Tang Tang sniffed the smell of pig blood and turned its face in disgust.
This thing was bitter. No matter how good it smells, it’s still bitter.
Old Ding laughed out loud. He bent down and rubbed Tang Tang's head. He turned around and opened the big steamer. "These are for you!"
There was a bowl of braised pork belly, a bowl of stir fried chicken, a plate of steamed fish, two vegetarian dishes, and two bowls of rice in the steamer. There was even soup left in the other pot. Old Ding suddenly handed them two cold dishes out of nowhere.
It was already past dinner time, and Tan Lingyin didn't eat dinner either. She swallowed her saliva, "Is some of this for me too?"
"Of course!" Old Ding replied with a smile, "The County Magistrate specially ordered it. He said you haven't eaten yet, so the kitchen had reserved some food for you."
It was the County Magistrate? He was so busy today, yet he still found time to instruct the kitchen. Tan Lingyin was a little moved. Maybe the red dishes on the table earlier today weren't done out of malice?
Tang Tang looked at Tan Lingyin and then at Old Ding with a confused expression. There was so much delicious food. Why weren’t they eating it and why didn't they give him a share?
Old Ding teased Tang Tang with a piece of braised pork, "Tang Tang, good boy, now open up!"
Tang Tang was so excited that both its front paws left the ground. He stood upright, looking at the braised pork eagerly, and opened its mouth.
Old Ding dropped the braised pork and Tang Tang caught it accurately. He chewed it in an exaggerated manner, with narrowed eyes, showing its obvious happiness. Old Ding laughed again.
Tan Lingyin looked at the dishes. Some of these dishes should be reserved for the County Magistrate. Should she kiss up to him a bit and personally bring his food to him?
Just as she was contemplating this idea, Xianggua came into the kitchen.
Xianggua came to fetch dinner for her Young Master. When she saw Tan Lingyin, she smiled and said, "Head Commissioner Tan is hungry again?" This woman often went to the kitchen to find something to eat; really was she a ghost who was reborn from starvation?
Tan Lingyin knew that Xianggua didn't like her, so she lightly laughed and didn't argue with her.
Xianggua and Old Ding were not familiar with each other. The latter was full of thoughts about how to tease Tang Tang. He had prepared the County Magistrate's meal and waited for the Xianggua to leave with it.
Xianggua said to Lao Ding mysteriously, "Have you heard? Our Young Master is getting married!"
Although she was giving out some gossip, Xianggua spoke in a provoking voice. If Tan Lingyin couldn’t hear it, then she might as well be deaf.
Tan Lingyin didn't know why she suddenly felt gloomy. But she asked curiously, "Really, with whom?"
Lao Ding couldn't care less about teasing Tang Tang now. "Really? Congratulations to the Great Master! This is a good thing, why didn't the Master mention it before?"
He kept calling their Young Master, ‘Great Master’ this and ‘Great Master’ that, making their handsome and suave County Magistrate sound like an old man. Xianggua frowned and replied, "This matter was recently decided. The other party is a legitimate daughter of the assistant minister from the Ministry of Rites. A family from the capital, a true noble lady." As she spoke, she deliberately glanced at Tan Lingyin.
Old Ding sighed, "Aiya! An official from the capital!? Our Great Master is really flourishing!"
Tan Lingyin was also a little surprised. A legitimate daughter of the assistant minister from the Ministry of Rites was of a very high status. For Tang Feilong, a scholar without no background, and is currently only a seventh-rank county magistrate, she should be considered marrying down. How did Tang Feilong's father manage to get the acceptance of this girl’s family?
Old Ding's words obviously made Xianggua a little unhappy. With the corners of her mouth raised into a smirk, she said, "I'm not bragging at all. I can't count the number of people who want to marry their daughter to our Young Master. This girl's family background is a little subpar, but our Old Madam likes her temperament, so she chose her to be our Young Mistress ."
Both Tan Lingyin and Old Ding were shocked by her bragging ability.
Xianggua was very proud to see them so awestruck. "In short, some toads should not always think about eating swan meat. This swan meat is only suitable for swans."
Old Ding couldn't help correcting her, "Swans are vegetarian."
Xianggua snorted and left with the food box.
Tan Lingyin didn’t know she was being stabbed just now. She looked at the back of Xianggua and asked Old Ding, "Do you think the daughter of the Assistant Minister of Rites will like the County Magistrate?"
Tan Lingyin did not have any other meaning when asking this question, but Old Ding was someone who had heard a fair share of scandals. At this moment, these straightforward words carried a bit of grief in his ears. He looked at her sympathetically and hesitated to say anything. At last he said a couple words of consolation, "Head Commissioner Tan, cheer up."