Just as Old Mrs. Xu and Xu Changqing had predicted, Xu Qiguang and the others didn't return for lunch. They still hadn't come back by one in the afternoon, even after Bai Xiulan had returned from her family's home.
Still, believing that any respectable family should be prepared for guests, Old Mrs. Xu had made lunch. It wasn't a lavish meal—just a simple stew with a ring of cornbread baked onto the side of the pot.
In Old Mrs. Xu's words—a retort aimed at her own little "retorter"—having cornbread was already a blessing. She had originally considered just letting her starve for a few days until she was married off, which would have saved her a lot of trouble.
'It's true. When she's not home, the house is too quiet, but when she is, the sight of her is just irritating. With a foul temper like that, she'll probably be sent back by her in-laws. It wouldn't surprise me one bit.'
