A few days later, Liu Zhenghui returned. Yunniang took a day off. Mrs. Miao took her to work in the kitchen while Gu Liyue sat in front of the stove, stoking the fire.
Whenever Liu Zhenghui came back, there would be meat at home. Today, there was not only meat but also eggs and fish. The dishes were very sumptuous. Mrs. Miao was afraid that Yunniang and Gu Liyue would steal food, so she stayed there to watch them.
Some days ago, the head of the Liu clan sent a letter, saying that a branch of the Liu family had donated money to expand the ancestral hall. Liu Anping was a constable, so he had a say in the matter. Therefore, several people from the clan had set a date to come and discuss it together.
Mrs. Miao was busy running around. She had to entertain the guests well and keep an eye on the kitchen at the same time. Looking up, she saw her daughter, Liu Qinting, sitting upright on the stool without even knowing to pour water.
She was filled with anger. She didn't know what was wrong with Qinting. After having a dream saying that Feng Lanqing would be promoted, she had changed. She had been acting all day long as if in a trance, and no one knew what was on her mind.
Liu Anping called his daughter several times but got no response. Feeling embarrassed, he shouted towards the kitchen, "Liyue, where is Liyue? The guests are here. Hurry up and make tea for them."
Gu Liyue stood up blankly and was about to say that she was stoking the fire.
Mrs. Miao quickly whispered, "Liyue, your cousin hasn't been feeling well these days. You've always been a good girl. Go and make tea quickly. I'll take care of things here with Yunniang."
Gu Liyue didn't decline and immediately went out to pour tea for the uncles.
Uncle Third looked up at Gu Liyue. "Why does Miss Yue look even thinner than during the Spring Festival?"
Gu Liyue smiled gently. "Thank you, Uncle Third, for your concern. I caught a cold and was ill some days ago, so I lost weight. I'm fine now."
Uncle Third looked at Liu Qinting, who was sitting majestically in the back, then at Gu Liyue, who was quick and dexterous. Frowning, he thought that Gu Liyue didn't seem much younger than Liu Qinting. Why did she look so much thinner?
It was none of his business, so he just said to Liu Anping, "Miss Yue has grown up. She looks more and more like her mother."
Liu Anping also looked at Gu Liyue and nodded. "Yes... Liyue's mother used to be like this, hard - working, capable, and obedient. Later... sigh..."
Hearing this, Gu Liyue slowed down the speed of pouring tea. "Uncle Third remembers my mother?"
Uncle Third laughed. "I remember. Your mother was the most beautiful girl in our village. But she was a bit fatter than you, Miss Yue. You're too thin. You should take good care of yourself. Don't you remember your mother, Miss Yue?"
Gu Liyue shook her head. "I don't remember. Since I can remember things, I've only remembered Yunniang. It was Yunniang who took care of me and brought me up."
Uncle Third looked at Gu Liyue suspiciously. Wasn't it her uncle and aunt who brought her up?
Just then, Liu Zhenghui knocked on the table impatiently. "Gu Liyue, are you blind? You pour water for them but not for me?"
Gu Liyue paused and turned around to pour water for Liu Zhenghui. But there was only so much water in the kettle. After pouring for the uncles and uncles - in - law, there was only a little left. When the water rushed out, there were residues from the kettle at the bottom.
Liu Zhenghui scolded unhappily. "Can't you go and boil more water when it runs out?"
Gu Liyue didn't act submissively as before. She just nodded. "Okay, I'll go and fetch water."
The moment she turned around, Liu Zhenghui grabbed her wrist. "Gu Liyue, what's this?"
Liu Zhenghui reached out and pointed at the residue on Gu Liyue's sleeve. Getting closer, he could smell the fragrance of meat.
"Good heavens, you stole meat. Mother, mother, why didn't you watch her? How could you let her steal meat? You're so shameless!"
Liu Qinting looked at Liu Zhenghui out of the corner of her eye, sneering inwardly. It was this elder brother who had driven her out of the house when she was in a sorry state and divorced, almost leaving her homeless. It was really ridiculous that such a useless and ill - bred person was her elder brother, and her parents still counted on such a son to make a success of himself.
The residue on Gu Liyue's sleeve was, of course, deliberately put there. However, she thought that just as Liu Zhenghui couldn't hold his temper, Liu Qinting shouldn't be able to either. But unexpectedly, Liu Qinting just sat there without even saying a word of reproach.
She had no choice but to struggle hard to break free, with her eyes turning red. "No, no... Cousin, I didn't..."
"What do you mean you didn't? You don't deserve to eat meat. This was made by my mother for me. How can you deserve to eat it? How dare you steal food from our family? Our family has raised you up for so long, and you actually steal food from us."
Liu Anping shouted, "Zhenghui, what are you doing?"
Taking the opportunity, Gu Liyue hid behind Uncle Third, with tears in her eyes. "No. It was Yunniang who saw that I hadn't been feeling well these days, so she..."
Liu Zhenghui got even angrier. "Who does Yunniang think she is to give you meat? A servant like her doesn't deserve to do so!"
Gu Liyue, who had always been gentle, was now dissatisfied. Straightening her back, she said, "Why doesn't she deserve it? She works hard every day to earn money to support the family. If it weren't for her, where could we afford the vegetables and meat at home? She does laundry for two families every month and still has to do embroidery work when she gets back. The money she earns is almost as much as Uncle's. Even so, she and I always eat leftovers. Why? I'm the one who wants to ask why!"
Liu Anping was shocked. He wasn't unaware of these things, but he just didn't care as long as it didn't reach his ears. Of course, even if it did reach his ears, as long as it didn't concern him or his son, he wouldn't care.
But Liyue had never been so noisy before. What was wrong with her today? There were so many guests...
No, she did it on purpose. She knew there were so many guests today, so she deliberately made a scene.
Liu Anping frowned. "Enough! All of you, stop making a fuss over some food. Aren't you ashamed?"
Without hesitation, Gu Liyue knelt on the ground and kowtowed. "Uncle, Liyue has wanted to say this for a long time. Please let me go, Uncle."
Liu Anping was greatly surprised. "What are you talking nonsense about?"
Tears streamed down Gu Liyue's face. "I'm not talking nonsense. I'm not originally from this family. Aunt and my cousins can't tolerate me. I don't want to stay either. Please let me go, Uncle."
Liu Anping didn't dare to meet the eyes of the uncles. Without thinking about anything else, he reached out to pull Gu Liyue. "Liyue, why are you talking nonsense? You only have your uncle as your relative in this world. It was your uncle who brought you up. It's their fault, but your uncle still loves you. Don't worry. In the future..."
"No..." Gu Liyue shook her head. Looking back at Mrs. Miao, who had run out with a shocked look on her face, she smiled faintly. "Uncle, it's not like that. I can understand why Aunt and my cousins don't like me. I'm just an outsider. But Uncle insisted on raising me. Of course, anyone would be unhappy..."
Liu Anping was furious. He roared at Mrs. Miao, "No wonder when I came back from duty, several aunts in the neighborhood told me to be nicer to Liyue. So it was you who had been treating Liyue badly in private?"