Cooking Gourmet Meals in the Apocalypse

Chapter 118: Chapter 115: Isn’t It More Interesting to Step on Her?

With her usual temper, Chen Xing would never have stood for being insulted like this. Not beating the girl until she saw stars would be an insult to her rebirth.

But when she thought about the RV she was about to get, she wasn’t so angry anymore.

’A few insults won’t hurt. Go on, curse all you want!’

"My darling Chen Xing adores me, how could she possibly harm me?" Song Yiguo stood ramrod straight with an air of absolute righteousness, but his words and the glance he threw her were a complete contradiction. "Isn’t that right, my darling Chen Xing?"

Chen Xing: "..."

’If it weren’t for the RV, she probably would have snapped his arm.’

’That nickname, coming from Song Yiguo of all people... Could it be any more shocking?’

But he just stared right at her after asking, and everyone else was watching with a mix of shock and curiosity. Chen Xing could only push down her awkwardness. "I won’t hurt Song Yiguo!" ’Of course,’ she thought, ’that’s only if he doesn’t try to hurt me!’

She tossed the words out perfunctorily, without giving them a second thought.

Little did she know that the Song Yiguo of the future would go dark...

Hearing this, General Song beamed like a blooming flower.

’Marriage alliances, matching social statuses... to hell with all of it!’

He couldn’t be more pleased with this cold and indifferent Chen Xing.

"Yuanrou..." General Song searched the crowd for his wife.

He didn’t realize that Zeng Yuanrou was standing right beside him, sharing the very same mood and expression.

No one knew how difficult and agonizing it was for her, caught between two stubborn men—her husband and her son—who refused to back down.

Her heart ached for her husband; she knew how many hopes he had pinned on their son.

And her heart ached for her son, too. The man her husband refused to accept was the one her son truly loved.

The two of them were like fire and ice, neither willing to sit down for a proper conversation, each rigidly clinging to his own point of view.

Now, the appearance of this girl, Chen Xing, had undoubtedly broken the deadlock in this clash of titans.

If she hadn’t been at her wit’s end with Yiguo’s father, she never would have resorted to threatening her own life to force her son’s hand.

Zeng Yuanrou gave General Song a satisfied smile before walking over to Chen Xing and gently taking her hand. "You’re Chen Xing?" she asked, her voice exceptionally soft.

Chen Xing’s icy heart melted in an instant.

She wasn’t good at interacting with people, but she could immediately sense genuine kindness.

Song Yiguo’s mother was the very embodiment of gentleness and grace. It seemed impossible for anyone to resist her warmth.

Chen Xing nodded.

"Aunt Song..." Situ Yuanyuan’s voice rang out, loud enough to cut through the stunned silence and draw every eye in the room.

Realizing her faux pas, she flashed an awkward smile that she clearly thought was charming. "Aunt Song, her background is a mystery! We don’t know if she’s here to plot against Brother Yiguo!"

She would have been better off just bursting into tears; at least that might have earned her some sympathy.

Clearly, she had made the wrong move.

By badmouthing Chen Xing in public, she just came across as jealous and desperate to sling mud.

"Miss Situ, Chen Xing is Yiguo’s girlfriend. Please show some respect when you speak," Zeng Yuanrou said. Her voice was as gentle as ever, but Situ Yuanyuan could feel the sudden distance in her tone.

Before, Aunt Song had always called her Yuanyuan so affectionately.

Zeng Yuanrou paid Situ Yuanyuan no more mind, instead leading Chen Xing to a long, lavishly set dining table and taking a seat.

"Tell me, Auntie wants to know, how did you meet that stubborn mule of mine?"

Although Chen Xing was reluctant to deceive Mrs. Song, she had to keep up the act for the sake of the RV. "In Hualai City..." She briefly recounted the story of how they saved a pregnant woman in Hualai City and how their lives had become entangled since.

Since that part wasn’t a complete lie, Chen Xing felt a little more at ease.

"So you were the one who saved my son’s life back in Hualai City?" Zeng Yuanrou’s fondness for the girl grew. "Does that mean you were also the one who led people to clear the subway station, allowing everyone to enter the Capital City?"

Chen Xing nodded.

Nearby, Li Sirong was also jealous, but her jealousy was overshadowed by the joy of seeing Situ Yuanyuan fail.

’So much more fun to rub it in, isn’t it?’

As for Chen Xing, she didn’t give her a second thought.

’She’s just the long-lost daughter of the Cao Family who popped out of nowhere. I could crush her with a single finger.’

"Miss Situ, it looks like you miscalculated today!" Li Sirong never passed up a chance for a sarcastic dig. "And here I thought we’d be watching you get engaged to Brother Yiguo. Who knew an unexpected rival would swoop in and steal him away?"

Situ Yuanyuan was already fuming, anxious, and utterly helpless.

She couldn’t stomach the fact that even the ever-so-gentle Mrs. Song had been bewitched by Chen Xing.

’I brought Uncle Song into this because I thought he, of all people, would value my status and throw that ill-matched Chen Xing out. Who knew the old man didn’t care about family background at all!’

’If I’d known, I would have had Chen Xing killed from the very beginning instead of letting her live this long.’

"Who said anything about me getting engaged to Brother Yiguo?" Situ Yuanyuan retorted stubbornly. "This was supposed to be a gathering of the Four Great Families, so don’t just make things up!"

"Oh... my mistake, I must have misheard." Li Sirong feigned innocence. "As long as you’re not angry. I was just worried you were feeling frustrated, that’s all."

"You..."

"Well, since you’re fine, I feel much better!" Li Sirong knew how to quit while she was ahead.

’Provoking Situ Yuanyuan just this much was perfect.’

’If I push any further, I won’t get anything good out of it either.’

After all, the Situ family was still more powerful than her own.

Over where General Song and Situ Lei Hao were, things were straightforward in the way of men: they had split into two camps and weren’t speaking.

General Song couldn’t have been happier that Situ Lei Hao was ignoring him.

’Just a moment ago, we’d privately sealed the marriage agreement between our two families. I’m totally in the wrong here!’

Zeng Yuanrou had apparently gotten the full story on Chen Xing’s background, including how the Cao Family, led by Cao Guangrong, had only just taken her back. "Are they treating you well now? If not, you can tell me, and Auntie will stand up for you!"

This... Chen Xing truly didn’t know whether to say they treated her well or poorly.

’If she said it was good... she didn’t feel a shred of familial affection.’

’But if she said it was bad... they were certainly putting on a convincing show of concern.’

"They’re treating me well," she said, glancing over at Song Yiguo, who was watching them.

He was leaning against the opposite wall, the satisfied smile on his face proving his approval.

This made Chen Xing feel uneasy.

’If this interrogation continued, she was afraid she would end up breaking Mrs. Song’s heart.’

’This was all a lie. The moment I walk out that door, the truth will come out. I feel too guilty to say another word.’

"Since you don’t remember your past, you must be extremely careful about this business of finding your parents. Make sure everything is investigated thoroughly!" Zeng Yuanrou was truly worried for Chen Xing.

She wasn’t a fool; she knew perfectly well who held her son’s heart.

’Whatever Chen Xing’s reasons are for helping my son fool his father, at least she’s temporarily defused the crisis at home.’

’As for what comes next, we’ll just have to take it one step at a time.’

"I will! Thank you, Auntie!"

"No need to be so formal with me." Zeng Yuanrou had taken a real liking to Chen Xing.

’She’s a woman of few words, but I can tell she’s trying her best to avoid lying.’

’Distant, but not impolite. It’s the result of a lack of affection, and my heart aches for her.’

Just as Chen Xing was listening to Mrs. Song, her heart full of guilt, she suddenly felt a piercing gaze land on her.

She glanced at Song Yiguo, then let her eyes sweep across the banquet hall, trying to find the source.

But to her disappointment, she couldn’t pinpoint who it was.