Chapter 198: Nagging
Lu Jingyao openly said, “For breakfast, my mom made Suzhou-style water-poured tea eggs. I’m not sure if you’ll like them.”
Xu Youyou hesitated for a moment and asked, “Your mom personally cooked?”
Lu Jingyao nodded. “She rarely cooks, but every year during the New Year, she likes to showcase her skills in front of the family.”
Xu Youyou paused. Both of Lu Jingyao’s parents were born into wealth and had always lived a privileged life. Yet, they willingly traveled to this remote orphanage and even cooked for others. She couldn’t help but feel a hint of envy—Lu Jingyao was truly lucky to have such loving parents.
As if reading her thoughts, Lu Jingyao reassured her, “You don’t have to feel pressured. Even if it wasn’t because of me, my mom has always liked you.”
Xu Youyou nodded lightly. “I… I’ll go try Auntie’s cooking then…”
Lu Jingyao stepped aside, making way for her to go downstairs.
After taking a few steps down, Xu Youyou couldn’t resist glancing back. She saw Lu Jingyao still standing in place, watching her with a gentle gaze.
“What’s wrong?” Lu Jingyao asked softly.
Xu Youyou hesitated before saying, “You’re celebrating New Year here, but what about your grandparents? Won’t they be lonely?”
Seeing her concern, Lu Jingyao’s lips curved slightly. “My maternal grandparents are celebrating abroad with my aunt this year, and my paternal grandparents went to Hong Kong with my uncle and aunt. Don’t worry about us. In our family, wherever our loved ones are, that’s home.”
Xu Youyou felt a small sense of relief. Lu Jingyao really was a good person—he always tried to ease her burdens. Once again, she couldn’t help but envy him. Not only were his parents loving, but even his extended family seemed to adore him.
Lu Jingyao gently urged, “Go eat first. Don’t let yourself go hungry. The kids are waiting for you to have a snowball fight with them.”
Hearing that, Xu Youyou suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if they were already an old married couple. Her ears burned slightly. She could no longer stay in place and hurriedly ran downstairs.
When she entered the orphanage kitchen, she saw Lu’s mother busy at the stove.
The kitchen had two sections—one with a modern stove for large meals, and another with an old-fashioned wood-burning stove. When the orphanage was renovated, they had considered removing the old stove, but the children objected. Many loved the taste of wood-fired food, and the two directors, despite pressure from the inspection team, decided to keep it.
Lu’s mother was chatting with Director He while cooking. “My mom only eats meals cooked on a wood stove. She doesn’t like anything else. The whole family loves drinking scorched rice soup, so staying here means we finally get to enjoy it properly.”
Xu Youyou thought that with Lu’s family’s wealth, it wouldn’t be difficult to have a wood stove at home. The fact that Lu’s mother brought it up now was clearly to bond with Director He.
Sure enough, Director He beamed with a smile and humbly said, “It’s just a simple countryside tradition, nothing special.”
Lu’s mother quickly responded, “Director, you’re too modest. The air here is fresh, and the children are so well-behaved. Just staying here for two days makes me feel like I’ll live a few years longer.”
As they spoke, Lu’s mother noticed Xu Youyou and immediately brightened. “Youyou, come over! Auntie made water-poured tea eggs for you. They help replenish your blood. I’m best at making these—both my husband and my son love them!”
Xu Youyou smiled and nodded.
The dish was simple to prepare, and soon Lu’s mother placed a bowl in front of her.
Director He also brought over a plate of small, plump white buns and set them on the table. “Your Auntie Lu heard that you like meat-filled buns, so she woke up early to make them.”
Xu Youyou picked up a bun. The dough was soft and fluffy—clearly Director He had fermented it just right. She took a bite, and the juicy, flavorful filling burst in her mouth. “Delicious! The dough is great, and the meat filling is amazing!”
Lu’s mother immediately waved her hand modestly. “It’s because the pork here is high quality. It tastes good no matter how you cook it.”
Xu Youyou had eaten food specially prepared for her before. Whether it was her family’s chef or Xu Fang, the moment she showed a preference for something, it would immediately appear before her.
Two months ago, she had casually mentioned wanting old hen soup, and by the next morning, Xu Fang’s mother had spent the whole night preparing it for her.
But Lu’s mother was different from Xu Fang’s mother. Xu Fang’s future depended entirely on Xu Youyou, so of course, she would go to great lengths to please her.
Lu Jingyao may like her, but that didn’t mean his mother had to treat her so well. Many wealthy mothers-in-law looked down on their sons’ partners, especially if they came from a lower background. Yet, Lu’s mother never showed a hint of condescension toward her.
Instead, she kept wondering—was this what a real mother was supposed to be like?
When she looked up, she found Lu’s mother gazing at her with warmth and affection.
While eating the tea egg, Xu Youyou ended up eating three small buns as well.
Lu’s mother gently reminded her, “Eat slowly, don’t choke. There’s also red bean porridge—I’ll get you a bowl.”
Before Xu Youyou could refuse, a steaming bowl of porridge was placed in front of her.
By the time she finished, she was completely stuffed.
“Lu Auntie, I can’t eat anymore, really,” Xu Youyou waved her hands in surrender.
Lu’s mother looked a bit regretful but then asked, “For lunch, I’m planning to make sweet and sour ribs, squirrel fish, and stir-fried eel. Do you want anything else?”
Xu Youyou quickly shook her head. “That’s already an amazing spread. I’m not picky.”
Lu’s mother smiled. “You’re too polite. With me—”
Director He cleared her throat.
Lu’s mother immediately corrected herself. “With Auntie, you don’t have to be so formal. Even if things don’t work out between you and Jingyao, you saved his life. In my heart, I already see you as my daughter.”
Xu Youyou froze slightly. She suddenly felt like she needed to escape—the way Lu’s mother cared for her was too overwhelming.
Luckily, Lele ran in just then, calling out, “Sister Youyou, are you done eating? Everyone’s waiting for you to have a snowball fight!”
Xu Youyou stood up immediately.
Lu’s mother quickly said, “You just finished eating. Don’t move too much, or you might get stomach issues. Play in the snow first, wait thirty minutes, then have your snowball fight.”
Then, realizing she was fussing too much, Lu’s mother chuckled, “Am I nagging too much? Taking care of your health should start early. Don’t think just because you’re young you can push yourself too hard. When you get older, it’ll be too late.”
Xu Youyou shook her head with a smile. This kind of care—completely unrelated to money—made her both want to escape and sink into it.
“No, you’re not nagging. I’ll listen to you.”
