In summary, the meal was agonizing for her, especially with these two opposite her; it truly was a cause for worry.
If she had known it would end like this, she should never have relented and agreed to Lin Yuwei's request in the first place.
How wonderful it would have been to have a quiet meal at home. Now, she regretted it so deeply.
"Sister Feng Jin, hurry and eat. The food will get cold."
Noticing Feng Jin hadn't touched her chopsticks for a long time, Lin Yuwei urged her repeatedly. She busied herself by picking up food for Feng Jin and even prepared a bowl of porridge, placing it before her.
"Sister Feng Jin, try this porridge. Does it resemble the ones made in your manor?"
The first time she had this seafood porridge was when she was staying at the Ling manor. She had pestered the cook until he told her the recipe. Although the taste was slightly different, it was close. She found it delicious and wondered how Sister Feng Jin would like it.
Feng Jin picked up the bowl and took a sip. While it wasn't as fresh as the ones made in her manor, it was still quite good.
However, the shrimp in the porridge didn't taste very fresh. Perhaps they had been stored for too long.
Finding seafood at this time of year was indeed not easy, which showed how much effort Lin Yuwei had put into this meal. She wasn't a delicate person and had no reason to be picky.
"It's not bad."
Feng Jin offered a perfunctory evaluation. To avoid revealing anything, she took a few more sips before setting the bowl down.
"Pah... why is this porridge so salty!"
Chu Chenyi had only taken one sip and found his mouth filled with saltiness. He immediately spat it all out.
What was this? Salty and fishy, it was truly awful. He couldn't understand what Lin Yuwei was thinking, to actually like such things.
"If you're not eating, then leave quickly. Don't get in my way!"
Lin Yuwei couldn't stand it any longer. She stood up in fury, pointing at Chu Chenyi and scolding him fiercely, wishing she could kick him out.
She had kindly invited him to stay for a meal, but he found fault with everything. In the end, she was the one burdened with all the blame.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She felt like a fool, and a complete one at that.
Chu Chenyi pursed his lips sheepishly, daring not to say another word, for fear that a misplaced word might anger Lin Yuwei again, which would be far from worth it. He ultimately chose to remain silent and continued to eat his own food.
"Everyone's taste is different. For someone tasting seafood porridge for the first time, it might indeed seem salty and fishy. Don't bother arguing with him."
Feng Jin reluctantly played the peacemaker. How unlucky she was to be caught in such a situation. What she had hoped would be a quiet meal had become a luxury.
"Hmph!" Lin Yuwei let out a dissatisfied snort and then turned her head away, no longer paying attention to Chu Chenyi.
"Eat first, eat first..."
Feng Jin urged the two of them to eat. In the end, she felt like the host.
This meal, much like the saying, was finally finished amidst the bickering.
The moment she put down her chopsticks, Feng Jin breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally over, and she could go home soon.
After sitting with Lin Yuwei for a while and chatting, the sky gradually darkened. Feng Jin saw that the time was about right and began to mention returning home.
"Um... it's getting late today, and I've been out for quite some time. If I don't go back soon, the two children will probably start fussing..."
Feng Jin first subtly expressed her intention, paused, and then stated it clearly: "Well... I'll be going back now. I'll come find you again tomorrow..."
She knew Lin Yuwei would be very reluctant to let her leave, but it was already pitch dark. If she didn't return soon, she might not even be able to handle Ling Mohan.
"Ah..."
When Lin Yuwei heard Feng Jin wanted to leave, her previously joyful mood plummeted to the bottom, and her smile vanished.
She had only been here for a short while before wanting to leave. She didn't know when she would see Sister Feng Jin again. The manor would once again become quiet and lonely, with no one to talk to. The days dragged on, making her miserable.
In the past, she could go out and wander when she had the chance. But now, with the child in her womb, every move felt as if she were being watched. She had to be extremely careful with her every step and posture, let alone going out to play. It was simply a fantasy.
Finally, when Sister Feng Jin came to visit, she had someone to talk to. After chatting for such a short time, she was leaving again. Naturally, she was extremely reluctant to see Sister Feng Jin go.
"Sister Feng Jin, please sit for a while longer... keep me company..."
Lin Yuwei tightly held Feng Jin's hand and shook it, not wanting her to leave.
Feng Jin also looked helpless. Why had she been entangled by Lin Yuwei? It was now difficult to escape.
"How about this, Sister Feng Jin, why don't you stay here tonight? It's already late outside, and I'll worry if you go back alone."
She had originally intended to let Feng Jin sit a little longer before letting her go. But now she suddenly changed her mind. Lin Yuwei was still unwilling to let her leave.
Since it was already late, she couldn't feel at ease letting Feng Jin go alone. It would be better for her to stay the night and leave tomorrow morning.
"Ah!"
Feng Jin exclaimed in surprise, instinctively shouting out. Hadn't she just said she'd sit for a little while longer? Now why was she not allowed to leave?
This change was too sudden, and she hadn't quite registered it.
"No..."
Feng Jin refused immediately without even thinking. If she stayed here, she guaranteed that as soon as Ling Mohan found out, he would bring her back immediately.
The to and fro would be utterly exhausting. She absolutely could not stay here.
"Sister Feng Jin, you... you..."
Perhaps it was due to her pregnancy, but she was very moody now. Sometimes she disliked her current self. If something displeased her, she couldn't control herself and would end up crying.
"You... you, don't cry!"
Feng Jin was startled by her sudden behavior. She hadn't said anything, and yet Lin Yuwei started crying.
"You, don't cry. Let's talk it through slowly..."
"I... I... Sister Feng Jin..."