Qin Feng felt humiliated by Qin Jian’s criticism. "Brother, why do you talk about me in front of strangers? Mom, can’t you tell him off?"
Li Junping gave Qin Feng a glare, "I can’t even control you, how am I supposed to control him? When asked to work, just do it without any excuses."
After Li Junping finished her lecture, Qin Jian added, "Remember, An Hao is not a stranger. She is your future sister-in-law."
Qin Feng, "..." How could everyone bully her!
Seeing that Qin Feng was upset, An Hao said with a smile to Qin Jian, "It’s okay, I’ll help aunty with the cooking. I’m good at this!"
Li Junping knew about An Hao’s cooking skills, but as the mother present, she felt it inappropriate to let her son’s future wife cook before marrying into the family.
Clearly, her son now saw nothing but An Hao.
She could not indulge in this discomfort.
"No need, An Hao, you should also go and sit inside. Just leave it to her," Li Junping said.
"It’s no trouble at all, aunty. It’s faster with an extra pair of hands," An Hao said cheerfully.
"This..." Li Junping hesitated before agreeing, "Your cooking is delicious, so we’ll impose on you this time."
Qin Jian fully respected An Hao’s wishes.
He knew An Hao’s intentions of wanting to build a good relationship with his mother and sister, and he was worried that An Hao might be mistreated, so he volunteered, "I’ll tend the fire."
"No need," Li Junping shooed Qin Jian away. "Men shouldn’t be in the kitchen. Go and keep your future father-in-law company."
An Hao was touched by Qin Jian’s thoughtfulness, "You go ahead. It’s fine."
The kitchen became a busy place.
Qin Feng was in charge of tending the fire, An Hao was responsible for washing and preparing vegetables, and Li Junping handled the stir-frying.
Li Junping didn’t talk much during the cooking.
An Hao was solely focused on her tasks. Li Junping wasn’t chatty, and An Hao didn’t try to flatter her, maintaining a demeanor that was neither servile nor overbearing.
Li Junping was actually observing An Hao on the sly. Seeing her skilled movements and impressive knife work while cutting vegetables, her impression of An Hao improved slightly.
Though the family was poor, at least An Hao was capable.
An Hao swiftly dealt with the ingredients, chopping vegetables, mincing meat, and peeling fish, all by herself.
Qin Feng, distracted, tended the fire while incessantly talking to Li Junping about clothes shopping, haggling non-stop.
"Enough," Li Junping scolded, busy as she was stir-frying and stewing the fish. Seeing her daughter only concerned with spending and not working, she snapped at her, "How did I give birth to someone so lacking in ambition? You can’t even tend a fire properly; what else can you do?"
She had completely forgotten An Hao’s presence.
Embarrassed in front of An Hao by her mother’s words, Qin Feng, in anger, grabbed a stick of firewood and flung it hard into the stove.
Sparks flew in a spray, heading straight for Qin Feng.
Fearing her new clothes might catch fire, she immediately jumped up, and in her haste to stabilize herself, she reached out for An Hao, who was chopping vegetables.
Qin Feng managed to steady herself, but An Hao suffered the consequences; the sharp blade of the knife accidentally cut into her finger, and blood gushed out instantly.
At that moment, Qin Jian just happened to walk in and witnessed the scene.