The Crybaby Mistress GL - Chapter 49

Later that evening, Luo Jing served a steaming hot dinner. Although it was already quite late, she did not dare to be careless. She laid out four dishes and a soup on the table. Recently, Chen Xin had taken a liking to eating at her place. That woman could not endure hunger. Every time she came over and did not see dinner ready, she would demand other attention, delaying dinner even further. As a result, Luo Jing had developed the skill of cooking swiftly. Within moments, the entire dining area was filled with the fragrance of freshly cooked food.

When it came to culinary skills, Chen Xin was hardly worth mentioning. Ever since the accident at age seven, she had rarely cooked. Her only reasons for entering the kitchen were to tease Luo Jing or to sneak tastes of the dishes. As for Xu Fangting, although she occasionally cooked at home, her skills were more suited for socialite-style hobby cooking. She did not know many typical household recipes.

Luo Jing placed each dish carefully on the table. The soup pot in the center bubbled gently atop the induction cooker. A rich aroma of fresh vegetables mixed with the savory scent of pork ribs filled the room, making both mother and daughter feel their stomachs rumble.

Xu Fangting still tried to maintain her composure. She had not moved in to build rapport with Luo Jing. Her purpose was to figure out a way to drive Luo Jing away. Making things difficult was only the beginning. She walked over slowly, forcing an indifferent look onto her face. She muttered, “This looks like food cooked by someone from the countryside. It really is not the kind of meal fit for refined taste. I do not see how my daughter, Chen Xin, can eat such crude…”

Before she could finish speaking, Chen Xin had already taken her seat. She had pulled out the chair and was entirely captivated by the dishes before her. The three-cup chicken gave off a rich, salty aroma with a hint of spice. It was irresistible. She paid no attention to her mother’s muttering. Without waiting another moment, she picked up a piece of chicken and took a big bite, followed by a generous spoonful of rice. Her cheeks puffed out with food, and she looked completely satisfied.

After swallowing, she noticed Xu Fangting watching her with a complicated expression. She asked curiously, “Mom, why are you still standing? Come sit and eat. Jing Jing’s cooking is amazing.”

Left with no choice, Xu Fangting sat down. Luo Jing quickly brought her a tall bowl of rice. Xu Fangting almost made a sarcastic comment, wondering if she was being treated like livestock with such a full bowl. However, one glance at Chen Xin’s rice bowl, which was even taller, left her speechless.

Chen Xin was already on her third piece of chicken. A bit of sauce clung to the corner of her mouth. Luo Jing reached for a tissue and leaned over to help her wipe it away. Chen Xin instinctively tilted her head up, allowing Luo Jing to clean her mouth.

Their movements flowed naturally, as if this was part of their daily routine. Neither needed to say a word.

As Chen Xin resumed eating, she picked up two slices of garlic pork with a single motion. Her enthusiasm made it look like she had not eaten in days. There was no trace left of the refined demeanor she once displayed.

Xu Fangting recalled attending a meal with Chen Xin at the Luo family residence. Back then, Chen Xin had eaten with grace and etiquette. She stopped eating once she was seventy percent full, dabbing her lips with a napkin without smudging her lipstick. But now she was hugging a rice bowl, chewing chicken down to the bone before spitting it out. There was nothing elegant about her behavior.

Xu Fangting narrowed her eyes. She stared and said, “Chen Xin, have you gained weight?”

Upon closer inspection, her daughter’s cheeks did seem fuller.

Chen Xin paused with her chopsticks in midair and responded with a grumble, “Mom, mealtime is not the time to bring that up.”

To silence her mother, she began placing more food into her mother’s small dish. Xu Fangting was indeed hungry. The aroma of the dishes in front of her made her stomach growl. She picked up her chopsticks and took a bite.

After that, she and Chen Xin both fell silent. The only one speaking at the table was Luo Jing.

“Auntie, would you like some soup? Should I add cilantro?”

“Auntie, you can put the bones here.”

“Auntie, how is the food? Does it suit your taste?”

She called her “Auntie” with every sentence. Xu Fangting wanted to argue that they were not that close, and the term felt too familiar. However, the food was so delicious that she could not be bothered to protest. She kept eating, and Luo Jing continued to address her that way.

It was not that Luo Jing’s cooking was some divine delicacy. It was simply that both women were hungry, and Luo Jing’s skill was genuinely good. Her dishes had the perfect salty, spicy aroma that paired wonderfully with rice. The vegetables and meats came with flavorful sauces that soaked into the rice. Each bite was satisfying and comforting.

This type of satisfaction could never be found in an upscale restaurant.

Before long, all three of them were flushed from the heat of the meal. The soup simmered more fragrantly by the minute. Its rich color was the concentrated essence of all the ingredients. Each sip felt like it soothed one’s soul.

Luo Jing refilled their rice and soup throughout the meal. She even had to coax Chen Xin into eating vegetables. Xu Fangting watched this with disdain. Her grown daughter had to be urged to eat greens? Back at home, she used to eat whatever was served. This was just an excuse to act spoiled.

She did not even seem to notice her elders were still at the table. Her behavior was completely inappropriate.

After dinner, Xu Fangting realized something was wrong. She had come here intending to make things difficult. But now the plates were so clean that they gleamed. How was she supposed to complain? She and Chen Xin had eaten more than Luo Jing.

After eating, Chen Xin sprawled on the sofa with her legs crossed and turned on the television. Meanwhile, Luo Jing cleared the dishes and began tidying up.

The kitchen had a dishwasher, but that did not mean there was nothing else to do. Luo Jing wiped down the table and cleaned up with practiced ease. When she noticed Xu Fangting watching her from the sofa, she walked over and asked, “Auntie, have you taken a bath yet? I can run the water for you. You must be tired after carrying bags all day. Would you like a hot soak?”

Xu Fangting could not find a reason to refuse. Shopping had been fun, but the long walk in high heels had worn her out. A hot bath sounded ideal. She responded with the last shred of her pride, “Fine. You may go ahead.”

Her tone was that of a mistress giving orders. Luo Jing did not mind. She had offered in the first place. Since the other person was a senior, there was no harm in doing a small favor. She went to prepare the bath.

As Xu Fangting saw Luo Jing willingly drawing her a bath and thought of the welcome dinner she had prepared, she looked back at her own daughter. Aside from giving her a quick tour of the apartment, Chen Xin was now dozing off in front of the news. Her head was bobbing, and she looked like she was about to fall asleep.

Her own daughter was treating her as if she were invisible.

The more she looked, the more annoyed she became.

In the middle of her nap, Chen Xin was jolted awake by a painful pinch to her thigh. She turned and saw her mother’s hand still gripping her leg. “Mom?” she asked, confused.

Xu Fangting was angry, but what could she say? Was she supposed to accuse Chen Xin of not being as considerate as Luo Jing? If she voiced that thought, Chen Xin would be thrilled. That was unacceptable. Xu Fangting was still firmly against her daughter being in a relationship with another woman. She could not afford to show any sign of giving in.

She swallowed her words. Her elegant eyes flashed coldly as she glared and asked, “Tell me. How much weight have you gained?”