novelraw Chapter 249 - 96: Fee Standard (2)
Chapter 249 - 96: Fee Standard (2)
"Is there something you need?" Qin Mei’s clear voice was exceptionally cold.
"Fourth Wife of Jing, there’s no deep-seated hatred between us." Aunt Zhang placed the vegetables and meat she’d bought on the floor and sat down across from Qin Mei.
Qin Mei raised an eyebrow, glancing coldly at Aunt Zhang. "It’s not like we have a blood feud. It’s just that you can’t stand me, and I can’t stand you."
Aunt Zhang took a deep breath and said, "Fourth Wife of Jing, let’s bury the hatchet and get along."
Qin Mei wondered if she was hearing things. ’Get along? Her and Aunt Zhang? Was that even possible? Clearly not.’
’Whether people can get along depends on a certain chemistry, and first impressions are especially important. Her first meeting with Aunt Zhang had been anything but harmonious.’
Qin Mei’s eyes were devoid of emotion, her gaze filled with scrutiny. ’What game is Aunt Zhang playing? Showing up to call a truce out of the blue... If it’s not a scheme, it’s a trap.’
"Mrs. Zhang, you couldn’t be craving Second Granny’s dumplings, could you?" A faint trace of mockery surfaced in Qin Mei’s eyes. She was doing it on purpose, wanting to test Aunt Zhang.
At her words, Aunt Zhang rolled her eyes, glancing toward the kitchen out of the corner of her eye. "Me, crave *her* dumplings? What a joke! If I want dumplings, can’t I just make them myself? It’s not like I don’t know how."
"Jing Qi says Second Granny’s dumplings are the best," Qin Mei said evenly, though she was sneering inwardly.
"Jing Qi also says my dumplings are the best. She loves my dumplings the most," Aunt Zhang said with a smug expression.
"Then tell me, why doesn’t Jing Qi like your dumplings anymore?" Qin Mei asked.
"Because..." Aunt Zhang’s voice stopped abruptly. Her face fell, her eyes filling with wariness. "Are you testing me?"
"Aunt Zhang, you’re the one who came to me for a truce. I don’t know why you’ve suddenly decided to do this. A person like you thinks everything through carefully before acting. I don’t know what kind of scheme you’re plotting, I don’t want to know, and frankly, I’m not interested. But let me give you some advice: don’t covet what isn’t yours. Do more good and less evil. Maintain the status quo, and you can keep working for the Jie Family. But the moment you get any funny ideas, you’ll be kicked out of the Jie Family." Qin Mei’s voice wasn’t loud, but it held an undeniable authority.
Aunt Zhang’s heart sank, and her face twitched. Qin Mei’s gaze was too sharp, as if it could see through everything. "I’ve worked diligently for the Jie Family for over twenty years. How long have you been married to Jing Si? Hmph! I took the initiative to make peace with you for my brother-in-law’s sake. My brother-in-law wants the family to get along, but you encouraged Jing Si to split from the family..."
"Aunt Zhang," Qin Mei interrupted unhappily. "Splitting from the family was Jing Si’s idea. I didn’t encourage him, and I’m not taking the blame for it."
"Hmph!" Aunt Zhang snorted coldly and said with disdain, "Whether it was Jing Si’s idea or yours, you know perfectly well."
Aunt Zhang gave up on making peace. She understood Qin Mei’s attitude now. Although there was no blood feud between them, trying to get along was simply unrealistic.
Aunt Zhang stood up, picked up the vegetables and meat, and went to the kitchen.
Qin Mei raised a hand and rubbed the bridge of her nose. ’Aunt Zhang wouldn’t pull a stunt like this for no reason.’ She had a vague feeling Aunt Zhang was plotting something. As long as the woman didn’t target Jing Qi or Jie Jingchen, Qin Mei could stand by and watch. ’But besides Jing Qi and Jie Jingchen, that only leaves me as a target.’
’What on earth is Aunt Zhang trying to do?’
For the moment, Qin Mei couldn’t figure it out. ’Whatever,’ she thought. ’I’ll just deal with whatever she throws at me and counter her moves as they come.’
At lunchtime, the dumplings were ready. Second Granny came out to call Qin Mei and Jing Qi to eat.
In the kitchen, at the dining table, Jing Qi was ecstatic. Seeing how happy Jing Qi was, Qin Mei decided to make sure she could have dumplings at least once a day. Qin Mei didn’t know how to make them, but she could buy them.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, hurry and try one! Second Granny’s dumplings are really delicious," Jing Qi mumbled, her mouth full.
Qin Mei felt the urge to tease her. ’Jing Qi loved dumplings so much she thought any dumpling was delicious. As for me, I don’t like dumplings, so it doesn’t matter who makes them.’
Qin Mei ate one, and her eyes lit up. She gave Second Granny a thumbs-up and couldn’t stop praising them.
Second Granny had made the filling, and Granny Yu had rolled the wrappers. The wrappers were thin and generously stuffed; they were absolutely delicious.
Jing Qi ate twenty dumplings, while Qin Mei had ten. Second Granny and Granny Yu also ate a fair share. They had made a huge batch, so there were still a lot left over. Qin Mei did a quick mental count. With only her, Jing Qi, and Jie Jingchen for dinner, there was no way they could finish them. In this weather, the leftovers would go bad by the next day. So, Qin Mei told Second Granny to take them home to her children.