Ji Dong stared at Ji Dashan resentfully. Ji Xiaobao was a child who needed to grow up, but why had Xiao Bei suffered so much these years while growing up!?
However, Ji Xinhe seemed to have anticipated he would say that. With so many guests present, Ji Xiaobao dared to barge in to grab food. Ji Dashan and Lady Ding didn’t have the guts to do that, let alone with Li Zheng’s two sons sitting there. They could only resort to such tricks.
She was certain that Ji Xiaobao’s unbridled intrusion to grab food was deliberately orchestrated by Lady Ding. When Ji Xiaobao actually messed up the table, Lady Ding could just say, "It’s okay, he’s just a little kid," and that would be the end of it. However, Ji Xinhe reacted quickly and caught Ji Xiaobao one step ahead.
Even with no shame, Lady Ding couldn’t directly go to the table to grab food like Ji Xiaobao did. However, if there weren’t so many guests, especially Li Zheng’s two sons, Ji Xinhe thought Lady Ding would actually do it.
They had no shame, but Ji Xinhe did. Arguing with these ruffians in front of outsiders would simply lower her own dignity.
Ji Xinhe looked helpless and said, "I do care about Xiaobao, but today is a dinner party for guests. Especially with Jin Bao and Da Shu here, they are honored guests. Where is the logic in letting a child sit at the table? I originally intended to have only my brother accompany the guests. Even Xiao Bei and I were just planning to eat the leftovers later, otherwise there would be no rules, right?"
In the countryside, wealthy families generally had separate tables for men and women at large banquets. For poor families who could only afford one table, men ate first, followed by women and children who ate the leftovers.
Ji Dashan felt awkward and glanced at the guests at the table, his face turning red with shame. After all, the guests hadn’t eaten yet, so how could it be a child’s turn? As the head of the family, he made such a rude statement, which would be ridiculed if it got out.
"Well, about this..." Ji Dashan was obviously hesitant.
Lady Ding glared at Ji Dashan with disappointment. However, in front of Jin Bao and Da Shu, she didn’t dare to say anything since they were Li Zheng’s sons. In the village, Lady Ding feared nothing but Li Zheng.
At this moment, Ji Xinhe became very considerate. "Dad, don’t worry. After they finish eating, I will personally bring you some food. After all, Xiaobao is also a growing person. How can I let him starve?"
Ji Dashan suddenly felt that his daughter was both filial and understanding, and quickly agreed. "Alright, alright."
"What’s alright?!" Lady Ding couldn’t help but shout out. "Why does Xiaobao have to eat leftovers?!"
More importantly, she wanted to eat too. How much would be left if they ate the leftovers?
Jin Bao’s face turned dark. "Otherwise, should we all let Ji Xiaobao eat first? We guests can starve; it doesn’t matter. It’s just the Ji family’s style."
Lady Ding almost agreed without hesitation, but when she looked up at Jin Bao’s dark expression, she swallowed her saliva. "Well...that’s not acceptable."
Immediately, she angrily pulled Ji Xiaobao out of the room, glared at Ji Xinhe with a warning, and said, "Remember to send it over!"
Ji Xiaobao still felt unwilling, drooling and leaning towards the table. "No, I want to eat! I want to eat!"
But he was dragged out by Lady Ding. "Eat, eat, eat! Eat what? If they don’t give it to you, you can’t eat! Those ungrateful people, it’s a waste raising them!"
Ji Dashan’s face lost its luster, and he hurriedly followed.
As if she couldn’t hear Lady Ding’s sharp-tongued comments, Ji Xinhe casually closed the door with a "bang" and turned around with a smile. "Why are you all still stunned? Eat quickly! We’ve been busy all morning, aren’t you hungry? The food won’t be good once it cools down."
The originally awkward atmosphere in the room suddenly dissipated. Jin Bao took the lead and laughed. "Eat, eat, eat! I’ve been wanting to eat for a long time!"
Da Shu said to Ji Xinhe, "It’s just us youngsters today, so we don’t have to be so concerned about etiquette. You should join us with Xiao Bei and eat. You’ve also been busy all morning."
"That’s right, you cooked all these dishes for us to eat, and it would be too much for us to watch you not eat," Da Tian and the others agreed.
Since they were all seventeen or eighteen-year-olds, and there were no elders around, they didn’t have to be so cautious.
Now, Ji Xinhe was straightforward and not shy, pulling Xiao Bei to the table. "I won’t be polite, then!" She never planned to eat leftovers, just fooling Lady Ding.
Xiao Bei looked confused. "But just now, sister, you said we have to eat leftovers."
Ji Xinhe patted Xiao Bei’s head. "Silly child, what did I tell you just now? You can’t be so honest with them."
Jin Bao couldn’t help but laugh. "Xinhe, you seem to have changed."
Ji Xinhe blinked her eyes as if she didn’t understand. "Have I changed?"
Ji Dong proudly laughed. "Xinhe is now smart and understands things, my sister is so capable."
"Sister is the best!" Xiao Bei was undoubtedly the king of flattery.
Da Shu tasted a chopstick of food and laughed, "Xinhe’s cooking skills have improved. I never knew Xinhe was such a good cook. I’m really blessed today!"
Ji Xinhe laughed, "If it’s delicious, eat more!"
The meal was very enjoyable, and this was the first feast for Ji Xinhe since she came to this era. Jin Bao and the others enjoyed the meal too, praising Ji Xinhe’s cooking skills. It took them half an hour to finish eating. As the house was almost repaired, they were now only waiting to buy bricks for the heating mattress pad, which would be done the next day.
So after the meal, they saw off the guests.
Ji Dong took the initiative to clean up. "You’ve been cooking all morning and must be tired, so go rest. I’ll take care of this."
Ji Dong took good care of his younger siblings, and Ji Xinhe felt that with such a caring brother, their useless father and Lady Ding could be ignored.
Ji Xinhe giggled and said, "Brother, you’re so capable. The wife you marry in the future will be so blessed."
Ji Dong, a rough man, blushed and said, "Stop talking nonsense."
Then, as if he remembered something, he frowned and said, "But we still need to send food to Lady Ding. These leftovers may not be enough, especially the meat dishes, which are almost finished..."
Ji Xinhe blinked her eyes mischievously. "Who said we were going to send them this? I’m not willing to let them waste our leftovers."
Not to mention anything else, how much oil was used in these dishes? Why should Lady Ding get any of it?
Ji Dong was taken aback. "But you agreed before..."
"Oh, the kitchen still has two coarse buns left from last night’s dinner. I’ll send them over later."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
