novelraw Chapter 515 : The Social Etiquette of the Countryside
Chapter 515 : The Social Etiquette of the Countryside
Chapter 515: The Social Etiquette of the Countryside
Su Ruochu hadn't expected that simply coming downstairs would cause such a big reaction from everyone.
Feeling the gaze of everyone scrutinizing her, Su Ruochu instinctively felt nervous and shy. She unconsciously moved closer to Chen Fan, her small hand tightly gripping his palm.
This girl is nervous.
Chen Fan found it amusing in his heart and secretly squeezed her palm, giving Su Ruochu an encouraging look.
Then he led Su Ruochu down the stairs.
"Dad, so many people came today, huh?"
Chen Jianye nodded with a smile, "Indeed, everyone came to see you two today."
Chen Fan took the opportunity to introduce Su Ruochu while holding her hand.
"Second Uncle, you came too?"
"This is Second Uncle. He lives right behind our house."
"Third Aunt, how's your health?"
"Uncle Song... Auntie..."
"Great-grandmother... Oh my, you came too, we should have been the ones visiting you..."
Chen Fan enthusiastically greeted people while introducing them to Su Ruochu.
There were too many people for Su Ruochu to remember, so she could only follow Chen Fan's lead and greet each person with a crisp voice.
"This girl is good. She's really pretty."
"City kids are different indeed, look how fair-skinned she is."
"Her voice is nice too. Just look at her face, she's definitely going to bring her husband good fortune..."
Hearing the group of elders chatting happily, Su Ruochu felt a bit embarrassed. She lowered her head and followed Chen Fan in greeting everyone. Finally, they came to the courtyard, where Chen Fan brought two stools, and they sat down in a corner.
"Oh, wait a moment."
Chen Fan whispered to Su Ruochu, then got up and went inside. He soon came out with a carton of Huazi cigarettes.
"Second Uncle, try one of these cigarettes."
"Uncle Song, have one too..."
Chen Fan opened the package and started distributing cigarettes to everyone.
"Oh my, these are good cigarettes, usually can't afford them."
"This kid is filial indeed."
"Hehe, we get to enjoy some luxury along with Jianye and his wife, let's see what these expensive cigarettes taste like."
Apart from a few elders who lit up on the spot, most of the others tucked the cigarettes behind their ears after receiving them.
They really couldn't bear to smoke such good cigarettes.
Seeing this, Chen Fan simply placed the entire carton of cigarettes on the table and opened a box to put aside.
Su Ruochu sat with Chen Fan in the courtyard for about half an hour.
She really couldn't understand the conversation of the villagers around her. Firstly, everyone was speaking in dialect, and secondly, she didn't understand the topics they were discussing. She had to maintain a constant smile on her face.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she gave Chen Fan a look and quietly got up to go to the kitchen to help.
But as soon as she entered the kitchen, Su Ruochu was startled again.
There were so many relatives, a group of women were preparing dishes here.
As soon as she appeared, all the chattering women looked up at her.
"Ah, Ruochu is here," Li Jinqiu greeted with a smile.
Su Ruochu had to muster up her courage and say, "Auntie, I... came to see if there's anything I can help with."
This made everyone laugh.
Someone teased, "This girl, you're already engaged, why are you still calling her auntie?"
"That's right, Xiao Fan's Mother, did your Chen family not give her the money for changing how she addresses you?"
The rural women chatted and joked, laughing heartily, which made Su Ruochu's face turn red with embarrassment, feeling like she wanted to disappear into the ground.
She had just gotten engaged to Chen Fan, and she had completely forgotten about the issue of how to address both sets of parents.
"Go on, go on, my daughter can call us whatever she likes. Get back to your work."
Fortunately, Li Jinqiu immediately came to her rescue.
She wiped her hands on her apron and walked over with a smile.
"Daughter, you don't need to help here. The kitchen is dirty, don't get your new clothes dirty."
Su Ruochu quickly smiled, "It's alright, I want to help with something. If the clothes get dirty, we can just wash them."
"Mom, what can I do to help?"
The word "Mom" made Li Jinqiu's heart bloom with joy, her face unable to hide her smile.
But she still said, "You should go sit outside with Chen Fan, we don't need help here."
Su Ruochu said softly, "I can't join in the men's conversation outside, I'd rather come here and chat with you, Mom."
These words really hit the spot for Li Jinqiu.
The more she looked at this daughter-in-law, the more satisfied she felt.
After trying to dissuade her a couple more times and seeing that the girl wasn't just being polite but genuinely wanted to help, Li Jinqiu stopped arguing.
"How about... you help me wash vegetables?"
"Sure."
Only then did Li Jinqiu take off her apron and tie it around Su Ruochu.
"The kitchen is messy, don't get your new clothes dirty."
Su Ruochu smiled, "It's fine, if they get dirty, I can just wash them when I get back."
Li Jinqiu even teased her daughter-in-law, "Let Xiao Fan wash them for you. If he can't get them clean, make him buy you new ones."
Seeing the harmonious relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, the group of women helping in the kitchen once again praised them with envious faces.
"Look at the daughter-in-law they found, not only beautiful and well-educated, but also voluntarily helps with the chores."
"My daughter-in-law isn't like that, she wouldn't even pick up a fallen soy sauce bottle."
"Ah, that's why we say Jianye and his wife are blessed, they're treating their daughter-in-law like their own daughter..."
Su Ruochu kept her head down, not knowing how to join the conversation, focusing on washing vegetables.
The second aunt specially brought a stool and plastic gloves, saying not to let her hands get soaked and damaged.
Su Ruochu shook her head with a smile, "Second Aunt, it's fine, I'm not that delicate..."
With just a few words and actions, Su Ruochu had left a good impression on everyone.
When she first entered the kitchen, she had been a bit worried, wondering if they would ask her to show off her cooking skills by frying a dish or something.
After all, her culinary skills... were really nothing to brag about.
Although she had later put effort into learning four dishes, if she were to actually cook in this situation, she might end up making a fool of herself.
But as soon as she entered the kitchen, Su Ruochu breathed a sigh of relief.
Because she found that all the women here were only responsible for picking and washing vegetables, while the actual cooking was being done by Chen Fan's uncle-in-law.
The second aunt explained with a smile, "Your uncle-in-law learned to be a chef for a few years when he was young. Although he doesn't do it anymore, his skills haven't diminished. Now, for any wedding or funeral in the village, they basically all invite him."
Su Ruochu smiled and added, "Then I'm in for a treat today, getting to taste uncle's cooking."
On the new daughter-in-law's first day, she was already busy helping in the kitchen, and everyone could see that Su Ruochu's vegetable washing and picking skills were very proficient, not at all like a pampered child who had never done housework.
This made everyone even more satisfied with this daughter-in-law from the city.
However, Su Ruochu only stayed in the kitchen for half an hour before Li Jinqiu "chased her out".
The reason was to let her go out and socialize more with Chen Fan and the other young people outside.
Li Jinqiu loved her daughter-in-law and naturally wouldn't really let her help here for long.
Often, what people look for is mainly your attitude.
Putting herself in their shoes, Su Ruochu had done impeccably. She naturally won everyone's approval.
Timidly carrying a washed tomato out, she found Chen Fan smiling at her in the courtyard.
"Got kicked out?" Chen Fan smiled as he took the tomato and took a bite.
Su Ruochu nodded a bit embarrassedly, "Auntie didn't want me making a mess in there."
Chen Fan leaned in and teased in a low voice, "You didn't tell them you're a master chef? You could have cooked something yourself and really impressed these rural women."
This made Su Ruochu's face turn red, and she wanted to kick him.
But there were too many people in the courtyard, so Su Ruochu held back.
She just glared at Chen Fan with charming eyes.
Just wait until there's no one around, you'll be in for it.