Catherine was just about to reach for the dish with her chopsticks when Bert's mother hurriedly stopped her.
"Don't eat that one—it's far too salty. Try something else."
Before Catherine could protest, she had already placed another dish onto Catherine's small plate. Catherine withdrew her chopsticks and gave a light smile.
"Thank you, Auntie."
She lowered her head and took a bite. Perhaps because she had grown accustomed to Bert's excellent cooking, the taste struck her as… honestly awful. Still, she couldn't bring herself to say anything and swallowed it anyway.
When she looked up, she saw Bert's mother watching her reaction with eager anticipation. Catherine smiled and said,
"It's quite good."
Bert's mother laughed, but Bert looked deeply skeptical. He picked up a bite himself, tasted it, and his brows immediately knitted together.
"The meat's overcooked," he said bluntly. "You can barely chew it."
