"Pfft! Hahaha--"
Yong Dai held back her laughter, but Huo Mei Shu laughed unabashedly, her devilish laughter echoing throughout the Huo household living room, extremely loud!
"Huo Linjing, even if you're shocked by sister-in-law Yong's stunning beauty, there's no need to be so excited! We can't accept such a grand gesture!"
Huo Mei Shu laughed until she was nearly out of breath, with tears coming out of her eyes. She had to hold her waist as she looked at Huo Linjing, who was lying on the ground like an overturned crab, and didn't forget to mock and ridicule her.
Huo Linjing had fallen hard on her back, the back of her head throbbing with pain. Seeing Huo Mei Shu not only laughing wildly but also ridiculing her, Huo Linjing's face turned green with anger!
Yong Dai noticed that the faces of Huo Linjing's family were all very gloomy. There was a middle-aged couple, an old man leaning on a cane, and two other men. One of them looked around the same age as Huo Shaoting.
"Huo Mei Shu, you really have less and less family education. How did Lu Zheng teach you? Your own sister falls down and you don't go help her up, instead standing there laughing?"
The middle-aged woman spoke up, looking at the two of them with disgust, her face slightly arrogant.
"That's Second Uncle Huo Feng, and Auntie Jiang Qiaoqing, a long-tongued one. That's Huo Jun, around the same age as my dad. The one is his eldest son, Huo Shaoqian, a year younger than Eldest Brother. You have to watch out for him. That one is Huo Shaoming, a good-for-nothing playboy. And this is Huo Linjing. There's another young aunt who's not back from overseas yet, Huo Lanqin, also not a good one."
Huo Mei Shu ignored Jiang Qiaoqing's expression and introduced Huo Second Uncle's family members neither too loudly nor too softly to Yong Dai.
Yong Dai nodded. This Second Uncle's family did not get along with their family. Originally, she and Huo Shaoting had a low-key civil marriage, just had a meal with the family afterwards, then made it public and considered it done.
However, the way the little sister-in-law introduced them, she also insulted them personally.
She noticed Auntie's face was very ugly already. Huo Linjing struggled up from the ground, staring at them round-eyed, unable to get a word out for half a day with one hand on her waist.
"Hmph, birds of a feather flock together. Being able to marry someone of this character, no wonder Huo Mei Shu your manners are becoming worse and worse."
Jiang Qiaoqing was thoroughly ignored by the sister-in-laws and her face couldn't hold. She went up and pretended to help Huo Linjing, while still mocking the little sister-in-law.
Yong Dai frowned slightly. From what the little sister-in-law said just now, she could understand why this Second Uncle Huo's family had come to visit.
However, they were guests that had arrived. Their rudeness was their business. With no one else home right now, as the eldest sister-in-law, she should of course treat guests with courtesy, and even more so could not let outsiders bully her own family.
"Auntie Wang, go prepare some hot tea and snacks."
She quickly adjusted her mindset, a smile appearing on her face, and gave the little sister-in-law a reassuring look.
Huo Shaojie also immediately understood. Although they did not welcome Second Uncle Huo's side coming to make trouble, since they had come to the door, they should be given a chance to speak.
"Second Uncle, please sit. Uncle and Auntie, please sit too. Let's sit down and slowly talk about whatever you have to say." He gestured for Second Uncle Huo's family to sit down.
Jiang Qiaoqing gave a cold humph, helping her daughter to sit down on the sofa.
Huo Feng of Second Uncle Huo had a full head of white hair, over eighty years old, but still hale and hearty. His sharp old eyes had been sizing up Yong Dai since they entered.
But Yong Dai was not afraid of this kind of gaze.
Other than avoiding Huo Shaoting's gaze due to her guilty conscience, she had never feared anyone else.
A faint smile was on her face as she watched the large family sit down, a flash of deeper meaning in her eyes.
Since they were willing to sit down, it meant they had come to resolve matters, and not truly make trouble.
Then this matter could be resolved.
"Mei Shu, bring Miss Huo upstairs to apply some medicinal oil. Auntie Wang had just mopped the floors this morning so they're slippery. Next time, Miss Huo, you'll have to be more careful."
Before Huo Linjing could finish yelling, Yong Dai took a cup of hot tea from the tray Auntie Wang brought over and interrupted her tirade, speaking in a very gentle tone.
Although she had a smile on her face, her entire bearing gave off a sense of prestige and propriety that made Huo Linjing's heart inexplicably tighten!
Huo Mei Shu was more than happy to agree.
"What nonsense medicinal oil! I don't care for it at all! Today I came to find you--"
"Second Uncle Huo, this is the first time Yong Dai is meeting you. I was impolite just now, please forgive me. I should serve tea to an elder like you. Second Uncle must not take offense at an ignorant junior like me. Any matters can be discussed when Shaoting returns."
Before Huo Linjing could finish yelling, Yong Dai took a cup of hot tea from the tray Auntie Wang brought and interrupted her, speaking neither humbly nor arrogantly, politely serving tea to Huo Feng.
Huo Feng sized her up for several seconds without taking the steaming hot tea, only saying lightly, "This matter can be resolved with just you, no need for Shaoting's involvement."
If it could be resolved with Huo Shaoting, why would they come at this time?
Yong Dai gave a faint smile, not answering him right away. This trivial nitpicking she had seen many times before.
Seeing Huo Feng not taking the tea, Huo Shaojie and Huo Mei Shu's faces didn't look good.
"Sister-in-law..."
"It's fine if Second Uncle doesn't want to drink tea now, I'll just leave it here for you."
The little sister-in-law had just opened her mouth when Yong Dai continued speaking gently, directly placing the cup of tea on the table.
She wouldn't joke around. If someone didn't give her, an empress, face when she respectfully served tea, was she supposed to keep holding it up forever?
Seeing her put down the teacup, Huo Feng's expression became a little gloomy.
Huo Jun and Jiang Qiaoqing also looked displeased, thinking Yong Dai was too rude and completely unfit to be a part of their Huo family.
"Country bumpkin is country bumpkin, doesn't understand any etiquette at all!"
Huo Linjing had a stomach full of anger and nowhere to vent it, so she took every opportunity to say malicious things.
Yong Dai glanced at her faintly, that aloof and indifferent look mixed with propriety and prestige.
"Miss Huo, since you brought up etiquette, may I ask how I have no etiquette?"
"Serving tea to elders, the elder hasn't even accepted it yet, and you just put it down. That's grandfather! I'm already being polite saying you have no etiquette!"
Huo Linjing immediately pounced on the opportunity to berate her coldly.
Huo Shaoqian at the side hadn't spoken at all, because Huo Shaojie was right next to him so he didn't have a chance.
But he watched Yong Dai's demeanor very clearly, especially the faintly upturned smile at the corner of her lips.
"Is that so? Since I'm from the countryside, I really don't know. Miss Huo, could you demonstrate for me?"
She looked at Huo Linjing with a faint smile.
"Why should I teach you? Even if I taught you, do you think you'd have any opportunities to use it? The Huo family doesn't even recognize you! Otherwise why didn't Huo Shaoting hold a wedding ceremony with you? Can't even meet the Huo family, what right do you have to call yourself a Huo family wife?"
Huo Linjing still had some brains and didn't immediately take the bait, but her words were deliberately trying to humiliate Yong Dai.
