This Life, I'm Raising the Right Man
Chapter 38: Testing the Waters

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Testing the Waters

Su Yaoguang cooked braised pork, sweet and sour ribs, steamed egg custard, and also made a mushroom soup.

With these delicious dishes on the table, Zhang Zhaodi, who was used to being thrifty, felt distressed.

"Mom, Wang Shu and I earned eight taels of silver, you don’t have to worry about not having enough money to spend. We’ll earn more silver. Eat up, eat plenty. You’ve become so gaunt, you need to nourish yourself well."

She kept serving Zhang Zhaodi food, and soon, Zhang Zhaodi’s small bowl turned into a small mountain.

Zhang Zhaodi lightly tapped her hand back with chopsticks, and said irritably: "Do you think I’m a pig? Eating so much. Stop serving me food, I’ll get angry if you do it again."

Saying that, she divided the food in her bowl between Zhou Wangshu and Su Yaoguang, leaving only a piece of braised pork and a piece of sweet and sour ribs. The egg custard was too tender, already mixed with the rice.

She looked at Zhou Wangshu and asked: "Yaoguang said you earned money, did you sell those rouges and powders you made earlier? People actually bought those things, and you earned eight taels?"

Zhou Wangshu nodded earnestly: "It’s true. Yaoguang wouldn’t lie to you. I went with Yaoguang, she was amazing, even helped the lady boss sell clothes and earned a bonus. We sold more than twenty boxes, still have more than forty boxes unsold. After coming back, we made some more, though they’re not ready yet. Once they are, we’ll take them to the town."

Zhang Zhaodi held Su Yaoguang’s hand, rubbed the calluses on her fingers, her nose tingling: "My daughter is more capable than her mother."

"Mom, I’m not as capable as you." Su Yaoguang hugged her, "I haven’t given birth myself, haven’t done laundry when in postpartum confinement, haven’t carried a newborn baby up the mountain to dig wild vegetables... Mom, when your daughter was little, I couldn’t help you, but not anymore. We mother and daughter will always be together, and our days will only get better."

"Nonsense, who wants to be with you forever? You have Wang Shu, you’ll be with him every day in the future." Zhang Zhaodi chided with a smile.

Someone knocked on the courtyard door.

Hearing the knocking, the tender moment between mother and daughter made Zhang Zhaodi and Su Yaoguang reluctant to open the door.

This knocking wasn’t unfamiliar to them, it always meant unwelcome visitors.

But the knocking continued relentlessly, if it went on, it would disturb the neighbors, so they had to open the door and drive the person away.

Zhou Wangshu stood up: "I’ll go take a look."

Su Yaoguang and Zhang Zhaodi wiped away their tears, composing themselves. They hadn’t even finished tidying up when they heard Zhou Wangshu’s angry voice from the gate.

"What are you doing here?"

"I’m Zhang Zhaodi’s mother-in-law, Su Yaoguang’s grandmother, this is my eldest son’s house, why can’t I come in?" Grandma Su strode into the courtyard.

Just a few steps, and her knee hurt, she kneeled on the ground.

"Ah..." Grandma Su winced in pain, her face pale.

Zhou Wangshu frowned: "What is this old lady here for? It’s so late, aren’t you resting at home, coming here to cause trouble, do you want to drink gutter water too?"

Grandma Su’s expression changed drastically: "Nonsense, old lady isn’t here... Fine, I came because I heard Lady Yaoguang was back, to see her."

Recalling the purpose of her visit, Grandma Su reined in her anger a bit. She almost forgot the main reason for being here. She was always arrogant and hadn’t adjusted her attitude yet.

Come to think of it, this Su Yaoguang indeed had grown wings, getting bolder. Previously, like Zhang Zhaodi, she wouldn’t dare rebuke, and whatever she fancied at their home, she took. Now the girl had become wily, even starting to guard her food.

But then again, this widow and orphan depended on that bit of midwifery income to live, if she didn’t guard her food, she’d run out of it soon. Looks like she’s at the end of the rope, thus becoming desperate.

If she’s at the end, then she should be obedient and marry Mutou. As long as she marries him, at least she won’t starve. Mutou’s family only has him, have a son, wouldn’t Mutou’s things become hers?

"Mom, what made you think of visiting me today?" Zhang Zhaodi came out.

Grandma Su looked at Zhang Zhaodi and said: "Was the delivery smooth this time?"

"Why is mom suddenly concerned about my work?" Zhang Zhaodi said, "Could it be you know our life is hard and want to help us?"

"I know it’s not easy for you, but it’s not easy for your father-in-law and me either. With Yaoguang’s father gone, I can only rely on the second and third sons. The third son is always in town, we hardly see him once a year. Only the second son’s family gives me some hope. We have five mouths to feed, life is harder for us."

Help them? In her dreams.

Even if she couldn’t finish it, she’d rather feed it to chickens or dogs than give to these jinxes and burdens.

"Since that’s the case, what are you asking me for? The employer was stingy, despite all I did, I didn’t receive any delivery money." Zhang Zhaodi said angrily, "I’m tired, want to rest early, if mom doesn’t have anything important, please go home."

"What did you cook here, smells good. Since I’m here, I might as well have a meal, haven’t eaten at your place for a long time."

Grandma Su said, walking inside.

Su Yaoguang blocked her way.

"Grandma, you slipped earlier, you better go rest soon! If it gets dark, the road will be hard to walk."

Seeing her face, Grandma Su felt uneasy.

She glanced at the table in the hall, only seeing some soup, nothing much else.

Could it be another family made something tasty?

Then how did this fragrance waft here, so strong it made the tongue crave it?

Seeing nothing to gain and unable to glean any information, Grandma Su didn’t want to stay in this gloomy place, turned and left.

As she left, Zhou Wangshu quickly closed the door.

Zhang Zhaodi gave Su Yaoguang a thumbs up: "Daughter is still clever, prepared the mushroom soup in a bowl to deal with her."

Su Yaoguang got out the hidden food and arranged it, saying to Zhou Wangshu and Zhang Zhaodi: "If she didn’t leave soon, the braised pork would have gone cold. Quick, eat, or it won’t taste as good."

"Why did she come?" Zhang Zhaodi asked, "Just to ask if I got paid?"

"She’s probing, seeing if you’ve encountered any issues. Mom, I thought it was just bad luck meeting a bad employer, now it seems there’s more to it."

"You mean the Feng family set a trap in collusion with your grandma?" Zhang Zhaodi said angrily, "If that’s the case, I won’t let them off."

"Mom, do you want to completely break free from their family?" Su Yaoguang said.

"Even if your father is gone, you are still their Su Family’s blood, how can we break away? Unless I remarry, but I won’t betray your father."