Hearing this rebuke, Qiao Xiong immediately showed a worried expression and forced a bitter smile, then turned around and called out, "Dad."
Hua Xiaomai observed his expression and felt puzzled; she turned around and saw a man in his sixties staggering into the backyard. Without uttering another word, he raised his Sichuan peppercorn walking stick and pointed at Qiao Xiong, berating him, "You useless thing! Approaching forty and still can't prioritize, becoming more useless as you age; it seems your hide is itching for another lesson!"
A thin man followed close behind, sticking to the corner of the wall as he slipped in, merely standing to the side without a word, occasionally lifting his head to sneak glances at Qiao Xiong.
"Dad, look at what you're saying ..." Qiao Xiong hurriedly approached with a smile, holding the elder's arm, "There are outsiders present, at least give me some face ..."
"Pah!" The elder spat in Qiao Xiong's face, "All you care about is your own face! I want to ask you, Old Zhao has been our cook for over a decade, always diligent and reliable, with no merit but certainly hard work; have you ever considered his feelings even for a moment?" He pointed at the thin man in the corner as he spoke.
Hua Xiaomai's gaze shifted among the individuals involved, realizing that this was likely the Qiao Family patriarch leading his trusted cook to seek justice for him. To scold his son like this in front of so many, Qiao's patriarch truly did not leave any face for Qiao Xiong.
Almost involuntarily, she turned her head to scrutinize the man called "Old Zhao."
Old Zhao appeared slightly older than Qiao Xiong, dressed in simple attire that looked neat from a distance, but upon closer inspection, one could easily see his dark blue thick clothing was covered with grease stains. The cuffs in particular, likely due to constant bustling around the stove, were polished bright with a hint of black, prompting anyone who looked to involuntarily frown.
Worse yet, his fingernails were long overdue for trimming, the crevices filled with grime, black and long. Hua Xiaomai was aware that people in this era were not as particular about hygiene, but regardless, using such hands to prepare food ... was perhaps not quite proper?
"Dad, listen to me," Qiao Xiong continued to negotiate in a softer tone with Qiao's patriarch, "Old Zhao has been a cook in our paper and incense shop for over a decade, never missing a meal. When mentioned, everyone would give him a thumbs-up! I merely thought that, as the shop's workers eat his cooking all year round, no matter how tasty, they might grow tired of it. So, I wanted to change things up. For the New Year, oh, to eat something good ..."
"Eat something good?" The patriarch's eyebrows shot up, looking as if he was ready to tear his son apart, "If we want to eat well, we should have brought dishes from the restaurants in the County as we did in previous years. What's the point in bringing in a little girl? Look at her, just look, she's small and thin, with a pale complexion; she can't handle cooking and stirring, and I doubt she could even hold a pot stable! By bringing her in, you are just mocking Old Zhao's skills!"
At these words, Hua Xiaomai's eyebrows arched.
The Qiao patriarch was Qiao Xiong's own father; even if he lambasted Qiao Xiong, it remained their family's affair and had nothing to do with others. Why should the blame be shifted onto her? This was a blatant personal attack!
Perhaps sensing her look, the Qiao patriarch glared and growled, "What, can't I even criticize you a bit? I have eaten more salt than you have rice, and crossed more bridges than you have walked roads. I'm scolding you for your own good, and you should listen respectfully!"
"What the elder says is true; I'm the junior here. If you're willing to give me advice, I'm more than happy to hear it." Hua Xiaomai curved her lips into a smile, deftly sidestepping the confrontation, then turned to Qiao Xiong, "Uncle Qiao, may I take a look inside the kitchen?"
"What do you need in the kitchen for?" Before Qiao Xiong could respond, Old Zhao from the corner was the first to call out.
"Yes, what do you want in the kitchen?" Sweat dotted Qiao Xiong's forehead, too preoccupied to wipe it away, he pulled Hua Xiaomai aside and said in a low voice, "My father is old, don't take his words to heart. I've personally tasted your cooking and trust you. Right now, we should hurry and finalize the menu; that's the crucial thing."
Hua Xiaomai replied with serene composure, "What does it matter if an elder criticizes me a bit? With your word, Uncle Qiao, I'm already content. However, I would still like to have a look at the kitchen. After all, I will be cooking there in a few days, and I'd like to familiarize myself with the environment."