Seeing that Wu Qiulan’s hand was about to grab Qiao Shu’s wrist, He Hong frowned slightly and hurriedly stood up from her seat. She walked to Qiao Shu’s side and blocked the other woman’s outstretched hand.
“Little Wu, if we have something to discuss, let’s just talk it out. We don’t do all this crying and sniveling. You crying like this in front of our Shushu—others might think our family did something to you.”
He Hong glanced indifferently at Wu Qiulan, whose eyes were red-rimmed and brimming with tears, looking utterly pitiable. She felt no fondness for her at all.
Originally, Wu Qiulan’s cooking was just average and didn’t suit their family’s tastes, but He Hong could tolerate that. After all, they didn’t have much desire for fine food.
Food was just something to fill the stomach.
Wu Ma had said her distant niece had a truly pitiful background, so He Hong thought she could lend a hand where she could and do a good deed.
But now, He Hong truly regretted it.
Wu Ma was a good person, but that didn’t mean her distant niece was.
Just like their cooking skills—they were on completely different levels.
Of course, the most important thing was that she had schemed against her own daughter-in-law!
Crying and playing pitiful in front of her daughter-in-law like this—if outsiders saw it, they might think Qiao Shu was bullying her.
Her daughter-in-law was so pure and kind-hearted. If she were really fooled by this calculating Wu Qiulan, that would be bad.
So, He Hong immediately decided that Wu Qiulan had to go!
No matter how her food tasted, someone with schemes who knew how to play pitiful absolutely could not stay!
“Auntie He… I, I’m sorry, it was my fault. I was just too anxious. You know, my whole family passed away early, and my younger siblings at home are still waiting for me to earn money to support them…”
Wu Qiulan wiped the tears from her face and looked toward He Hong and Qiao Shu with a wretched expression.
“I know my cooking might not match my aunt’s, but I’ll work hard. Please keep me on. Comrade Qiao, I’ll definitely make food that suits your taste. I beg you…”
Qiao Shu had already been in a bad mood because breakfast hadn’t been as good as usual. Now, seeing Wu Qiulan’s pitiful little white flower act made her feel like refusing would paint her as some heinous villain. This only soured her mood further.
She just thought, what kind of nonsense was this day? She wasn’t even interested in whether Wu Qiulan stayed or left. Even if the food didn’t suit her, she wouldn’t complain—after all, it wasn’t her paying the wages. If she got hungry, she could eat the delicious fruits grown in her Spirit Spring Space.
If only Wu Qiulan had spoken normally, without red eyes and sniveling, acting like Qiao Shu was firing her or bullying her.
If she had just been normal, Qiao Shu would have helped her.
After all, when He Hong had first asked if she wanted someone else to cook, she had wanted to refuse.
But before she could even open her mouth, Wu Qiulan had jumped in.
She didn’t even know what to say.
“Uh, well, I’m not the one paying your wages, so you don’t need to tell me this. And I didn’t think your cooking was bad. You’re actually pretty skilled—breakfast had so many varieties; you put in the effort.”
With that, Qiao Shu smiled at Wu Qiulan, then gracefully rose and left the dining room.
He Anning and Jiang Lekang, the two little ones, saw their little aunt leaving the dining room and hurriedly set down their bowls and chopsticks to follow.
However, as He Anning passed Wu Qiulan, she made an ugly face at her. “Your food just tastes bad! Even if you cry, it’s still bad! My mom said not everyone who cries is right!”
The little rascal even boldly said to He Hong, “Grandma, I don’t like her!”
“…”
Wu Qiulan was stunned by He Anning’s words. For a moment, she was at a loss—how come the tactics that worked at home didn’t work here???
Shouldn’t these people feel sorry for her after hearing her story, sympathize with her, and overlook her flaws? Even if her cooking was mediocre, they wouldn’t say anything???
In the past, working as a little nanny for wealthy families in the county town, using her pitiful act combined with her pretty, delicate looks, Wu Qiulan had lived comfortably.
This time, she had truly kicked an iron plate.
The Feng Family were all sharp-eyed and clear-headed, kind but not foolish. Even the ten-year-old ‘naughty little rascal’ He Anning had a clear mind, just like her mom and grandma, with an innate knack for spotting schemers.
So, Wu Qiulan’s usual tricks were utterly useless in the Feng Family. And because she had schemed against Qiao Shu, she had offended the entire family, old and young alike—she definitely couldn’t stay.
Thus, her beautiful plan to inherit her distant aunt’s job, earn double the wage from the county town, and find a high-ranking officer’s son in the Military District Compound as a match completely shattered.
“Little Wu, I’m truly sorry, but we can’t hire you. However, I heard about your difficulties from your aunt. Although you only cooked one meal for us, I’ll still pay you a full month’s wages.”
He Hong looked at Wu Qiulan with a smiling face. Though she didn’t like this scheming woman, her manners were impeccable.
Both her attitude and words were faultless.
Especially paying a full month’s wages—this seemed extremely generous to outsiders.
But Wu Qiulan, with her own little schemes, felt deeply dissatisfied. She had come all the way to the Capital, only to be dismissed by the Feng Family with a few words.
Still, she knew nothing she said would help now, and He Hong paying a full month’s wages left no room for complaint.
So, Wu Qiulan could only grab her luggage and leave in frustration.
Originally, He Hong thought this was the last time their family would see Wu Qiulan. However, she had underestimated the woman’s eight hundred schemes…
Once Qiao Shu learned that He Hong had fired Wu Qiulan, she felt her chance had come again!
But before she could once more suggest to her mother-in-law that she take over as the little cook,
He Hong swiftly found another ‘cooking auntie’ before lunch.
This new ‘cooking auntie’ was much more normal—a woman in her thirties or forties, plain-looking, and appearing especially honest and straightforward.
Her food didn’t taste as good as Wu Ma’s, but compared to Wu Qiulan, it was quite decent.
Most importantly, she had good character and was someone they knew well, so the whole Feng Family was satisfied.
Only Qiao Shu was not pleased.
However, before she could dwell on how to openly use Spiritual Spring Water to nourish the Feng Family’s bodies,
Another worry came knocking—that was—
“Huh? Sister, are you telling me to go on a blind date???”
Qiao Shu didn’t understand, but she was greatly shocked!