"Has your cooking improved so much?" Meng Yao calmly looked at Zhao Dahe, "If you like it, eat; if not, I'm not forcing you."
Just bite the bullet and deny it, and no matter how much Zhao Dahe wants to dig deeper, there's nothing he can do.
"Second Brother, you're really strange; isn't it good that Mom's cooking is delicious?" Zhao Xiaohua was very satisfied, her mom's cooking skills were even better than her sister-in-law's.
Zhao Dahe scratched the back of his head. Yeah, good cooking, that's great.
Zhao Dahe finished a bowl of dumpling soup and put the bowl on the table, "Another bowl."
In the past, it was Song who served the rice.
Today, everyone held their own rice bowls.
No one got up to serve Zhao Dahe.
Zhao Dahe felt a bit awkward.
Meng Yao glared at him, "What, are you glued to the chair? Can't stand up?"
Zhao Dahe sheepishly served himself another bowl of dumpling soup, taking a big bite of the chewy pancake to vent his frustrations.
"Xiu'er can't get off the bed these days, can't touch cold water, and can't overwork. Xiaoshu's body also needs to be well taken care of, so about cleaning the dishes..." Meng Yao looked at Dajiang, Zhao Dahe, and Zhao Xiaohua, speaking slowly, "Dahe only comes home two days a month, so for these two days, Dahe will wash the dishes. After Dahe leaves, Dajiang and Xiaohua will take turns washing the dishes."
"Mom!" Zhao Dahe was very agitated, "A gentleman stays away from the kitchen!"
"You're no gentleman," Meng Yao said mercilessly, "If you don't want to work, then ask Dajiang or Xiaohua who'd like to do it for you."
Zhao Xiaohua reacted quickly, "Second Brother, I'm still young, can't help you with chores, and besides, I'm going to town with Mom later."
This time, Dajiang wasn't that foolish either, "Mom wants me to take care of Xiu'er, I still need to prepare her medicine."
When it comes to chores, Zhao Dahe doesn't want to do a bit of it.
Before, his mom dotted on him and didn't let him do anything.
Now, his mom doesn't dote on him anymore, a child without a mother's love is like a grass blade.
How pitiful he is.
Zhao Dahe suddenly remembered that when his dad was still around, he once discussed with his mom about buying a serving maid to do the chores at home.
Right, how could he be so stupid? He could buy someone to work at home.
"Mom, I'll buy a serving maid back." Zhao Dahe said excitedly.
"Sure. But let's be clear, you'll have to take care of her clothes, food, shelter, and transport yourself. I've heard serving maids require monthly silver, you'll have to handle that as well." Meng Yao said slowly.
Zhao Dahe was dumbfounded. He did have some silver on him, barely enough to buy a serving maid.
But food, shelter, and monthly silver.
This...
He had no silver.
The annual gift and monthly food allowance were all given by his mom.
In the end, Zhao Dahe, with a drooping face, reluctantly went to clean up the table and wash the bowls, tidying the kitchen.
Meng Yao instructed Dajiang on a few things, then went to check on Song Xiu'er.
Song Xiu'er was a bit bewildered, and Meng Yao knew that some people's personalities don't change overnight. Song Xiu'er's fear of the former self could only be gradually erased through future interactions.
Meng Yao then went to Zhao Xiaoshu's room, where Zhao Xiaoshu had already finished the breakfast that was brought in.
When Meng Yao entered, he was sitting dazed on the bed, lost in thought.
"Finished? I'll take the dishes out, your Second Brother is washing dishes, I'll have him wash yours too." Meng Yao said with a smiling face, "I'm going to town with Xiaohua. Do you want anything? I'll buy it for you."
Zhao Xiaoshu shook his head.
"Alright then, rest well, and if you need anything, call your big brother or second brother." Meng Yao instructed, "Let me get you some snacks Xiaohua left; if you're hungry, have some. I'll make something for you when I get back."
Zhao Xiaohua puffed her cheeks, her face full of reluctance.
Having been at the carpenter's shop for so long, how could Zhao Xiaoshu not know how to read people's expressions?
"I don't want it." Zhao Xiaoshu refused.
Compared to himself, it was evident that his mom favored Zhao Xiaohua more. He couldn't assume equality with Zhao Xiaohua just because he was home again.
He was self-aware.
Meng Yao glanced at Zhao Xiaohua.
Zhao Xiaohua instantly spoke, "Xiaoshu, why be formal with your sister? We're twins, even in Mom's belly we were close. What's mine is yours, eat if you're hungry. But you can't eat too much."
"It's not that I don't want to share, it's Mom who said you can't eat too much at once." Zhao Xiaohua added another sentence.
Though honestly, she was really reluctant to share.
"Let's go, if we don't, we'll miss Uncle Niu's ox cart. Do you want to walk to the town?"
Meng Yao was afraid Zhao Xiaohua would over-explain; after all, Zhao Xiaoshu had been seriously hurt and tended to be more sensitive.
The more you say, the more mistakes you make, so it was better to say nothing at all.
After handing the dishes to Zhao Dahe, Meng Yao and Zhao Xiaohua left the house under Zhao Dahe's sorrowful gaze.
There were already a few people at Uncle Niu's gate, all waiting to go to town.
Meng Yao paid Aunt Niu for the ride, secured a spot on the wagon with Zhao Xiaohua, and sat down.
To be honest, the ox cart wasn't very comfortable; it was pretty bumpy. But compared to walking ten miles, Meng Yao felt she could handle the bumps.
Soon enough, several more people arrived in twos and threes.
"Xiaohua, are you and Auntie going to town too?" a cute little girl asked softly.
Her wet doe eyes made anyone instantly like her upon first glance.
Wearing a dress embroidered with peach blossoms, she stood out among the crowd.
Her hair was styled in a double braid adorned with pearl flowers the size of millet grains.
She was a unique presence.
She was Tao Hua.
Her dress was probably the one Zhao Xiaohua had been dreaming about, the one no one else had, only Tao Hua did, given to her by her uncle—a beautiful gown.
Zhao Xiaohua's eyes sparkled.
Her face was full of envy.
At their age, children couldn't hide their expressions well when they liked something.
Meng Yao gently nudged Zhao Xiaohua with her elbow, bringing her back to her senses, and she grinned at Tao Hua, "Yeah, Mom's taking me to town."
"What are you going to do in town?" Tao Hua asked.
"Just looking around." Zhao Xiaohua instinctively didn't want to tell Tao Hua what she planned to do, wanting to surprise her friends when she appeared in a new dress.
Meng Yao, of course, understood the little girl's thoughts and smiled, gently patting Zhao Xiaohua's hand.
Tao Hua didn't press Zhao Xiaohua further but sat beside her, and the two little girls began whispering to each other.
Tao Hua's mother, Jin Shi, sat next to Tao Hua, and nodded towards Meng Yao.
In the original memories, Jin Shi was a quiet person. The original self had no significant contact with her beyond knowing whose wife she was and greeting her when they met. So, Meng Yao didn't try to start a conversation with Jin Shi.
Zhao Xiaohua stopped whispering with Tao Hua, her eyes bright as she looked at Meng Yao, "Mom, Tao Hua said her mom is taking her to the clothing store to buy shoes, ones with pretty beads sewn on the top."
Zhao Xiaohua's face said it all - she wanted them too.