"If you want to use me to exchange for those two acres of land, at least treat me better! Let our mother have enough to eat!" Lady Fang was sent away to look after Pei Wenbo's pigeons, and although there was still food to eat, Pei Qin didn't want to clash with Lady Zhu again.
Lady Zhu's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
Old Pei looked at Pei Qin ominously, then turned his gaze to Lady Zhu, signaling her to give a fair share.
Lady Zhu reached out for the other half.
"Don't trouble yourself!" Pei Qin stretched out her hand herself, grabbed four wowotou, placed them in a large bowl, then took another bowl, scooped up half of the stir-fried green beans, and walked away, calling Pei Wenbo, San Ya, and Si Ya, "Let's go! To the kitchen to eat!"
Lady Zhu was about to explode with rage and lifted her foot to chase down the four wowotou.
"Eat!" Old Pei shouted angrily.
"Old man… our food supplies are not plentiful," Lady Zhu complained. "Eating like this, we won't even make it to the New Year. What do we do after that? Are we all going to survive on air?"
Old Pei didn't say anything, took his chopsticks and wowotou, sat at the table, and was so angry he could barely eat.
"Dad! Mom! Da Ya, that wretched girl..." Lady Chen's eyes reddened as she prepared to tattle again, adding fuel to the fire.
Old Pei gave her a stern glance as if to say that if it weren't for Wenli's exam, he wouldn't have to put up with being scolded!
Lady Chen pursed her lips and fell silent.
Pei Wenbo, lacking tact, continued to grumble unsatisfiedly, urging for his pigeon meat and lost interest in the wowotou, insisting on going down to the kitchen to check on his roast pigeon.
Lady Fang was plucking the pigeon, which still needed a while before it could be roasted.
Lady Zhu came over and told him to hurry back to finish the meal, "or it will get cold!"
Old Pei did not allow anyone to delay their meal until after mealtime, except during the busy farming season or in a case of an unexpected event that couldn't be helped.
Lady Chen also called Pei Wenbo, saying the pigeon was small and wouldn't be filling just by itself, urging him to eat his meal first.
Pei Wenbo was called back to the main room to eat.
Pei Qin pulled Lady Fang aside, handed her chopsticks, and told her to eat while she called San Ya to stoke the fire. She then took over the pigeon, made a cut with a knife, and skinned the pigeon neatly, removing the skin and feathers in one piece.
She then sliced the pigeon meat into pieces and put them on a metal grill to roast.
"Big sister, what are you doing?" Si Ya felt a sinking feeling of foreboding.
Pei Qin picked up a slice of meat with chopsticks, blew on it vigorously, and stuffed it into her own mouth. It was a bit hot, but it was already cooked. She then picked up another slice, blew on it, "Open your mouth!" and directly stuffed it into Pei Wendong's mouth.
Pei Wendong was startled and cried out about the hot pigeon meat, afraid to eat it.
Lady Fang looked worried and said, "Qinqin! This pigeon… if we eat it, there will be trouble again later."
"Do you want to eat meat?" Pei Qin asked Pei Wendong. "If you do, tell the truth!"
Pei Wendong was afraid to speak but cautiously nodded his head.
"If you want to eat, then eat!" Pei Qin shared the roasted pigeon meat with San Ya and Si Ya and added a piece on top of Lady Fang's wowotou.
The pigeon meat wasn't greasy since it was only brushed with a bit of salt water, but it was incredibly delicious for Pei Wendong, who hadn't tasted meat in a long time. Especially since the pigeon meat was easy to chew and swallow after being lightly roasted.
Meanwhile, Pei Wenbo was fixated on the pigeon meat and, not having finished his meal, ran over to check. Seeing the meat nearly all sliced off, and Pei Qin stuffing a piece into Pei Wendong's mouth, he roared, "You're eating my pigeon meat?!"