Chapter 5: Family Dinner Incident, Show of Power and Silent Counterattack
Assistant Chen arrived on time at 5:50 in the evening.
Su Wanqing was ready. She chose a simple off-white cashmere knit dress, wore minimal makeup, and tied her hair loosely. She wore only a pair of small pearl earrings. Her look was neither rude nor overly conspicuous, fitting her intention of keeping a low profile.
When Assistant Chen saw her, a hint of surprise seemed to flash across his eyes, but he quickly returned to normal: "Madam, the car is ready."
"Thank you." Su Wanqing nodded and followed her downstairs.
The car drove out of the compound and headed towards the Huo family's old house in the suburbs of Beijing. As the sky darkened and the lights came on, the city outside the car window gradually became illuminated by neon lights, but it couldn't dispel the slight sense of foreboding that Su Wanqing had in her heart.
The Huo family residence wasn't the ostentatious, extravagant mansion you might imagine, but rather a traditional Chinese-style residence steeped in history and solemnity. Its blue bricks and gray tiles, eaves and pointed corners, and the majestic presence of two stone lions standing silently at the gate, armed sentries, all served to signal the extraordinary status of its owner.
As soon as you step into the house, you're immediately overwhelmed by an invisible pressure. The interior is decorated in a calm Chinese style, with mahogany furniture and famous calligraphy and paintings, revealing a low-key heritage and unbreakable rules.
The housekeeper led Su Wanqing through the corridor and towards the banquet room.
Before she even entered, she could hear the sound of people talking and laughing inside. But when her figure appeared at the door, the talking and laughing suddenly became silent as if they were strangled.
Everyone's eyes were focused on her.
Exploration, scrutiny, curiosity, contempt, gloating...all kinds of ambiguous gazes intertwined into an invisible net, enveloping her.
There were no fewer than twenty people seated in the banquet hall. At the head of the table sat an elderly man with a commanding presence. He was none other than Mr. Huo, Huo Yuanzheng, whom they had met at the wedding. Below him, to his left and right, sat several older men and women, likely Huo Tingxiao's uncles and aunts. Further down, sat the younger generation.
Huo Tingxiao sat to the side near the main seat, dressed in casual clothes, yet still sitting upright with a cold and stern aura. He was holding a cup of tea, his eyes slightly lowered, as if he was completely unaware of her presence, not even lifting his eyelids.
"Grandpa, uncles and aunts, good evening." Su Wanqing calmed herself down and walked into the hall, bowing slightly, her tone neither humble nor arrogant. Assistant Chen had informed them of the general titles in advance.
Old Master Huo put down his teacup, his eyes like lightning swept over her, and he said "hmm" lightly as a response.
A well-maintained middle-aged woman sitting to Mr. Huo's right, wearing a dark green cheongsam, spoke first. She was Huo Tingxiao's second aunt, Huo Meilin. She had a smile on her face, but her eyes were sharp as knives:
"This is Wanqing, right? Seeing is believing. I heard that Tingxiao had an urgent mission and couldn't make it back on the wedding day? I really wronged you." His tone sounded caring, but in fact, every word was reminding her of the embarrassment and lack of attention at the wedding.
Su Wanqing maintained a slight arc at the corner of her lips: "Second Aunt, you are joking. Military affairs are more important. I can understand."
"I understand," another middle-aged man in a suit, somewhat portly, chimed in. He was Huo Tingxiao's third uncle, Huo Mingyuan. His tone was smooth, like a businessman's, but it also contained a subtle hint. "Our Huo family is not like ordinary families. We have many rules and heavy responsibilities. You're new here, so there's a lot you don't understand. You should listen more, observe more, talk less, and be careful with your words and actions. Don't cause trouble for Tingxiao."
This statement almost explicitly stated that she came from a poor family, didn't know the rules, and needed to keep a low profile.
Upon hearing this, several young people couldn't help but chuckle softly, with the contempt in their eyes not concealed at all.
Su Wanqing's expression remained unchanged, and she nodded slightly: "Third Uncle is reminding me, I will pay attention to it."
"I heard Miss Su used to live in a small town in the south?" A stylishly dressed young girl sitting below Huo Meilin said with a smile. She was Huo Meilin's daughter, Zhou Ting. Her tone was both innocent and sarcastic. "The climate there is humid, which is good for people, right? But compared to Beijing, I'm afraid there are many things you haven't seen before. If there are any dishes you don't recognize during dinner, you can ask me."
Now even the elders showed an expression of watching a show.
Su Wanqing looked at Zhou Ting, her eyes calm and unperturbed. "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Zhou. It's just a matter of regional food differences, not much knowledge." She paused, her voice still gentle, yet clear to everyone's ears. "Just like Miss Zhou might not be familiar with some of the specialties of the south, it's perfectly normal."
The smile on Zhou Ting's face froze, as if she had not expected that she would directly retort back, and she was speechless for a moment.
Huo Meilin frowned.
Mr. Huo, who was sitting in the main seat, still had no expression on his face. He just picked up the teacup and took another sip.
At this moment, a middle-aged woman in simple clothes and with a gentle temperament gently tried to smooth things over: "Okay, okay, everyone is here, let the kitchen start the meal. Wanqing, this is your first time here, don't stand and talk." This is Huo Tingxiao's aunt, Huo Wenhui, who looks quite kind.
Everyone moved to the restaurant.
The long mahogany dining table had clearly defined seating arrangements. Mr. Huo naturally sat at the head table, while Huo Tingxiao sat first to his left. Su Wanqing, on the other hand, sat in the middle of the long table, near a few younger members of the group, a full seven or eight people away from Huo Tingxiao.
This arrangement was very meaningful. It not only hinted at her insignificant status in the family, but also deliberately separated her from Huo Tingxiao.
Su Wanqing sat down in the designated seat without changing her expression.
Huo Tingxiao never glanced at her, nor did he offer any opinion on the seating arrangements. He sat silently in his seat, as if the undercurrents around him had nothing to do with him.
The dishes were served one after another, and they were indeed extremely exquisite and sumptuous.
During the meal, the topics seemed casual, but they were always thrown to Su Wanqing inadvertently, with all kinds of inquiries and scrutiny.
"Wanqing, I heard that your sister Miss Manning had been studying art abroad? How come she suddenly..." an aunt asked with pretended curiosity.
"The Su family is mainly engaged in real estate now? They must have been greatly affected by the recent policy changes, right?" another uncle asked with concern.
All these questions were meant to test her background, reminding her of her identity as a substitute bride and the Su family's not-so-top family background.
Su Wanqing's responses were flawless. Regarding her sister, she simply smiled and said, "She has her own pursuits." Regarding the Su family, she replied, "I don't know much about business matters." When asked about herself, she said, "I used to study in the south and enjoyed reading and learning all sorts of things." Her tone was always gentle, but it was like hitting cotton, making it impossible to fathom her depth or find fault.
Her dining etiquette was extremely standard and elegant, even exuding a natural nobility that was no less impressive than any of the strictly trained Huo family members present. This left Zhou Ting and the others, who had originally wanted to laugh at her and pick on her, with no opportunity to react.
Huo Meilin tried to speak several times, but Huo Wenhui always lightly avoided the topic.
Huo Tingxiao continued to eat in silence, occasionally responding to questions from Mr. Huo, mostly about military affairs, and turning a deaf ear to the undercurrents on the women's side.
Halfway through the banquet, the waiter brought a bowl of exquisite soup and placed it in front of each guest.
Zhou Ting's eyes rolled around, and she suddenly smiled and said to Su Wanqing, "Cousin, this is Braised Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. It's our master chef's specialty. He uses the best Jinshan Shark's Fin and Japanese Abalone, and cooks it to perfection. Come and try it. You've definitely never eaten anything as authentic as this in the south, have you?"
The sense of superiority and the implication that she was ignorant in that tone were almost palpable.
The table suddenly became quiet, and even Mr. Huo seemed to slow down his movements.
Everyone's eyes once again turned to Su Wanqing subtly.
Su Wanqing picked up the spoon, scooped up a small spoonful, blew on it gently, and brought it to her lips. After tasting it carefully, she put down the spoon and picked up the napkin to gently press the corners of her mouth.
Then, she looked up at Zhou Ting, with a faint smile on her lips, and her voice was clear and soft:
"The broth is rich and the cooking is perfect. The shark's fin is tenderized perfectly, and the abalone is tender and tender. However, if some of the ham bones were replaced with aged ham, the broth might have a richer flavor. Also, the Southern style prefers to add a little aged Huadiao wine for a more fragrant and unique flavor. Miss Zhou, you should try it if you have the chance."
Her tone was calm, as if she was simply discussing the dish, but she accurately described the ingredients of the dish and another cooking concept, even with a hint of gentle guidance and suggestions.
Zhou Ting was stunned for a moment, her face flushing and then pale, her mouth open, unable to utter a word. She had intended to show off and belittle him, but he had just casually countered her, making her look shallow and ridiculous.
A hint of surprise flashed across the eyes of the elders at the table, and they couldn't help but look at Su Wanqing a few more times. This second daughter of the Su family didn't seem to be as simple and timid as the rumors said.
Even Huo Tingxiao, who had been eating in silence, paused slightly with his chopsticks, his eyelashes raised, and for the first time, his deep gaze, with a hint of imperceptible inquiry, fell on Su Wanqing's quiet profile.
A faint, unnoticeable glimmer flashed across Mr. Huo's cloudy yet shrewd eyes.
Huo Meilin's face looked unhappy and she glared at her daughter.
Huo Wenhui smiled and smoothed things over at the right moment: "I didn't expect Wanqing to be so knowledgeable about food. She spoke so clearly and logically. It seems like we'll have another gourmet in our kitchen from now on."
Su Wanqing bowed slightly and said modestly, "Aunt, you're too kind. I just like to think about things randomly and try to show off my skills."
After this incident, no one at the table dared to openly tease her with topics like food knowledge.
This family dinner seems peaceful, but it actually contains hidden meanings.
Everyone in the Huo family took turns to attack, mocking and criticizing each other openly and secretly, giving a strong show of power.
Su Wanqing, however, always used softness to overcome hardness, and in an almost silent way, she steadily took on all the difficulties, and after that dish of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, she completed her first small but not to be ignored counterattack.
She may have an awkward identity and may not be liked by her husband, but she is definitely not a soft persimmon that can be manipulated and humiliated at will.
At the end of the family dinner, before Mr. Huo stood up, his eyes fell on Su Wanqing again, and he said lightly: "Come back often for dinner in the future."
It was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry when he said this, but it made many people present change their expressions slightly.
Su Wanqing remained docile and calm, bowing and saying, "Yes, Grandpa."
It was already late at night when we left the Huo family's old house.
Huo Tingxiao and she walked out of the door at the same time. Assistant Chen's car was already waiting at the door.
He still didn't wait for her and walked straight to another military vehicle that had been waiting for her.
Before getting in the car, he paused and looked back at her. In the night, his eyes were deep and difficult to discern, even colder than the night outside Beijing.
Then he bent down, got into the car, and left.
Su Wanqing stood in the night wind, watching the taillights of the military vehicle disappear around the corner of the mountain road, and slowly exhaled.
A thin layer of cold sweat had already appeared on my back.
This silent battle has come to a temporary end.
But she knew that the turmoil in the Huo family's vast compound would never cease, and her icy husband didn't seem to be completely oblivious to it either.
She still has a long way to go.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
