Chapter 184 Sowing Discord
She wanted to refuse, but as soon as she moved her lips, the sweet fragrance entered her nostrils, like gentle fingers lightly tickling her stomach.
Her stomach growled again, as if to express her opinion.
Song Yazhi gritted her teeth and finally reached out to take the bowl. As her fingertips touched the bowl, the warmth spread from her fingers all the way to her heart.
The porridge was cooked until soft and sticky, with golden rice grains so thick they could cling to a spoon. The sweetness emanated naturally from the aroma of the rice, neither cloying nor overly sweet.
She sipped the hot porridge slowly, and her stomach felt much better as the long-parched land finally received sweet rain.
Her expression gradually softened, her brows relaxed, and her eyes became less fierce.
Seeing that her expression had softened, Qiao Wanyin took the opportunity to put another steamed bun in her bowl, her movements light and gentle, as if afraid of startling her.
"Mom, try this. It's pork and cabbage filling. I added extra ginger to remove the fishy smell and warm your stomach. Aren't you afraid of it being cold? This filling is warm right now."
The aroma wafted straight into my nose, the spiciness of ginger mixed with the fragrance of meat, making my mouth water.
Song Yazhi could no longer resist and took a bite. The skin was thin and the filling was generous, with plenty of juice. The meat filling was firm but not dry, the cabbage was sweet and refreshing, and the ginger flavor was subtle and pleasant.
...
It smells so good!
She didn't say anything, but her chopsticks honestly picked up a second one.
While eating, I cursed myself in my heart for being spineless: How could I be so unable to resist temptation?
Can't you even try a bite of the food that Qiao Wanyin made?
Why insist on bowing your head?
But the taste was so satisfying that she ate more and more, and before she knew it, she had finished a bowl of porridge and two steamed buns.
After breakfast, Song Yazhi sulked on the sofa, holding a teacup in her hand, but the tea had gone cold and she didn't take a sip.
The cushion was crumpled and twisted, and one of her slippers was sticking up, while the other was leaning against the edge of the carpet.
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt—
I came here to find fault and embarrass her, so why am I being served so well by her?
Hot porridge and rice were served, and she didn't say much, but her attitude was respectful. She even handled the "politeness" that she hated the most perfectly.
Is this girl truly sincere, or does she have ulterior motives?
Is there a knife hidden behind that smile?
No, we can't just let this go like this. We have to go and discuss it with Fang Wanyu!
She's been through it all, she's seen a lot, she'll definitely see through Qiao Wanyin's tricks!
After breakfast, Song Yazhi stormed out of the door, slamming it shut with a loud bang, making the door frame shake violently.
She walked quickly, her back taut like a fully drawn bow, heading towards the cultural troupe without looking back.
When she encountered acquaintances on the street who greeted her, she would only give a cold "hmm" without even glancing at them.
Qiao Wanyin smiled, stood at the door watching her back, gently shook her head, and didn't take it to heart at all.
She turned and went back into the house, neatly clearing away the dishes. With a rinse of hot water and a wipe of the cloth, the kitchen was spotless in no time.
Then she changed into her practice clothes, picked up her bag, and went to the mutual aid center.
In the rehearsal room of the performing arts troupe, sunlight streamed in obliquely through the high windows, making the floor gleam with a soft sheen.
Fang Wanyu was stretching her legs, her two legs split into a half, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, but her expression was as calm as still water.
She was wearing a dark blue workout uniform with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing her muscular forearms.
Hearing a noise at the door, she looked up slightly and saw Song Yazhi walk in. She immediately smiled and said in a gentle voice, "Aunt Song, what brings you here? It's so early in the morning, is the sun rising in the west?"
"Wanyu, are you busy right now? Am I disturbing your training?"
Song Yazhi stood at the door, rubbing her hands together nervously. Her fingertips were slightly red, as if she habitually rubbed her palms when she was nervous.
She stood at the entrance of the training hall, her gaze somewhat evasive, afraid of disturbing Fang Wanyu who was practicing diligently.
"Oh, what are you saying!"
Upon hearing the voice, Fang Wanyu immediately turned around, a bright smile spreading across her face. She quickly stood up from the mat, strode over to Song Yazhi, grabbed her arm, and said in a light and affectionate tone, "I was just relaxing, having finished a round of practice. You must have something to tell me, right? Why did you come all of a sudden?"
As she spoke, she gently patted Song Yazhi's hand, her eyes full of concern, "Don't stand there, come in and sit for a while, it's windy outside."
"Please wait a moment, I'll go and ask the commander for leave."
Fang Wanyu blinked, her tone light and cheerful, and turned to walk towards the office, her steps light and graceful, like a happy little bird.
She didn't want Song Yazhi to wait too long, so she moved with exceptional speed and efficiency.
A few minutes later, she returned with a faint smile on her face, waving to Song Yazhi as she walked, "Let's go, Auntie, I've already talked to the troupe leader, we'll wrap up early today."
She led Song Yazhi to the lounge, pulled out a chair for her to sit down, then quickly went to the water dispenser, filled a glass with warm water, and gently placed it on the coffee table, thoughtfully adding a paper coaster.
"Auntie, please have some water first, and then tell me slowly."
Fang Wanyu sat down opposite her, legs together, with a dignified posture, her gaze fixed intently on Song Yazhi, waiting for her to speak.
Song Yazhi took the cup, her fingers trembling slightly. She lowered her head and took a sip. The warm water slid down her throat, but it couldn't suppress the frustration in her heart.
She took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and poured out all the unpleasant things that had happened in the past two days, from Qiao Wanyin's refusal to move out, to her talking back and giving each other the silent treatment, to her staying out all night and not answering her phone, she described each and every one of them in great detail.
Speaking of Qiao Wanyin's stubborn and unyielding attitude, she turned pale with anger, and her voice rose several decibels: "This girl is like a piece of chewing gum, clingy and impossible to shake off! No matter what I say, she won't listen! When I try to reason with her, she just rolls her eyes, slams the door, and doesn't say a word! Don't you think she's deliberately trying to annoy me?"
Fang Wanyu also sat holding a water glass, not in a hurry to interrupt, but just listened quietly, her fingers gently circling the rim of the glass, as if she was thinking about something.
Her eyes were lowered, and her eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she were recalling some distant scene.
“I remember Sister Wanyin used to be quite gentle…” she finally spoke, her voice soft and tinged with nostalgia, “Back in school, she took good care of me, speaking softly and never arguing with anyone. She would always bring me local specialties from my hometown during holidays.”
She paused, her eyelashes drooping slightly, her eyes dimming. "Why has she become so difficult to deal with? Is it... something happened at home? Or is something bothering her?"
"You noticed it too?"
Song Yazhi suddenly became excited, her eyes lit up, and she gripped her hand tightly until her knuckles turned white. "I knew it! That girl definitely has a problem! It's not just simple rebellion, she's become a different person! She used to be so sensible, but now she talks back to me all the time, doesn't eat properly, and doesn't sleep on time. I'm so worried about her!"
Her voice choked, and her eyes reddened. "Wanyu, please help Auntie. I really have no other choice."
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