To outsiders, my mother-in-law was seen as beautiful and fortunate, given her family’s business, which made my father-in-law’s role as a live-in son-in-law appear like a lucky blessing. However, I believed that my mother-in-law was truly fortunate to have married my father-in-law, despite her cold demeanor and rare displays of warmth.
These were the norms of the older generation, and as a junior, I could only criticize internally without much influence. If An Jin could learn from my father-in-law’s example of caring for my mother-in-law, I would be content.
An Jin looked surprised when I brought him the soup.
“You made this?” he asked.
I smiled and handed him a spoon. “Try it.”
He took a deep breath over the bowl. “Chicken soup?”
I nodded vigorously.
“Ah Yao rarely cooks, so I must taste it carefully.” He lifted the spoon and took a mouthful. “Not bad.”
I watched nervously. Given An Jin’s temperament, if he realized this was a special medicinal diet, I would be in trouble. It was better for him to believe it was just ordinary chicken soup, making it easier to supplement under the guise of winter nourishment.
Suddenly, An Jin frowned and stirred the soup, pulling out a curved object. “What’s this?”
I was shocked. Perhaps due to the dim candlelight, I had accidentally scooped out the seahorse. I hoped he wouldn’t recognize it…
He held the seahorse, seemingly half-smiling, waiting for my answer.
I tried to sound casual: “It’s cordyceps.”
“Black cordyceps?” He examined the seahorse under the lamp, gradually smiling with a wicked expression. “It seems Ah Yao is quite dissatisfied with me.”
I felt my scalp tingling and unconsciously took a step back. “No, absolutely not.”
“Why are you backing away?” He placed the seahorse on a plate and wiped his hands with a napkin. “Come here.”
I shook my head, feeling a sense of despair. When I was six, I was known as the neighborhood bully, and An Jin was just a little follower. Now, I had fallen to such a state! How had this timid boy become a big bad wolf, while I had become the timid one?
Mingde Empress, Mother, Mother-in-law, and all the heroic women who have tamed their husbands, I apologize for bringing shame upon you!
