"Blame me? It's your fault for writing Lin Lan off, saying someone like her would never amount to anything. That's why I couldn't be bothered with her," Yang Lirong muttered as she walked away.
Yang Liqun walked back sullenly. 'How did Lirong turn out like this?' she wondered.
'No matter what, Lin Lan is our sister-in-law,' she thought. 'How could she bad-mouth her with an outsider?'
Lost in thought, she arrived home to find Yang Liying and Lin Lan in the kitchen, helping with the cooking. A large rooster had been prepared two ways—half braised and half made into a cold salad—while its broth was being used for a winter melon soup.
Watching Lin Lan deftly chop the chicken into small pieces, she told them that Yang Lirong wasn't coming.
Just then, Wang Zhixue and his brother returned. Yang Liqun quickly told them, "Go to your aunt's and uncle's houses and ask your uncle and Aunt Yuezhen to come over. Everyone is eating here tonight."
