Volume One, Chapter 20: Worse Than Pig Feed

“Is Xiaohui really like that?” Madam Huo asked, half in doubt.

“Uncle, I... I don’t know, and no one in our family mentioned anything about pesticides,” Su Xiaohui shook her head. Under Huo Jianguo’s stern gaze, she felt anxious but forced herself to remain calm.

“Alright, let’s put the poisoning matter aside for now,” Huo Jianguo waved his hand dismissively, unwilling to dwell on it.

“If Su Wan’s cooking was truly inedible, the Su family wouldn’t have been able to eat it either, which actually proves that Su Wan can cook, and quite well at that.”

“Xiao Han said so after having lunch at Principal Song’s house, where Su Wan cooked. Mom, if you don’t believe me, why don’t you call Xiao Han now?” Huo Jianguo wanted to call Principal Song directly, but unfortunately, their phone was broken.

Madam Huo pondered briefly. Jianguo tended to side with Su Wan, but Xiao Han disliked her and wouldn’t cover up for her.

Seeing that Madam Huo was about to believe it, Su Xiaohui refused to let the matter be swept under the rug and insisted on making a fuss. “Grandma Huo, our family is poor and has many mouths to feed. We never waste a single scrap. Ever since my sister burned down the kitchen, mother hasn’t let her into the kitchen at all. I’ve never seen her cook anything since.”

She was certain that lazy Su Wan absolutely couldn’t cook and that whatever she made tasted worse than pig slop.

“Is it true that Xiao Han actually saw her cooking?” Grandma Huo asked again.

Xiao Han hadn’t said anything about that.

“How about this, Mom? Tomorrow happens to be your little birthday,” Huo Jianguo said, seeing that explanations weren’t working. “Let’s have Su Wan show her cooking skills. Let Xiao Han tell Principal Song to let Su Wan come back and cook a meal for you. Then we’ll know for sure if she can cook or not.”

“That’s right, Grandma Huo, Captain Huo is right. We can’t just accept everything said at face value. What if Su Wan is truly being wronged?”

Wu Ma, who had been standing nervously in the corner all day thinking she had unintentionally caused trouble, stepped forward. She even glanced at Su Xiaohui with a dissatisfied look, thinking, if it weren’t for her careless words, would she have been so upset all day?

Su Wan was so diligent in keeping the kitchen tidy; how could she not know how to cook?

Originally, Wu Ma thought Su Xiaohui was quite sensible, but now she couldn’t bring herself to like her at all.

Su Wan had slept with her for two nights and never once complained about Su Xiaohui.

Yet Su Xiaohui knew that her sister had gone to work as a nanny and still publicly threw her under the bus.

That didn’t look like the relationship of true sisters at all.

“I don’t care whether Su Wan can cook or not, but the Huo family will never tolerate anyone with questionable conduct or ill intentions tarnishing our family’s reputation and abusing the power of our name.”

The Huo family’s current standing was hard-won on the battlefield, and Madam Huo valued the family’s honor deeply, which was why she was so concerned about these matters.

“Since you all believe Su Wan can cook, then let her come back tomorrow evening and prepare a meal. I want to see how someone who never steps into the kitchen can make a meal better than those served at state-run restaurants.”

Madam Huo didn’t mince words. “I’m putting it out there — if she can’t cook a decent meal, there’s no school in Beiping that will accept her anyway. We might as well send her back early and find another high school for her.”

Hearing that, Su Xiaohui’s lips curled into a smile she could hardly suppress. This was Su Wan rushing headlong into trouble herself; she was so vain and liked to show off. Back in elementary school, she had insisted the teacher believe that the drawings she presented were hers.

Now she had hit a brick wall. The Huo family was not so easily fooled.

But outwardly, Su Xiaohui still frowned, pleading on behalf of Su Wan.

Wu Ma, however, felt wronged for Su Wan in her heart. To avoid causing trouble for the Huo family and to prevent others from thinking the Huo family treated her badly, Su Wan had taken the initiative to distance herself from them.

She had even told Su Wan not to tell Aunt Wang that she was boarding with the Huo family to attend school.

Yet...

Huo Jianguo entered the study and conveyed Madam Huo’s wishes over the phone to Huo Xiaohan, specifically asking, “Was that lunch really cooked by Su Wan?”

When Huo Xiaohan arrived, the meal was already prepared, and the previous nanny at Principal Song’s house had long since left. There was no one else but Su Wan to have cooked it, so he answered firmly, “Yes.”

“Alright, then go to Principal Song’s house tomorrow and ask if Su Wan can have half a day off.”

After hanging up, Huo Xiaohan’s long, slender fingers still gripped the phone receiver. His eyes were cold and deep, especially since he had not revealed his connection with Su Wan — both Principal Song and his wife thought they were strangers.

He didn’t know what reason to give for his visit.

Should he tell Principal Song that Su Wan was the match his father had arranged for him?

He felt it was inappropriate.

He sat in his chair, waiting until the military district hospital was about to close before calling and explaining his purpose to Dr. Song.

After work, Song Wenbo told Principal Song about the matter: “Dad, Captain Huo said tomorrow is his grandmother’s little birthday. She thought Comrade Wan’s cooking was quite good after lunch at our house, so she asked if we could lend her for half a day to cook a dinner for Grandma Huo.”

“Since we’re also meeting with Minmin’s parents tomorrow to discuss the wedding date, I agreed.”

Sitting in a bamboo chair fanning himself, Principal Song and Secretary Yang exchanged a glance.

Captain Huo was acting too swiftly — after only one meeting, he already wanted to bring her home to meet the family.

Both suspected something was off; Huo Xiaohan and Su Wan must have known each other before.

After dinner, Secretary Yang handed a slice of watermelon to Su Wan, who was wiping the stove, and casually asked, “Xiao Wan, have you ever met Captain Huo at the military compound before?”

Having navigated the business world for years, Su Wan immediately sensed the underlying meaning — it wasn’t just idle chatter; they had probably seen Captain Huo escort her home at noon.

“There are so many people in uniform at the military compound; they all look the same to me. I don’t remember,” Su Wan said, wiping the sweat from her forehead and neck, giving an ambiguous answer after a moment’s thought.

“What’s wrong, Auntie?”

“It’s just that Grandma Huo is celebrating her little birthday tomorrow. She thinks your cooking is good and wants to invite you to the Huo family to cook dinner. I thought you two knew each other,” Secretary Yang said, carefully watching Su Wan’s expression and probing gently.