1396 Behind the Glamor



"Brother Chi! Sisters-in-law! Why are all of you here?" Qiao Mei said as she looked at them in surprise.

"We hear that you're very busy today, so we're all here to help out! Anyway, we have nothing to do at home. We just can't stay idle! If there's anything you need us to do, just tell us. We can do anything!" Wang Fang said with a smile.

With so many additional pairs of hands, Qiao Mei was able to cook a lot faster. The entire courtyard was filled with people chatting and laughing. For a moment, Qiao Mei felt like she had returned to Foshan Village!

In the past, there was also always a courtyard full of people chatting with her and everyone was very nice to her. She wondered how Auntie Dong and the others were doing now. With the seeds business, their lives must be very comfortable. Once her children were older, she wanted to go back and visit the villagers. It was time to give them a new batch of seeds.

Everyone dressed up nicely for the occasion today and put on their most beautiful clothes. Xu Lan wore a dress which Qiao Mei had made for her, but she kept a lower profile this round. She did not choose to wear the red dress with the phoenix embroidered with golden thread, but the royal blue dress with lilies embroidered at the bottom.

"Where's Qiao Mei? Why don't I see Qiao Mei?" Xu Lan asked as she looked around.

When Qiao Mei heard that, she immediately stuck her head out of the kitchen and yelled out happily, "Mother! I'm here! I'll chat with you later. I don't have much time now."

Xu Lan's face fell immediately. Everyone else looked glamorous and beautiful, but Qiao Mei was the only one with disheveled hair and still wearing a greasy apron. There was even some coal dust on her face!

When Xia He saw that something was not right, she quickly brought Xu Lan and Liu Fen to her room. As soon as the women entered, Xu Lan pointed angrily towards the door and shouted, "How can the third son's family bully us like this! They actually ask Qiao Mei to cook! How shameless of them! It's one thing for them to eye our house, but now they even make use of Qiao Mei like this!"

Even Liu Fen, who usually maintained a neutral stance, had an unhappy expression on her face. Liu Fen always kept in mind the kindness Qiao Mei showed to her and her children. Even a block of ice would be moved by Qiao Mei's sincerity.

"They are really too much. We have to tell Father about this matter. What is Third Brother so busy with every day? If he can't take care of so many children, then I can adopt them! They'll still be the Xia family's grandchildren! It's better than them being ordered around like livestock by those people from the Zhou family!" Liu Fen said.

"Alright, alright, don't be angry." Xia He tried to calm them down, but how would these two women listen to her?

"Don't you and Xia Wen help Qiao Mei at all? Go and get Xia Wen here! Is it because I haven't kept my eyes on you two for too long and you've all forgotten how siblings should get along!" Xu Lan questioned.

"Eldest Brother is at the door, getting ready to welcome the guests… Mother, if you're angry, then scold me. It's all my fault. When Shao Yin came that day, I wasn't at home. If I was at home, I wouldn't have let Qiao Mei agree to all these," Xia He said self-reproachfully.

Xu Lan sighed. She was happy that Qiao Mei was a capable person. When everyone knew that Xia Zhe married such a capable wife, many people told Xu Lan that she was very lucky and that they were envious of her. However, she would rather Qiao Mei be more of an ordinary person.

The Qiao Mei now was like Xia Mao in his glory days. At that time, many people told Xu Lan that she had married into a good family, that her husband was so capable and her sons were all doing so well. She was the only one who knew how heart-wrenching it was behind all the glamor.

"Go out and give Qiao Mei some support and help out your eldest brother. Your Second Aunt-in-law and I will sit here for a while," Xu Lan said resignedly.

Before Xia He left, she even brought them some pastries and tea. She was worried that Xu Lan and Liu Fang would get agitated and rush out to argue with the Shao family, which would in turn damage the Xia family's reputation. However, she did not think that Xu Lan would be so irrational.

Not long after, Xia Fang arrived at Qiao Mei's house with a gift in her hands. As soon as she entered, she felt that the atmosphere was a little strange. It did not feel like a joyous occasion, but more like a funeral.

Xia Fang put down the gift and went to look for Xu Lan and Liu Fen. Before she entered the room, she thought she heard Xu Lan and Liu Fen arguing fiercely. Xia Fang quickly pushed open the door and said, "Sisters-in-law, why are the two of you arguing on such a happy occasion?"

"We're not arguing…" Xu Lan said after being stunned for a moment.

"Huh? But I heard you talking very loudly from the outside. Aren't you arguing?" Xia Fang asked.