CHAPTER 101: CHAPTER 101: THAT’S MY STEPMOTHER, AND SHE’S QUITE ATTRACTIVE

The cook was busy in the kitchen. Seeing Meng Yao come in, she was a bit surprised. Ap told her that Meng Yao was here to make pancakes for the young master, and the cook had a look of preparing for a battle.

Did she think Meng Yao was the new cook? Afraid of losing her job?

Meng Yao found it somewhat amusing.

"Ap, help me start the fire," Meng Yao said.

"Ap is here to take care of the young master, how can he do such heavy work? Let me do it," the cook insisted.

Meng Yao said nothing, just looked at Ap.

"It’s not heavy work, I can do it," Ap hurriedly said, "Cook Liu, you go and do something else."

"But the adult praises my cooking as delicious," Liu insisted.

"No one is saying your food isn’t good. It’s just that the young master wants to eat the pancakes made by Mrs. Zhao. Stop dawdling here, if you delay the young master’s meal and he’s unhappy, what then?" Ap was a bit impatient; how could this person not get the hint?

Reluctantly, Liu left the kitchen.

Meng Yao chopped up some shredded radish and cabbage, cracked in a few eggs, added a little flour, and mixed until the consistency was just right, then began seasoning.

Ap quickly started the fire, and once the pan was hot, Meng Yao poured a circle of oil around its edge.

Zian doesn’t like eating vegetables, so to get him to eat more, Meng Yao always makes these pancakes.

However, making them is a real test of skill; if the vegetable batter is too thick, it won’t spread well, too thin and it won’t hold shape, and it will definitely fall apart when flipped.

Meng Yao’s skill was superb, every piece was perfect.

"Mrs. Zhao," Ap suddenly spoke up.

"Hmm?" Meng Yao thought he wanted a pancake to eat.

"Our adult is a really good person, he has no foul habits, is honest in his duties, and is quite gentle in private," Ap said seriously.

He wasn’t asking for a pancake, he was promoting his master.

"Previously, if I wasn’t mistaken, you seemed to have some hostility towards me?" Meng Yao’s speech was slow.

Ap was a bit embarrassed, "I originally thought you had ill intentions, trying to use the young master to gain control over our master. The master scolded me, saying you weren’t that kind of person. The master is very perceptive, so it was I who judged you with suspicion."

Meng Yao laughed.

"Please don’t deny our master just because of my offense, he truly is a very good man," Ap said hastily.

"Your master isn’t in a hurry, why are you so anxious?" Meng Yao said, somewhat speechless.

"It’s because I think you’re great! Plus, the young master is very attached to you. If you agree, the young master will surely be very happy," Ap said.

"This is not a trivial matter, I need time to think it over," Meng Yao said.

Even though Ap couldn’t quite understand, he felt this was a great opportunity for Meng Yao, anyone else would be ecstatic to agree. Though he thought this way, he still said humbly, "It’s indeed worth thinking over, no rush, no rush."

Meng Yao spoke to Ap about delivering water, and Ap patted his chest in assurance.

"Madam, rest assured, I will definitely take care of this for you," Ap said.

He even skipped the surname Zhao, directly calling her madam.

"The pancakes are done, when you eat at noon, just heat the pan, warm them slightly, and they can be eaten," Meng Yao said.

"Alright, I’ll serve the master and young master at noon," Ap said.

Meng Yao wanted to say these were made for Zian, but looking at the quantity, not only was there enough for the County Magistrate, but also for Ap.

"Then I’ll head back now," Meng Yao said, removing her apron.

Zian and Ap escorted Meng Yao and Wen Nuan to the door, Zian holding Meng Yao’s hand, reluctant to let go, Ap whispered in his ear, and the little guy immediately let go, happily saying goodbye to Meng Yao.

Ap was right, he should hurry and tell his father, so his mother could quickly move in, and they wouldn’t have to be apart every day.

At the alley entrance, Meng Yao encountered Chen He.

They had just passed each other a few times at the inn, so Meng Yao didn’t stop to greet him.

Besides, thinking of what Wen Nuan had said, Meng Yao’s impression of this person was extremely poor.

Even without what Wen Nuan said, from his microexpressions, Meng Yao could tell he was a person of ill intent.

Such a person, Meng Yao wanted no interaction with him.

Chen He considered himself a scholar, worthy of respect everywhere he went.

Yet, this woman outright ignored him!

It must have been that little attendant of Wen Shu’s slandering him again.

Chen He stared sullenly at the backs of Meng Yao and Wen Nuan for a while, and when he was about to leave, another woman emerged from the alley, muttering as if cursing.

"Auntie, I’m new to the town and a bit lost, would you mind telling me whose house this alley leads to?" Chen He asked politely.

Liu, worried about her job, was a bit upset when stopped abruptly, "How could you not know? The alley leads to the County Government’s backyard, where the County Magistrate’s family lives."

"Just one family?" Chen He pressed.

"Obviously," Liu said impatiently.

So, was that woman with Wen Nuan coming from the County Government’s backyard?

Chen He thought for a moment, then took out a small piece of broken silver, "To be honest, I’m not lost, I came following someone."

Seeing Liu’s puzzled look, Chen He put on an awkward expression, "My mother came to town with my younger sister, my father was worried, and told me to follow them secretly."

In these days, everyone loved gossip.

Liu’s eyes shone, "Why would your father ask you to follow your mother?"

She was almost certain that the woman she saw just now was this young man’s mother.

"She’s my stepmother, quite charming... My father is fifty this year," Chen He sighed.

"Does your stepmother often go out?" Liu asked excitedly.

Surely the old man had found something out, otherwise, why have his son follow?

She thought so, that woman looked all charming and seductive, clearly not up to any good.

If she was of bad character, Liu wouldn’t need to worry about losing her job.

"Come, young man, tell me more about it," Liu said eagerly.

Chen He vaguely said some bad things about Meng Yao, and Liu got an idea, saying a few ambiguous things herself.

The County Magistrate’s young master and his attendant were very courteous to Meng Yao.

The young master loved eating Meng Yao’s cooking.

Liu, with suggestive looks, implied that Meng Yao must have some important backing to be going in and out of the County Government’s backyard.

Just short of directly telling Chen He that Meng Yao was cheating on his father.

To Chen He, this was explosive news.

What if that woman’s backing was the County Magistrate?

The woman’s son had come to take the exams, Wen Shu seemed to have some connection with this woman.

Did this not prove that there were hidden manipulations in the upcoming exams? If he were to threaten that woman...

Chen He believed that this time, he was sure to succeed in the exams.