Crossing Over to Yamada Love

Looking at Feng's fake smile, Wang said indifferently, "It's good that you're here. Please sit down."

Mo Lan was also helpless. There were so many people here, and she couldn't just kick them out. Although they had separated into different families, in the eyes of outsiders they were still members of the Mo family. If they kicked them out today, those busybodies would talk them out of their family behind their backs.

Madam Feng led Madam Cui and the others to sit down casually, and said to the two old ladies of the Mo family, "Eldest sister and second sister have arrived early. Why didn't you go home? If we had known that eldest sister and second sister were here, we would have come over earlier to chat with them."

“Auntie, you should at least say hello when your two aunts come. Why are you being so formal, making it seem like we’re not members of the Mo family?” Cui said, pursing her lips.

"Eat whatever you have to eat, why are you talking so much! Is it any of your business to talk about your aunt? Even eating a meal can't shut you up." Second Aunt Chen Moshi glanced at Feng Shi and her daughter-in-law and said sternly.

"You too, your aunt is getting cocky now, she has money, you know? You're talking to her? Aren't you just asking for trouble? Haven't you seen your second aunt say to eat? Why aren't you touching your chopsticks?" Madam Feng seemed to be talking about her daughter-in-law, but her words were actually sarcastic towards Madam Wang.

Upon hearing her mother-in-law's words, Cui didn't hesitate. After serving some food to Dalang and Moju, she started stuffing it into her own mouth.

"Mother, I don't want to eat this meat, I want to eat chicken." After saying that, Dalang grabbed at the chicken on the plate.

The chicken was braised, and Liu cut it into small pieces and rearranged it on a plate, making it look quite tempting.

Erlang grabbed a chicken thigh in each hand, thought for a moment, put one chicken thigh into the bowl, and then reached out to grab a piece of chicken breast. Seeing that he was about to grab another, Chen Moshi glared at him and said, "Chang Sheng's wife, keep an eye on Da Lang. Don't act like you've never eaten before. There are so many elders here."

"Second Aunt, Dalang is the eldest grandson of the Mo family. If we don't feed him, who else are we going to feed him? Look how hungry he is. Don't you feel sorry for him?" Cui Shi not only did not stop Dalang, but she also put a few pieces of chicken into her own bowl.

"Useless!" Chen Mo said, then ignored them.

Since it was a banquet for guests, only Wang Shi sat at the table to keep them company; the other women stayed at the table. Liu Shi and Qiu Shi were in the kitchen frying radish-filled meatballs, planning to give some to each family to take home when they left.

"Uncle, what are my sister-in-law and the others making? It smells really good. Why aren't they bringing it up yet?" Cui Shi smelled the aroma of fried food and started to look forward to it.

"Isn't all this food enough for you? How big is your stomach to hold all that stuff?" Chen Moshi said, disliking her.

"I'm just worried that my aunts won't eat well. My second sister-in-law's mother and sisters-in-law are all here, and I'm afraid they'll complain that our Mo family doesn't serve food to our guests." Cui Shi showed no embarrassment whatsoever, instead saying that she was thinking of others.

“We’re not worms in our stomachs, unlike some people who are so greedy. We can’t even afford to eat this much food on a normal day, let alone during the New Year. It would be a shame to say it’s not enough,” Mo Lan’s grandmother said sarcastically, unable to bear Cui’s arrogant attitude.

Cui ignored her and whispered to her eldest son, "Go see what your two aunts are making in the kitchen. If they have anything good, bring some over."

Dalang was gnawing on a pig's trotter in his hand. Hearing his mother say this, he didn't put it down and ran towards the kitchen while still gnawing on it.

A moment later he ran back, muttering loudly, "They're frying meatballs over there, they've fryed so many, they won't let me take them, saying they're for the returning guests. There are also a lot of vegetables, chicken, fish, and meat on the cutting board."

Upon hearing his words, everyone glared fiercely at Madam Cui, knowing that it was her idea.

“I say, Auntie, you’re too stingy! There are so many good dishes in the kitchen, why don’t you serve them? Look at this chicken on our table, the meat is all gone. We’re finally hosting guests, and you’re still so stingy, not even letting them eat their fill, what kind of attitude is this?” Upon hearing this, Cui Shi immediately asked for more food.

"Third Aunt, those dishes were prepared for the table of the scholar and the clan leader. If we serve them here again, they won't have any left if they want them later. How about I have my mother chop them up and serve them to them?" Mo Lan couldn't stand her attitude and scolded her.

"What are you saying? I'm your aunt, what's wrong with me eating a few bites of your food? You're so stingy, aren't you afraid of what people will say?" Cui Shi, taking advantage of the fact that there were many people present and that the eldest son's family wanted to save face, became arrogant.

"Yes, yes, we are stingy. Auntie, why don't you treat us to something tomorrow? Make it something generous. I heard that wealthy families eat things like abalone, sea cucumber, and shark fin. How about you get some for us tomorrow? If that's not possible, you could get some bird's nest for us to drink." Mo Lan teased Cui Shi.

"You, you little brat, who said I was going to entertain guests? With such sharp teeth, let's see how you find a husband in the future," Cui muttered to Mo Lan.

"What are you saying in front of the kids? What's with all this talk about in-laws? If you keep spouting nonsense, you can go back home. The Mo family is incredibly unlucky to have married a wife like you." Chen Mo slammed her chopsticks down and scolded Cui.

"Fine, I won't say anything more. I'll eat it now." Cui muttered softly, then started stuffing food into her mouth again.

When Dalang saw that they had almost finished eating all the good food on the table, he got up and ran to the kitchen. Molan followed him.

As soon as Mo Lan entered, she saw Da Lang's eyes darting around, probably looking for something he liked so he could secretly take it away.

Mo Lan walked quickly to the cutting board and said with a smile, "Brother Da Lang, what do you want to eat? Lan Lan will get it for you."

"You brat, get out of my way." Da Lang, his face and mouth covered in grease, was furious as he looked at Mo Lan standing there blocking his way.

Mo Lan chuckled and picked up a kitchen knife, waving it at Da Lang and saying, "Brother Da Lang, would you like to eat this? I've heard human flesh is delicious, how about I get some for you to try?"

"You, you dare?" Dalang's voice trembled slightly. He just couldn't understand how his cousin could hold a knife and still laugh so happily. Last time, she said that if he dared to tell on her, she would team up with Erlang and Momei to beat him up. She laughed happily while saying that, but when he saw her smile, he felt a chill down his spine.

"Then let's give it a try, Brother Lang? Lanlan is too weak to hold the knife properly. If she accidentally bumps into Brother Lang, don't cry!" Mo Lan's smile grew even brighter.

"Brother, Mother is calling you. Let's go back." Mo Ju, standing at the door, looked at her trembling brother and said in a sinister tone, urging him to leave.

"Hmph, go ahead and play with the knife yourself. Be careful it falls and cuts your foot. I'm going back to my seat to continue eating." Da Lang snorted and turned to walk back.

Mo Lan gave Mo Ju a serious look, then smiled and waved the knife in her hand at her. Mo Ju's eyes flashed with hatred, but there was a hint of fear in that light. She turned and left.

"You little rascal, put the knife down! It's heavy, don't let it fall and hurt your foot!" Qiu said to Mo Lan while turning the meatballs with a strainer.

Mo Lan put down the knife with a grin and ran to the stove. She knew that her aunt and mother would be embarrassed to say anything if her eldest son came to steal things, so she followed him in.

When Qiu saw her daughter coming over, she took a bowl, grabbed a handful of meatballs from the large bamboo basket, put them in, and handed it to Mo Lan, saying, "Eat some first. We don't know when this will be over yet, so fill your stomach first."

Mo Lan didn't stand on ceremony. She picked up a few meatballs and gave some to her mother and aunt before starting to eat herself. The meatballs were fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, making them especially delicious.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill and were ready to go home, the Mo family members each gave someone a large bowl of meatballs to take back with them. Since most families had children, taking some fried meatballs back for the children was a token of their goodwill.

Watching the village chiefs and other officials leave satisfied, each carrying a large bowl, the Mo family members all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sister-in-law, give us some more bowls too, we're heading home now." Seeing that most of the villagers had left, Feng insisted on leaving as well, and even wanted to take the meatballs back with her.

"I'll go get it," Mo Lan called out, turning and running towards the kitchen.

A moment later, she came out carrying a heavy, large bowl and presented it to Madam Feng, saying, "Second Madam, this is a bowl for you. Take it quickly, it's too heavy. Lanlan hasn't eaten anything and has no energy."

Madam Feng was dumbfounded when she saw what was in Mo Lan's bowl. This wasn't meatballs at all! It was clearly just leftover soup and scraps. Her face darkened, and she said sternly, "What are you up to, you little brat? Trying to fool me with this rubbish! Why is everyone else's meatball, but ours is just leftover soup? And it's leftovers! Get me some meatballs right now!"

"Second wife, isn't there such a rule in the village? After entertaining guests, the leftover dishes are shared with the family and close relatives, right? What? Did Lanlan do something wrong?" Mo Lan frowned, puzzled.

“Lan’er did nothing wrong, why don’t you take it? You’re not acting like an elder. Your father was a scholar, how could he raise a daughter like you?” Chen Mo’s mother couldn’t stand it and stepped forward to scold her sister-in-law.

"What are you saying, Second Aunt? It's just that Auntie and the others are stingy and didn't give us any meatballs back. Why are you bringing up my mother?" Cui Shi protested, defending her mother-in-law.

"You're always like that. Why should I give you meatballs? You only arrived after the banquet started, aren't you just waiting to eat? You're so picky about food, always making a fuss. You're already being generous with just a bowl of vegetables. If it were me, I wouldn't even give you any soup." Chen Moshi seemed very dissatisfied at the banquet today, and now that there were no outsiders around, she was scolding Cui Shi vehemently.

"Girl, they don't even want it, why are you still holding on? Aren't you tired? Take it back." Madam Wang said softly to Mo Lan, her expression full of sarcasm.

“Who said we don’t want it? Luckily there’s still meat here. We can heat it up for dinner and it’ll be a dish.” When Cui saw that Mo Lan was about to take it back, she quickly changed her mind and said she would take it. Then she reached out to take Mo Lan’s bowl.