CHAPTER 221: CHAPTER 221: GRACEFUL IN THE PARLOR AND SKILLFUL IN THE KITCHEN

Lin Xue saw that both grandpa and grandma liked the preserved egg and lean meat congee, and since it’s good for the stomach and easy to digest, she said,

"Grandpa, grandma, if you like this congee, I can teach the kitchen staff to make it before I leave. Then you can have it whenever you want!"

"Good, good, good! You’re so thoughtful, girl! Go and eat something too! You didn’t eat much last night, you must be hungry!" The old lady quickly waved her hand for Lin Xue to grab a bite, worried it might get cold.

"Girl! Grandpa wants to have this preserved egg and lean meat congee again tomorrow morning, is that okay?" Mr. Zhang Sr. couldn’t hold back after tasting the delicious congee, so he quickly made a request.

"Of course! If grandpa wants to eat it, I’ll make it for him. Don’t worry, you’ll definitely have it tomorrow morning!" Lin Xue agreed with a cheerful smile.

"You old man, are you making the kid get up early to make breakfast for you? Young people like to sleep in, don’t make it hard for my dear granddaughter-in-law!" The old lady wasn’t pleased and gave the old man a nudge.

"It’s okay, grandma. I usually get up early anyway, and it’s rare for grandpa to have a craving!" Lin Xue said.

"Do you usually get up early too? Good habit! Then make a little extra, I’ll eat some too!" The old lady quickly changed her tune.

Once she said this, everyone in the room burst into laughter. Kang Chunmei and Sister-in-law Zhang didn’t dare to laugh out loud, but Lin Xue and Mr. Zhang Sr. just couldn’t hold back and laughed heartily.

At this moment, Lin Xue felt that these two old folks were quite adorable, unknowingly bringing everyone closer.

She took a bowl of congee to Zhang Yuan too and found him deep in his research. When he saw the little girl bringing the congee over, his stomach began rumbling instantly.

Usually, he liked sticking with the little girl, but once he started his research, he’d forget the time and sticking around. Lin Xue and Zhang Yuan ate the congee in his room, then went back to their room to wash up and sleep.

She had to get up early the next day to make breakfast for the two elders. She had already decided to make not only the preserved egg and lean meat congee but also some other breakfasts she loved.

Early in the morning, Lin Xue went to the resting room in the supermarket to take a bath, feeling fresh and went downstairs.

Zhang Yuan’s house didn’t lack a bathroom; she just preferred bathing in her own resting room. Since no one would find out anyway, she thought it was more comfortable to use her own space.

As soon as she went downstairs, she saw Sister-in-law Zhang leading three women to prepare breakfast.

Kang Chunmei was among them, and as soon as she saw Lin Xue, she came over to greet her.

Since she hadn’t been there for long, she wasn’t very familiar with the rules there. Sister-in-law Zhang knew one of the young madams recognized Sister-in-law Kang, so she didn’t stop her. The other sisters working with them were somewhat envious of Kang Chunmei.

"Sister-in-law Zhang, let me prepare grandpa and grandma’s breakfast today! I promised last night to make breakfast for them! So, I can’t break my word!" Lin Xue greeted Kang Chunmei, then spoke to Sister-in-law Zhang.

Sister-in-law Zhang had heard from her room last night that the old sir was the one who first asked the young madam to do it, so she didn’t hesitate and let them use the kitchen, even helping out nearby.

Lin Xue didn’t make anything fancy; it was just simple, regular food her family usually ate.

There were soup dumplings, authentic Hangzhou style. The filling was something she had learned later on because she loved it, making it quite authentic and particularly delicious.

Then there were youtiao, with the dough already prepared; she just needed to fry them. There was also tofu pudding, which was ready-made; she just made the topping.

She cooked the preserved egg and lean meat congee and milk, creating a simple, nutritious breakfast.

When the two elders came down, Zhang Yuan had already been up, helping his wife serve the dishes.

Mr. Zhang Sr. was dumbfounded, wondering when his eldest grandson started doing tasks like serving dishes?

Apparently, going to the countryside really had its benefits, not only strengthening him but also finding them such a wonderful granddaughter-in-law.

When the two elders heard Sister-in-law Zhang say that this table of breakfast was prepared by their granddaughter-in-law, they were full of praises for her.

Words describing her as competent in both the house and the kitchen flowed freely, making Lin Xue giggle and Zhang Yuan happy.

He didn’t care about many people, just a few. If issues arose among them, it would be hard for him to handle.

But now it seemed that grandpa and grandma adored his little wife, and she didn’t disappoint, knowing how to make the elders happy, which he found reassuring.

After breakfast, the two elders expressed how much they enjoyed the food, and Lin Xue, feeling a rush of enthusiasm, promised to cook for them whenever she had the time.

"Xiao Yuan, take Xiao Xue out for a stroll later, and buy her whatever she likes! We can’t let Xiao Xue feel wronged, understood?" Grandma had clearly sided with the young wife by now.

"Yes! Let Xiao Qin take you out later for a stroll, and grandpa will give you the money!" Mr. Zhang Sr. said generously.

When the old man said he’d give money, it definitely wasn’t just a small amount to fool people, it would surely be a lot.

"Thank you, grandpa!" Zhang Yuan accepted the old man’s money without hesitation, smiling so happily that it was obvious what he was planning.

"Xiao Xue, don’t be shy. Buy whatever you like, let this boy pay for it! Don’t hold back with grandpa!" After saying this, he even gave Lin Xue a wink, with a playful demeanor. At this moment, Lin Xue didn’t see any sternness in him, finding him incredibly adorable instead.

"Thank you, grandpa, but I don’t really have anything to buy, just going out for a stroll is enough!" Lin Xue replied with a smile.

"This child is so sensible!" Mr. Zhang Sr. said, handing her a key, saying it was the bank safe deposit box key, and asked Zhang Yuan to take the little girl there, letting her choose and take what she liked.

Zhang Yuan knew there was no point in refusing his grandpa’s gift, so he simply accepted it gladly, took the little girl upstairs to change clothes, and then the two sat in Xiao Qin’s car and went shopping.

Today they visited the department store. Lin Xue had promised to buy various fabrics for Lin Yun, which she planned on fulfilling today.

She noticed something slightly strange, like there were minor discrepancies compared to things from the past, mostly similar, but some aspects felt a bit odd. However, she didn’t dare mention anything to Zhang Yuan and just kept her thoughts to herself.

The department store was huge, and Lin Xue headed straight for the fabric section.

She bought a large amount, whatever was available at the time, tweed, Dacron, wool, various fabrics they had, Lin Xue bought them all. Some she couldn’t even name, but that didn’t stop her from purchasing.

She emptied her fabric coupons and, in the end, Zhang Yuan could barely carry it all.

The sales clerks were dumbfounded at the purchasing power of these two, as they gave both money and coupons, otherwise, the clerks might’ve thought they couldn’t afford the coupons.

With so much money and coupons, why not buy ready-to-wear clothes instead of fabric? Isn’t this redundant?

When Lin Xue and Zhang Yuan left, the clerks began chatting amongst themselves, wondering if these two just had money to burn.

Lin Xue and Zhang Yuan were unaware of their chatter. They bought nothing else, quickly walked a distance after leaving, and stored the fabric in a hidden space.