Chen Xuan was scolded by Wei Nian for her poor performance in the western restaurant. After confessing her faults in the evening, she reflected on her behavior and repeatedly assured him, "I have never been to such a high-end place. Brother Anian, I will definitely remember your words. In the future, I will definitely walk with my head held high and look at people with my head held high." After thinking for a while, Chen Xuan said, "Brother Anian is right. We are paying for meals, so what is there to be embarrassed about? That's the truth. I will remember it."
Seeing that Chen Xuan admitted her mistake with a good attitude, Wei Nian didn't mention it again.
Chen Xuan was also very active in preparing for the two of them to wash up. Chen Xuan was actually quite grateful to Wei Nian. At least when they returned home to Old Lady Wei's room, Wei Nian did not say anything bad about her in front of Old Lady Wei. Otherwise, if Old Lady Wei knew that she was so petty and said bad things in the western restaurant, Chen Xuan would not be afraid, but she was worried that Old Lady Wei would never let her go out again.
Although Wei Nian pointed out her shortcomings after returning to the house, and she did not perform well, Chen Xuan also believed that even if she was a little stupid, she would always work hard to learn as long as she was given the opportunity.
The next day, because of her average performance yesterday, Chen Xuan was still a little worried that Wei Nian would not take her to Mr. Shi's banquet, so she was very attentive to Wei Nian early in the morning. The most important thing is that Chen Xuan got up early, ironed her cheongsam and Wei Nian's suit, and hung them in the most conspicuous place in the room. She also made Wei Nian's favorite porridge for breakfast. After breakfast, Chen Xuan stepped on her small leather shoes and sent Wei Nian out. She remembered what Wei Nian said yesterday, and now she didn't dare to bow her head casually. Chen Xuan raised her head and asked Wei Nian, "Brother Nian, what time do you want to come in the evening? I will prepare it in advance."
Sometimes Wei Nian thought Chen Xuan was rustic and stupid, but sometimes he thought this woman also had a cunning side. Wei Nian rolled his eyes at Chen Xuan and said, "I'll go home and pick you up at five o'clock."
Chen Xuan immediately responded with a smile.
After Wei Nian left, Chen Xuan quickly returned to her room and changed back into her own embroidered shoes. She felt that compared to the small leather shoes that made a clattering sound, the soft-soled embroidered shoes she made herself were more comfortable. After Chen Xuan cleaned up the kitchen, Wei Yin asked her, "Second sister-in-law, how was it at the western restaurant yesterday?"
Because Mrs. Wei had gone to see a play and there were no outsiders at home, Chen Xuan spoke openly, "I was stunned. Oh my god, Ah Yin, I have never been to a place like that. Hey, I was stunned as soon as I entered. They even played music in that restaurant. I have never heard such beautiful music. I didn't know where to put it. Brother Nian scolded me a lot."
Wei Yin smiled and said, "Just go a few more times."
Chen Xuan said embarrassedly, "I said a lot of good things to your brother yesterday, and he agreed to take me to dinner with Mr. Shi today. I wasn't feeling well yesterday, and I couldn't use the foreign knife and fork very well. Your brother cut the steak for me."
Wei Yin comforted Chen Xuan, "What's the matter? When the foreigner came over that day, didn't you say that he didn't know how to use chopsticks and used spoons instead?"
Chen Xuan asked Wei Yin a little embarrassedly, "Yesterday I begged Brother Anian to buy me a set of knives and forks. Yin, I'm thinking that we're going to have dinner tonight and we still have time. Can you teach me how to use this knife and fork? I'll practice at home first."
Li said, "You guys just keep practicing. Before she left, the old lady said that today is Mei Lanfang's special performance, and we will have lunch at the theater. She won't be back, so I will cook lunch."
Chen Xuan said hurriedly, "Let's cook together. It's too tiring for sister-in-law to cook alone."
Li smiled, "Just hurry up and practice better."
Chen Xuan practiced using a knife and fork, but there was no steak for her to cut at home, so she cut steamed buns into slices and put them on a plate to practice. She couldn't always use steamed buns, otherwise, when the old lady came back in the afternoon and saw the steamed buns she had cut, she would be furious. Chen Xuan also practiced cutting potatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants, and cut all the dishes for the evening.
In the afternoon, Wei Nian came home to pick her up. Chen Xuan's arms were sore from training, but she didn't dare to say anything. She pretended nothing had happened, put on her shiny little leather shoes, and followed Wei Nian out. Originally, Chen Xuan felt that she had broadened her horizons by visiting the coffee shops and western restaurants in Dong'an Market yesterday, but when she arrived at the Liuguo Hotel today, she realized that there was nothing to compare.
It is not an old Beijing style building, probably this kind of Western-style building is more popular now. It looks very impressive from the outside. When you get closer, you will see that everyone coming in and out is dressed in beautiful clothes. Even the doormen are all handsome young men, wearing clean and neat Western-style clothes, not the long gowns and jackets that people often wear on the street. When you get closer to such a place, Chen Xuan feels timid. Fortunately, Wei Nian just said to her yesterday that if she doesn't call her good, she will be petty and bow her head. Chen Xuan's heart is pounding, but she still remembers Wei Nian's words, and walks in with her arm around Wei Nian's arm and her head held high.
Wei Nian was tightly held by Chen Xuan's arm, knowing that she was nervous. However, looking from the side, Chen Xuan looked nervous with her head held high and her chest puffed out, which was much stronger than yesterday. Wei Nian praised her in a low voice, "That's it."
Chen Xuan glanced at Wei Nian, who nodded slightly. Chen Xuan immediately raised her head higher.
Wei Nian thought, there is no need to raise your head so high. However, he knew that Chen Xuan had never been to such a place before, and it would be better to raise her head higher than to lower her eyebrows and raise her eyes, so he didn't say anything more.
The two went directly to the western restaurant, where Smith was already waiting.
Smith greeted Chen Xuan first, and Chen Xuan said good afternoon in foreign language, and Smith praised her as usual. Chen Xuan had learned some foreign etiquette now, and knew that foreigners were like this, and they would always compliment each other when they met, so she quickly praised Smith's clothes, saying they were beautiful and handsome.
Although Chen Xuan was still not very skilled in using the knife and fork, she felt that she was much better than yesterday. Wei Nian didn't know that Chen Xuan had practiced for most of the day, and he still helped her cut the steak like yesterday. Smith introduced the steak, cheese, coffee, and wine in this restaurant. Chen Xuan was not used to eating anything except steak, but she was good-natured and didn't want to spoil his mood. Besides, Chen Xuan felt that Mr. Smith had good intentions in inviting her to dinner. Chen Xuan praised everything, but she didn't know if she praised it to the point. The most amazing thing was that in Wei Nian's opinion, Chen Xuan didn't talk much unless she had something to ask him, but she could find topics to talk about with Smith, for example, talking about how to fry the steak and how well done it should be, and the differences between Chinese and American cuisines.
In short, this time when she met Smith, Chen Xuan made great progress compared to the first time when she was so nervous that she even had to carry a tray.
It was getting dark when I said goodbye to Smith.
On the way home, Chen Xuan said, "These foreigners are different from the men here. For example, Mr. Shi even knows how to cook. He is different from you, Brother Anian."
Wei Nian disagreed, "I can also fry steak."
Chen Xuan's eyes were filled with shock as if she had just met Wei Nian. Wei Nian said to Chen Xuan with some pride, "I'll show you my skills when I'm free. There's nothing difficult about frying steak. It's very simple."
"When did you learn it?" Chen Xuan was extremely curious. In Chen Xuan's understanding, men couldn't cook. Even her second uncle couldn't tell the difference between salt and vinegar.
Wei Nian said, "You don't need to learn this specifically. You will learn it after watching it once."
Chen Xuan glanced at Wei Nian and whispered, "If I had known you could do it, we could have eaten at home yesterday instead of spending so much money at a western restaurant."
Wei Nian glared at Chen Xuan and said to her, "Is eating at home the same as eating out? If you were eating at home, you would have buried your head in the floor if I took you to the Six Nations Restaurant today."
Chen Xuan smiled cheekily, thinking that what Wei Nian said made sense. She asked, "How am I today? I think I am better than yesterday."
"It's okay. It would be better if you could relax a little more." Wei Nian commented. He was very satisfied with Chen Xuan's progress.
Chen Xuan nodded, indicating that she had taken note. Chen Xuan also said, "When I get better at foreign literature, I think I can do even better."
The two went home while talking.
Since they were eating out, Wei Nian didn't say anything, but Old Lady Wei asked Chen Xuan, "Did you embarrass the second son?"
"Mom, what are you talking about?" Wei Nian said, "Xuanmei is fine."
Old Madam Wei curled her lips, obviously not believing what her second son said. She looked at Chen Xuan and started talking, "She has only been here from the countryside for a few days. She has never been to any western restaurant before. I told her not to go because I was afraid that she would embarrass you and cause trouble. But she insisted on going, so don't blame others if she makes trouble."
Wei Nian felt that his mother was the kind of person who couldn't understand what others were saying. Wei Nian interrupted his mother and pulled Chen Xuan, "There is something else, let's go back to the house first."
Old Madam Wei was so angry that she complained to Old Master Wei, "Look at what this looks like."
Chen Xuan was used to Old Lady Wei's constant criticism of her daughter-in-law. She went back to the house without saying anything and fetched some water for Wei Nian to wash up. Wei Nian felt embarrassed and said to Chen Xuan, "I don't know what's going on, Mom. Just pretend you didn't hear what she said."
Chen Xuan nodded, "Yeah." In her previous life, she had taken Mrs. Wei's words to heart, but she was busy in this life and couldn't take care of them.
After the two of them washed up, Wei Nian took the initiative to offer to teach Chen Xuan foreign words. Chen Xuan first learned ten foreign words, carefully reviewed her notes, closed the notebook, and recited a few sentences of the article she was supposed to memorize today. When Chen Xuan went to sleep on the kang, Wei Nian had already gone to bed.
Chen Xuan lay in bed and silently reviewed the foreign language and articles she learned yesterday. She secretly calculated the money she spent yesterday. In the past two days, she had spent a lot of Wei Nian's money. Not to mention the money she spent on coffee and Western food yesterday, and the money she spent on buying dictionaries and shoes. The dictionary alone was really expensive. These two big books cost five silver dollars. These five silver dollars could buy a cow in the countryside.
Alas, she owed Wei Nian so much money. Although Wei Nian never mentioned paying it back and didn't ask her to write an IOU, she couldn't just pretend that nothing happened.
The author has something to say: ps: Second update~~~~~