To Hold One’s Joy

hapter 24-1: Foul Mouth

"Laotaitai, Hongdou is here to deliver food." Upon hearing Caixia's report, Sheng Laotaitai cleared her throat reservedly: "Let's set the meal."

Caixia first laid out the dishes sent by the main kitchen, one by one. Coincidentally, there was also a portion of braised pork among them. Sheng Laotaitai lost her appetite after glancing at it. It wasn't that the dish looked or tasted bad. The cooks in the Sheng mansion were not lacking in skill. But having the same kind of food over the years made it monotonous and unappealing.

Noticing Sheng Laotaitai's expression, Caixia swiftly opened the food box that Hongdou had brought and took out a black clay pot. A fragrant aroma filled the air as soon as the lid was lifted. Sheng Laotaitai couldn't help but crane her neck for a better look.

Inside the shallow-bottomed black clay pot were neatly arranged pieces of braised pork glistening like amber and sprinkled with finely chopped green onions. Just one glance at it whetted one's appetite significantly.

Sheng Laotaitai raised her chopsticks and gently prodded the piece of meat. The amber-like meat quivered, and the chopsticks easily pierced through it, stringing up seven layers of fat. Sheng Laotaitai's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but praise, "Exquisite meat!"

Without hesitation, she took a bite. The lean meat was firm yet tender, while the fatty meat was moist without being greasy. The meat skin had a delightful stickiness and elasticity, and the perfect amount of sweetness elevated the layers of flavors to their utmost. Sheng Laotaitai closed her eyes, savoring the exquisite taste in silence.

Caixia, serving by her side, couldn't help but swallow her saliva. How was the taste? Laotaitai said something!

Clearly uninterested in engaging with her maid at the moment, Sheng Laotaitai quickly picked up another piece of meat.

Then another piece...

After a while, there was nothing left to pick up with the chopsticks. Sheng Laotaitai blinked, murmuring in disbelief, "No more?" It felt as if she had just begun eating.

Caixia hurriedly interjected, "You've already had six pieces of meat. It's not good to overeat, as it may be difficult to digest." Sheng Laotaitai gazed at the empty clay pot with a heavy heart. She had already processed and digested what she had eaten, so why were these maids overly cautious? Oh well, she decided to eat to her heart's content.

Pouring a bowl of white rice into a black clay pot, Sheng Laotaitai mixed it with the rich sauce and began eating. After a while, she looked at Caixia with a dignified expression and said, "Bring me another bowl of rice."

In contrast to the joyful atmosphere in Sheng Laotaitai's room, a sense of gloom hung over the Su Mansion. Su Taitai trembled with anger as she tightly gripped her handkerchief. "That Miss Luo must be the misfortune of our Su family. Nothing good ever happens when she's involved!"

Casting a disdainful glance at her two daughters kneeling before her, she continued with frustration, "And both of you, despite knowing that Miss Luo is a devil, why do you still get close to her?" If it wasn't for the youngest daughter being troublesome, how could her second son wouldn't have gotten entangled in this mess?

"It's my fault. I should have brought Ermei back home earlier," Su Daguniang admitted, her voice filled with regret. Su Erguniang, kneeling beside her, spoke with teary eyes, "It's not Dajie's fault. I brought this disaster upon us. If anyone deserves punishment, it should be me."

Su Yao interjected, "Mother, please don't blame them anymore. Ermei and Sheng Erguniang are close friends, and Ermei was just trying to defend Sheng Erguniang. Who would have thought that there would be such an inside story?"

Su Taitai sneered, "I thought the Sheng family was an upright family, but now it seems that all that glitter is not gold. From now on, limit your interactions with the Sheng family." Su Daguniang and Su Erguniang nodded in agreement.

Su Taitai wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and looked at her son with pity. "Mother is distressed to see you getting involved in trouble for no reason." Su Yao smiled, showing a hint of disapproval. "I don't take this matter to heart. Besides, I am a man, and these issues will fade away with time and won't affect me much."

Reluctantly, Su Taitai nodded, but the unnecessary troubles still affected her mood. She tossed and turned at night and caught a cold when she got up during the night, eventually falling ill.