Chapter 294 - Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Skimming off the Profits
Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Skimming off the Profits Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Skimming off the Profits The table was filled with dishes, both meat and vegetables! There were two bowls of meat, a basin of fish, pig’s blood, green vegetables, adding up to five or six dishes altogether. Su Yunjin was about to deliver some pig’s blood to Auntie Song and had asked Mrs. Chu to watch over the kitchen for her.
“Sister-in-law, I’m heading over to Auntie Song’s. Can you keep an eye on the winter melon soup for me? Once I get back, we can start the meal,” she said.
Mrs. Chu added a log to the stove and agreed with a smile, “Third sister-in-law, go ahead! I’ve got everything under control here in the kitchen, no need to worry!”
Today, Su Yunjin’s household had hired laborers and prepared a lavish feast, stewing meat and slaughtering fish. Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Han could only look on with envy.
Since they had parted ways, Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Han rarely even got to see greasy food, let alone taste it. Seeing the abundance at Su Yunjin’s table, both of them were itching to snag a bit of the feast for themselves!
However, they were both wary of Su Yunjin, having been bested by her several times before, and dared not provoke her again so readily.
They were fretting over lacking an excuse to invite themselves to Su Yunjin’s feast when they saw her leaving with the pig’s blood. To Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Han, it seemed like the perfect opportunity had presented itself.
Mrs. Chu was tending the fire underneath the stove when she heard Mrs. Zhang’s voice, “Oh, younger sister-in-law, you’re here helping the third sister-in-law cook? Elder sister-in-law has come to see what delicious dishes you have prepared.”
As Mrs. Zhang spoke, she peered into the kitchen, with Mrs. Han following behind. Mrs. Han caught sight of a whole tableful of dishes the moment she entered the kitchen.
“Elder sister-in-law, just look at this spread! It’s truly lavish! With so many dishes, and not many workers at the third sister-in-law’s house today, I’m afraid they won’t be able to finish it all. Why don’t we take some home to eat? It would be such a waste if they couldn’t finish it, right? Such fine food going to waste would be a real pity, wouldn’t it?”
Without waiting for Mrs. Chu to respond, Mrs. Han moved to take some of the food from the table. Mrs. Zhang was also drooling with greed, “Exactly! Sister-in-law, you’re right! It would be a real shame if third sister-in-law and her family couldn’t finish all this. Taking some for ourselves would save it from going to waste.”
Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Han both acted as if they were considering Su Yunjin’s best interests.
“Elder sister-in-law, sister-in-law, the food on the table is for the guests. Please don’t touch it.” Standing up from the stove, Mrs. Chu hurriedly went to stop Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Han.
Wasn’t she well aware of what these two were like? If they got their hands on the food, they would likely take away at least half of it.
Su Yunjin had asked her to watch over the kitchen, how could she let them just take the food from the table? Mrs. Zhang did not take Mrs. Chu’s words seriously at all.
Scoffing, she said, “Fifth sister-in-law, what’s the matter? Your elder sister-in-law can’t even eat some of your good food now? Besides, it’s not even yours. If we want to take it, what can you do about it?”