As it turned out, Aunt Liu and Pu Pao looked just as awkward to see them. In the kitchen, only a single pot of water was boiling—just in case the two babies needed their bottoms washed.
The truth was, Aunt Liu was furious with the visitors for ordering her around. She had noticed that the Lady of the house had no intention of asking them to stay for a meal but was too concerned with appearances to outright send them away. So, Aunt Liu went to the kitchen but deliberately didn't start cooking, planning to stall with an excuse. Then, just after the Young Madam returned, Pu Pao asked her father to ready the cart to take the guests home. This gave Aunt Liu the perfect excuse. If they refused to leave, she could simply claim she'd heard the madams were leaving and therefore hadn't cooked, making it impossible for them to linger.
