Chapter 43: The Sharp-Tongued Ma Yulian? Li Junsheng: Let's Eat Out!

Ma Yulian was clearly refusing to cooperate with Li Junsheng, and at the same time, she showed a strong sense of unwelcome toward Tang Liang. This left Tang Liang at a loss, feeling utterly embarrassed and out of place.

The most awkward of all was none other than Li Xiaoyu. She had brought her boyfriend home, only for him to endure her mother’s cold demeanor the entire time, making her feel she had let him down.

Li Xiaoyu couldn’t understand why her mother couldn’t just sit down and talk things through calmly. At the very least, as a guest, he should have been treated with some hospitality; this kind of reception certainly smacked of poor upbringing.

Trying to ease the tension, Li Xiaoyu quickly tried to smooth things over. “It’s fine, Mom. Since your wrist is sprained, why don’t you skip cooking today? How about I make lunch with my sister-in-law?”

She turned to her sister-in-law, remembering that her elder brother had seemed to welcome Tang Liang earlier, even personally taking the gift from him.

But Li Guojun’s earlier welcome was purely for the sake of the gifts. Now, with Li Xiaoyu looking to her sister-in-law Wang Xiuhua for help, Wang replied coldly, “Oh, little sister, have you forgotten? Didn’t we just split the family at the table yesterday? We’re each eating our own meals now, minding our own business. If you ask me like this, you’ve just undone Dad’s hard work in dividing things!”

At that moment, Li Xiaoyu truly felt helpless. Her second brother and elder sister had always been good to her, but her second brother, after marrying, had been driven to rent his own place, and her elder sister was also married.

If either of them were here, they’d surely have helped her out of this predicament.

Wang Xiuhua ignored Li Xiaoyu’s embarrassment and, regardless of the occasion, began openly mocking Li Junsheng. “Xiaoyu, don’t blame me for not helping you. It was Dad who insisted on splitting the family, thinking he could manage without me and your brother.”

“There’s nothing we can do. From now on, we’ll eat separately. You eat with your parents, and as long as you’re home, you’ll be in charge of all three meals a day!” Wang Xiuhua ridiculed Li Junsheng at length, stopping just short of pointing at his nose and calling him useless for insisting on splitting the family, yet now unable to even cook and relying on his youngest daughter.

Li Xiaoyu frowned, thinking her sister-in-law had gone too far.

“It’s all right, I’ll go prepare lunch today,” she said, trying to defuse the situation.

Tang Liang, too, could sense the family dynamics. It was just as Xiaoyu had described: the parents were at odds, and the elder brother and his wife showed no respect for her father.

To spare Li Junsheng any further embarrassment, Tang Liang quickly offered, “I’ll cook lunch with Xiaoyu. I know how to cook, and today is the perfect chance to let everyone try my food.”

“No need, Tang,” Li Junsheng said gently, motioning for him to sit. “You and Xiaoyu don’t need to worry about lunch today.”

Li Junsheng glanced at Li Guojun. His eldest, ever since last night’s family banquet, had been simmering with resentment, purposely giving him the cold shoulder and putting on airs.

In the past, Li Junsheng would have considered stepping back and offering him a way out.

But in this lifetime, he had no intention of indulging their bad tempers. Wang Xiuhua and Ma Yulian, too, were being uncooperative, mocking him in front of Tang as if throwing a fit would make him regret splitting the family.

Li Junsheng sneered inwardly. They still underestimated him, thinking he was the same weakling as before? The three of them wanted to control him? They were dreaming!

“Uncle, I really am a decent cook. I even brought some good wine today. Please give me a chance to show what I can do,” Tang Liang said with a smile, unfazed by the idea of cooking on his first visit.

Li Junsheng nodded silently. This young man was honest and dependable.

Li Xiaoyu quickly echoed, “Yes, Dad, Tang Liang’s cooking is really good!”

The moment she said this, Ma Yulian snapped in disgust, “How did I end up with such a useless daughter? Not even married yet and already eating your boyfriend’s food. Can’t you eat at home?”

Li Xiaoyu and Tang Liang were both stunned, and only Li Junsheng kept a stony face as he abruptly rose from the sofa.

Ma Yulian, startled and fearing he might hit her again, quickly moved away.

“Tang, this is your first visit. You’re a guest, after all. It’s not right to have the guest cook. Next time you come, I’ll taste your cooking. Today, I’ll take you and Xiaoyu out to a state-run restaurant for lunch.”

Hearing this, Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua were filled with anger and jealousy. Li Junsheng had never taken the family out to eat before, and today he was being so generous to an outsider!

Moreover, though their father seemed generous toward Tang Liang, the money for eating out would ultimately be taken from their share!

Li Guojun couldn’t contain himself—he kicked the table and shot Li Junsheng a furious look.

Li Junsheng saw his eldest’s sulk but couldn’t be bothered to respond.

Li Xiaoyu, too, didn’t want to stay at home any longer. With her mother and her angry brother and sister-in-law, the atmosphere was unbearable.

“Let’s do as Dad says,” Li Xiaoyu said to Tang Liang, nodding that they could go out to eat. At worst, she could pay for it herself.

Tang Liang, who had brought some cash along, felt confident there was enough for a restaurant meal.

Li Junsheng glanced at Ma Yulian and asked her, more out of formality than anything, “Are you coming?”

With their daughter bringing her boyfriend home, he still hoped Ma Yulian would at least make an appearance—otherwise, what if Tang’s family thought Xiaoyu’s own parents didn’t care about her?

But Ma Yulian, knowing her own importance, decided to act aloof and refused to give anyone face.

She rolled her eyes and snapped, “I’m not going. He only brought a few things, and you’re already taking him to a state-run restaurant? Aren’t you afraid you’ll have no money for your own retirement?”

“I think you’ve really lost your senses—just a little money in your hand and you’re already getting cocky. Without a job, how long do you think that little bit of money will last you?”

Li Junsheng let her words go in one ear and out the other. He’d only asked as a matter of courtesy—if she didn’t want to come, so be it. With him backing Xiaoyu, that was enough.

He didn’t say another word to Ma Yulian, but turned and smiled at Tang Liang and Li Xiaoyu. “Let’s go, Tang, Xiaoyu. We’ll have a couple of drinks together.”

“Great!” Tang Liang replied.

Li Junsheng led them out of the house without so much as a backward glance at Ma Yulian.

That left Ma Yulian seething with rage, gnashing her teeth as she plopped down on the sofa, arms crossed, stewing in her anger.

Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua didn’t bother with her either, retreating to their room. Soon after, Wang Xiuhua went to the kitchen to cook.

Ma Yulian, though appearing still angry, kept an eye on the kitchen, already anticipating lunch.

But a short while later, Wang Xiuhua carried two bowls of noodles into the bedroom, where she and Li Guojun shut the door and ate without inviting Ma Yulian.

Ma Yulian went to the kitchen and found there wasn’t even half a bowl of noodles left. Clearly, Wang Xiuhua had only cooked for herself and her husband.

Seeing this, Ma Yulian was both furious and hungry, her vision swimming.

“Well, well, you’re all heartless, a pack of ingrates! I really can’t stay in this house any longer!”

With that, she cursed in the kitchen, her face twisted with anger, then stormed out, heading straight for Chen Dazhu’s house.