Ma Aning bit her lip, trying to remain calm, and said softly, "I'm sorry, Mother, I didn't know I would frighten you..."
Before she could finish speaking, Qian Daniu impatiently interrupted her: "Alright, alright, stop pretending! Can't you do things yourself? Do you expect me to teach you step by step? Don't come back later saying I'm bullying you."
After saying that, Qian Daniu put her hands on her hips and stared at Ma Aning with wide eyes.
At this moment, Ma Aning saw a pile of ingredients and pots and pans waiting to be processed on the stove, and she realized that her mother-in-law had given her a lot of work to do again.
Just as she was about to start working, she heard a childish voice from her stomach: "You naughty old woman, she's making my mom do the work again! Mom, don't listen to her!"
It turned out that Shen Xiaoxiao had just woken up and heard her grandmother ordering her mother around. She was so angry that she screamed in her heart. Even the neighbors next door were awakened by the sudden scream and moved a few times in their bellies.
Ma Aning gently stroked her high, protruding belly, as if communicating with the little life inside her.
Seeing this, the little creature inside her moved its lips, but ultimately kept quiet and said nothing more.
Without hesitation, Ma Aning rolled up her sleeves, revealing her fair and slender arms, and then quickly threw herself into her busy work.
She worked skillfully and quickly, and in no time she had washed a pile of vegetables clean and arranged them neatly on the cutting board, ready to be cooked.
At this moment, Qian Daniu, who had been silently observing Ma Aning from behind, glared at her fiercely.
His eyes were filled with resentment and dissatisfaction, as if he disapproved of every move Ma Aning made.
Ma Aning didn't pay any attention to this and continued to focus on the work at hand.
She nimbly chopped, prepared, and stir-fried vegetables, filling the entire kitchen with an enticing aroma.
"Mom, you're just too easy to bully, that's why that old woman bullies you so brazenly. If you don't change your weak temper, you'll definitely suffer even more in the future!"
Shen Xiaoxiao kept muttering to herself, truly disappointed in her son.
When Ma Aning heard her daughter's complaints, she simply smiled and gently touched her belly without responding.
Her smile was gentle and serene.
Just then, Qian Daniu happened to pass by the door and inadvertently caught a glimpse of the faint smile on Ma Aning's face.
Instantly, the anger in her heart ignited: "That vixen, all she does is smile like that all day long, no wonder my son has been seduced by her and his heart is no longer with me!"
As time went by, one delicious dish after another was gradually served.
Just then, a commotion arose outside the door. It turned out that Shen Junping, the eldest grandson of the Shen family, had rushed in with his two younger brothers.
"Grandma, Grandma, we're back from school! Is dinner ready? My stomach is growling!" Shen Junping shouted loudly while rubbing his flat little belly.
Upon hearing her grandsons' voices, Qian Danu's face immediately lit up with a smile, and she hurried over to greet them. "Oh my, my precious grandsons are finally back! Dinner will be ready soon, go wash your hands, let's eat right away!"
Qian Daniu has given birth to three sons and one daughter. Her eldest son, Shen Zijing, is 29 years old this year. Her eldest daughter-in-law, Lin Meimei, has two sons: the eldest son, Shen Junping, is nine years old, and the youngest son, Shen Junan, is seven years old.
The second son, Shen Zicheng, is 27 years old this year. His wife, Qian Ahua, is from the same village as Qian Daniu and is considered a distant niece. They have a son and a daughter. Their daughter, Shen Junxi, is 8 years old this year, and their son, Shen Junle, is the same age as Shen Junan, also 7 years old.
The third child is Shen Xiaoxiao's father, Shen Zishan, who is 22 years old this year.
Logically speaking, Shen Zishan is the fourth son, but girls don't have a generational ranking.
There is an older sister named Shen Ziyun on Shenzi Mountain. She married Wu Tian from the next village and had a son and a daughter. Her son, Wu Zhi, is 4 years old and her daughter, Wu Yu, is 1 year old.
He once had an older brother, but unfortunately, his older brother passed away several years ago.
Since then, the two families have lost contact. Over the years, everyone has had a difficult life.
At that moment, the three mischievous children, after washing their hands, spotted the dishes on the table. Their mouths watered, and without a word, they reached out to grab them, stuffing them into their mouths and wolfing them down.
"Oh dear, you rascals, at least leave some good food for your father. He works so hard in the fields."
Qian Danu watched the children grabbing vegetables and eating them with a smile on her face, and had no intention of stopping them at all.
By the time all the dishes were cooked, Ma Aning was exhausted, after all, she was carrying such a big belly.
She took some of the small portion of food she had specially reserved for herself, then picked up a bowl of sweet potato porridge and ate it by herself in the kitchen.
As luck would have it, Shen Jun'an was feeling thirsty at that moment, so he went to the kitchen to get some water. As soon as he entered, he saw Ma Aning sitting there eating.
"Grandma, Grandma, come quick! This wretched woman is sneaking around in our kitchen, stealing food!"
Shen Jun'an raised his childish yet loud voice and shouted loudly, the sound echoing throughout the entire room.
When Qian Danu, who was in the yard, heard her beloved grandson's shouts, she became extremely anxious. She rushed into the kitchen with lightning speed, taking three steps at a time.
At this moment, Ma Aning was standing in front of the stove, holding a bowl of sweet potato porridge in her hand and chewing something in her mouth, looking panicked and helpless.
Seeing Qian Danu rush in, she hurriedly swallowed the food in her mouth and stammered, "I...I didn't steal any food. These are just some leftovers from when I was cooking."
However, Qian Daniu wouldn't listen to her explanation. She glared at Ma Aning and pulled Shen Junan's hand to walk out, saying as they went, "My dear grandson, let's ignore her and go out to eat something delicious. There's nothing edible in this kitchen."
Despite being held by her grandmother's hand, Shen Jun'an persisted, stopping in her tracks and pleading, "Grandma, I don't want to go out to eat. I want to eat eggs right now."
Upon hearing this, Qian Danu immediately smiled broadly and coaxed, "Alright, alright, my little darling, have some eggs. We'll have her make them for you right away."
After saying that, he turned around and glared fiercely at Ma Aning, who was still standing there at a loss, and roared, "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and get to work! Fry a fragrant egg for each of my precious grandsons!"
"You're such a grown-up, do you still need someone to teach you how to do things? You're so clumsy!"
Ma Aning picked up three eggs and quickly fried three crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside poached eggs.
"Mom, why don't you fry yourself an egg to nourish yourself? You do the most housework and eat the worst food. You even get criticized for eating in the kitchen," Shen Xiaoxiao said indignantly.
Ma Aning didn't listen to her daughter and make her a potluck. After all, she was pregnant and alone at home. If a conflict broke out and something happened, it would be too late to regret it.
Ma Aning quickly devoured the food she had specially saved, then deftly washed the used dishes and chopsticks until they were spotless.
She took a slight breath, turned around, and slowly walked towards the room, supporting her waist. She closed the door behind her and didn't intend to come out again.
Meanwhile, Qian Danu was carefully taking care of her grandsons, and it took her a while to finally settle the little ones down.
She tiptoed into the kitchen and immediately spotted the perfectly fried eggs, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. She nodded in satisfaction and smiled.
Then, she carefully carried the plate of eggs out of the kitchen and gently placed it on the dining table.
"Here you are! My dear grandchildren, each of you has a delicious egg!"
"I love you," Qian Danu said with a loving expression. Before she finished speaking, the three little ones squealed excitedly and eagerly reached out their little hands to grab the eggs from the plate.
They didn't even bother waiting for their families who were away at work to return so they could enjoy the meal together. In the blink of an eye, the dishes on the table had been completely ruined by these little devils.
Just then, a clear, melodious end-of-work bell rang out, breaking the village's tranquility.
Upon hearing the bell, the villagers put down their tools and began to hurry home one after another.
Not long after, Chen Zhong led his two sons and two daughters-in-law into the house.
As soon as they entered, they saw their three grandsons happily wolfing down their food around the dining table, making satisfied smacking noises from time to time.
Qian Ahua, with her sharp eyes, immediately noticed the lone egg in her son's bowl. Then she looked at her older brother's two children, each with an egg lying steadily in their bowls, and she immediately felt unbalanced.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com