After Becoming the Villain Mother-in-Law, I Launch My Redemption Arc Chapter 17: Meng Yao Takes Zhao Xiaohua to Town

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Has your cooking improved so much?" ng Yao calmly looked at Zhao Dahe, "If you like it, eat; if not, I’m not forcing you."

Just bite the bullet and deny it, and no matter how much Zhao Dahe wants to dig deeper, there’s nothing he can do.

"Second Brother, you’re really strange; isn’t it good that Mom’s cooking is delicious?" Zhao Xiaohua was very satisfied, her mom’s cooking skills were even better than her sister-in-law’s.

Zhao Dahe scratched the back of his head. Yeah, good cooking, that’s great.

Zhao Dahe finished a bowl of dumpling soup and put the bowl on the table, "Another bowl."

In the past, it was Song who served the rice.

Today, everyone held their own rice bowls.

No one got up to serve Zhao Dahe.

Zhao Dahe felt a bit awkward.

ng Yao glared at him, "What, are you glued to the chair? Can’t stand up?"

Zhao Dahe sheepishly served himself another bowl of dumpling soup, taking a big bite of the chewy pancake to vent his frustrations.

"Xiu’er can’t get off the bed these days, can’t touch cold water, and can’t overwork. Xiaoshu’s body also needs to be well taken care of, so about cleaning the dishes..." ng Yao looked at Dajiang, Zhao Dahe, and Zhao Xiaohua, speaking slowly, "Dahe only cos ho two days a month, so for these two days, Dahe will wash the dishes. After Dahe leaves, Dajiang and Xiaohua will take turns washing the dishes."

"Mom!" Zhao Dahe was very agitated, "A gentleman stays away from the kitchen!"

"You’re no gentleman," ng Yao said rcilessly, "If you don’t want to work, then ask Dajiang or Xiaohua who’d like to do it for you."

Zhao Xiaohua reacted quickly, "Second Brother, I’m still young, can’t help you with chores, and besides, I’m going to town with Mom later."

This ti, Dajiang wasn’t that foolish either, "Mom wants to take care of Xiu’er, I still need to prepare her dicine."

When it cos to chores, Zhao Dahe doesn’t want to do a bit of it.

Before, his mom dotted on him and didn’t let him do anything.

Now, his mom doesn’t dote on him anymore, a child without a mother’s love is like a grass blade.

How pitiful he is.

Zhao Dahe suddenly rembered that when his dad was still around, he once discussed with his mom about buying a serving maid to do the chores at ho.

Right, how could he be so stupid? He could buy soone to work at ho.

"Mom, I’ll buy a serving maid back." Zhao Dahe said excitedly.

"Sure. But let’s be clear, you’ll have to take care of her clothes, food, shelter, and transport yourself. I’ve heard serving maids require monthly silver, you’ll have to handle that as well." ng Yao said slowly.

Zhao Dahe was dumbfounded. He did have so silver on him, barely enough to buy a serving maid.

But food, shelter, and monthly silver.

This...

He had no silver.

The annual gift and monthly food allowance were all given by his mom.

In the end, Zhao Dahe, with a drooping face, reluctantly went to clean up the table and wash the bowls, tidying the kitchen.

ng Yao instructed Dajiang on a few things, then went to check on Song Xiu’er.

Song Xiu’er was a bit bewildered, and ng Yao knew that so people’s personalities don’t change overnight. Song Xiu’er’s fear of the forr self could only be gradually erased through future interactions.

ng Yao then went to Zhao Xiaoshu’s room, where Zhao Xiaoshu had already finished the breakfast that was brought in.

When ng Yao entered, he was sitting dazed on the bed, lost in thought.

"Finished? I’ll take the dishes out, your Second Brother is washing dishes, I’ll have him wash yours too." ng Yao said with a smiling face, "I’m going to town with Xiaohua. Do you want anything? I’ll buy it for you."

Zhao Xiaoshu shook his head.

"Alright then, rest well, and if you need anything, call your big brother or second brother." ng Yao instructed, "Let get you so snacks Xiaohua left; if you’re hungry, have so. I’ll make sothing for you when I get back."

Zhao Xiaohua puffed her cheeks, her face full of reluctance.

Having been at the carpenter’s shop for so long, how could Zhao Xiaoshu not know how to read people’s expressions?

"I don’t want it." Zhao Xiaoshu refused.

Compared to himself, it was evident that his mom favored Zhao Xiaohua more. He couldn’t assu equality with Zhao Xiaohua just because he was ho again.

He was self-aware.

ng Yao glanced at Zhao Xiaohua.

Zhao Xiaohua instantly spoke, "Xiaoshu, why be formal with your sister? We’re twins, even in Mom’s belly we were close. What’s mine is yours, eat if you’re hungry. But you can’t eat too much."

"It’s not that I don’t want to share, it’s Mom who said you can’t eat too much at once." Zhao Xiaohua added another sentence.

Though honestly, she was really reluctant to share.

"Let’s go, if we don’t, we’ll miss Uncle Niu’s ox cart. Do you want to walk to the town?"

ng Yao was afraid Zhao Xiaohua would over-explain; after all, Zhao Xiaoshu had been seriously hurt and tended to be more sensitive.

The more you say, the more mistakes you make, so it was better to say nothing at all.

After handing the dishes to Zhao Dahe, ng Yao and Zhao Xiaohua left the house under Zhao Dahe’s sorrowful gaze.

There were already a few people at Uncle Niu’s gate, all waiting to go to town.

ng Yao paid Aunt Niu for the ride, secured a spot on the wagon with Zhao Xiaohua, and sat down.

To be honest, the ox cart wasn’t very comfortable; it was pretty bumpy. But compared to walking ten miles, ng Yao felt she could handle the bumps.

Soon enough, several more people arrived in twos and threes.

"Xiaohua, are you and Auntie going to town too?" a cute little girl asked softly.

Her wet doe eyes made anyone instantly like her upon first glance.

Wearing a dress embroidered with peach blossoms, she stood out among the crowd.

Her hair was styled in a double braid adorned with pearl flowers the size of millet grains.

She was a unique presence.

She was Tao Hua.

Her dress was probably the one Zhao Xiaohua had been dreaming about, the one no one else had, only Tao Hua did, given to her by her uncle—a beautiful gown.

Zhao Xiaohua’s eyes sparkled.

Her face was full of envy.

At their age, children couldn’t hide their expressions well when they liked sothing.

ng Yao gently nudged Zhao Xiaohua with her elbow, bringing her back to her senses, and she grinned at Tao Hua, "Yeah, Mom’s taking to town."

"What are you going to do in town?" Tao Hua asked.

"Just looking around." Zhao Xiaohua instinctively didn’t want to tell Tao Hua what she planned to do, wanting to surprise her friends when she appeared in a new dress.

ng Yao, of course, understood the little girl’s thoughts and smiled, gently patting Zhao Xiaohua’s hand.

Tao Hua didn’t press Zhao Xiaohua further but sat beside her, and the two little girls began whispering to each other.

Tao Hua’s mother, Jin Shi, sat next to Tao Hua, and nodded towards ng Yao.

In the original mories, Jin Shi was a quiet person. The original self had no significant contact with her beyond knowing whose wife she was and greeting her when they t. So, ng Yao didn’t try to start a conversation with Jin Shi.

Zhao Xiaohua stopped whispering with Tao Hua, her eyes bright as she looked at ng Yao, "Mom, Tao Hua said her mom is taking her to the clothing store to buy shoes, ones with pretty beads sewn on the top."

Zhao Xiaohua’s face said it all - she wanted them too.