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Brutal Tear of the Cunning Underling
墨書 Inktalez
"A girl wearing such a short skirt, do you have no shame? Especially since you're here to meet the elders today."
This was my first visit to Zhang Xincheng's home after agreeing to his proposal.
As soon as I stepped through the door with my bags, I was met with a scolding from Zhang Xincheng's dad.
I awkwardly tugged at my skirt, casting desperate glances at Zhang Xincheng for help.
But instead of defending me, Zhang Xincheng chimed in with his dad's criticism, saying, "Dad is right; you can't wear this outfit again!"
I could only respond with a flushed face, "I'm sorry, I'll be more careful next time."
"You young people want to look good and follow trends; that's fine. But if you're going to marry into our family, you need to follow our rules," he continued. "A woman should present herself properly. No need to dress up like a peacock; you should have a dignified and composed appearance."
Zhang Xincheng's dad lounged on the sofa, playing with a teapot, his words filled with condescension.
After three years of dating, this was my first formal visit.
It represented a step forward in my relationship with Zhang Xincheng and was crucial for my future happiness.
So no matter how harsh Zhang Xincheng's dad's words were, I had to endure them.
I sat stiffly on the sofa, feeling as if time had frozen.
The tension broke when a middle-aged woman in an apron emerged from the kitchen.
I quickly stood up and said, "Hello, Auntie! You look much younger than in the photos..."
Before I could finish my sentence, Zhang Xincheng's mom grabbed my hand and pulled me into the kitchen while complaining, "You come late and just sit around watching TV! I've already cooked two dishes for you; hurry up and get to work—no more chit-chat!"
Before I could react, the apron was already tied around my waist.
Looking at the chopped vegetables on the cutting board and the already heated pot, I quickly realized that I was expected to cook!
"Auntie, I don't really know how to cook. I didn't know I had to before coming here, and I wasn't prepared."
"Being a daughter-in-law of the the Zhang Family means cooking is a priority. Besides, you don’t need to prepare anything; I've already cut the vegetables for you."
Seeing the stern face of Zhang Xincheng's Mom, I realized she wasn't joking.
There was no choice; to make a good impression, I had to grit my teeth and get it done.
The kitchen was small, and with the aging range hood, I was quickly enveloped in grease, and hot oil burned several blisters on my hands.
Enduring the discomfort, I managed to finish frying the remaining dishes.
Fortunately, twenty minutes later, six dishes and a soup were served on the table.
The family gathered around the table, but there were only three sets of bowls and chopsticks.
Just as I was about to get up to fetch more bowls and chopsticks, Zhang Xincheng's Mom suddenly turned her face towards me and asked, "Has Grandma eaten?"
I was baffled by her question.
It wasn't until I heard a few coughs from the bedroom that I realized there was someone else in there!
Zhang Xincheng immediately stood up to serve a large bowl of rice, but his mom stopped him with a firm hand: "Let the women handle these chores; you men should stay out of it!"
Although Zhang Xincheng's Mom's words were harsh, out of courtesy, I obediently took a bowl and chopsticks and followed her into the bedroom.
As the door opened, a strong stench hit me in the face, mixed with the smell of traditional Chinese medicine and menthol balm—sharp and overwhelming.
I felt nauseous and almost threw up but managed to hold it back.
However, his mom had a stern expression as she said, "What? You’re already complaining about the elderly before even getting married? You really don’t understand manners."
"No, no, I just got choked by the cooking smoke a moment ago. It's nothing."
"You need to chop this dish into small pieces with scissors and feed it to Grandma, one bite of food and one bite of rice, understood?"
Zhang Xincheng's mom demonstrated a couple of times before letting me take over.
I carefully fed Grandma a few bites, and she seemed to enjoy it.
"See, Grandma likes you, and that's your blessing. So you need to come and take care of her more often, alright?"
After saying that, she went out to eat by herself.
Before leaving, she reminded me that I couldn't go out to eat until Grandma finished everything.
Ignoring my growling stomach, I could only smile bitterly and nod.
Fortunately, Grandma finished eating quickly and fell asleep.
But when I went to the dining room to eat, I found that the table had already been cleared; not even a leaf of vegetable was left for me.
Before I could react, Zhang Xincheng's mom called out from the sofa with another command: "Hurry up and wash the dishes! Don't be so clueless!"
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