit down, "Come, Mother, sit. Have some egg drop soup to soothe your throat."
Old Granny Zhang finally showed a smile, "Zhuzhu, with you being so considerate, I already feel much better. I always say it, in this whole house, you are the one who loves your mother the most. Your brothers, on the other hand, they all forget about their mother as soon as they get wives, letting those women boss around even their mother-in-law."
"Please, eat up."
Ming Zhu personally tore up a bun to stuff Old Granny Zhang's mouth.
If she didn't plug her mouth, who knows what other hurtful things she might say.
Then, she gave Wang Yongfu and Lady Lin a meaningful glance, "Big brother, sister-in-law, please sit and have your meals too. A harmonious family is the foundation for a lasting and prosperous life, right?"
Everyone looked at Ming Zhu.
Usually, when Old Granny Zhang scolded the daughters-in-law, this little aunt would chime in and add fuel to the fire, wielding Old Granny Zhang's power. So why was she being so reasonable today?
Even her speech had become so polished.
A harmonious family is indeed the foundation for prosperity...
Who taught her these words?
Or was she saying it on purpose, with some more sinister plan in mind?
In any case, everyone was unused to it, filled with surprise and suspicion.
The children were not accustomed to such a gentle and soft-spoken little aunt, and even her biological father, Wang Laozhu, couldn't help but give Ming Zhu a few more glances.
With just these few words, Ming Zhu had quelled the family conflict.
But she still hadn't completed her task.
Ming Zhu thought about it; her prior image had probably been deeply ingrained in everyone's minds.
It was unlikely she could win hearts and turn a negative into a positive with just a few sentences.
After such a commotion, eating had lost its ambiance, and added to that, the meal was already sparse, with everyone just gobbling up their portion and finishing up.
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The couple from the main house took their three children back to the east wing room.
Wang Laozhu and his wife also went to take a nap.
Naturally, the task of cleaning up the table and dishes fell to Lady Jiang.
Only Ming Zhu was left at the table eating by herself.
And three little ones were playing nearby.
Ming Zhu decided that adults' favor was hard to earn, but children should be easy to bribe.
She tore her remaining, uneaten bun into three pieces and gave one to each of the three Little Beans.
"Jinhua, Jinpan, Jinshao, come here, your aunt couldn't finish her bun, so you can have it."
The three children immediately scattered in terror.
The youngest even burst out crying.
"Mommy, Auntie gave me something to eat, is Grandma going to scold me now..."
Ming Zhu... was thrown into disorder.
Was it really that difficult to increase friendliness?
Ming Zhu, annoyed, gave Lady Jiang a glance.
Lady Jiang trembled.
Throwing the bun onto the table, Ming Zhu said fiercely, "It's so disgusting, I can't eat it! I'm not eating any of it! Just take it and feed it to the dogs, hmph! Next time, make it tastier for me."
Now, Lady Jiang calmed down.
Stopped trembling.
She silently cleared away the dishes.
***
After leaving the kitchen, Ming Zhu decided to change her strategy targets.
Currently, the easiest ones to win over should be her immediate family members.
Her father, Wang Laozhu.
And her older brother, Wang Yongfu.
Since they shared blood ties, as long as she played the family card...
Wang Laozhu had the habit of taking a nap, like clockwork, and he should be sleeping at this time.
Ming Zhu headed towards the main house...
The main house occupied a large room in the east wing.
Ming Zhu had scripted the scenario: her older brother and sister-in-law were arguing, she would step in to mediate, then sympathize with her brother's hardships and her sister-in-law's difficulties, praise the three little nephews for their diligence and bravery...
And then, her brother's friendliness would be successfully harvested.
When she reached the entrance of the main house, she faintly heard Lady Lin's suppressed yet hysterical crying.
"You hit me, just kill me then, no, kill all four of us, you useless man, besides beating your wife and children, what else can you do? All these years I've been married to you, the children have grown so much, have I ever had a good meal? Not even a good meal, not even a full meal, do you only care about your own dear sister and not us four? Just kill us then..."
Wang Yongfu responded, "There's no such thing as a mother-in-law who is not at fault, but as a daughter-in-law, you should never talk back to your mother-in-law. You still get a bun every meal; look at Laosan's wife, she eats coarse rice soup every day without making a fuss. You're lucky to have even one bun. Laosan's wife surely does no less work than you."
Lady Lin cried, "Laosan's wife can't keep her man, whose fault is that? I'm eating my man's food, my sons' food. My man does the most work around here, my jar son, my pot son are all out working in the fields. My man is capable, my sons are grown, why should they not feed me well? I could go without, but my clay jar size son, only getting half a bun, how can he grow up strong? If he doesn't grow up strong, how can he find a good wife in the future?"
She was publicly and privately boosting Wang Yongfu...
Ming Zhu felt that Lady Lin was quite articulate.
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