Turning Antagonist to Protagonist: He is Both Soft and Fierce-Chapter 78 - 73: He Likes Seeing His Sister-in-law Smile
Noon hadn’t arrived yet, and the Li Family came to urge them once more. Lin Qiao originally wanted to wait for Song Tingfan to return home, but now she couldn’t wait any longer. She had to eat and then cook for Song Tingfan when she got back.
Went with the Wang Family to the feast, and even before they arrived, Mrs. Zhou came over. Lin Qiao greeted her with a smile, "Grandma Zhou."
"Madam Tingfan, are you going to the feast?" Mrs. Zhou initially looked a bit angry, but as soon as she saw them, her face lit up with a smile.
Old Mrs. Wang nodded, immediately understanding the expression on her face, and whispered, "What’s up? Is the Li Family’s feast no good?"
"It’s more than just no good, it’s almost like giving money away." Mrs. Zhou was slightly displeased, estimating she would be even more upset once she got home.
She glanced at Lin Qiao and the others, and continued, "Madam Tingfan, don’t bother with the gift, it’s just frustrating to give it."
Even Mrs. Zhou, the wife of the village head, said it was no good, so it must be genuinely infuriating. Otherwise, who would risk offending people?
Lin Qiao looked at Song Qin and Song Rong, "Grandpa, Grandma, what do you think?"
Song Qin patted her hand, "Qiao’er, you decide."
Lin Qiao thought about how the two cents could buy some malt sugar and even garner some concern from a mischief-maker, so she told Old Mrs. Wang, "Granny Wang, we won’t go then."
"Alright." Old Mrs. Wang didn’t want to be bothered either, so she simply gave the gift money to Old Man Wang, "I’m not going; it’s too frustrating. You go eat."
Old Man Wang widened his eyes a bit. Although his words were displeased, his expression was smiling, "Why don’t you let me go back and you go to offer the gift?"
"When Cui’er got married, I didn’t ask you to invite the Li Family, it was you who insisted on inviting them." Old Mrs. Wang began her usual nagging.
Old Man Wang quickly raised his hand, "surrendering," "Stop saying that, I’ll go, I’ll go; grandson, come with Grandpa."
The last sentence was said to the grandson behind him.
"There’s no meat, I want to go back with Grandma." The Wang Family’s four-year-old grandson clung to Old Mrs. Wang.
Old Man Wang pretended to be angry, "Alright, alright, you all like your Grandma, not Grandpa. Next time, I won’t bring you anything."
"Grandpa~, I’ll go with you, you have to buy me malt sugar." The little grandson quickly clung to him, acting spoiled.
Old Man Wang chuckled, "Forget it, I’ll go alone and not buy you malt sugar."
"Grandpa~" The grandson wouldn’t have it, clinging to him and refusing to let go.
Old Man Wang, delighted, picked him up and cheerfully said to Old Mrs. Wang, "Go back and start cooking, I’ll eat when I return."
"Alright, go on." Old Mrs. Wang waved her hand, looking as if tired of his chatter.
Just as a group was about to head back, Mrs. Li came out and saw them, hunching her back and inviting them in, "Come in quickly, the food is ready."
The group looked at each other, and Lin Qiao hesitated, so she had to go with Old Man Wang to present the gift.
Stepping inside, she glanced at the tables in the courtyard. Saying it was a feast, they had only set up two tables with hardly any dishes on them, just a few kinds of greens, and cheap ones at that.
It clearly wasn’t a sincere invitation for a feast.
Anyone who saw it would be annoyed.
Lin Qiao raised an eyebrow slightly. Originally, she planned to leave, but now she decided to stay, feeling annoyed, well, she would annoy the Li Family too.
The Li Family took advantage of the villagers being thin-skinned.
Thinking of this, she smiled and said to Old Mrs. Wang, "Granny Wang, let’s sit at this table. Good thing we came early, otherwise we’d have to stand."
If it weren’t for her sincere expression, one might think she was mocking the Li Family.
Upon hearing that they were staying to eat, the Li Family’s expressions changed. Mrs. Li said with a double entendre, "There aren’t many dishes, don’t mind."
"Granny Li, you’re too kind. There are four or five dishes, it’s enough."
After seating Song Qin and Song Rong, Lin Qiao invited the Wang Family to sit down.
Old Mrs. Wang, being quick-witted, immediately understood her meaning, nodded, and called over her son and daughter-in-law to sit.
The Wang Family came with seven or eight people, filling up a table as they sat. Old Mrs. Wang suddenly remembered something and said to her daughter-in-law, "Why haven’t the others come yet? Go call them over; it’s almost time to eat, dilly-dallying all day."
"Tingfan will be back soon too; call him over while you’re at it."
Seeing that Old Mrs. Wang understood the situation, Lin Qiao couldn’t help but laugh but quickly held it in, cooperating by saying, "Sorry to trouble you, Aunt Wang."
The Li Family’s expressions became nastier, but they couldn’t drive them out. Probably seeing them sitting and eating made two or three more families, with a mindset of having paid the gift money, decide to eat too.
The two tables were no longer enough to accommodate everyone. Mrs. Li stood there for a while, forcing out a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, "The house doesn’t have enough tables, please bear with it."
Old Mrs. Wang, seeing the Li Family having to swallow their pride, felt pleased and cheerfully said, "Ms. Li, it’s fine. Just squeeze together and it’ll be enough."
Just after saying this, she saw Song Tingfan and others arriving, waving her hand to invite them over, "Over here!"
Seeing his sister-in-law and the others, Song Tingfan hurried over, "Sister-in-law, Grandpa, Grandma." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Lin Qiao made room for him and, after he sat down and she noticed his forehead was sweaty from running, reached over to wipe it off, "Why the rush? There’s enough food."
"I just wanted to get home early." Song Tingfan averted his eyes, a bit embarrassed, but after a moment, he glanced at Lin Qiao and quickly looked away again.
Lin Qiao didn’t notice and handed him a pair of chopsticks, "Uncle, eat up."
Song Tingfan took the chopsticks, and since his sister-in-law told him to eat up, he did exactly that.
He helped himself to food for Lin Qiao and the others before holding his bowl and starting to eat quickly.
The Li Family’s food really wasn’t great, it was all boiled vegetables. If Lin Qiao weren’t trying to annoy the Li Family, she’d rather not eat. She took a few bites and smiled as she praised Mrs. Li, "Granny Li, the food is delicious, it’s got that healthy, natural flavor."
Old Mrs. Wang heartily agreed, "Indeed, much better than my cooking, Ms. Li; I have to learn from you."
Mrs. Li could clearly hear the hidden meaning in their words, but couldn’t voice it out, she cursed inwardly several times before squeezing out a single "Okay."
Lin Qiao lowered her head and smiled to herself, just as she glanced up to meet the mischief-maker’s gaze, ahem, she was caught sneaking a laugh.
She pretended not to know, "Uncle, what’s up?"
Song Tingfan shook his head and then hurriedly took a couple more bites of food to cover his embarrassment and awkwardness from being caught.
His sister-in-law had a lovely smile.
He liked when she smiled.
May she always smile like this.
...
On the way back from the Li Family, Old Mrs. Wang laughed, "Madam Tingfan has her ways; the Li Family’s faces changed, feeling much better."
Lin Qiao chuckled and said nothing.
Back at the Song Family, the yard was messed up again by the two little dogs, with chewed-up rags and shoes scattered everywhere.
Song Tingfan was furiously scolding, "Lai Cai! Jinbao! You’re at it again!"
As he spoke, he picked up a dog in each hand, adopting a stern stance, "Do you believe I’ll hit you?"
Though his words were harsh, he didn’t actually do anything, and Lin Qiao couldn’t help but smile as she asked, "Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, are you full? I’ll whip up some food."
Song Qin and Song Rong shook their heads, while Song Tingfan, putting down the dogs and patting his belly, earnestly said, "Sister-in-law, I’m full."
