Chapter 21

TangShi sat through an awkward and very late, strained dinner at the Leng family table. After brief introductions to a few new faces for the meal and, of course, the sulking grandfather who ignored her presence, it seemed the family was already too focused on other things to notice her.

Because of the surge of extra bodies, she had been seated at YuZhi’s right hand and was quietly eating the same bland so-called nutritious food from aunt’s rigid diet plan while everyone around her was indulging in some spicy noodles and beef. Even the array of side dishes was out of bounds for her, and she had been forewarned to eat only what was laid before her on Aunt’s orders.

They smelled divine, and with the several opulent dishes to make her mouth water, TangShi had no appetite for the clear broth in front of her and her simple side salad with no dressings. Everything was tasteless and lacked spice or flavorings. She was sure the cook was deliberately over boiling anything edible t