Chapter 99 A Hodgepodge

As Qiao Mianmian and her third uncle left the Lu family home, she was still thinking about how hard Lu Zhao's chest was.

The bump just now made her nose red.

"Mianmian, someone's calling you." Qiao Manhua pointed to a man under a tree not far away. "Do you know him?"

Qiao Mianmian looked over at her third uncle's hand and saw that it was Fu Zhongming. Why did he come looking for her?

She nodded, then shook her head. When she saw Fu Zhongming walking over, she frowned slightly.

"Who are you?" Qiao Jiasheng stood in front of his cousin.

Fu Zhongming, though dark-skinned, was blushing. He stammered as he looked at Qiao Mianmian behind Qiao Jiasheng, "Miss Qiao... Fifth Miss Qiao, may I... may I say a few words to you?"

His honest and simple appearance made one think for a moment that he couldn't be a bad person. "Just a few words, okay?"

Qiao Mianmian, remembering that her third uncle and cousin were both there, took a step forward and said, "Then let's go to the tree."

It's conveniently located near my third uncle and cousin, so if anything happens, they can come right away.

"I...I want to ask you, why...did you reject my marriage proposal?" Fu Zhongming only glanced at Qiao Mianmian before quickly lowering his head, his mind filled with only four words—"So beautiful!"

Qiao Mianmian noticed that Fu Zhongming's tone was quite polite, so she organized her words, trying not to hurt him. "To each their own. You have your good points, but you're not the type I like. Mr. Fu, since you asked me, I'll explain it to you clearly. Thank you for your interest, and I wish you find your perfect match soon."

Fu Zhongming was more than half a head taller than Qiao Mianmian. As the sunlight streamed down, his shadow completely covered Qiao Mianmian. But even such a tall man had tears welling up in his eyes after hearing Qiao Mianmian's words. "You...you think I'm not handsome enough, right?"

"Who said that?"

"Nobody told me this, but time will tell. Looks are only one aspect; you don't really know me," Fu Zhongming said, feeling wronged.

Qiao Mianmian asked, "Was it the official media? It seems not, then it must be my second brother. Then let me ask you, why do you like me? As far as I know, you probably haven't seen me more than a few times, right?"

"You're good-looking, and..."

“See, you were attracted to me first because of my appearance.” Qiao Mianmian interrupted Fu Zhongming. “Looks are certainly one aspect, but they are also a very important one. I like men with delicate features, not too muscular, and their skin can be dark or fair, but it must be smooth and free of acne.”

She paused, took a deep breath, and said, "Young Master Fu, we are really not suitable for each other. There's no need for you to come looking for me again."

What needs to be clarified should be clarified to avoid unnecessary entanglement.

Qiao Mianmian turned and left. She gave her third uncle and the others a wink. After they had walked away, Qiao Jiasheng asked, "Mianmian, was the man who proposed to you before him?"

Qiao Mianmian said yes.

"Brother Jiaxing said I'm alright looking, but how is that alright? I feel like if he punched me, I'd be flattened!" Qiao Jiasheng exclaimed dramatically.

"Stop talking nonsense. These are all unfinished matters, so don't mention them again." Qiao Manhua pointed at her son and then looked at her niece. "You did the right thing. If something is inappropriate, just say it directly to avoid him harassing you and ruining your reputation."

Qiao Mianmian nodded. She didn't take the matter to heart and told her third uncle and the others not to say anything, so as not to make her parents worry.

When she returned to the food shop, she found that her family had made radish cake that day, so she took a piece to eat first.

The radish cake is pan-fried until golden brown on the outside and filled with sweet and savory radish shreds on the inside. Some people don't like it, but Qiao Mianmian quite likes it.

Qiao Mancang invited his younger brother to come in and sit down. Qiao Manhua, who had come to freeload, was too embarrassed to sit down and play, so he and his son helped entertain the guest.

They were busy in the food stall, and soon customers started coming in. Usually, Hu Qianqian and Zhang would come over a little after dinner time.

However, they arrived a little early today, accompanied by two unfamiliar faces.

Lin whispered to her daughter-in-law, "Qianqian, do you know her?"

"No, we're looking for my sister-in-law. She says she's from the Cao family." Hu Qianqian said, holding her child. "Mom, I'll go call my sister-in-law out so we can meet."

This was the first time anyone from the Cao family had come since Cao Yuan married into the family, and it was someone that Lin and her husband had never seen before.

However, they still invited the grandmother and grandson to sit down, and Qiao Mancang poured tea for them, saying, "I wonder what your relationship is to my second son's wife?"

"My surname is Cao, and my given name is Fengzhou. I am Cao Yuan's uncle." Cao Fengzhou then introduced his grandson, "This is my grandson Cao Guian, who is sixteen years old this year."

"So it's Uncle Cao. Have you eaten yet? Would you like to have some here?" Upon hearing that he was her second daughter-in-law's uncle, Madam Lin became much more enthusiastic.

Cao Fengzhou said no need, "I've already eaten. Just let my niece come out and meet me."

His hair was half white. Just as he finished speaking, he saw a woman run out. He squinted at her, and when he heard her call out "Uncle," he recognized her as his niece.

"Second Uncle, what brings you here?" Cao Yuan was somewhat at a loss when she saw her second uncle.

She wasn't familiar with her second uncle; she'd only met him once when she was very young. Her father had visited him during his last family visit. However, her second uncle's home was three or four hundred li (approximately 150-200 kilometers) from Lin'an, which wasn't exactly close.

"I came to see you." Cao Fengzhou asked if there was anywhere they could talk.

Qiao Mancang immediately said that they could talk on the second floor, and asked Cao Yuan to take people to the second floor. He also gave his second son a wink.

Qiao Jiaxing cut up some braised meat and brought up some hot soup. "Although you've eaten before, since you're here, I should let you try my home-style cooking. This is a soup made from pork bones with some white radish added. It tastes especially sweet."

He helped set the table and didn't leave. As her husband, without knowing whether his second uncle was good or bad, he should stay with his wife first. This was partly to save face for his wife, and partly to show respect for his second uncle.

Cao Fengzhou glanced at Qiao Jiaxing, but didn't touch his chopsticks. His grandson's stomach growled twice first. "Eat," he said.

He didn't eat himself, but looked at Cao Yuan and said, "It's almost the end of the year, and I came to see how you are doing before it snows. I was sick when you got married, and it took me more than half a year to recover. I'm sorry for my older brother; I couldn't be there to see him off when he passed away."

"Second Uncle, it's not your fault." Cao Yuan wasn't really familiar with her second uncle, but seeing his face, which resembled her father's, stirred up many memories, and her eyes gradually became moist.

“I’ve already paid my respects to him and brought you some local specialties, which I’ve left at your in-laws’ house,” Cao Fengzhou said. “Seeing your rosy complexion, I think you’re doing well, so I’m relieved.”

As he spoke, his grandson blew on the soup for him.

Seeing this, Qiao Jiaxing knew that the grandfather and granddaughter must not have eaten, so he offered, "I'll go get some more food. Yuan'er, you keep your second uncle company and talk to him. Don't worry about the food stall."

Cao Fengzhou said there was no need to go to all that trouble, but Qiao Jiaxing insisted, "You've come all this way, so I should let you taste my sister's cooking."

After watching Qiao Jiaxing leave, Cao Fengzhou went to see his niece and sighed earnestly, "With your husband here just now, there were some things that involved the reputation of our Cao family, so it wasn't convenient for me to say them. Last year, your father specifically came to see me. He said he knew his time was coming to an end, and his only worry was about you. But his son and you are not born of the same mother, so he will definitely not be able to support you in the future. A woman without the help of her maternal family is easily looked down upon by her husband's family, and he is really worried about that."

Upon hearing this, Cao Yuan was already in tears.

"Grandfather, have some soup first, it's delicious." Cao Gui'an held the bowl to his grandfather's lips, and Cao Fengzhou had no choice but to drink a few mouthfuls.

After drinking the hot soup, Cao Fengzhou gradually warmed up and continued, "When I was young, my eldest brother protected me as I grew up. He asked me to do him a favor: after you get married, I should find some time to visit you. If your family comes to visit, it means that the Cao family values ​​you, which will give you more confidence. If your in-laws treat you badly, then let me help you get a divorce and take you with me."

“Yuan’er, parents who love their children plan far ahead for them. Your father has devoted the rest of his life to you.”

"I..." Cao Yuan cried so hard she couldn't speak.

Qiao Jiaxing, who was holding dishes outside the door, heard this but did not push the door open to go in. Instead, he waited silently for the right moment.

Cao Guian said, "Grandfather was thinking about Aunt's situation, so he set off for Lin'an as soon as he recovered. Now that Aunt is doing well, Grandfather can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

“I see that your husband is gentle and considerate towards you, but I still want to ask what you’re thinking. Are you doing well? Do you want to come with me?” Cao Fengzhou looked at his niece. “Your father has made plans for you. If you divorce, he will bring your dowry to buy a house and land near my home, and I will also help you find a husband to live with you. With me watching over you, you will at least have a stable life for the next few years. After I pass away, I imagine you will have your own children, and then you will have something to look forward to.”

"Okay, they've all...they've all been very good to me, extremely good." Cao Yuan hadn't expected her father to arrange all this for her. She raised her hand to wipe away her tears. "Father, is there anything else you want to say?"

Cao Fengzhou shook his head. "That's all. Since I think you're doing well, I won't try to persuade you any further. But this old man can only come to see you once more. Next year, I'll have Gui'an come instead. This is my way of repaying my elder brother's kindness."

Hearing this from inside, Qiao Jiaxing cleared his throat and called out "Yuan'er." Cao Yuan got up, opened the door, and helped set out the dishes.

"This is our signature braised pork belly, and also steamed sausage. I was afraid you'd be waiting too long, so I brought all the dishes that were prepared in advance, and I also stir-fried some greens."

Qiao Jiaxing said there were still dishes left, "They'll be cooked and my sister-in-law and the others will bring them over. Second Uncle, please eat as much as you like. My family always eats a lot, so make sure you're full!"

Cao Fengzhou quickly said that was enough, "There are only two of us, how can we eat so much? Tell the kitchen to stop cooking."

"It's alright, Yuan'er and I will eat with you. My parents will be here later too." Qiao Jiaxing handed his wife chopsticks, then looked at Cao Gui'an, "How is it? Is it good?"

Cao Guian had just eaten a piece of braised pork. As soon as he put the meat in his mouth, the meat, along with the juices, burst open, leaving him wanting more. "Delicious, so delicious! This is the best braised pork I've ever had!"

"Eat more if you like it." Qiao Jiaxing put some food on Cao Fengzhou's plate. "Second Uncle, you should eat too."

Cao Fengzhou had been observing Qiao Jiaxing closely. Seeing that Qiao Jiaxing was sincere and genuine, he knew that it wasn't an act, and only then was he completely relieved.

His elder brother had been kind to him, and now that his brother was gone, it was time for him to repay that kindness. Fortunately, his niece was lucky and met a good match.

After a while, the Lin couple came up with a wine pot. Since their in-laws had guests, they naturally had to keep them company to show how much they valued their daughter-in-law.

The Qiao family downstairs also started their meal. Qiao Mianmian didn't have time to cook complicated dishes today, so she cooked whatever was left in the kitchen together into a big stew.

Finally, the braising broth is used to enhance the flavor. The glass noodles and cabbage, after being stewed, have absorbed the salty and savory aroma of the braising broth. Adding a touch of fragrant vinegar makes it even more appetizing and delicious.

Qiao Mianmian scooped a large spoonful into her bowl and mixed it with rice. The hot, mixed dish warmed her up completely after a few bites.

Lu Zhao and Qingjiu arrived for dinner just then, and Qiao Mianmian asked curiously, "Lord Lu, why are you so late today?"

"Oh dear, don't even mention it! The master made me move the wardrobe and then lift the trunks. Today, my arms are completely useless." Qingjiu looked at the food on the table with a bitter expression, drooling. "Miss Qiao, are you closed for the day and no longer serving food?"

"If it were someone else, I would definitely say we're closed. I've almost finished eating. What would you like to eat? I'll make it for you," Qiao Mianmian asked Lu Zhao and Qingjiu after finishing the last bite of her meal.

Qingjiu said she wanted to eat hot and sour soup, "It should be spicy so that my body will feel warm."

"Lord Lu, what about you?" Qiao Mianmian asked Lu Zhao.

"Huh? What did you say?" Lu Zhao was lost in thought for a moment. He was wondering why it was them who got to cook for Miss Qiao.