Hua Erniang was originally smiling, but as soon as she heard this voice, the corners of her mouth immediately drooped, and her fingers quickly clenched onto a corner of the table, as if fire was about to spray out from those beautiful apricot eyes within a moment.
Jing Taihe's expression also stiffened, as he seemed somewhat reluctant to stand up. He turned his head and forced a smile at Hua Erniang, "I... I'll go take a look..." The tail of his last word was still trembling in the air as he quickly stepped out of the main room.
Hua Xiaomai watched his retreating figure, then turned back to look at Hua Erniang's expression, feeling a bit uneasy in her heart.
What was the situation now? Why did it seem like these two suddenly entered a state of combat readiness?
The footsteps were very chaotic, as if someone was whispering something lowly. Soon, the doorway of the main room darkened as Jing Taihe, supporting a stooped old crone, slowly stepped in, followed by two middle-aged men and women, around forty years old, with drooping corners of the mouth, and a resemblance to Jing Taihe.
Hua Xiaomai reacted very quickly and immediately realized that these were most likely Hua Erniang's in-laws coming to visit. She hurriedly stood up and slipped behind Hua Erniang.
Jing Taihe was an only son. Besides his parents, he also lived with a grandmother who was over sixty. Hua Erniang had been married to Fire Knife Village for three years, but she lived with Jing Taihe's family for less than a year before moving out with Jing Taihe to start their own home in a small courtyard at the west end of the village. During the time Hua Xiaomai transmigrated, Hua Erniang rarely mentioned her in-laws and never took the initiative to visit them. Only on the Winter Solstice Festival did she return with Jing Taihe for a visit, and after returning, she was so angry that she was fuming — which demonstrated that her relationship with Jing Taihe's parents and even Grandma was probably very tense.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, with the sudden visit from these three today, and Hua Erniang's expression as if facing a great enemy, the situation is probably not good!
Jing Taihe ushered his grandparents and parents into the house, rubbing his hands with a somewhat awkward smile, "Grandma, Dad, Mom, why have you come at this time? Have you eaten? You didn't give any notice beforehand. If I had known earlier, I could have asked... asked Erniang to cook more dishes. Right now, there's not much to eat at home..."
"Do I need to give notice before coming to my own son's house?" Jing's father stood coldly in the doorway as soon as he entered and did not look kindly at Jing Taihe, saying with irritation, "You really live more and more grandly as the days pass. In another two years, when I come here, will I need to send a formal invitation in advance?"
Jing's mother, without a word, first swept her gaze across the table. On seeing a dish of yams stewed with meat, she let out a snort and laughed scornfully, "I say, Taihe, you call this nothing to eat? You live so lavishly now, eating so well, but poor Grandma eats nothing but watery soup at home every day. A few days ago, she even fell ill. The doctor said it was because there's not enough oil and moisture in her food, and the old lady's body can't take it!"
Before she finished speaking, Grandma indeed pressed a hand against her stomach, grimacing and moaning, "Uncomfortable, the whole body is uncomfortable, hungry..."
"Grandma is ill?" Jing Taihe quickly looked down at the old woman beside him, "On the Winter Solstice, Erniang and I were at home, wasn't she still fine? How could she suddenly... Dad, Mom, Grandma, if you don't mind, please sit down and eat something with us. Xiaomai, quickly go and bring out three more sets of dishes and chopsticks!"
The atmosphere in the room was strange. Hua Xiaomai was dying to get out of there as soon as possible. Hearing Jing Taihe's order, she immediately darted into the kitchen. The Jing elders actually sat down at the table, and throughout the entire process, Hua Erniang always maintained the aura of being unmoved even if Mount Tai were to collapse in front of her, with drooping eyelids, not once lifting her waist.
As soon as Hua Xiaomai brought out the dishes and chopsticks from the kitchen, Jing's mother looked at her as if she had just noticed her existence and glanced at her like a tiny ant, "Is this Erniang's sister who fled the famine from her old home and came here for refuge? Is she fourteen yet? She doesn't look too healthy, all skin and bones—she doesn't have any sickness, does she?"
Bad intentions were evident! Hua Xiaomai felt the gaze like a knife shooting towards her, and she almost raised her hands in a blocking gesture, lifting the corners of her mouth in a faint smile, "Thank you for your concern, Madam. I'm quite well. I may look thin, but I'm actually very sturdy."
Hua Erniang had just picked up a piece of yam intending to put it in her mouth when she heard Jing's mother's words, and her movement suddenly froze, dropping the yam into the bowl with a "plop."
"What's wrong?" Jing's mother, skilled at reading people, immediately noticed Hua Erniang's reaction. Her brows slightly furrowed as she smiled sardonically, "I was just concerned about your sister's complexion, nothing more. It was all out of good intentions."