For a moment.
Aunt Leng and her group were frozen at the kitchen entrance. They couldn't sit, nor could they leave. And going into the kitchen was out of the question—there was no room left.
After all, they were Leng Yuan's own second and third aunts. There was no way they could justify sitting down to eat while other villagers were busy helping out.
The five of them were at a loss for words.
They felt an intense shame, as if they had been stripped bare for all to see.
'How could this be so awkward?'
Inside the room, Gu Jiaojiao was by the window. She and Chen Ruoyu sat side-by-side, peeking through a crack and watching the scene unfold outside.
Gu Jiaojiao put her book down. The commotion outside was far more interesting.
Chen Ruoyu's toes curled with second-hand embarrassment. 'How could anything be this awkward?'
Luckily, Aunt Leng was thick-skinned. She lifted her head and offered the crowd a weak chuckle.
They offered one right back.
