When Gu Ruoqing saw that, she wanted to follow, but Gu Qingyao grabbed her. “Where are you going? I've already said there are so many adults in the main room. There's not enough even for the adults, why are you going there?”

“You're just a girl, who said you can eat with the rest?”

Gu Ruoqing panicked. “Who are you to say that? Dabao and the others…”

“Dabao and the others are still children. They're guests of the Gu family and most importantly, they're boys. What would a girl like you be doing over there? You ill-bred creature. Stay here and help me.”

“Let go!” Gu Ruoqing panicked.

w.a.n.g Honghua, who was standing nearby, slapped Gu Ruoqing on the shoulder and viciously yanked her back as she tried to rush out of the kitchen. “You ill-bred creature. Are you a hungry ghost that has been reincarnated? All you know how to do is fight for food. You should recognize yourself for what you are, a worthless burden. What do you think you're going to eat?”

Gu Ruoqing was so angry she almost cried.

Gu Qingyao went over and said with a smile, “Eldest Aunt, why don't you bring the fish soup out? It's such a big bowl of fish soup! It's to improve Eldest Uncle's health.”

w.a.n.g Honghua happily agreed.

So Gu Ruoqing looked on as w.a.n.g Honghua took the entire basin of fish soup and left. Gu Qingyao followed with the platter of soy-braised fish.

Zhang Xiaohui hurriedly brought one of two remaining vegetable dishes to the main hall to join in the meal. Wen Ruyu brought the wild herbs and mushrooms. At that moment, Gu Yunshen and Mo Beihan arrived in the kitchen to help with the serving. Gu Qingyao asked them to bring the plate of pancakes and the porridge.

The bowls, chopsticks, rice and dishes were all laid out in the main hall. The bowl of rabbit meat that had arrived first was almost empty. Only the carrots remained.

When Gu Ruoqing saw that, she cried tears of rage.

“Why has it disappeared so fast?”

The Zhang family had three uncles, three aunts, and three children who ate like hungry wolves, plus Old Master Zhang. There were so many people that there was not enough rabbit meat to go around.

Gu Qingyao placed the rice and vegetables on the table and said with a smile, “Grandfather, Grandmother, Uncles, Aunts, please enjoy your meal! Don't stand on ceremony!”

Gu Qingyao hosted them hospitably, with a warm att.i.tude.

Gu Qingyao saw that Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Ruoqing lingered there and refused to leave. Even though there was no s.p.a.ce for them at the table, they were happy to stand at the back and eat a little.

She quickly called out to them. “Mother, Elder Sister, let's go back to the kitchen! If the food here is sufficient for Grandfather, Grandmother and Dabao, that will be good enough. Let's not eat at the table. There's no s.p.a.ce for us.”

The moment Old Madam Zhang heard that, she immediately pushed Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Ruoqing, who were standing near her, out of the room. “Hurry up and go to the kitchen. Why are you squeezing here? Can't you see there are so many people here? Heartless creatures. You can't even bear to let us eat some meat, you must come here and fight for a share. I've really wasted my effort raising you all these years. Scram.”

She had seen that there was nothing good left in the kitchen.

She had paid close attention when they were cooking. Although she had left to summon the children, she had clearly observed how much meat there was, and was certain that all of it had been brought to the main hall.

The fish was in one entire piece, and it was easy to tell that it was all here. All the soup had also been brought out.

This meant that not only was there no meat in the kitchen, there was not even a drop of fish soup left. Old Madam Zhang was not worried. She mercilessly hounded Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Ruoqing out of the room.

There was really nothing left in the kitchen.

Just a few wild herb pancakes. Gu Qingyao had not even reserved any of the vegetables.

She had added a lot of oil to them. She certainly would not leave any for Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Ruoqing.

Wen Ruyu did not eat at the table either. The four of them sat down to a small plate of dried radish, mixed with a little vinegar.

Gu Ruoqing cried tears of rage as she looked at these sorry dried radishes!