Xu Runli's fingers were so tight gripping the basket that they almost dug into the bamboo strips, and the shepherd's purse inside was wilted halfway by her squeezing.
She glanced at Song Yushuang and saw that the particular old lady was drinking her porridge with her head down and had no intention of responding, which clearly meant that she had tacitly agreed with Yun Tangyin's statement.
"Fine, then I won't make any steamed buns." Xu Runli put the basket down in the corner, her voice curt: "I'll just stir-fry some shepherd's purse myself. I won't use refined flour, so I won't have to pay for it, right?"
Just as Yun Tangyin was about to speak, Jiang Jianhua suddenly said, "You need to use sesame oil to stir-fry shepherd's purse. We've run out of sesame oil this month, so Mom specially saved it to mix with noodles."
She took a bite of the corn porridge and mumbled, "How about you use rapeseed oil? It's a bit fishy, but it's cheaper than sesame oil."
This reaction surprised Yun Tangyin.
Didn't Jiang Jianhua and Xu Runli immediately form a business relationship upon meeting?
What's going on here?
Xu Runli almost broke the chopsticks in her hand.
She realized that Jiang Jianhua was about to side with Yun Tangyin!
Yesterday they were secretly plotting against her, and today they're helping outsiders shut her up.
"No need." Xu Runli slammed her chopsticks on the table. "I'll just have corn porridge. It'll save money, okay?"
The meal was eaten in unusual quiet. Xu Runli shoveled at the porridge in her bowl, but her eyes kept glancing at Yun Tangyin, who was slowly peeling eggs for Song Yushuang. Her silver bracelet shimmered in the morning light, and her calm and composed demeanor was more infuriating than if she had been directly scolded.
Xu Runli gnawed at the rim of the bowl until it turned white, not even noticing the cornmeal bits stuck to the corners of her mouth.
She stared at Yun Tangyin. Xu Runli thought that Yun Tangyin looked gentle, but in fact every joint of her body was resilient. If you touched her lightly, it would make your palm go numb.
"By the way, Runli," Song Yushuang finally put down her porridge bowl and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, "I heard from Jianhua that Zhicheng is now in the tea business. In the current situation, is business good?"
Xu Runli looked up abruptly, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes: "No, it's not easy to do, times have changed... If you'd like to try some tea, I'll have Zhicheng send some later."
Yun Tangyin was handing soap to Song Yushuang when she heard this and casually replied, "Actually, there's no need to send it specially. The supply and marketing cooperative got a batch of jasmine tea last week. It's fragrant when brewed and cheap too. Second sister-in-law just bought two ounces, right? I saw it recorded in the accounts."
Jiang Jianhua nodded immediately, as if afraid that Yun Tangyin would bring up the topic of her: "Yes, yes! I put it on the second shelf of the cupboard."
Xu Runli's face felt like it had been doused with a bucket of cold water.
“We sell Longjing tea,” Xu Runli added, sticking out her neck. “It’s different from jasmine tea.”
“Of course.” Yun Tangyin wiped her hands clean and got up to clear the dishes. “But when it comes to daily life, practicality is the most important thing. Although Longjing tea is good, two ounces is enough to buy five catties of jasmine tea, enough for the Fu family to drink for two months.”
Song Yushuang smiled and nodded: "Yinyin is right."
Xu Runli's hand, clutching the handkerchief, trembled.
She dared not say a word. The so-called tea business was a fabrication by Jiang Zhicheng. He was now just a second-generation capitalist who was constantly worried about being purged. He only told Jiang Jianhua this to save face, but who knew that Jiang Jianhua would take it seriously...
Looking at her pale face, Jiang Jianhua guessed what was going on and suddenly felt a pang of pity.
She loosened her grip on the handkerchief, didn't reply, but quietly reached out and wiped the paste from the corner of Xu Runli's mouth.
After dinner, Yu Xia helped wash the dishes. When they were alone, she couldn't help but ask, "Were you doing that on purpose? Did you know she was just bragging about the Longjing tea?"
Yun Tangyin added water to the pot, and the steam rose up, blurring her face: "How would I know? I just casually mentioned that the supply and marketing cooperative had jasmine tea."
As she wiped the dishes, she laughed: "But if she really lives for appearances, she'll inevitably stumble sooner or later."
Yun Tangyin put the last bowl into the cupboard, the wooden bolt making a soft sound as it was fastened: "Just like my second sister-in-law used to always be thinking about money, and in the end she lost all her dignity."
Jiang Jianhua happened to be passing by and overheard this. She lowered her head and glanced towards the east wing: "I take what you're saying to heart, but Runli is quite pitiful too... Could you..."
Yun Tangyin scooped a ladle of hot water and poured it into the basin: "She may be pitiful, but she has to be clear about her own life. But if you help her cover up her lies, you'll be harming her."
She threw the tablecloth into the basin. "That's all I have to say. Go get those two ounces of jasmine tea later and brew a pot for Mom."
Jiang Jianhua was stunned: "Take it now? Isn't that like stabbing her in the heart?"
“It’s to give her a way out.” Yun Tangyin paused in washing her hands. “Mom didn’t respond to her earlier because she knew there was something fishy going on. Respect is something you earn yourself, but it’s also something others give you. It’s just a matter of whether she accepts it or not.”
Jiang Jianhua looked at Yun Tangyin with a complicated expression, then turned and left.
She had just run to the cupboard when she saw Xu Runli standing at the door of the main room, holding an empty teacup in her hand, clearly having overheard their conversation.
Jiang Jianhua's hand froze on the cabinet door, so embarrassed he could pry open a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment.
Xu Runli spoke first, her voice a little hoarse: "No need to take it, I'll go boil some water."
She walked to the kitchen door and looked at Yun Tangyin. "You know everything?"
Yun Tangyin was wiping the stove when she heard this and smiled: "What do you know? Do you know you can't afford Longjing tea?"
Xu Runli's face turned slightly red, but she didn't get angry as usual: "Thank you for not being too explicit."
Jiang Jianhua's eyes widened: "Then why didn't you tell me the time sooner? I even bragged to Mom that Zhicheng could make a lot of money!"
“It’s even more embarrassing to say it out loud.” Xu Runli drew circles on the edge of the stove with her finger. “His father used to own a textile factory. Later, the factory was nationalized. He was always afraid that people would say he was the descendant of a capitalist, so he would avoid walking around acquaintances.”
Yun Tangyin hung the washed handkerchiefs on the line to dry: "Now people pay attention to their background, but they value integrity even more. Earning a living with your skills is much more respectable than bragging about running a tea business."
Xu Runli lowered her head and didn't say anything.
Yun Tangyin still had no good feelings towards her, and even disliked her, but she only said what she wanted to say and did what she wanted to do. If Xu Runli provoked her, she would slap her. If Xu Runli was honest and well-behaved, she would let things go peacefully.
This is Yun Tangyin's principle.
After all, she had too many leverage over Xu Runli. If Xu Runli were to recklessly jump in front of her, Yun Tangyin could slap her face in no time.
Xu Runli didn't know whether she knew this fact or not...
Even though I had just started to have a slightly better opinion of Yun Tangyin, hearing her talk like that still makes me want to go against her.
Xu Runli was unconvinced.
I'm so indignant. Why was Yun Tangyin born a young lady?
They are both Yun Zhixiong's daughters, so why can Yun Tangyin have everything without lifting a finger, while she has to suffer so much just to have a decent life?
Xu Runli felt that she only felt alive when she hated Yun Tangyin.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com