https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-18-Is-Her-Cooking-Really-That-Good-/12811692/
Chapter 19: Helping Her Wash Her Hair
Chapter 19: Helping Her Wash Her Hair
Zhou Chenglei gave Zhou Yongguo a cool look.
"Grandpa Sun," Zhou Yongguo immediately cowered, "Watermelon juice is fine, Xia can just have watermelon juice!"
He even forgot to call her "granddaughter-in-law."
Grandpa instantly turned into a grandson!
Jiang Xia had an incredible alcohol tolerance, honed from her previous life. After graduating with her master’s degree, she co-founded a venture capital firm with her senior classmate. In the world of venture capital, socializing was a must, and wherever there was socializing, there was always alcohol. Especially when she hosted dinners, she had been hospitalized several times due to excessive drinking, only to continue drinking after her recovery.
In her previous life, she had no choice. Now, she could be more selective. She had already toasted earlier, so she picked up the glass of watermelon juice and smiled, "My tolerance is really low, one cup and I'm done. I'll toast to Grandpa with watermelon juice instead."
Zhou Yongguo immediately straightened his back. He was the patriarch, after all! Why was he cowering?
"Grandson, hurry up! Your granddaughter-in-law is toasting to me! You better get a move on!"
Zhou Chenglei didn’t argue with him and picked up his glass.
The meal was a resounding success, with every dish being completely devoured.
The four brothers, Guangzong, Yaogu, Zhou Chengxin, and Zhou Chenglei, even mixed the leftover sauce with their rice, leaving nothing behind.
Even Zhou Jie, who was usually picky, ate an extra bowl of rice.
Everyone praised Jiang Xia’s cooking.
Great-Grandma: "I've never tasted such delicious braised pork before."
Zhou Chengxin: "Even though it’s the same boiled shrimp, the shrimp cooked by Sister-in-law Four are especially sweet and fresh."
Unlike his wife, who always overcooked the shrimp until they had no flavor.
"I had no idea that luffa and white clams were a perfect match!"
"Even the chefs at state-owned restaurants can’t cook as well as Lei’s wife."
Hearing the praise, Zhou’s mother beamed, her opinion of Jiang Xia improving significantly.
Tian Caihua felt a twinge of jealousy. She had worked tirelessly for the Zhou family for years without a single word of praise, yet Jiang Xia was almost being lauded to the heavens after just one meal.
With so much oil, even a sow could make it taste good!
However, she had to admit that Jiang Xia’s knife skills were exceptional!
After the meal, the men tidied up the table and chairs, while the women cleared the dishes.
Jiang Xia was about to wash the dishes when Zhou Chenglei stopped her, "Let my mom and the others handle it."
She had already done enough by cooking, and using a spatula didn’t involve much water. Washing dishes, on the other hand, required wet hands.
Zhou Chenglei then said to his mother, "Mom, Jiang Xia was the one who cleared the weeds in the yard with a hoe. Her hands are blistered. Let you wash the dishes instead."
Zhou’s mother: "..."
She should have more sons! Once they married, they all forgot about their mothers!
However, Jiang Xia had actually cleared the weeds in the yard? Zhou’s mother had already started to see Jiang Xia in a new light after the meal, and now she felt even more that Jiang Xia was willing to make a life with her son.
Otherwise, why would she be so eager to help?
As long as Jiang Xia was willing to live a good life with her son, Zhou’s mother wasn’t the type to make things difficult for her daughter-in-law.
Moreover, she was happy to see the two of them getting along better.
Zhou’s mother smiled, "Lei, you should have told me your hands were blistered earlier. We can wash the dishes, you go sit down."
Great-Grandma’s daughter-in-law, He Xinghuan, chimed in, "Xia, don’t get your hands wet with blisters. We can handle the few dishes. Besides, you must be tired after cooking so many dishes."
Jiang Xia didn’t insist. She hated washing dishes, "Then I’ll sweep the floor."
Tian Caihua pursed her lips. What was so special about blisters? She had once cut her hand with a sickle and still managed to do everything.
Despite her thoughts, Tian Caihua didn’t show it. She echoed the others, washed the dishes, and even cleaned the stove before leaving with her family’s large iron pot and sand pot.
Once the house was cleaned and everyone had left, Zhou Chenglei carried the last few chairs back to Great-Grandma’s house and locked the yard gate.
Mr. Zhou and Zhou Zhou had already washed up and gone back to their rooms; they were used to going to bed early.
Zhou Chenglei saw Jiang Xia carrying a bucket of hot water out of the kitchen and hurriedly stepped forward to take it from her.
"I need to wash my hair. Just put it in the yard," Jiang Xia said.
The shower room was too narrow and had no light. Who knew if there were snakes in there? She didn't dare to stay in there for too long.
Washing up was a necessity, and she had to tough it out.
Zhou Chenglei frowned. "Can't you wait a few days?"
"I can't stand it," Jiang Xia replied. "I've been cleaning and cooking all day. My hair is full of dust and grease. I can't bear it."
"Doesn't your hand hurt?"
"Even if my hand hurts, I still need to wash my hair. I can't stand it being dirty."
At that moment, Mrs. Zhou came out of the shower room and heard their conversation. "Ailei, you can help Xia wash her hair."
Both of them were speechless.
Mrs. Zhou, seeing their stunned expressions, asked, "What's wrong? Isn't it natural for a husband to help his wife wash her hair? When I had a hand injury, your father helped me."
The more a couple spends time together, the more their relationship grows. Their son was already twenty-eight and didn't even have a child yet.
Zhou Yongguo was the same age as Ailei, and Zhou Jie was about to start primary school.
Zhou Chenglei looked at Jiang Xia. "I'll help you!"
Jiang Xia blurted out, "No need, you can help with my hair, but what about the rest?"
Mrs. Zhou chimed in, "He can help with that too. When you're old and can't move, you'll rely on your partner, won't you?"
Zhou Chenglei: "..."
Jiang Xia: "..."
Did she get on the wrong bus?
Mrs. Zhou took out a small stool and sat in the yard, drying her hair while watching them. "Hurry up, Ailei. Why are you standing there? Help Xia wash her hair!"
Both of them, feeling helpless, had no choice but to tough it out.
On a warm August night, the cicadas chirped, and a gentle breeze blew. The stars twinkled, peeking at the couple in the yard.
Jiang Xia sat on a small stool, her head covered in bubbles.
She used the Honey Flower brand shampoo, the only one in the village who did. Most people used soap nuts, side cypress leaves, or tea seed oil to wash their hair.
Zhou Chenglei stood behind her, gently massaging her scalp with his fingers, his hands full of bubbles. He was a bit clumsy, being the first time he had washed someone's hair.
Jiang Xia said the bubbles weren't enough, so he added more shampoo. But then it was too much!
Both of them were a bit flustered.
"Does it hurt?" He was afraid he might be too rough.
"It doesn't hurt. You can rinse it now," Jiang Xia said, wiping the water and bubbles from her face, eyes, and neck with a towel.
It was more painful than washing her own hair! Jiang Xia lowered her head, letting her hair drape over a red enamel basin, exposing her smooth, white nape. Her neck was long and graceful.
Zhou Chenglei scooped a ladle of water from the bucket beside him and slowly poured it over her scalp, using his hands to comb through her hair and rinse away the bubbles.
"If only I could lie down to wash my hair. Then I wouldn't have to worry about water getting in my eyes," Jiang Xia said, wiping the water from her eyes.
Zhou Chenglei didn't say anything, but he thought about buying a recliner the next market day.
Tomorrow was out of the question; he had to go out to sea.
His older brother probably felt guilty, letting him go to sea first, then it would be his turn the next day, and finally his father's turn on the last day.
Zhou Chenglei's mind wandered, and the clear water that was supposed to flow down her silky black hair took a mischievous turn, trickling down her slender, white neck and slipping into her collar.
Zhou Chenglei instinctively reached out to wipe it away, inadvertently catching a glimpse of the delicate curve inside her floral blouse.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
