Ye Shenyan gazed into his daughter's determined eyes, a gratified smile spreading across his weather - worn face.
The next day, the bright red morning glow hung in the sky. Sixth Auntie walked up to the Ye family's gate with a bamboo basket on her arm. She knocked on the door for a long time, but there was no response.
Sister Zhang was passing by. She trotted over obsequiously and pointed at the Ye family's gate, saying flatteringly, "This family went to work before dawn. Sixth Auntie, if you have something to do, come and sit in my house first. I'll go and call them right away."
Although Sixth Auntie didn't hold much status in the Wei family, she was still a member of the Wei family in front of outsiders, so people would be somewhat wary of her. Sister Zhang, in particular, was the kind of person who judged people by their status and often looked for opportunities to curry favor with the Wei family.
Sixth Auntie despised such people, but she also enjoyed the feeling of being highly respected. Naturally, she raised her head, puffed out her chest, and put on an air of superiority.
"Do you know where their fields are?"
"Yes, I'll lead the way."
With that, Sister Zhang leaned forward and led the way.
The Ye family's fields were far - off and out of the way. It took a long time to get there. By the time they arrived, Sixth Auntie's forehead was covered in sweat.
At this moment, Ye Zhinan was buried in the field. Hearing the rustling footsteps beside her, she looked up.
A smiling face blocked the sun above her head.
"My dear niece, you've never suffered like this before. It breaks my heart to see you like this. Come and take a rest. Have some tea!"
There was a mixture of surprise, confusion, pity, and a touch of heartache in Sixth Auntie's eyes. She quickly took out a tea set from the bamboo basket, spread a handkerchief on the ground, and took out several plates of tea snacks, neatly arranging them on the ground.
Sister Zhang was dumbfounded. Even when farmers took a break, they usually just drank a bowl of plain water. With all these things to eat and drink, it didn't look like they were here to work at all. It was more like a spring outing.
Ye Zhinan wiped the sweat off her face and flicked the dirt off her hands. She said to Sixth Auntie with a smile, "Auntie, please put these away. A gust of wind might blow over later and scatter your nice things. That wouldn't be appropriate."
As soon as she finished speaking, a gust of wind really blew over, raising a cloud of dust that all landed on the snacks.
Sister Zhang stepped forward to block it pitifully. Who would have thought that she slipped on the ground, lost her balance, and fell right on top of the snacks.
Watching a plate of delicate snacks being crushed into a paste and the beautiful tea set being smashed to pieces, Sixth Auntie was so angry that she forgot her gentle image and started scolding Sister Zhang.
"You unlucky thing from this back - of - beyond place. You can't afford to pay for these things in several lifetimes! Get out of the way! What are you still lying on them for!"
Saying that, she pushed Sister Zhang away and picked up the undamaged teacups from under her, examining them carefully.
Sister Zhang was also stunned. She didn't know if she was scared by the value of the broken things or by the usually meek Sixth Auntie. In any case, she just stood there stupidly, not knowing what to do.
A cold look flashed across Ye Zhinan's eyes, and a feeling of disgust welled up in her heart.
It's really hard to judge a person's heart by their appearance. Truly, birds of a feather flock together.
After examining everything, Sixth Auntie suddenly felt a strange look from beside her. She quickly smiled sheepishly and said, "My dear niece, you must have been scared. I was just too impatient for a moment. Sister Zhang, are you okay?"
Sister Zhang didn't dare to say a word. She just shook her head and waved her hands desperately, not even caring that the cut on her hand from the broken teacup was still oozing blood.
Ye Zhinan took out a piece of gauze from her waist pouch and pulled Sister Zhang's hand over to bandage it.
"I'm fine. This little injury is nothing. But I've ruined your tea snacks. What should I do?"
"What you're saying! Are the tea snacks more important than a person? If you look down on yourself, no one else will respect you."
As Ye Zhinan said this, she tightened the gauze. "Okay, don't let this hand get wet for three days."
Sister Zhang stopped talking. She stole a careful glance at Sixth Auntie and saw that the latter's expression was cold.
"Forget it. Go back and tend to your injury. Be careful not to cause any more trouble."
Hearing this, Sister Zhang felt as if she had received a pardon. She quickly ran away.
Sixth Auntie suppressed the surging anger in her chest. Her eyebrows twitched, and her eyes returned to their usual timid and gentle look.
"I feel sorry for you, my dear niece. You've been busy all morning and haven't even had a sip of tea. Wait for me. I'll go and get you another pot."
"No need. I'll teach you how to make marinated dishes after I finish this work."
Ye Zhinan had long seen the purpose of Sixth Auntie's visit. She came to find her so early in the morning. Wasn't it just to get the recipe for marinated dishes before the other aunts?
Every member of the Wei family was extremely cunning. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to survive in that den of tigers, leopards, and wolves.
At first, Ye Zhinan really felt sorry for Sixth Auntie. She came from a scholarly family and married Master Wei as a concubine when she was young. Because she gave birth to a daughter, she was not favored. Every time she came to her house, looking so pitiful and trying to read people's expressions, even a child like Ye Zhinan felt sorry for her.
But one takes on the behavior of one's company. Sixth Auntie had been in the Wei family for a long time, and those who could survive there were not simple.
Ye Zhinan had seen how Sixth Auntie pretended to be a pig. Whether she could eat the tiger or not would depend on how things developed later.
A flash of pride crossed Sixth Auntie's eyebrows when she heard Ye Zhinan's promise.
She wanted to get the recipe before Tenth Auntie so that she could gain the favor of the eldest mistress. Maybe the eldest mistress would even entrust this business to her.
As she was calculating, several people were slowly approaching.
"Sixth Sister, you're really early!"
Sixth Auntie was startled. She turned around and saw Eleventh Auntie standing in front of her. Behind her were Tenth Auntie and Seventh Auntie. Thirteenth Auntie was leaning against a tree not far away. She was fanning away the flying insects with a handkerchief while watching what was going on here.
"Tenth Sister, you're also really early! Are you going to work?"
Sixth Auntie's pupils suddenly shrank, and her usual cautious expression returned.
Eleventh Auntie continued, "We're here to find Miss Ye. We agreed last time that she would teach us how to make marinated dishes!"
It was the same whether she taught one person or two.
Ye Zhinan didn't care, but the others might think differently.
She blinked her eyes and looked very innocent. "It's great that you all come to learn together. Sixth Auntie, you should have said earlier that everyone would come. I was just wondering why only you came. Don't you have to do all the dirty and tiring work alone?"
Sixth Auntie forced a smile on her lips, but her eyes were full of embarrassment.
"What are you talking about? I came here to bring you tea snacks because I feel sorry for you!"
Tenth Auntie glanced at the things scattered on the ground. The corners of her mouth twitched slightly, and her eyes were full of coldness.
"We came in a hurry and didn't think it through. Thirteenth, stop standing there. Go and get some tea snacks."
Thirteenth Auntie was enjoying the show. Suddenly, she was pulled into the scene. She was a bit caught off guard, but she wasn't the kind of person who would be easily ordered around. She immediately replied with a smile.
"Aren't we here to learn? We can talk about the snacks later. Besides, we don't know what Miss Ye likes. What if we get it wrong? Wouldn't that be embarrassing for me?"
She sure has the nerve to say that!