Chapter 182: Enough Food
Three guests with special identities came to the Mo family. Everyone's reaction was a bit strange, but this did not affect the start of the banquet.
Liu Ji called Dalang and his four children, and sat at the same table with Liu Bo and the Mo family.
Qin Yao and the kitchen helpers served all the dishes first, and then sat together at a table in the corner.
The village chief and clan leader wanted to ask her to go to the main table, but after looking at the three people from the Mo family, they hesitated to speak, and finally let her go.
Old Mrs. Mo looked at her four grandchildren with pitying eyes, especially the twins, a boy and a girl, who were still young and had never seen their mother. As soon as the meat dishes were served, she quickly scooped a bowl of meatball soup for Sanlang and Si Niang respectively.
Dalang and Erlang looked at their father, and the three of them looked at each other. They felt like there were needles under their buttocks and they were very uneasy.
Ever since he brought the Mo family in, Liu Ji didn't dare to make any eye contact with Qin Yao. With his eyelids drooped, his thoughts were drifting to who knows where. No matter how sarcastic Mrs. Mo said, he didn't hear a word she said.
Seeing his stubborn look, Mrs. Mo already disliked him and felt even more depressed.
Brother Mo and Sister-in-law Mo were quite concerned about Dalang and Erlang, and asked many questions about the brothers' daily lives.
For example, what they ate at home, what they covered themselves with, whether they were beaten by their stepmother, etc.
The first question was easy to answer, but the second question startled the two brothers. They quickly looked towards the table in the corner, and saw that Qin Yao was busy eating and didn't hear it. They breathed a sigh of relief and shook their heads at their uncle and aunt, saying that they were not beaten by their stepmother.
But Brother Mo and Sister-in-law Mo didn't believe it. Because the brothers' shock just now and their subconscious look at Qin Yao made them think that they didn't dare to tell the truth because they were afraid of their stepmother, and they felt more sympathetic towards them.
Mrs. Mo touched their shoulders and said, "You look so pitiful. Why are you so thin? Don't you have enough food on weekdays?"
Erlang asked in reply, "Huh?" "Does my aunt have enough to eat every meal?"
Who in the countryside can have enough to eat every meal?
But they can indeed have enough to eat every meal.
Mrs. Mo twitched her lips in embarrassment and did not answer, because her family could only eat their fill during the harvest season.
Sanlang honestly held up three fingers and said, "We eat three meals a day!" He was so proud.
Brother Mo looked at Liu Ji and asked tentatively, "I heard that your family opened a workshop and made a lot of money. You also went back to the county academy to study. I didn't quite believe it at first, but it seems to be true?"
Liu Ji nodded with difficulty, fearing that the Mo family would misunderstand him, and immediately explained:
"The workshop is real, and it is also true that I went back to the academy to study, but the workshop was set up by Yao Niang, and she was the one who sent me to the academy."
Afraid that the three of them wouldn't understand, Liu Ji clasped his hands together and acted like a coward, "I, I'm just a gigolo."
So don't try to get money from his family, he doesn't have a penny!
It is said that no one comes to visit a temple for no reason. Liu Ji doesn't believe that the Mo family came just to see their nephew. If they were here a few years ago, they would have come a long time ago.
Unfortunately, they were never seen in the first few years, and Dalang and Erlang had never eaten a bowl of rice from their uncle's house.
Going back further, when the children's biological mother was still alive, whenever her family came, it was always Mrs. Mo who gave the children something to send back.
Even though he had wronged the Mo family in the past, compared to the Mo family, it was nothing.
Liu Ji looked at the three people opposite with suspicion, which made Brother Mo furious. "Who asked you to say these things? I didn't come here for your money. I knew you were a piece of scum that could not be used to fix a wall. It's just a pity for my sister. She died early, and now she has not enjoyed the good life at all!"
Mrs. Mo suddenly lowered her head and asked Dalang, "Have you dried the rice for your mother? Don't just focus on eating it yourself. Your mother hasn't had any yet. I'm wondering if you kids have a father and a mother now, but no one has taught you the rules?"
Dalang was stunned by what he said. He knew the rule that one should let the deceased elders wait for a while before eating.
But, this is someone else's banquet?
Seeing that Mrs. Mo was also looking over, Dalang put down his chopsticks before he could even put a bite of meat into his mouth, went down the table to find a bowl, and poured a bowl of meat soup alone and left it on the table to cool.
Mrs. Mo was finally satisfied, but the sadness in her eyes grew even stronger. "My poor daughter, my poor grandson, I don't know how much they have suffered over the years."
Liu Ji was in a state of panic, afraid that others would look at him, so he hurriedly said, "Please start eating, or the food will get cold if you don't eat it now."
The three members of the Mo family then stopped reminiscing about Mo.
Erlang and Dalang also breathed a sigh of relief as they finally got to eat a bite of the meatballs.
Si Niang held the bowl, not willing to eat here, she wanted to go find A Niang.
He slid down the long bench and ran to the table in the corner.
"Mom, I want to eat with you." The little girl opened her eyes wide and said expectantly.
Qin Yao nodded with a big mouthful of broth in her mouth, freed one hand, and lifted her to the empty seat next to her.
Si Niang immediately burst into laughter, pointing at the dishes on the table that she couldn't reach and acting like a spoiled child, "Mother, I want to eat this, I want to eat that, and there's also the shredded radish next to it."
Qin Yao was eating her own food while putting some food into her bowl at the same time, without delaying either.
The little girl filled her bowl, looking very satisfied. She sat obediently in her seat and ate with chopsticks without making any noise. She looked small, but the ladies at the same table, such as Mrs. Zhou, loved her to death.
When I turned around, I saw those naughty kids in my family standing at the edge of the table, refusing to sit down and insisting on playing for a while and then eating a bite. I was so angry that my teeth were itching.
Sister Zhou looked at Si Niang lovingly and said enviously, "Si Niang's rules are really good."
Qin Yao nodded in response and continued eating.
However, these good rules are not learned naturally. Without the parents' persistent correction and guidance, how can children of naughty age sit still?
Mrs. Zhou saw that the four children of the Liu family were becoming more and more adorable, and knew Qin Yao's hard work. She glanced at the Mo family, and fearing that Qin Yao was thinking too much, she patted her arm to comfort her silently, indicating that they supported her.
How could it be like what Old Madam Mo and the eldest brother and sister-in-law of the Mo family said?
But she knew why everyone said it was not easy to be a stepmother. You disciplined your children too strictly, and people said you were not good to the children.
If you don't discipline them, they will accuse you of having no conscience and of not wanting to see your stepchildren have a good life.
Anyway, they have their say, whatever the stepmother does is wrong.
Feeling the touch on her arm, Qin Yao raised her head from her rice bowl and asked Sister Zhou if there was anything wrong.
Facing such a pair of penetrating black pupils, Sister Zhou's words of comfort were stuck in her throat.
"Forget it, eat more. You're the one who cut all the food. You did the most work today, so you should eat more."
Qin Yao raised an eyebrow at Mrs. Zhou, "You guys eat too, there's plenty of food."
How could it not be enough?
Knowing her appetite, He specially served them twice as much food as others.