Jiang Yan stopped, looked at her without speaking.
Lin Fen opened her mouth, “Da Ya, you’re planning to build houses and workshops, right? That definitely requires a lot of people. My second brother does construction work, and he knows many people. If you let him handle it, it would definitely be cheaper…”
“Aunt, I’ve already hired people, the best from town,” Jiang Yan interrupted her.
This girl doesn’t think about her own family at all!
Lin Fen, undeterred, said, “More people can work faster. If you hire my second brother and his crew, it would definitely be quicker…”
It wasn’t that she was particularly concerned about her relatives; she was just thinking of making some money from it.
Jiang Yan refused, “I’ve already contracted the job to Master Li. He’s responsible for finding workers and even meals. Aunt, instead of worrying about this, you should focus on your own tasks. I heard you’ve been slacking off recently…”
“No, I haven’t.”
Lin Fen said with a lack of conviction, not waiting for Jiang Yan to say more, she added, “Since it’s already contracted, I won’t bother you anymore. I’ll go get busy.”
That evening, regarding the day’s events, Lin Fen went to Su Oldest to complain, “Are you still my husband? You didn’t even tell me about such a big matter beforehand.”
Su Oldest gave her a sideways glance and said, “What could you do if I told you? Would you chip in to help Da Ya with the construction?”
What a man!
He’s becoming more and more insufferable.
Lin Fen pouted, dissatisfied, “They have so much money, why would they need my little bit? But you, why are you always siding with them? Are you my husband or theirs!” Lin Fen thought it over and decided to collaborate with her third sister in business.
Compared to her two brothers, her third sister treated her better.
Actually, Lin Fen preferred to start her own business, but circumstances didn’t allow it. After all, the aroma of her braised dishes was so tempting that if she started cooking at home, her family would surely notice.
To prevent her third sister from going solo, Lin Fen kept some tricks up her sleeve; she didn’t let her see how she prepared the braising broth.
Once the broth was ready, she busied herself following Jiang Yan’s steps.
Besides braising pig ears and pig skin, she also braised the goose Jiang Yan had mentioned.
Lin Fen’s third sister, Lin Yue, sniffed the wafting aroma, looking at the finished pig ears and swallowed hard, saying, “Fourth Sister, you really have a knack for this. Your braised dishes smell amazing, even better than those in town.”
“Absolutely.”
Lin Fen was immensely proud.
Lin Yue’s youngest daughter, Xiong Xiaoxia, approached, looking up at Lin Fen eagerly, “Auntie, can I have some?”
“It’s for sale, but you can have a taste.”
Lin Fen, feeling the pain in her heart, cut off a piece of braised walnut meat for her.
Seeing her third sister also wanted some, she cut a piece for her too.
As Lin Yue was about to put it in her mouth, Xiong Xiaoxia spat it out with a “wah.”
“You child…”
Lin Fen’s brows furrowed in displeasure.
Lin Yue also scolded her daughter, “Xiaoxia, this is meat, how could you spit it out? You’re too…”
“It’s so bitter, so awful.”
Xiong Xiaoxia grimaced.
“Bitter? How could that be!”
Lin Fen had never imagined Jiang Yan would use so much meat and ingredients to trick her.
Lin Yue, holding her piece of meat, tasted it, “Fourth Sister, it really is bitter. Did you do something wrong?”
Lin Fen quickly took some to taste, then tried the others.
They were all the same.
All bitter!
That wretch!
Tricking her!
Lin Fen gritted her teeth in anger, stormed out without taking any of the braised dishes.
Leaving their house, Lin Fen took an oxcart back to the village. After paying the driver, she quickly got off.
Just as she was about to confront Jiang Yan, she suddenly realized it would expose her.
She had to suppress her anger for now.
Jiang Yan noticed Lin Fen returning with a sour expression and pretended not to see it, asking, “Aunt, weren’t you supposed to visit relatives this afternoon? Why are you back so early?”
“Something came up at their house. I couldn’t help, so I came back.”
Lin Fen made up an excuse and went to tie her apron and wash her hands.
At lunch, Lin Fen didn’t dare to ask about the braising broth in front of everyone, so after eating, she found Yang Cuicui, with whom she was close, to inquire about it.
“Cuicui, did Big Girl re-brew the braising broth today?”
Yang Cuicui looked puzzled, “Re-brew? It was just made. Why re-brew?”
So, she didn’t change the broth.
How could that be!
Could it really be her mistake?
In the afternoon, Lin Fen shamelessly told Jiang Yan she hadn’t tasted the broth and wanted to try it.
Jiang Yan didn’t refuse and served her some.
Lin Fen took a taste; compared to hers, Jiang Yan’s wasn’t bitter, just slightly salty.
If not for fear of Jiang Yan knowing, she would have asked what was going on!
“Is it good?”
Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow and asked.
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Fen said, “It’s a bit salty and not tasty. But why does Big Girl’s braised dishes smell so good and taste so delicious?”
“Of course, there’s a reason for that.”
Jiang Yan didn’t tell her.
Lin Fen didn’t give up after this setback; she tried to sabotage the broth again but was thwarted by Zhou Lan.
“Lin Fen, are you doing this on purpose?”
Zhou Lan, unlike others, spoke her mind.
Lin Fen retorted without backing down, “What nonsense are you talking about? How could I do that on purpose!”
“Why did you get so close then, and why did you put so much in?”
Zhou Lan questioned.
Lin Fen argued back, “How was I too close? I just wanted to finish the work quickly. You think I’m like you, moving things back and forth without getting anything done!”
Jiang Yan wasn’t there; she had gone to the outhouse.
The other workers, fearing a fight between Lin Fen and Zhou Lan, intervened to calm them down.
Lin Fen, seizing the moment, feigned anger and said, “Zhou Lan, you foul-mouthed woman, I’ll teach you a lesson today.”
“You think you can teach me a lesson? Who do you think you are? Are you ashamed because you got caught?”
Zhou Lan gave her a disdainful look.
When Jiang Yan came back, she saw them fighting and noticed Lin Fen heading towards the braising broth.
She stepped in front of her, scolding, “Do you think this is your home?!”
Chapter 50: Did You Encounter a Scammer, Fourth Sister?
Zhou Lan was addressing the matter at hand, not targeting anyone personally. Realizing her actions were indeed inappropriate, she apologized, “Boss, I’m sorry.”
Lin Fen didn’t feel she had done anything wrong.
“Big Girl, how can you blame me? She started it.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yan looked at Lin Fen and asked, “She started it? What did she start?”
Lin Fen was thinking about what to say.
Zhou Lan spoke up, “Boss, here’s what happened. After the incident with the large intestine falling into the braising broth, I saw Lin Fen carrying too much and getting too close again today, so I said something, and then she got upset with me…”
She had only stepped away for a moment, and Lin Fen was already causing trouble again.
Jiang Yan’s gaze swept towards Lin Fen, “Aunt, what did I say before?”
Meeting her gaze, Lin Fen felt inexplicably guilty, remembering what Jiang Yan had said earlier, her heart skipped a beat.
But soon, she regained her confidence.
Lin Fen looked at Jiang Yan and said, “You said if there was a next time, I wouldn’t need to work here anymore. But didn’t I avoid dropping the large intestine into the broth this time?”
Zhou Lan chimed in from the side, “It didn’t fall in this time, but if I hadn’t said something, who knows if it would have.”
