Rebirth of an abandoned woman

Chapter 12: Turbulence on the Dinner Table

"This knowledge doesn't deserve the attention, but I hope that Mother will not take it too lightly!" Sang Wan smiled and gently explained the cooking process.

As Wang Shi listened, she praised Sang Wan and held her hand with her own hands. "You've done well to come up with such a recipe! I'd expect nothing less from a daughter of a scholarly family; a mind different from many others!"

Wang Shi was extremely pleased to have such a good daughter-in-law married into the family. She thought about when she should invite Lady Zhuang over to enjoy her flower garden. At the same time, she would introduce Sang Wan to her and wrong her for mocking the ties between the Shi family and the Sang family.

The thought gave her a better impression of Sang Wan. Feeling more satisfied, she praised her daughter-in-law a few more times.

On her other side sat Gu Fangzi, who was extremely angry. Just recently, she had gotten wind of a great way to prepare bean curd with mahogany and was planning to cook it two days after Sang Wan had gotten into trouble with Wang Shi for the winter melon soup. However, things did not go her way; the winter melon soup was not served and Sang Wan was instead praised by her aunt. How did Sang Wan learn to cook the dish the exact same way as what she had discovered? And what's more, Sang Wan had even beaten her to it!

Holding back her bitterness, Gu Fangzi remained silent. But upon seeing Wang Shi praise Sang Wan generously, Gu Fangzi blinked a few times before smiling. "Cousin-in-law Sang Wan sure is both virtuous and skilfull! Aunt Wang is right. None other than her filial daughter-in-law would have been able to come out with such a method to cook the dish that can please you! Still, did the winter melon soup happen to splatter on Cousin-in-law Sang Wan?"

The crowd could not help but turn their attention to Sang Wan, and Shi Fengju was no exception. Concerned, Shi Fengju asked, "Were you hurt anywhere?"

Before anyone else could speak, Gu Fangzi continued, jokingly saying, "Ah yes. Cousin-in-law Sang Wan, were you hurt anywhere? It would break my cousin's heart if you were!"

The broad smile on Wang Shi's face immediately turned slightly sluggish.

Sang Wan did not feel anything amiss at first, but upon glimpsing Wang Shi's annoyed expression, she was taken aback! No mother liked to see her son express his explicit concern towards his wife in front of her, even though that "explicitness" was Gu Fangzi's own implication.

Shi Fengju secretly chided himself for being talkative and immediately clamped his mouth shut. Helplessly, he looked towards Gu Fangzi and managed a smile.

To Wang Shi, that smile undoubtedly represented his agreement with Gu Fangzhi's comment, and she could not help but feel a little annoyed.

Although Sang Wan was her son's wife and Gu Fangzi was her son's would-be concubine, Gu Fangzi was still her niece, who had been by her side for many years. As such, her heart was somewhat biased against Sang Wan. For her son to cast aside his cousin, whom he had spent lots of time with, and pay so much attention to his wife, who had recently married into the family, how could she feel pleased?

Sang Wan intentionally pasted a foolish smile on her face. Looking towards Shi Fengju, she spoke. "Sir, no need to worry; I wasn't hurt anywhere! Anyway, I promise to prepare another bowl of winter melon soup for mother-in-law! Sir sure is filial, to remember in mother-in-law's stead that if I were injured, I would not have been able to prepare another winter melon soup! Mother-in-law, be at ease, for your daughter-in-law shall prepare and serve winter melon soup personally tomorrow and guarantees that it'll taste better than the one before!"

Once Sang Wan said her piece, Wang Shi immediately laughed and the tiny seed of annoyance disappeared.

"The days ahead for you as a member of our family are long. Though I'll remember this, the thought is enough for now. You have your homecoming tomorrow, so I'll not trouble you." Though the words Sang Wan had spoken might have been a little exaggerated, it would not stop her mother-in-law from listening; or rather, it was something she liked hearing! And as for what Gu Fangzi had said just then, wasn't it all just something she had said jokingly?