Chapter 106 The CEO’s Divorced Wife’s Gentle Knife (5)

Chapter 106 The CEO's Divorced Wife's Gentle Knife (5)

As evening fell and they returned to the Li household, Sheng Baihui doted on her once more, verifying her treasured daughter-in-law hadn't been mistreated by that no-good son of hers before finally easing up a bit.

"You want to open a restaurant?" Sheng Baihui's surprise quickly turned to opposition. "That's such dirty work—exhausting and messy."

"Here's what we'll do. I'll find you a manager so you can just be an investor."

Ever the impulsive one, Sheng Baihui was already reaching for her phone.

"Mom, I truly want to run this myself," Tang Qing intercepted the call, explaining sincerely. "I've never worked since graduating. I need to try this."

"Besides, I'll soon divorce Li Zhou. I can't keep taking the Li family's kindness for granted."

Though Tang Qing spoke gently, Sheng Baihui recognized the steel in her eyes.

Her daughter-in-law had clearly been really shaken up by that divorce agreement. The once-obedient girl who followed every arrangement now had her own mind...

"Ah... Fine, I won't stop you." Sheng Baihui was always too lenient with Tang Qing. "That son of mine—giving you such a tiny space? What good is that?"

"Let me buy you the adjacent unit too—more room to work."

"And an upstairs apartment for when you need rest."

Tang Qing had to smile. In all her experience, she'd never known such unconditional love. Sheng Baihui's devotion softened Tang Qing's expression further.

That warm smile left Sheng Baihui momentarily taken aback.

Had her daughter-in-law always been this lovely?

Before she could ponder further, Tang Qing guided her to the dining table where several covered dishes awaited.

"Mom, I prepared these. Please try them."

Lifting the lids released a mouthwatering aroma that made Sheng Baihui's eyes widen instantly.

This certainly wasn't their fancy Michelin chef's work!

Grabbing her chopsticks eagerly, Sheng Baihui sampled the first bite and sighed with pleasure. The meat—flavorful but not heavy—melted on her tongue, its braising sauce exquisite.

The spareribs with clove delivered both rich meatiness and aromatic spice, complementing each other perfectly.

Sheng Baihui's voracious appetite became the highest praise for Tang Qing's skills.

"You can cook?" she managed between mouthfuls. "Why keep this from me? This is incredible..."

"Two years I've been missing out on such talent!"

"I know a little," Tang Qing said modestly.

"A little? This far surpasses our house chef!"

Sheng Baihui was wolfing down food while thinking mischievously:

That kid’s absurdly picky. Since childhood, hardly any dishes could suit his taste. Even the meals prepared by the family chef are the only ones he’ll grudgingly eat.

Had he known Tang Qing had such culinary skills, he’d probably have put his wife on a pedestal instead… and yet he still wants a divorce!

Serves him right—like a hog choking on gourmet truffles!

With that thought, Sheng Baihui angrily crammed another piece of meat into her mouth!

It was at this moment that Li Zhou returned. The moment he stepped inside, he caught a whiff of that rich aroma.

Was this Chef Zheng’s new dish?

Instinctively heading toward the dining room, what he saw was Sheng Baihui devouring the food with gusto. Four dishes and a soup were laid out on the table, half of which had already been devoured by her.

Clearly, Sheng Baihui was thoroughly enjoying herself—she was beaming.

"Mrs. Zhang, set another place," Li Zhou said casually as he took a seat.

Suddenly spotting her troublesome son, Sheng Baihui reacted like a dog guarding its bowl. The remaining scraps of all four dishes were immediately piled into her own bowl!

She growled, "These are all mine! None for you!"

"Don’t even think about it!"

Clutching her half-bowl of food, Sheng Baihui bolted out!

Li Zhou was stunned speechless. Not a single bite was left for him—only a bit of broth remained.

His chopsticks hung midair, frozen.

"Um… Mom can be a bit territorial about food," Tang Qing, standing nearby, watched Sheng Baihui’s retreating figure while biting back a laugh and spoke softly. "Should I ask Chef Zheng to prepare another serving for you?"

Territorial about food?

She’s in her fifties—Li Zhou often couldn’t comprehend why he was stuck with a mother like Sheng Baihui!

Having been denied even a taste, President Li was radiating irritation. "How can one person eat so much?"

"Is she part vacuum?"

Tang Qing smiled gently and said, "Maybe she was just hungry."

Only then did Li Zhou notice that the person who usually avoided him was actually standing there so calmly today.

And even spoke up?

Was the mouse finally finding its voice?

His lips thinned, Li Zhou had no interest in further interaction with Tang Qing. After all, they were about to divorce. He coldly instructed Mrs. Zhang to arrange another dinner, slipping back into cold indifference.

Chef Zheng worked quickly, and soon, the same four dishes were served again.

The moment they arrived, the picky President Li noticed something different.

This tasted… different from what Sheng Baihui had been eating earlier…

Here’s the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of each dish. It was Chef Zheng's cooking—passable, but nowhere near as flavorful as the dishes on the table earlier.

"Mrs. Zhang, did Chef Zheng just make these?"

"Yes, Young Master. They were just brought out from the kitchen."

The Young Master frowned. It seemed Chef Zheng was getting old—his cooking wasn’t as reliable anymore.

Though the meal was bland as cardboard, Li Zhou forced himself to finish what appeared to be a feast.

In the afternoon, Zhong Jiaze called and told me you wanted the shop across from the company?"

Li Zhou slipped back into his cold, superior attitude, speaking sharply, "Tang Qing, are you trying to prove something? Or do you just want my attention?"

Like Zhong Jiaze, Li Zhou saw no capability in Tang Qing—much less pulling in 30% annual returns. A dodder-frail woman, her only advantage was being photogenic when she wept.

She didn’t want the three million, nor the house. Other than fishing for attention, Li Zhou couldn’t think of any other reason.

His cold tone seemed to wound Tang Qing again. The woman who had just managed to speak normally now found her voice growing small. "I just want something to do."

"Li Zhou, if you don’t let me try… how do you know I can’t do it?"

Steeling herself, though her eyes were brimming, Tang Qing stubbornly met Li Zhou’s gaze. "Li Zhou, these are my terms for the divorce."

"If you agree, I’ll sign."

Faced with this unexpectedly resolute Tang Qing… Li Zhou was taken aback.

Huh. Even bunnies have claws?