However, Lu Xinyue had miscalculated!
Because she never would have imagined Shen Nian's cooking could be this good, or that the breakfast she made would be so incredibly delicious!
It was so delicious that even though she wanted to say it tasted awful, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
To say nothing of Father Lu and Mrs. Lu, who were chiming in one after another.
"Delicious, delicious, this is just so delicious."
"I've never had such a delicious breakfast in my life! Xiao Nian, you're amazing!"
"Xiao Nian, where did you learn to cook like this?"
Hearing Father Lu and Mrs. Lu praise her cooking, Shen Nian started to blush. 'My skills are good, but the food is only this delicious thanks to the Spiritual Spring Water!'
"Dad, Mom, I'm just glad you like it! Xinyue, you didn't eat at all last night, so you must be starving. If you like it, have some more."
Lu Xinyue was too embarrassed to call the food bad. She had planned to just quietly eat her fill and leave, but she never expected Shen Nian to address her directly. Suddenly, she couldn't swallow or spit out the food in her mouth and nearly choked.
"Drink some water."
Lu Xinyue quickly took the water offered to her. She took a big gulp and finally felt better.
However, Lu Xinyue soon realized it was Shen Nian who had handed her the water!
She was determined to keep her distance from Shen Nian and refuse to acknowledge her as a sister-in-law, yet here she was, accepting her kind gesture!
Lu Xinyue was so disgusted she felt like throwing up. She wished she could just spit the water back out!
"Don't think one meal can win me over. I won't be fooled that easily! I hate you, and I'll keep hating you!"
"Xinyue!"
"Mom, it's fine."
Shen Nian turned to Sun Yufeng, smiling and shaking her head, before turning back to Lu Xinyue.
'Some things, others can't help with. She had to do this herself.'
"I know I was awful before, so it's perfectly normal that you don't like me. But everyone makes mistakes. Haven't the sages said that the greatest virtue is to recognize your faults and correct them? If I can change for the better, if I can become the kind of sister-in-law you've always wanted, would you be able to forgive me?"
"You…"
Lu Xinyue stared at Shen Nian in disbelief. She had expected Shen Nian to get angry, maybe even yell at her, after what she'd said. She never thought Shen Nian would reason with her so gently instead.
'And the thing was, what Shen Nian said actually made a lot of sense.'
'No, no, no! I can't be swayed this easily! Talk is cheap. Who knows if she can actually do it? She'll probably just show her true colors again in a few days!'
But, Lu Xinyue had to admit, Shen Nian's cooking really was good. This was the best breakfast she'd had in years.
Lu Xinyue swallowed. She clearly wasn't full yet, but after talking so tough to Shen Nian, she was too embarrassed to pick up her chopsticks again.
Shen Nian saw Lu Xinyue's reaction. 'I never would have guessed,' she thought. 'My little sister-in-law has the makings of a foodie.'
'Well, this is good. At least it gives me another angle to work from! Winning over my sister-in-law with food... that's not a bad plan at all!'
"You're not saying anything, so I'll take that as a yes. Of course, I'll prove it with my actions, too! And even if you still hate me right now, you can't punish me by starving yourself, can you?"
Lu Xinyue nodded. 'That makes sense! She's the one who was in the wrong, so why should I be the one to go hungry? No way. I need to eat my fill.'
With that thought, Lu Xinyue immediately picked her chopsticks back up and resumed eating her breakfast.
Shen Nian smiled, and watching from the sidelines, Father Lu and Mrs. Lu smiled too. Their daughter had always been willful, used to getting her own way. Their son used to be able to keep her in line when he was home, but they never expected Shen Nian to have a way of handling her too.
Looking at the harmonious scene before her, Shen Nian couldn't help but think of Lu Cheng, who had already left.
'If Lu Cheng were here to see this, he would be so pleased.'
'I wonder how Lu Cheng is doing now that he's back at the company.'
'I think... I miss him a little.'