Back To The 80s: President's Doted Wife

Chapter 9: Chapter 9 The Profligate Daughter-in-law

Cheng Su did as her mother-in-law instructed, moving the dishes to the dining table and setting the meal. Looking at the bowls of white rice shaped like roosters and the several plates of food, she couldnʼt help but chuckle to herself.

She never imagined that just yesterday she was enjoying a delicate steak in a hotel, and today, dressed in a traditional Dacron suit as befit her era, she, as a new bride, was preparing soups and washing hands for the Qi family.

She didnʼt even feel anything odd about it, as if in a past life, she had done this before, so she found nothing unbelievable about it.

Could it be that in just one day, her identity and role had already mentally transformed?

How strange lifeʼs circumstances could be.

Cheng Su looked at her hands, not as slender and well-maintained as in her previous life. Would these hands continue to act as a daughter-in-lawʼs hands, washing clothes, cooking meals, and taking care of housework and her in-laws?

She suddenly felt a wave of despondency, recalling a Japanese drama where a man said to his date, ”I hope you donʼt work, stay at home full-time as a housewife, respect your parents, manage the household, have children...” and the female protagonist simply replied, ”I can do that all by myself!”

Indeed, getting married, serving the in-laws, treating oneself like a nanny—if marriage was like that, it would be better to be alone!

So, in her time, many single persons of privilege, like her, preferred to remain single rather than settle. But in this era, not getting married wasnʼt an option!

Cheng Su shook her head, casting out the thoughts from her mind. Now, her status was as another manʼs wife.

”What is all this?” a voice exclaimed, interrupting Cheng Suʼs musings.

Turning her head, she saw the astonishment on her mother-in-lawʼs face, along with the schadenfreude of her younger sister-in-law.

What is it? Itʼs the meal, what else could it be?

”Eh, it looks pretty good, smells good too. Iʼm starving. Letʼs all sit down and eat!” Father Qi walked in, eyes smiling as he spoke.

”I saw some cabbage and radishes in the kitchen, so I made these dishes. There isnʼt much meat, but we can buy some tonight to cook!” Cheng Su thought Mother Qi was complaining that there were too few dishes prepared.

”Cook what? Werenʼt there a lot of leftovers from yesterdayʼs banquet? Why didnʼt you heat them up and serve them?” Mother Qiʼs face darkened.

Cheng Su said, ”Those? I threw them out.”

”Threw them out? Where did you throw them?” Mother Qiʼs expression changed.

Cheng Su felt somewhat perplexed and replied, ”I threw them into the slop bucket for feeding pigs. They had gone sour, were unfit to eat, so I threw them away.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than Mother Qi rushed out like a gust of wind, nearly sweeping Cheng Su off her feet.

”Big sister-in-law really takes drastic measures, throwing out so much food to feed the pigs? Tsk tsk...” Qi Fengpingʼs eyes sparkled with malicious joy.

Cheng Su, amused, retorted, ”If itʼs already spoiled, should I have served it to you, little sister-in-law? Youʼre not afraid of a stomachache, but Iʼm afraid youʼd blame me for harming you!”

”You!” Qi Fengping turned beet red with indignation.

Cheng Su turned away and faced Qi Taiguo, who frowned. She asked, ”Surely you donʼt think I shouldnʼt have thrown it out, do you?”

”Didnʼt you ask Mum before doing it?” Qi Taiguo knew his motherʼs frugal nature and now, with Cheng Su having thrown away a whole plate of food, he feared his mother would be furious. It seemed too wasteful.

”Should I even have to ask about that? If the foodʼs spoiled, what else am I supposed to do?” Qi Taiguoʼs remark left Cheng Su astounded. Surely he didnʼt expect them to eat it?

As she pondered this, her mother-in-law came storming back in, yelling and pointing at Cheng Su, ”Oh, the misfortune! How could the Qi family be saddled with such a wasteful daughter-in-law!”