Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

Tong Jie returned home absentmindedly, not even greeting a group of old women chatting idly in the front yard.

He didn't even respond to Jia Zhangshi's greeting.

Tong Jie's reaction made Jia Zhangshi lose face completely.

The first to speak up was Liu Haizhong's wife, Wang Guilian, who was holding the infant Liu Guangfu in her arms. Seeing Tong Jie's rudeness, she didn't even look up and launched into a tirade of mockery at Jia Zhangshi:

"Oh my, no wonder she gave birth to a golden grandson for your Jia family, she doesn't even acknowledge her mother-in-law when she greets her."

"That's how it is now, will it ever be able to ascend to heaven?"

"That's right, Sister-in-law Jia, you can't spoil her. You have to teach her a lesson."

Madam Jia wasn't stupid; she understood the group of old women trying to sow discord, so she glared at them.

"Fuck you, it's none of your business, you bunch of old hags."

"None of them have ever been grandmothers yet, and they're worrying about things that aren't their business."

"My daughter-in-law is such a good person. You're all nobodies when it comes to managing the household. I'm not going to argue with you."

After scolding her grandson, Jia Zhangshi turned and left, leaving behind a group of old women with ugly faces who were about to jump up and down.

If Jia Zhangshi doesn't leave, I must have a good talk with her.

Jia Zhangshi felt that her daughter-in-law's mood was a bit off. She was fine when she left in the morning, and she would never treat her like this normally.

She calls her "Mom" all the time, but her son never calls her that.

Before she could think too much, Jia Zhangshi returned home to find her daughter-in-law sitting on a stool with a blank look in her eyes.

She didn't even glance at him as he came in; her eyes were fixed straight ahead.

When Jia Zhangshi saw this, her heart skipped a beat. Oh no, could it be that she was possessed by an evil spirit?

She quickly carried her sleeping grandson into the inner room and laid him down, then came out and gently patted Tong Jie on the shoulder.

"Daughter-in-law, what's wrong? I called you in the front yard but you didn't respond. Did you encounter something unclean?"

Tong Jie looked up at Jia Zhangshi, tears welling in her eyes, and cried out in grievance:

"Mom, I'm suffering so much!"

Seeing her daughter-in-law like this, Jia Zhangshi felt a pang of heartache. What great injustice must she have suffered to be in such a state? But there was no time to think further; she simply pulled Tong Jie into her arms to comfort her.

"Oh dear, my good daughter-in-law, what's wrong with you? Don't scare your mother like that!"

Jia Zhangshi's words of comfort completely broke Tong Jie down, and tears streamed down her face as she cried uncontrollably.

Madam Jia was so anxious that she almost called for help several times, but she held back. What if something really happened? It would be better to find out the truth first.

After Tong Jie had cried herself to sleep, Madam Jia asked softly:

"Daughter-in-law, tell Mom what exactly happened?"

"Mom will stand up for you."

Tong Jie raised her head and poured out everything she had found out.

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhangshi appeared unsteady on her feet.

"Mom, do you think I'm being wronged? Ever since I married into your Jia family, I've been serving my husband and you, and I haven't had a moment's rest from the housework."

"I carried your Jia family line for ten months, and Jia Dongxu actually went to find other women while I was pregnant."

"They haven't caught them yet, Mom, what should I do?"

"I can't sleep at night thinking about this. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have gotten married. Waaah..."

Jia Zhangshi was numb, completely numb. She was just an ordinary woman, at most with a bad temper and a sharp tongue, and she liked to take advantage of others.

It's truly heartbreaking that her son did this; if it were her, she would have torn the house down.

But it was his own son who committed the crime. You can say he did it, but his daughter-in-law found out.

At this point, Jia Zhangshi was also at a loss, but she still knew whose side to stand on.

He said in a hateful voice:

"I was wondering why that brat Dongxu was making so much money lately; turns out he was doing this."

"Don't worry, daughter-in-law, Mom is on your side this time. I'll give him a good talking to when he gets back."

Then the tone shifted, sounding somewhat accusatory towards Tong Jie:

"I told you, daughter-in-law, you're an idiot too. I said we shouldn't give Dongxu that much money, but you're blind and still say that a man with money in his pocket has a strong back."

"What kind of twisted logic is that? Look at him, he's all high and mighty now, but he's ended up in someone else's bed. Don't you think you're being wronged?"

Tong Jie burst into tears again upon hearing this. Indeed, she was partly at fault, and her mother-in-law had reminded her not to give Jia Dongxu any money.

But I was bewitched and gave it to him because I was soft-hearted. As a result, he spent the money on other women.

"Okay, stop crying. I'll give him a good talking to when we get back tonight. Mom will stand up for you."

Tong Jie had no choice but to agree. She was already married, so how could she go back? The villagers would laugh at her to death, and she, Tong Jie, had her pride too.

Tong Jie's crying inside the room could not be kept secret from the old women in the hospital. They had already heard the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law whispering to each other, but they just hadn't heard it clearly.

In the evening, after the Lou's Steel Rolling Mill closed for the day, Jia Dongxu rode his bicycle with Yi Zhonghai on the back.

He was somewhat absent-minded the whole way, his right eyelid twitching uncontrollably, as if something was about to happen.

"Damn it, Dongxu, watch where you're going! We're about to crash into a wall!" Yi Zhonghai warned from the back seat.

Jia Dongxu quickly adjusted his route after regaining his senses.

"Oh, I'm sorry, driver, I'll ride slower."

Yi Zhonghai knew he was thinking about what happened during the day, so he explained to him:

"Don't worry, it's fine. Tong Jie doesn't have that much ability to find out."

"I'm sorry, Tong Jie, but you better not do it again, or I won't let you off the hook."

Jia Dongxu nodded repeatedly after hearing this:

"Don't worry, Master, I will definitely not do it again."

As soon as the two master and apprentice entered the courtyard, they noticed that several old women were looking at them strangely.

There were gloating and mocking laughs.

Upon seeing this, Yi Zhonghai frowned, and then his wife walked towards him with a worried expression.

"Old Yi, something's happened!"

Upon hearing this, both master and apprentice felt a pang of unease, and Jia Dongxu's heart raced even faster as he quickly asked:

"Master's wife... what happened?"

Aunt Yi said:

"Your wife, Tong Jie, was distraught after she came home this afternoon; she cried for most of the day."

"Your sister-in-law is trying to soothe her; you two should go and see!"

Yi Zhonghai thought to himself, "Oh no, the deal with Dongxu has fallen through."

"Let's go take a look." After saying that, Yi Zhonghai took the lead and walked towards the Intermediate People's Court.

A group of women who always wanted to stir things up quickly followed.

Yi Zhonghai walked into the Jia family home without knocking, and Jia Dongxu quickly followed.

As soon as I entered, I saw Tong Jie's pitiful appearance; her tear stains were still wet.

When Jia Zhangshi saw Yi Zhonghai enter the room, she didn't show any expression, but when she saw her son come in, her eyes blazed with anger.

Just as Jia Dongxu was about to call out "Mom," Jia Zhangshi rushed over and slapped him across the face.

"Snapped!"

The sound was crisp and loud, and Jia Dongxu was stunned by the blow, mainly because it hurt.

Seeing this, Jia Zhangshi was about to hit him again, but Yi Zhonghai, who was quick-witted and agile, stopped her.

"What are you doing, sister-in-law? Can't you talk things out properly?"

"Old Yi, don't stop me! I'll beat this bastard to death!"

Yi Zhonghai listened to advice and immediately let go, meaning, "Go ahead and hit me, I'm not stopping you."

In reality, Yi Zhonghai was also afraid that Jia Zhangshi would retaliate against him, so he simply decided to make his apprentice suffer a little. After all, he couldn't kill him, and what did it matter if the young man suffered a little physical pain?

If you make a mistake, admit it; if you're going to get hit, stand up straight.

If the apprentice doesn't get a beating this time, will his wife be happy?

Madam Jia was a little embarrassed. One slap would have been enough; she couldn't keep slapping her own son.

Let me tell you, Lao Yi, why are you so easily persuaded?

Tong Jie understood as well, and immediately cried out in grievance:

"Mom~"

Oh my god, I can't pretend anymore now, so he slapped Jia Dongxu twice more.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"I just got back and you immediately started hitting me!"

Jia Dongxu was also a little embarrassed. He was over 20 years old and had a son. How could he bear to be wronged like this?