Chapter 37 Salted Pork Stewed with Potatoes (4)

"Heh heh," Jiang Tou'er chuckled dryly, unsure what else to say. For a rough fellow, his words were clumsy.

Meng Qingping had no intention of making things difficult for Jiang Tou'er. He quickly adjusted his demeanor and started a casual conversation.

Fu Xinci's eyes were also fixed on Mrs. Fang. Once Mrs. Fang put the potato chunks into the large iron pot, Fu Xinci told her to add more water.

"Ci'er, if you add so much water, won't it just become soup? Will it taste good?"

"Mother, just listen to me, it'll be fine." In front of so many people, Fu Xinci felt embarrassed to say that there wasn't much meat to go around. Even with a few large potatoes, it wouldn't be plentiful, so adding more soup would make it look more substantial.

Fortunately, Mrs. Fang was agreeable and quick-witted. She accepted her daughter's suggestion and asked Fu Yu to help add half a bucket of water to the large iron pot.

Watching the large iron pot with its half-full pot of clear soup, Wu Laoda's heart sank. He wondered if adding half a bucket of water would ruin the whole thing.

As Wu Laoda waited anxiously, a mist began to rise from the lid of the large iron pot, and a rich aroma emanated from it.

He sniffed deeply, his large mouth splitting into a wide grin, his small eyes narrowing into slits.

Wu Lao'er nudged Wu Lao'san with his elbow and said something that wasn't entirely pleasant: "It's good that big brother was farsighted and didn't let you get your hands on it."

Wu Lao'san didn't reply; he knew his own limitations.

Jiang Tou'er could no longer sit still, but he changed his tune. "Meng Erge, the smell is so fragrant, I'm worried it'll attract wolves." Jiang Tou'er didn't know that in an hour, he would be so angry he'd slap himself.

As everyone waited, the time it took for an incense stick to burn felt exceptionally long. When the aroma of the meat was at its peak, Fu Yu, at Mrs. Fang's request, helped lift the lid.

"Oh my, it smells wonderful." As soon as the lid was lifted, the dark-faced big man no longer pretended to be dignified. He immediately grabbed a large bowl and moved closer.

"Haha, we have to work for what we eat. Boss, let's eat."

"Alright." It had been a difficult time for everyone recently. This was the first time Jiang Tou'er had seen Wang Zhuzi so eager for a meal.

"Haha, let's eat, let's eat. Sister-in-law's cooking is really good. Just this aroma, I could eat two big bowls of rice without any side dishes," Wu Laoda muttered, handing over a small wine flask and taking the opportunity to pull Fu Yu to sit next to Jiang Tou'er.

Jiang Tou'er thought: If it weren't for this boy knowing how to be accommodating and dragging Fu Yu over, he would have retorted, "Go take your bowl of rice and smell it." He refused to admit he was craving alcohol.

As they sat down, everyone except Fu Yu ate heartily, grabbing cured meat and potatoes.

While they were eating, the Meng clan was in chaos. The adults, fearing the officers, suppressed their hunger and swallowed their saliva. But the children couldn't hold back. They cried loudly, their little stomachs growling. They wanted to eat, they wanted delicious food.

Especially the youngest, Bao'er, who cried hysterically. Granny Mei and her daughter-in-law couldn't comfort him.

It wasn't surprising that Bao'er was crying. Granny Mei and her daughter-in-law only cared about themselves and didn't know how to take care of Bao'er. They ignored him when he was hungry or had soiled himself.

Ever since Meng Xiaohe was taken away by Meng Qishan, Bao'er had become a burden to the mother and daughter-in-law. If it weren't for Madam Li and the officers watching, Xiao Mei Shi would have abandoned Bao'er by the roadside.

Hearing Bao'er's pitiful cries, Meng Xiaohe couldn't bear it and looked tearfully at her younger brother.

Meng Qishan wasn't completely heartless. After careful consideration, he approached Qi He and told him about his own sister's kindness.

"This is easy to handle. It's just a child. If the three of us eat a little less, there will be enough for him," Qi He said, then stood up and walked towards where the Meng clan was gathered.

Before he even reached them, he saw Xiao Mei Shi impatiently scolding the child, "Cry, cry, cry, you only know how to cry all day."

"Exactly. Others give birth to children, but you gave birth to a disaster star and a plague god." To silence others, Mei Shi bestowed the title of disaster star upon Bao'er. This way, whenever anyone scolded her, she would push Bao'er forward to deflect the blame.

She didn't care if the other members of the Meng clan looked at her and her daughter-in-law with disdain; she continued to speak. The more she said it, the more she believed it herself.

And so, when Bao'er cried from hunger, she and Xiao Mei Shi scolded him together.

Madam Li felt sorry for Bao'er and wanted to stop the mother and daughter-in-law from their retribution, but they ignored her words and continued to scold him even more loudly.

Granny Mei was even more inhumane. She extended her finger and poked Bao'er's forehead repeatedly.

A child's skin is tender. Bao'er's forehead was pricked through by her fingernails, revealing bloody streaks that looked terrifying.

Qi He couldn't stand it any longer. He strode forward and roared, "You old hag! No wonder this child is crying so much. Are you trying to kill him?"

Qi He grew angrier and angrier, kicked Mei Shi fiercely, then bent down, picked up Bao'er, and walked away.

"Ouch!" Mei Shi cried out loudly as she lay on the ground, "Murder! That brat is murdering me!"

But as soon as she shouted, Nianzi retorted, "Stinking woman, if you keep yapping, believe it or not, I'll chop you up." Nianzi's fierce demeanor immediately silenced Mei Shi.

"He who knows the times is a wise man. Niece, it's best to be quiet." Meng Wu Ye had long disliked Mei Shi and her daughter-in-law. Now that he had the chance, he also scolded them.

Mei Shi dared not argue with the officers, but she feared no one among the Meng clan. When the Meng family was still prosperous, she considered herself the matriarch.

Unfortunately, just as she was about to say something, she saw everyone around her glaring at her with anger, and she immediately deflated.

Oddly enough, Bao'er stopped crying when he was in Qi He's arms. He gurgled and made baby sounds that Qi He couldn't understand.

Qi He held his breath, secretly lamenting, the stench on this child was suffocating him.

"Ugh," he hurried a few steps, shoved the child into Qishan's arms, and then let out a sigh of relief, "My heavens, I almost suffocated."

Qishan: He couldn't stand the smell either. He quickly rubbed his hands and handed the child to his sister. Then, pinching his nose, he reminded Meng Xiaohe, "Sister, this child stinks terribly. What are you going to do with him?"

Meng Xiaohe almost choked. After a moment of thought, she remembered and said, "Go get Bao'er's clothes. I'll clean him up and change him into clean clothes."

"Okay."

Bao'er recognized Meng Xiaohe. When he saw her, he grinned and tried to crawl towards her.

Meng Xiaohe quickly stopped him, "Bao'er, wait a moment. I'll clean you up and then you can hug me."