Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!

Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Realization Came a Bit Late_1

Zhulan saw Lady Li grasp the meaning so quickly, her eyes brimming with laughter. Lady Li’s response time had grown faster. Not bad, not bad.

Lady Dong kept pressing a handkerchief to the corner of her mouth, but the laughter came through regardless. She found that the conversation between her mother and sister-in-law was even more entertaining than any script!

Ming Rui laughed heartily with a special cheer. Holding Ming Rui, Zhulan teased him as he watched Lady Li making a wrinkled bun face, ”Come on, say ’Grandma,’ ’Grandma.’”

Ming Rui was a smart kid. He wouldn’t repeat any terms of address you teased him with again.

Despite that, Ming Rui wouldn’t speak. He clapped his little hands, delightedly joyful, and Zhulan tapped the little guy’s nose, ”Your whole family is full of little clever spirits.”

Lady Li sat gloomily to the side, watching her daughter entertain herself, growing even more disheartened. How had this girl inherited her father’s disposition instead of her own? She was not at all like how she had charmed her mother-in-law. Then she looked at the younger son’s kid, who had learned to make his grandma laugh so quickly. The mother-in-law was right; that younger son’s whole family was full of little clever spirits.

Lady Dong reached out, ”Mother, let me hold him.”

Zhulan handed him over, ”He’s quite heavy.”

Lady Dong carefully took him in her arms. She loved children, but regrettably, her nephews and nieces didn’t live with her and weren’t close. After all, she and her sister were not close either. Her sister had already married for the first time before she was even born. When her sister married a second time, they became even more distant; her sister didn’t visit home often, so there wasn’t much affection there. The most reliable relationship was the one with the same parents.

Therefore, she was reluctant to visit her sister’s mansion. It wasn’t just because her husband was a commoner, but also because the large age gap between the sisters meant they couldn’t find common ground in conversation.

Zhulan watched as Lady Dong played with the child. Lady Dong was patient, and Zhulan thought that Chang Lian was really lucky. A virtuous wife could benefit three generations of descendants; Chang Lian had indeed found himself a treasure.

Seeing her mother enjoying playing with the child, Lady Li couldn’t help but touch her stomach, wondering if her long efforts had borne fruit.

By lunchtime, Zhou Shuren still hadn’t returned, which made Zhulan feel certain that if he hadn’t passed the examination, he would have come home early. His staying away meant he probably did.

Lady Li had grown shrewder, showing a broad grin. She finally felt in the mood to fuss with the trellises for her vegetables.

In the afternoon as it grew dark, Zhou Shuren returned with Rongchuan and Mingyun.

Zhulan was holding up a pot of hot wine, ”Look, I especially had our second son go buy some good wine, and it’s all warmed up now, just waiting for you all to come back for dinner!”

Zhou Shuren rolled up his sleeves, ”Let’s go wash our hands first; you go inside, it’s strangely cold out here.”

”Right!”

Zhulan placed the wine on the men’s table and resumed her own seat. To celebrate the first piece of good news since arriving in Pingzhou, each household had taken some silver from their private funds to add a dish. Lady Li bought soy sauce pig’s trotters from the tavern; Zhao’s family asked the second Zhou son to buy some bok choy and chives from the market; Lady Dong, being the wealthiest, was the most generous and bought a whole stewed goose. One large basin was divided into two smaller ones for two tables, both bowls packed with prominent pieces.

Zhulan couldn’t help but swallow; the fragrance of the stewed goose was irresistible. Unfortunately, no one in the nearby villages back home raised them. Geese were more common in the south, while northerners preferred raising ducks and chickens. Of course, there were some geese in the north, but very few, because goslings were too delicate and difficult to raise with the drastic temperature changes. Gradually, fewer people did.

Zhulan had eaten goose twice in the ancient world: once in Pingzhou when Zhou Shuren brought it home from a tavern, and another time at a county tavern. Since moving to Pingzhou, she had been thinking about when she could have it again and had not expected Lady Dong would buy it.

The stewed goose was famous, yes, but the price was also breathtaking, half a tael of silver for one dish—so expensive!

Once Zhou Shuren washed his hands and entered, he immediately spotted the goose. He was also tempted. The ancient world had no shortage of great chefs; every tavern had a chef with unique skills, and stewed goose was a signature dish. He had tried two taverns’ versions, and both were excellent.

Zhou Shuren sat down and said, ”Tomorrow, Rongchuan and Mingyun will be going to the Academy. We were late today because they were sitting in on classes. Alright, let’s start dinner!”

Zhou Shuren picked up some goose meat with his chopsticks, his eyes fixated on a particularly meaty piece. He never enjoyed gnawing on bones when eating goose, preferring to savor the meat bits. After all, with so much meat on a goose, eating just the flesh was truly satisfying.

Ever since Big Brother Zhou realized he had come to understand another side of his father privately, watching his father quickly pick up pieces of meat, he inexplicably lost his fear. His mind impulsively chose a piece to put in his father’s bowl, ”Dad, this piece is really chewy. Try it.”

Zhou Shuren stared at the goose wing base in his bowl. It was fresh meat, and certainly delicious, but not easy to chew. He thought to himself, Big Brother really has no discernment, didn’t he see that I only pick the flesh to eat?

Zhou Second Brother didn’t understand what had got into Big Brother, only knowing that Dad liked eating meat. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t rescue Big Brother.

Zhou Shuren sipped his wine, ”Big Brother ah!”

Big Brother Zhou responded, ”.....Dad.”

Intuition told him that Dad’s private sharp tongue was directed at Mom, and had nothing to do with him. Dad was still Dad, it was just a pity that he had come to understand this a bit too late.

Zhou Shuren smiled, ”Look at Mingyun, he’s entered the Academy, and by this winter Ming Teng should also go. You’re the father of two children, and you’ve also been diligently studying for a long time. Today, Dad is happy, so taking this opportunity, let’s have a test. Come, compose a poem about the goose wing base.”

”Cough cough.”

Chang Lian choked on his wine, wishing he hadn’t watched the drama while drinking; it was harmful to oneself. Seeing Dad looking over, he quickly lowered his head, deeply fearing Dad would drag him into it too.

Chang Zhi looked at Dad with an indescribable expression, admiring how Dad could come up with such an idea. A poem about a goose wing base? He wouldn’t do it even if it killed him!

Rongchuan stared down at the rice in his bowl, thinking how today’s buns definitely made his older sister-in-law happy as the amount of white flour mixed in was more than usual.

Mingyun opened his mouth but then closed it. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help Dad, it was just that Grandpa was obviously disciplining Dad. It was fine for a father to discipline his son, but as a grandson, it was better for him to keep quiet.

Zhulan continued to gnaw on the goose, entertained by the spectacle. Zhou Shuren didn’t like gnawing bones, but she enjoyed it. While her teeth were still in good condition, she had to gnaw as much as possible!

Big Brother Zhou’s face turned red with effort. How was he supposed to compose a poem? Indeed, even if it were a complete goose, he wouldn’t be able to compose a poem. He had read quite a few books, but poetry was just too difficult for him.

Zhou Shuren asked, ”Can’t make one up?”

Big Brother Zhou admitted, ”.....Yes.”

Zhou Shuren put the wing base from his bowl into Big Brother’s bowl, ”Eat up, then. Since you can’t compose one, just eat it. Also, from now on, before you do anything, you need to observe carefully first before acting.”

Big Brother Zhou would have been too slow if he hadn’t grasped the point—Dad didn’t like to eat the wing base, ”Dad, I’ll remember that.”

”Right, Dad has another task for you. You’ve been growing vegetables, haven’t you? Starting from tomorrow, write down everything you do every day, and when the vegetables are fully grown, I want the entire growth process. You must observe and write meticulously; I will be reviewing it.”

Big Brother Zhou thought, ”.....”

Dad definitely wasn’t hinting that he was becoming reliable, but rather he was training his observational skills. That’s the Dad he knew; the impression of Dad from yesterday was already fading!

At Zhulan’s table, the meal went rather well. Zhulan noticed that Lady Li wasn’t at all preoccupied with Big Brother. Now that Big Brother had no goose meat to entice her, she silently sympathized with Big Brother.