"What crayfish? This is red snapper, it's awful!" Wang Qisheng shouted before Zhang Aiju could speak.
Wang Qiqiang glared at his younger brother, warning him that if he couldn't speak, he shouldn't speak at all.
Unexpectedly, Wang Ningjing joined in the teasing, saying, "Hey Dou Dou, you don't know this stuff tastes awful, do you?"
Before Wang Qiqiang could get angry, Zhang Aiju slammed her hand on the table and said, "If you're not going to eat, then shut up. Anyone who says another word can get out."
Wang Qisheng and Wang Ningjing were stunned. It wasn't the first time they had seen their mother get angry, but it was the first time she had ever gotten so angry at them because of an outsider. They hadn't done anything wrong.
Yuan Doudou stood there, feeling extremely awkward. She had only meant well to share, but she hadn't expected it to cause such dissatisfaction among some people.
"Well, you guys enjoy your meal, I'm heading back now. Angie's home alone." With that, she hurried away from the Wang family home.
As soon as Yuan Doudou left, Zhang Aiju's face darkened, as if a thunderstorm was about to break.
"You two siblings, all the knowledge you've learned has gone to waste. How have I taught you? You're not only ungrateful to someone who kindly gave you food, but you also look at them with mockery and say hurtful things. Have you lost your conscience?"
The brother and sister hung their heads in dejection and dared not speak.
Seeing his mother's burning anger and fearing it would harm her health, Wang Qiqiang comforted her, saying, "Mother, I don't think they meant any harm. Please calm down and forgive them this time."
"Yes, Mother, I know I was wrong, please don't be angry." Wang Qisheng was a perceptive person, and he didn't want his mother to get angry over such a small matter. If she ended up lying in bed refusing to eat or drink, the three of them would still be the ones serving her tea and water.
“If you want me to stop being angry, that’s easy. You all go apologize to DouDou right now.” Zhang Aiju said each word clearly and firmly. “Especially Ning Jing, I’ve seen how you’ve treated DouDou lately. DouDou doesn’t hold it against you because she’s magnanimous. As her mother, I won’t indulge you.”
Wang Ningjing was about to ask why, but her older brother glared at her coldly.
Hmph, the whole family is siding with outsiders. She'll never apologize.
"Big brother, I just can't stand it. You like her, but she doesn't like you. It's one thing if she doesn't like you, but she still bosses you around all day and treats you like her servant. I'm your own sister, and I can't stand seeing you being bullied like this."
Wang Qiqiang remained silent. Zhang Aiju stood up angrily. No wonder she had that attitude. So that's how she was talking about DouDou. She really underestimated her daughter. She was so petty and ungrateful.
"What do you know? DouDou isn't working for free. She gets paid for every day she goes. She's taking care of our family's difficulties. There are plenty of idle people in the village. Why don't you ask someone else? She trusts us and treats us like family. You're secretly suspicious and smearing her. Think about it. What kind of behavior is this? Do you think it's noble or amazing?"
Zhang Aiju became increasingly angry, and unable to eat, she turned around and went inside.
The three siblings looked at each other, and Wang Qisheng stared at the lobsters on the table with a hint of envy.
It looks very tempting. Take a closer look and you'll smell the garlic aroma, which is very appetizing.
"I'll try one first, and if it's good, I'll save it for Mom." He's a picky eater; he can tell whether something is good or not with just one bite.
Wang Ningjing looked at him with disdain. If it weren't for this plate of red turtle, her mother wouldn't have been angry. He actually thought about eating it. What a spineless thing.
Wang Qisheng picked up the lobster, sucked on the shell, and the delicious juice instantly captivated his taste buds. After peeling off the shell, the tender tail was refreshing and chewy, and the delicious taste was indescribable.
He didn't say anything and continued eating, ignoring the probing gazes of his older brother and younger sister.
"Second brother, say something! Why are you just eating?" Wang Ningjing couldn't stand it anymore and asked with a frown.
Wang Qiqiang guessed that this thing called lobster must be delicious, otherwise Yuan Doudou wouldn't have gone into the water to catch it herself.
She specially brought a plate of it to thank him for his small act of kindness, and he felt both happy and disappointed.
It seems that Yuan Doudou really looks down on him, which is why she's being so calculating with him. If he wants to help, she has to give him money or something else.
"It's delicious. You can't appreciate how delicious it is until you eat it." Only after he was half full did Wang Qisheng finally speak.
Wang Ningjing was skeptical. "Is it really that exaggerated?" She had eaten red soft-shelled turtle before, and the meat was coarse and fishy, practically inedible.
"You'll know once you try it." Wang Qisheng rolled his eyes and continued eating.
Wang Qiqiang snatched the plate away, preventing them from eating anymore.
"Big brother, what are you doing? I haven't even tried it yet," Wang Ningjing exclaimed.
“You haven’t apologized yet, so you can’t eat.” Wang Qiqiang said in a businesslike tone.
Wang Qisheng sucked on his finger, which still tasted of lobster.
"Big brother, what are you doing? Second brother ate so much, why didn't you say anything?" Wang Ningjing pointed at Wang Qisheng and accused him.
Wang Qisheng made a face. "Who told you to talk so rudely? I'm not like you."
Look at what she just said, she really angered her mother, and she still has the nerve to eat.
“Ning Jing, you’re already fourteen. You’re not young anymore. Don’t blame me for not reminding you. If you don’t apologize, your mother might never wake up again. You’d better think about what to do.”
Wang Qiqiang carried the lobsters into the house, not wanting to waste any more words with them.
Yuan Doudou, overwhelmed with mixed feelings, walked home with heavy steps and saw that An Bihuai was still there.
She suddenly realized that the lobsters sent to the Wang family were not appreciated by them, but An Bihuai really wanted them. What did that mean?
Yuan Doudou thought for a while and it seemed to explain that An Bihuai still recognized her skills; the last time he came to buy braised pork was proof of that.
There are many people who take kindness for granted, and An Bihuai is one of them, but at least when it comes to food, they share a common ground.
Zhuang Shuhui wanted to eat the pig intestines she made last time, but she didn't give them to her. It would be really unreasonable not to give her crayfish this time.
Yuan Doudou was convinced by her own thoughts; it was the first time she had ever seen herself trying to persuade herself.
"DouDou, you're finally back! I was dying from the heat!" An Bihuai exclaimed with delight.
Yuan Doudou couldn't bear it, so she pushed open the door, let him into the yard, and scooped a ladle of cold water for him.
An Bihuai took the water ladle and drank it all in one gulp. "My niece-in-law is still the best."
Thinking of his family, every time he came back from working in the fields, not only was there no hot food, but no one would even offer him a sip of cold water.
He raised three sons, who turned out to be three ungrateful wretches, and his wife was an even bigger bloodsucker who never cared for him.
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