Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

After being scolded by Jiang Huiqi, Auntie Li was really upset. When she got home from work, she started venting to Sun Miao: "What's wrong with Xiao Jiang? She doesn't know who really matters. She actually scolded me over an outsider! What was so wrong with yesterday’s pastries? That girl ate them and didn’t say a word—like they poisoned her or something."

Sun Miao had just come back from dinner with Jiang Haohao and, hearing her mother complain, asked, "What exactly happened?"

Auntie Li told the whole story, making Jiang Huiqi’s questioning sound even worse than it was. Since Han Jiming’s mother wasn’t around and the old man didn’t get involved much in household affairs, Jiang Huiqi was in charge of things like this. Her authority came straight from Old Master Han. Since he’d handed over control, he felt it wasn’t his place to interfere anymore, so he stayed quiet.

His silence spoke volumes—it was the clearest sign of disapproval. But unfortunately, Auntie Li didn’t pick up on it.

Finally, she said bitterly, "That girl is supposed to keep coming here for tutoring, but I can’t bear to look at her."

She was asking indirectly if Sun Miao could do something about it.

Sun Miao had always been clever and was tight with the Han kids. Jiang Huiqi liked her too, so Auntie Li often asked her advice. Of course, Sun Miao didn’t think giving Xu Meng yesterday’s pastries was a problem. A girl like her probably never tasted anything that good before—what right would she have to complain?

Still, Sun Miao took her anger out on Xu Meng.

"I noticed Han Lingling’s been all excited lately, but with her personality, how long can she really stick with studying? She’s just doing it for fun while it lasts. And I think Auntie Jiang has it in for me." Like when she recommended a tutor—Auntie Jiang completely disregarded her, making her look bad in front of Jiang Haohao.

Auntie Li shifted from grumbling about Jiang Huiqi to complaining about Xu Meng.

They talked for a bit until suddenly there was a ruckus in the backyard.

Auntie Li was annoyed by the noise and said to Sun Miao, "This is too upsetting to think about. I’m going to see if anyone’s playing cards."

"Okay, come back early," Sun Miao replied, then went to her room and turned on the TV. After a while, she noticed the noise outside had stopped, but didn’t think much of it. Later, she heard that Han Lingling had taken sick and was sent to the hospital. Not long after, Han Xiaoxiao showed up looking for Auntie Li.

Sun Miao didn’t say her mother was out but stood up instead. "She just stepped out. Is someone looking for her? If it’s urgent, I can go find her."

Han Xiaoxiao, Han Boqi’s daughter and now a doctor, replied coldly, "Forget it."

Sun Miao didn’t give it much thought, but the next morning at breakfast, she heard Auntie Li had been scolded. Something must’ve gone down last night.

When she asked, she found out Han Lingling had been hospitalized.

It turned out that after dinner the previous night, Han Lingling went back to study.

But later that evening, she started having diarrhea.

At first no one paid much attention, assuming it was just a stomachache. But as the night wore on, it got worse—she even started vomiting. When Han Xiaoxiao got home from work and saw how serious it was, she said it was acute gastroenteritis and got her to the hospital.

They hadn’t looked for Auntie Li the night before because everyone was too busy.

Sun Miao ran into Han Cheng outside.

"What happened?"

Han Cheng hadn’t even eaten dinner at home yet and had just returned from somewhere else. He didn’t know much, but said, "I heard Lingling had a stomachache. At first Second Sister-in-law didn’t take it seriously, but by the time they realized, she was already dehydrated. They wanted Xiaoxiao to prescribe some medicine, but she insisted on sending her to the hospital. It was a whole production, and even Brother Sun had to drive her."

Brother Sun was Old Master Han’s driver, and the car was government-issued.

Normally, the family wouldn’t use the official car.

Sun Miao managed a weak smile. "No wonder Auntie Jiang stormed over to see me earlier."

Han Cheng immediately looked worried. "Are you okay? She didn’t take it out on you, did she?"

He and Sun Miao were around the same age. They had grown up together, and he had feelings for her. But Sun Miao always kept him at a distance. Still, Han Cheng liked her very much and would jump at any chance to be near her.

Sun Miao’s face twisted in frustration, tears welling in her eyes as she nibbled her lower lip.

Still, she said, “It’s nothing. Lingling has a stomachache, and Auntie Jiang must be blaming my mom for it. She’s the one who cooks all the meals at home, so any little thing gets blamed on her.”

She didn’t mention the leftover pastries at all.

Han Cheng stared at her reddened lower lip, his breath catching slightly before he hurriedly reassured her, “I’ll talk to Second Sister-in-law later. Kids get stomachaches all the time—she can’t just blame you guys for no reason.”

Though Han Cheng was the son of Old Master Han’s younger brother and Han Ji Ming’s cousin, he had been raised under the old man’s care and carried a lot of weight in the family.

With his support, if he could put in a good word with Old Master Han, at least her mother wouldn’t be treated too harshly.

Sun Miao nodded, her eyes still wet. “Han Cheng, thank you.”

Han Cheng’s expression instantly softened. “Are you okay now?”

Sun Miao smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just a little worried about my mom.”

Han Cheng said, “I’ll bring it up with Uncle later.”

——————

At breakfast, Jiang Huiqi had asked for plain congee, but Auntie Li had fried dumplings instead.

The dumplings were store-bought and greasy. Jiang Huiqi, who was in a rush to bring food to the hospital, looked displeased and snapped at her. Auntie Li, not one to back down, shot back sarcastically.

“Auntie Li, didn’t I say I needed to go to the hospital this morning?” Jiang Huiqi waved her hand dismissively. “Whatever, never mind. I’ll use the pressure cooker myself—it’ll be faster.”

Auntie Li glared. “Old Master wanted pan-fried buns. With so many people in this house, everyone wants something different. Am I supposed to cook a dozen different meals?”

Nobody asked for a dozen meals! It was only because Han Lingling was sick!

Jiang Huiqi didn’t want to argue, but she had to say what needed to be said.

“Auntie Li, like I’ve said before—the doctor thinks Lingling might have eaten something bad. And I know you’re frugal and hate wasting food, but from now on, cook smaller portions. Whatever’s left at night should be finished. If there’s really too much, give it to people outside. Isn’t that better than letting it spoil? Luckily, it was Lingling who got sick. What if it had been Old Master? What then?”

The amount of food prepared daily was supposed to be fixed.

Auntie Li bristled. It was only yesterday’s pastries—at worst, they weren’t tasty anymore, but could they really make someone sick enough to end up in the hospital? She refused to take the blame. “I don’t believe something like that could land someone in the hospital. Didn’t we have guests yesterday? Did she bring anything weird? Have you checked? I’ve worked in this house for decades—I won’t take the blame for this!”

She slammed the towel down on the table and stormed off.

Jiang Huiqi let out a bitter laugh. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Don’t think she was afraid of them just because she was usually polite.

Auntie Li said, “I want an apology. Until things are cleared up, you can’t accuse me like this.”

Jiang Huiqi scoffed. “Me apologize to you? You fed my daughter yesterday’s leftovers, gave our food to your daughter’s friend, and now you want an apology? You’ve got some nerve!”

Despite her refined appearance, she could give as good as she got.

Just as Auntie Li was about to retort, someone called from outside, “Second Sister-in-law, what’s going on?”

It was Han Ji Ming’s voice.

After dropping Xu Meng off the previous day, he returned to school but got held up and worked overnight in the lab. He had only come back that morning and didn’t yet know about Han Lingling’s hospitalization. He walked in, his steps heavy, frowning at the tense atmosphere between the two women.

Auntie Li was a longtime servant in the household, having worked there for over twenty years, making her the most senior servant in the Han family.

Now it was a new society. In earlier years, egalitarian ideals were rampant, and families no longer dared treat servants and kitchen staff the way they had in the old days. The Hansas also treated these workers with great courtesy, terrified of committing any class-related mistakes. As a result, over the years, people like Auntie Li had grown downright presumptuous, forgetting their place—otherwise, she wouldn’t have done something like yesterday, stealing household food to give to outsiders.

Han Jiming asked with a stern face, "What’s going on?"

Jiang Huiqi was seething and didn’t want to make a scene with Auntie Li at home either.

So beneath us.

She grabbed Han Jiming’s arm and pulled him outside. "You’re pretty chummy with Xu Meng. Do you know where she lives?"

Han Jiming was puzzled. "Why?"

Jiang Huiqi recounted what had happened the night before. "According to Lingling, Xu Meng ate even more than she did. If she really got sick from something she ate at our place and ended up in the hospital, we’d still have to take responsibility. Do me a favor and go check on her if you know where she lives."

Han Jiming’s face turned thunderous.

Truth be told, in any other household, Auntie Li would’ve been sacked on the spot long ago for something like this.

But she refused to admit fault, even arguing with Jiang Huiqi—this was all the result of years of being spoiled.

Auntie Li was now a government-registered employee and wasn’t so easy to fire.

Han Jiming asked, "How’s Xiao Wuer doing?"

Jiang Huiqi sighed. "On the mend. Her stomach stopped hurting last night. Anyway, I still have to go to the hospital today. If everything’s fine, she should be discharged. She hated being cooped up there—she actually wanted to come back last night, but the doctor insisted she stay for observation."

Hearing that Han Lingling was fine, Han Jiming also relaxed and made a beeline for the train station.

When he had dropped Xu Meng off yesterday, she had only mentioned the general area where she lived, so he only had a rough idea. Han Jiming figured he’d wing it.

As soon as he reached the entrance of the alley, he spotted Xu Meng.

She was carrying a small metal bucket with something inside, covered by a white cloth. Next to her was a child of about eight or nine, and the two were chatting and laughing, none the worse for wear.

Han Jiming hurried over. "Xu Meng."

Xu Meng stopped. "What brings you here?"

It was Han Jiming. What was he doing here?

The child beside her gawked up at the tall, handsome man.

Han Jiming asked, "Did you feel unwell after going home yesterday?"

Xu Meng blinked in confusion. "Why?"

Han Jiming then told her about Han Lingling’s hospitalization. "If you’re feeling any discomfort, get yourself checked out ASAP. Don’t worry about the costs—our family will cover them."

Xu Meng asked, "Is Han Lingling okay now?"

Han Jiming just stared at her. *I’m asking about you—why are you worried about her?*

Xu Meng laughed. "Me? I’m bulletproof! It was just some stale pastries. I feel fine—no stomachache, no diarrhea. Why are you looking at me like that? I’m really fine!"

Her stomach was a laborer’s stomach, hardened by a lifetime of grit—it could handle anything.

Meanwhile, Han Lingling, who ate so little, of all people, landed in the hospital.

Xu Meng asked, "Should I go to the hospital and see her later?"

Han Jiming waved his hand and followed her inside. "No need. The IV took care of the pain last night. They kept her overnight for observation, and if everything's fine, she can be picked up today. Auntie Li was worried about you, so she specifically asked me to check on you."

Glad to hear everything was fine, Xu Meng sighed in relief.

Today, she walked him a bit further. Once they entered the alley, Xu Meng urged him to go back. "There are too many alleys here—I’m afraid you’ll get lost. If I have to walk you out later, it’ll be troublesome. Let’s stop here—I won’t invite you in for tea. I’ll have you over once I’ve straightened up."

She worried his family’s sensitive stomachs might act up from even a simple drink.

Han Jiming gave her a knowing look.

Xu Meng backtracked. "I mean it, but if you don’t mind, you can come in. My place is a wreck right now, so it’s a bit embarrassing..."

Her voice trailed off by the end.

So that was the reason—as long as she wasn’t avoiding him. She had just moved, so of course there was still a lot to organize.

Han Jiming broke into a roguish grin. "What’s the big deal? I’ve been to Qinghai before—even trekked through uninhabited zones. Your neighborhood’s nothing special. But I’ll pass today."

He paused, his eyes fixed on Xu Meng.

Xu Meng squirmed a little. "Alright, once I’ve cleaned up, I’ll definitely invite you."

As Han Jiming walked away, she called after him. "Since Han Lingling is sick, I won’t come over today. Maybe I’ll visit her tomorrow?"

Han Jiming nodded. "That works."

Then he returned to the Han residence.

When he got home, Han Lingling hadn’t returned yet, but by noon, she was brought back.

Han Lingling looked awful—her face was still pale, and she was too weak to walk properly, leaning on Jiang Huiqi as she entered.

Auntie Li bustled over. "Level with me—what’d you eat yesterday? I remember you don’t even like Yundou Rolls. I never thought you’d actually eat them. If that’s what made you sick, I owe you one."

She was clearly making her defense.

Han Lingling rolled her eyes hard. Just because she didn’t like them didn’t mean they could be served as leftovers—like Xu Meng should’ve gotten the leftovers.

"Forget it, I don’t want to talk about this," Han Lingling said weakly, waving her hand. "Mom, I want to lie down."

Auntie Li got brushed off. Her pride stung, resentment bubbling up.

By dinnertime, Auntie Li had stewed chicken soup.

There was a small chicken coop in an inconspicuous corner of the house where free-range chickens or ducks from visitors were temporarily kept. Someone had just delivered a few black-bone free-range chickens—their meat looked exceptionally good.

When Sun Miao found out, she said she wanted to eat chicken.

Without hesitation, Auntie Li slaughtered one and stewed it in an earthen pot, simmering a large pot of rich broth.

One taste and it was mind-blowingly good.

In these times, scoring something this good in the city was rare.

The aroma of the chicken wafted from the kitchen all the way to the front courtyard. Sun Miao’s nose twitched at the scent, and she headed straight for the back kitchen. Since the family was in their rooms and the staff were used to Sun Miao’s frequent kitchen visits, she slipped right in.

Auntie Li was just taste-testing the soup and added a pinch of freshly ground white pepper. The moment the pepper hit the broth, the aroma exploded.

Just from the smell, Sun Miao knew something delicious was stewing in the pot.

"Mom, is it ready? Can I get a taste?"

Auntie Li shot a quick glance outside to make sure no one was around, then picked up the tasting spoon and fished out a piece of meat for Sun Miao to try.

Sun Miao's eyes lit up as soon as she took a bite. The chicken was springy and tender, so rich it stuck to her lips—just the way she liked it. After finishing the piece, she peered into the pot and whispered, "Can I get a bowl?"

Auntie Li snorted, "This chicken is top quality—I knew when I slaughtered it. There's plenty of soup today. I'll fill a lunchbox for you to sneak out and share with your dad." She had already tasted it herself.

She then turned and rummaged for a plastic insulated lunchbox, carefully ladling spoonfuls of soup into it, even tossing in several good chunks of meat. The chicken today was exceptional—she'd cut the drumstick meat smaller on purpose. Normally, she'd just give her daughter a few pieces, but today she was still fuming at Jiang Huiqi and holding a grudge. When she saw those nice pieces of chicken being scooped out, she didn't skim them off—she put them all into the lunchbox together. In the end, the box was packed full.

The chicken smelled so good Sun Miao was practically drooling, all she could think about was getting to dinner quickly.

Toting the lunchbox, she headed toward the door.

Just as she reached the entrance, she ran into Sister Wang.

Sister Wang was also a longtime employee, though not as senior as Auntie Li, handling mostly external affairs. In a household like the Hans', which functioned somewhat like a state-run unit, hierarchy was subtle but present. Moving this sentence here improves flow.

"Sister Wang," Sun Miao greeted her, acting natural.

Sister Wang’s eyes flicked to the lunchbox but she held her tongue. She didn’t want to mess with Auntie Li—the woman was petty.

Sun Miao exhaled in relief. Taking food from the main kitchen always made her nervous. Just as she reached the inner gate, she bumped into Han Cheng.

"Han Cheng," she said awkwardly, spotting Han Jiming behind him and instinctively stepping closer to Han Cheng for cover.

Han Jiming wasn’t as easygoing—if he saw her with the lunchbox, he’d surely say something.

Han Cheng’s gaze fell on the container in her hands. "Let me carry it for you," he offered.

Sun Miao quickly handed it over, and the two walked side by side toward the exit.

As they passed Han Jiming, he glanced at them and smirked. "What’s up? Not eating at home tonight?"

Han Cheng replied, "Nope."

With a nod to Han Jiming, he picked up his pace.

Only when they neared the main gate did Han Cheng return the lunchbox to Sun Miao.

She hurried back to her room, heart racing. Without Han Cheng’s help, Han Jiming would’ve caught her red-handed.

She wasn’t afraid, but she didn’t want Han Jiming to peg her as a glutton. Distracted by these thoughts, she opened the lunchbox—the rich smell of chicken and soup hit her. She carefully poured half into her own bowl and savored every bite.

After giving Sun Miao a full box, only two-thirds of the soup remained.

When Sister Wang came to serve the meal, she frowned at the diminished portion. Auntie Li was getting more brazen, treating the Han household like her own kitchen. What had been a nearly full pot now looked pathetically skimpy.

"Auntie Li, should we transfer the soup to a smaller pot?"

Auntie Li saw the point—it looked too obvious otherwise. She poured the remaining soup into a smaller pot before letting Sister Wang serve it.

At the dinner table, Han Lingling, who usually had a hearty appetite, had lost her appetite entirely.

"What smell? I feel sick," said Han Lingling.

Han Xiaoxiao replied, "It's country chicken. Brother Sun brought it back from his hometown during his vacation recently. It's really good, but no luck for you today."

Han Lingling, who couldn't stand strong smells at the moment, pinched her nose and whined for pickles and plain rice porridge.

Jiang Huiqi brought out herself a bowl of plain congee. The congee was cooked just right, with the rice grains softened and releasing their natural oils. Han Jiming happened to walk by and also asked for a bowl.

"Get it yourself," Jiang Huiqi scolded playfully. "You're a grown man—get it yourself!"

Han Xiaoxiao cut in, "Uncle, there's chicken soup today. Maybe pass on the porridge? Brother Sun brought this chicken from his hometown—it was tiny when caught, truly free-range. Tastes incredible."

Brother Sun was the driver, Xiao Sun. His hometown was in Miyun, a remote mountainous area where the chickens were free-range and mostly fed on wild insects and grass seeds in the bamboo forests. Chickens raised this way were basically wild chickens.

Han Jiming eyed the pot of chicken soup and suddenly said pointedly, "So it's chicken soup, huh?"

He reached out with a ladle and gave it a stir. "Please ask Auntie Li to come here."

The kitchen was winding down, so Auntie Li hurried over to look busy. She kept her apron on, and when she reached the dining room, she realized the entire Han family was gathered there.

"What’s up?"

Han Jiming asked, "Was only one chicken stewed tonight?"

Auntie Li replied, "Yes."

Han Jiming said, "Why’s it so small?"

Auntie Li's smile stiffened. "Jiming, it's a free-range chicken. They're naturally small—this one barely weighed three pounds with feathers on."

Han Cheng added, "Jiming, the chicken was feisty, but after it was slaughtered, I checked—there wasn’t much meat. Still, what little there was had excellent texture. Brother Sun didn’t lie to us."

Han Jiming gave Han Cheng a meaningful look.

Auntie Li, catching the mood, excused herself to return to the kitchen.

Han Jiming stopped her. "Wait, don’t leave yet. Sister Wang, pass me the soup bowls."

Things got awkward. Sister Wang wanted to leave, but Han Jiming insisted, so she had no choice but to place the bowls on the table one by one. Everyone watched him, baffled. Though they knew Han Jiming wasn’t the type to act unreasonably, his behavior was puzzling.

Han Jiming used a strainer to scoop out the contents of the soup, dishing out the chicken bit by bit.

Han Xiaoxiao joked, "Grandpa, we’re really lucky today—getting soup served by Uncle himself! He must be showing his filial piety to you, and we get to benefit too."

The usually silent Old Master Han smiled faintly and nodded.

This lightened the mood slightly.

Han Jiming continued dishing out the chicken. By the end, everyone—even those who hadn’t cooked—was staring at the bowls. The chicken being lean was understandable, but the portions were ridiculously skimpy. And where were the drumsticks? There were only two small pieces.

Jiang Huiqi stood up and pointed at the bowls. "Sister Wang, where’s the meat?"

Sister Wang immediately waved her hands. "Not me! I didn’t do it!"

Heh. So Sister Wang was in on it.

Jiang Huiqi shot back, "You’re the one who served it!"

Sister Wang: “It really wasn’t me—I only carried it to the table. There’s no way I could’ve eaten it on the way, and everyone else was still around at the time.”

The implication was clear—if it wasn’t her, then it had to be someone else.

That left only Auntie Li with the opportunity.

The chicken soup had been simmering in the kitchen for over an hour, giving Auntie Li plenty of time to scoop some out. It was an unspoken rule that cooks had this perk—sneaking a bite here and there. Normally, no one would make a fuss if someone took a few pieces in private. But now, a good portion of the chicken and most drumsticks were gone, along with the liver and intestines—completely vanished. This was practically spitting in the Han family’s face.

Jiang Huiqi said, “Auntie Li, what do you have to say? If you admit it now, apologize, and promise not to do it again, I’m not one to hold grudges. We can let this go. Besides, it wouldn’t be hard to investigate—evidence doesn’t just vanish. With so much missing, we’d definitely find out where it went.”

That insulated container was still in their house!

Only then did Auntie Li panic, her face turning ashen.

Being caught red-handed like this would make the employers think she did it every time.

But if she admitted it to the Han family, not only would she lose face, but her husband would also be humiliated. From then on, people would remember her as the thieving glutton.

Auntie Li stammered, “It’s really not what you think.”

Jiang Huiqi remained firm. “Then what is it? Can you explain it clearly?”

Auntie Li stayed silent, but her expression made it obvious she wasn’t convinced.

Jiang Huiqi let out a bitter laugh. There had been a rule before—household staff couldn’t have family live in, but considering Auntie Li’s situation (both she and Old Sun worked for the family, and their elderly parents were long gone), they made an exception, allowing them to bring their daughter to work. At first, they’d gotten along just fine.

But over time, this family had started acting like they owned the place.

Now, Sun Miao waltzed into the private quarters like it was her own home. When she was little, it hadn’t seemed like a big deal—Jiang Huiqi had even liked the bold little girl. Back then, Sun Miao had been around the same age as Han Jiming, Han Cheng, and Han Xiaoxiao, making them natural playmates. But as she grew older, barging in without notice showed a lack of boundaries. Jiang Huiqi had dropped hints a few times, but Sun Miao had mostly ignored them.

Yesterday, she had even used the Han family’s things to host her own friends!

Today was even worse. In the morning, Jiang Huiqi had asked Auntie Li to cook plain congee before she left to visit Han Lingling at the hospital, but it hadn’t been done—she’d ended up making it herself. The whole family had eaten pan-fried buns for breakfast, and then a plate had been sent to Sun Miao. Now, after slaughtering a chicken, their family had taken nearly half of it. It wasn’t that Jiang Huiqi was stingy—anyone would be pissed about this.

Jiang Huiqi said, “Father, what do you think?”

This kind of matter was best handled by the Patriarch.

Even as the daughter-in-law, she could only speak up in the household because of the Patriarch’s authority.

Everyone’s eyes turned to him.

Auntie Li tensed immediately. She could argue with Jiang Huiqi, but she feared the old master the most.

He might not say a word, but his presence alone carried immense pressure. Auntie Li stammered, as if she were on the verge of confessing. Just as all eyes shifted between the two of them, Han Cheng suddenly spoke up—

“It was me.” Han Cheng said, “I’m sorry. Earlier, I thought the soup looked good, so I took a container out to give to Sun Miao. It was entirely my fault for acting on my own. Next time something like this happens, I’ll definitely let Second Sister-in-law know first.”

No one had expected Han Cheng to cover for her.