Chapter 433 - 167: Trivial Matters 2
Chapter 433: Chapter 167: Trivial Matters 2
"I-I don’t think you have bad bone structure, or the face of a treacherous official. It’s just that you’re too handsome, and I’ve heard that many officials in the Capital City... have broad tastes. I don’t have any great abilities, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to protect you in the future... Mmph..."
It would have been better not to explain at all. Those few words had thoroughly infuriated Zhao Jing.
As a result, he lost all desire to be gentle and cherish her that night, tormenting her relentlessly, inside and out.
When Chen Wanqing got up the next day, the spot beside her on the pillow was already cold. Zhao Jing was gone, and she didn’t know when he had left.
Chen Wanqing dressed and went outside, only to find the adjacent room was also quiet. De’an was not there either.
After asking an old woman who was sweeping, Chen Wanqing learned that the two young masters of the Wang Family had come to visit.
Chen Wanqing was surprised. ’Didn’t they just send a reply yesterday, saying they would welcome our family to their estate the day after tomorrow? How come they’ve come to the Zhao Family’s home before we even had a chance to visit them?’
Pondering this question, Chen Wanqing started walking toward the courtyard where Mrs. Zhao and Xiang’er were.
The mother and daughter were sitting in the courtyard, weaving decorative knots.
The sun was bright today, and the multiflora roses in the main courtyard were in full, fiery bloom. Paired with the clear blue sky and the chrysanthemums lined up by the steps, the scene was as beautiful as a painting.
Chen Wanqing approached them and said, "Why don’t you take a walk around the grounds? Mother, Xiang’er, don’t just sit there all the time. When you have a moment, you should get familiar with our new home."
"It’s too big. Our legs ache just from one walk around. Xiang’er and I walked about halfway around this morning. We had nothing to do after breakfast, so we decided to weave some knots to pass the time. Oh, Qing’er, are you hungry? The cook left some food for you on the stove. You should have a bite to eat first."
Chen Wanqing was indeed a little hungry. Working hard all night really takes its toll.
Thankfully, Mrs. Zhao was considerate and didn’t ask why she had woken up so late. Otherwise, Chen Wanqing would have been mortified.
The so-called cook in the house wasn’t a real cook. Privately, Chen Wanqing wanted to have the cook she had purchased in Qingshui County take over in the kitchen.
But the family couldn’t keep buying takeout, and while it would be fine to have the cook prepare meals for the family, having her cook for the servants as well might make them look down on their masters even more.
So, with no other choice, she had asked the four old women yesterday if any of them had a specialty dish.
And there was.
After all, these were women who had lived for thirty or forty years and had managed their own households. Who wouldn’t know their way around a kitchen?
Even if they couldn’t guarantee every dish would be delicious, they each had at least one or two specialties.
One of the women said that her husband and children had loved her wontons. Whenever she made them, her youngest child could eat a whole bowl.
Unfortunately, her husband and children had all died in a mudslide.
With nowhere else to go, she returned to her parents’ home. But they wanted to marry her off to a pig butcher who had beaten three wives to death. Fearing for her life, she packed her things and ran away. Later, finding she had no place to take shelter, she simply sold herself into servitude.
She had been a servant for over ten years. Although she usually ate from the communal pot, she would always make wontons to commemorate the death anniversaries of her husband and son, so she hadn’t lost her touch.
The wontons she ate this morning were made by this very woman.
And they were truly delicious.
While they were slightly inferior to those from the "Fresh Meat Wontons" shop in Qingshui County, the only reason was a lack of time—the high-quality broth hadn’t been simmered long enough.
If the woman were given enough time, she could surely make a bowl of wontons that was in no way inferior to those from the "Fresh Meat Wontons" shop.
As Chen Wanqing was taking small bites of her wontons, Mrs. Zhao timidly asked, "Qing’er, these two young masters from the Wang Family who are visiting today... are they married?"
Chen Wanqing choked, her face turning bright red as she coughed for a long time before she could stop.
Xiang’er also blushed crimson with embarrassment.
She persistently tugged at Mrs. Zhao’s arm, trying to get her to go back to her room.
"I’m still young, why are you talking about this? My sister-in-law is eating! Don’t startle her."
But Mrs. Zhao pleaded earnestly, her face etched with worry.
"You’re already fourteen! In the village, how many girls your age aren’t engaged yet? You have to compete for the sons from good families. If you don’t, you’ll be left with the rejects. And what’s so good about them? Would you even give them a second look?"
Xiang’er replied, "What’s wrong with them? My brother and sister-in-law were both ’leftovers,’ but look how well they’re doing. Back then, could you ever have imagined that one day you’d come to the Prefecture, live in a house this big, and even have maids and servants to wait on you? Oh, Mother, matchmaking is the Moon-Tying Elder’s job to worry about. If you have free time, just keep making clothes for my unborn nephew. Stop worrying about me."