Chapter 177 - 177 How do we Spoil mom once we Grow up?
177 How do we Spoil mom once we Grow up?
Lu Jiao thought Lady Ruan stormed off due to anger. Only after she was done studying and came out of the room did she realize that Lady Ruan had sat herself before their kitchen with a long face, looking like she was owed money.
“Mom, you didn’t go back?”
Lady Ruan had been cursing silently for a while and now felt better. She raised her head and faked a smile, “Why would I go back? This is my son’s home. I can be here when I want to.”
She then suddenly got up and whispered into Lu Jiao’s ears, “You think my son’s yours just because you took care of him for a while? Quit dreaming. Once my son passes his exams and becomes an official, he is going to marry the wealthy daughters of high officials. He’s going to leave you.”
Lu Jiao grinned and was not at all annoyed. She was fine with him leaving her. She was looking forward to it.
“I’ll wait for that day then.”
Lu Jiao happily went to chop chives in the kitchen. She had promised her sons that she’d make dumplings for lunch.
Lady Ruan felt so much hatred after she saw how little Lu Jiao cared. She wanted to scratch up Lu Jiao’s face but she didn’t dare.
Lu Jiao chopped up chives and made two different fillings, one with eggs, and one with pork.
Once Xie Yunjin was done teaching the village children, the family started to wrap dumplings together.
Lady Ruan didn’t help and stood by the side. She watched as Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, and the four children happily wrapped their dumplings. They were using bleached flour…
Lady Ruan once again felt anger. Her own family didn’t have the luxury of eating dumplings every meal yet this little family was having rice porridge or dumplings every meal. Their lives were too good.
Lady Ruan couldn’t help but guess that Lu Jiao made a sizable amount of money and that was why they were eating so well. Could she get some money from them and put that towards her fourth son’s wedding?
Lady Ruan took action. She sat by the table and got ready to help.
Lu Jiao knew right away Lady Ruan was trying to do something. It didn’t matter – she wasn’t going to let anything go her way.
“Mom, we don’t need your help.”
Lady Ruan didn’t wash her hands and Lu Jiao didn’t want her to touch anything.
Lady Ruan stopped moving then, and smiled, “Third daughter-in-law, you are doing so well. Your mom and dad cannot afford to eat rice or bleached flour – you shouldn’t keep all that for yourself and ignore your parents.”
Xie Yunjin coldly glared at her while the four little ones cautiously stared. They were terrified that she was going to steal their dumplings.
Lu Jiao answered calmly, “The rice and flour were gifts from the villagers. I taught the villagers herb harvesting and they all gave me gifts as thanks. I was going to ask you, mom, I taught second sister-in-law herb harvesting as well, and she gave you all the money she earned from that. How come you didn’t give me any gifts as a thank you?”
Lady Ruan’s face dropped and she mumbled, “We didn’t make much money. Not enough to buy you anything.”
Lady Ruan wasn’t going to tell her that they actually made quite some money. They even managed to earn over one tael of silver in one day. She saved all of that for her fourth son’s wedding.
Since she wanted money from Lu Jiao, she had to play poor, “The fourth has his eyes on a girl and they were getting married soon. The fifth also needed to find a man soon. Since we don’t have enough dowry to give, it’s been hard finding a husband for her. For money, my hair has gone gray.”
She then waited for Lu Jiao to respond. Lu Jiao acted like she heard nothing and continued to instruct the four little ones on how to wrap dumplings.
“First Born, tighten up the edges. Your dumplings may open up when you throw them into the pot.”
“Second Born, you put in too much filling. It’s going to rip. If we boil that, we’ll get chive water.”
“Look at the Third Born’s dumplings! They’re beautiful!”
The Third Born blushed at the compliment and his little chest straightened up subconsciously. The First Born was good at studying, the Second Born was good at climbing trees and shooting arrows, and the Fourth Born had a sweet mouth. He was the only one who hadn’t found anything he was good at. Today, he wrapped dumplings well and his mommy complimented him!
The Third Born was very happy and became more focused.
The Fourth Born lifted his dumpling and said to Lu Jiao, “Mommy, look at mine.”
Lu Jiao chuckled, “Are you sure you put any filling in there?”
The Fourth Born awkwardly laughed.
Xie Yunjin smiled at his children and his wife.
Nobody in this room full of people treated Lady Ruan like a person of significance. Everything she’s said before may have as well been a fart.
Lady Ruan’s heart started to get stuffy and she wanted to flip all the dumplings off the table.
The contract she signed was the only reason why she contained herself. She unpleasantly looked at Lu Jiao and said, “Lu Jiao, the fourth and fifth are your brother and sister. If you have money, you should contribute to their marriages.”
Lu Jiao responded bluntly, “Mom, if those two bastards were my brother and sister, I would’ve drowned them.”
Lady Ruan’s face went dark and her teeth gritted together, “You…”
Lu Jiao beamed, “Mother, you should really educate those two well. Or else you’ll be the one suffering in the future.”
She didn’t let Lady Ruan say anything before she continued, “If you don’t know how, you can let me teach them a lesson. I guarantee you that I can straighten them up. Those two bastards need to be beaten to death in order to learn.”
The four little ones sensed their mother’s prowess and chimed in.
“Mom, we will fulfill our filial duties. We are all great kids.”
“Yes, once we grow up, we will be nice to mommy and daddy.”
Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction, “Good boys. You’re all mom’s good boys. Everyone I raise turns out good.”
The four little ones giggled and fought to join the conversation.
“Mommy, when I grow up, I’m going to study like daddy. I am going to get you a title.”
The First Born vowed.
The Second Born followed, “I am going to become a general and beat whoever tries to hurt you.”
The Second Born waved around his fist.
The Third Born pondered on what he could do for his mom.
He got an idea, “Mommy, I’m going to learn how to save lives like you. I want to be as capable as you. When people ask me, ‘who taught you how to do all that?’ I’m going to tell them, ‘my mommy taught me.’ Everyone will praise you!”
Lu Jiao stared at the Third Born in awe. Does this kid want to study medicine after her? That was not bad at all.
Lu Jiao nodded, “That sounds nice! My son is going to be a much better miracle doctor than me!”
The Fourth Born was jealous of the praises and stood up to shout, “Mommy, I’m going to earn money. I’m going to earn so much money that I will buy you new accessories and new clothes every day. I want you to be happy every day!”
Lu Jiao grinned so deeply her eyes disappeared.
“Ahhh, I am so happy. I’m going to count on my sons and enjoy all the nice things they are promising me.”