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Every compartment had something in it – combs, earrings, silver hairpins, bracelets. Qiao Mai couldn’t help but laugh.

She bent down and opened another box. Inside were rolls of fabric, the worst being fine cotton, along with a few pieces of satin.

Opening yet another box, there were various colors of gauze, perfect for use in the summer.

In another box was an entire set of porcelain dishes – new plates and bowls.

Opening another box, there was more porcelain – several exquisite tea sets.

In another box was a decorative piece. It seemed like Wang Jiaru had prepared things missing from Qiao Mai’s house.

In the last box were paper, brushes, and ink – Well, at least Qiao Mai wouldn’t need to buy these for the next six months.

The items weren’t very valuable, but they were what her family needed at the moment. Wang Jiaru had really put thought into it.

When Yuan Jiaqi returned, he carried a basket into the house.

“What’s this?”

“Mayor Qian sent it, saying it’s a return gift.”

Qiao Mai pursed her lips. Could that stingy mayor actually send a return gift? It was quite an accomplishment. He seemed to be constantly thinking about her recipes.

That old fox had a sharp nose and eyes, able to discern her uniqueness. He had some insight.

She had Yuan Jiaqi take the New Year gifts to Shopkeeper Lu’s shop, and when he returned, he brought various pastries, bean buns, and buns.

With Lu Sanniang being so busy, she was sure that these items were ordered from the bun shop.

There was even half a piece of pork with bones. She still had to process it. Although Yuan Jiaqi was a man, she had to take care of the deboning.

Not that she wanted to underestimate him, but he was lacking in strength.

Storing away everything that could be stored, distributing the new clothes to the children, and instructing them to fold them neatly for the New Year, Qiao Mai realized that Yuan Jiaqi had also made arrangements for the children, although it wasn’t as good as what Wang Jiaru had given.

After organizing everything, Qiao Mai and Yuan Jiaqi took the pork to the kitchen. Qiao Mai prepared the meat as he watched and learned.

“Can I do this next time?”

“Have you learned?”

“Yes, practice makes perfect. How can I get better if I don’t try?”

“Be careful not to hurt yourself when using a knife.”

Watching Qiao Mai expertly deboning the meat, her movements flowing smoothly, Yuan Jiaqi took a knife and tried it himself when she left to store it at the warehouse. It didn’t quite work as smoothly as he thought.

Realizing how far he was from being skilled, he made a decision. Next time, he would definitely have to do it himself. He couldn’t let a woman do everything for him.

Returning to the kitchen, Qiao Mai saw the large pot of meat on the table, its aroma wafting out continuously.

“Boil some water. I’ll blanch these pieces in hot water. We’ll stew the ribs for dinner.”

“Isn’t it bad to eat meat at night? It might be hard to digest.”

“We have hawthorn cake and candied hawthorns. Letting the kids sleep a bit later won’t hurt. They’re all growing kids, not elderly. As long as they avoid drinking cold water, it’s fine.”

“Alright.”

The kitchen was filled with a delicious smell, and the fragrance wafted outwards as Qiao Mai prepared the food.

The neighbors around caught a whiff of it and couldn’t help but salivate. The smell was enticing, even better than the stewed meat stall’s aroma.

Chen Hao couldn’t resist, ignoring Madam Chen’s objections, and came to Qiao Mai’s house. He sat on the bed and played with Ling’er and the three children.

“Why does your house smell so good?”

Chuan’er’s little head perked up, proudly saying, “My mother is stewing ribs and elbows. Aunt Lu sent pork. My mom knows we like meat, so she’s stewing it.”

“Your mother is amazing. My mother always watches me and doesn’t let me eat meat.”

“You’re chubby. You need to control yourself. We’re all thin, so we need to nourish ourselves.”

Fengyun gave a pastry to Chen Hao. “Eat this. My mother bought it from the Capital. It’s famous and delicious.”

“Thank you!”

By the time the meat was done, it was already dark outside. A large basin of ribs had been brought to the table when Chen Shi arrived as if she had known.

Qiao Mai politely welcomed her to join them for the meal.

Dinner was meat, steamed buns, and rice soup.

The family would have eaten happily and without restraint, but because

Madam Chen and her son were there, Yuan Jiaqi felt somewhat constrained.

He found a large bowl, put some ribs on it, took a steamed bun, and filled a bowl with rice soup before heading back to his room alone.

Madam Chen looked towards the door, feeling disappointed and sighing softly in her heart.

As Yuan Jiaqi left the room, Qiao Mai seemed to sense something. She glanced at Madam Chen, catching her looking towards the door.

The disappointment in her eyes didn’t escape Qiao Mai’s notice.

Did Yuan Jiaqi leave the room to avoid Madam Chen?

Was her love unrequited?

Madam Chen went too far. If she had feelings for Yuan Jiaqi, why didn’t she act earlier? She should have confessed. Instead, she was secretly testing her.

Now that they have become a family, even if it was a fake marriage, wasn’t it unethical for her to come here under the pretext of her son? Madam Chen ate together with them but was coveting her fake husband!

Qiao Mai thought she should invite Madam Chen over less in the future, in case she affected their meals.

Madam Chen noticed Qiao Mai looking at her and quickly averted her gaze, smiling awkwardly at Qiao Mai.

Qiao Mai withdrew her scrutinizing gaze and continued eating as if nothing had happened.

She realized that she might have been acting too much like a saint. Madam Chen was only her neighbor, but she let her son study with her kids and frequently invited them for meals.

Did she owe her something?

Qiao Mai, who had been quite happy before, suddenly found the meat in her mouth tasteless.

She was not upset about it, but rather, she felt like she had realized this too late, making herself seem foolish. It was like selling something and having to count the money for the buyer.

After dinner, Madam Chen left with Chen Hao. Qiao Mai didn’t bother to send them off. Once the door was closed, Yuan Jiaqi placed his chopsticks and bowl in the kitchen, helping the children tidy up.

It was still early to sleep, so the children went to Qiao Mai’s room to play with Ling’er. Yuan Jiaqi had something to discuss with Qiao Mai.

“Tomorrow is the 26th. If you are not setting up your stall, stay home and watch the children. I’ll go out and get some chicken, duck, fish, and other ingredients, as well as some other New Year’s goods.”

“Yes, focus on that. Is there enough money?”

“It’s enough. I never manage to spend it all each month. You often buy things for the family, so we’ve saved quite a bit.”

“In that case, I won’t give you money anymore. If you come across special delicacies, buy more for the children.”

“Understood.”

Yuan Jiaqi was about to say something else, but Qiao Mai interjected with her own thoughts.

“I know Madam Chen has feelings for you. For now, focus on teaching Chen Hao. The child is innocent. After the New Year, I’ll buy a big house and a piece of land. Once there’s a teacher to instruct you, we can find a reason to send her child to school. Then, you won’t need to teach him anymore.”

“Thank you, Madam Qiao.”

“I’ll invite her over less in the future, and I’ll try to avoid inviting her when

Shopkeeper Lu is here.”

“I feel sorry for causing you trouble.”

“There’s no need to feel embarrassed about this. If she dares to have thoughts about you, she has already broken our friendship. Although our relationship is a facade, she doesn’t know that. Knowing that something is impossible but still pursuing it means she doesn’t truly regard me, and I don’t have to care about her.”

“I don’t even know what to say.”

“Just do what needs to be done. Having a clear conscience is enough.”

Yuan Jiaqi listened and replied earnestly, “You make a valid point. I’ll head back to my room and continue studying.”

He left, and Qiao Mai smiled as she faced the children.

“After eating so much meat, have some hawthorn cake to aid digestion. Drink some hot water. Don’t sleep too early, okay?”

“Mother, you should have some too. Can you tell us a story later?” “Sure. Tonight, I’ll tell you the story of Wu Song and The Tiger.”

“Great!”

As long as she wasn’t too tired, Qiao Mai would occasionally interact with the children in the evenings.

In fact, she wasn’t much older than the children, so there was no generation gap when she communicated with them. They got along very well..