Chapter 145: A Dumb Person Eating Huanglian (Bitter Herb)

Words : 1233 Updated : Sep 30th, 2025

The three uncles snapped back to reality; since they had become William Foster’s elders, they couldn’t shirk this responsibility no matter what.They decided not to argue with Clara Bennett any further, even though they sat down still in their pajamas, without worrying whether this attire appeared too casual in front of their new daughter-in-law. They thought to themselves, though pajamas were a bit informal, it wouldn’t be right to go upstairs to change clothes in this situation, as encountering some annoying folks up there would be a nightmare! Joking aside, even if they wanted to be a bit more respectable, they couldn’t go upstairs and meet those annoying folks; it would simply be a nightmare! The three of them each picked up a tea cup, and as soon as they took a sip, they frowned immediately, unable to help but want to spit it out, their expressions instantly turning sour. The bitterness of the tea was indescribable! The feeling that made it almost undrinkable was terribly unpleasant! It was probably even more unbearable than any bitter traditional medicine! Clara Bennett hurriedly stepped forward to persuade, "Uncles, please make sure not to spit out the tea, otherwise it will make me feel like you’re despising me, and then I might end up crying." There was a hint of anxiety in her eyes, fearing the three uncles might indeed spit out the tea. The three uncles could only force themselves to swallow the absurdly bitter tea, holding their breath. They closed their eyes, their brows furrowed, as if enduring significant torment. Just as they finished the tea and wanted to speak, Clara Bennett quickly pushed over a plate of snacks. "I know the tea is a bit bitter, but as the saying goes, ’good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the illness.’ I specially prepared this heart-nourishing tea for my three uncles. Try these snacks to relieve the bitterness in your mouth." Her tone was sincere, hoping to slightly improve the uncles’ mood. The uncles, still distressed by the bitterness of the previous tea, quickly reached out for the snacks, eagerly putting them in their mouths. However, who would have thought that when they bit into them, an unbearable bitterness spread from their mouths, causing them to frown again. Their expressions looked worse than before, as if they weren’t eating snacks but taking bitter medicine. At this moment, Clara Bennett poured some clear water from another cup, apologetically saying, "Oh dear, I almost forgot to remind you that the snacks are also made with herbs, which might not taste good. Uncles, drink some water to wash it down." Her words were filled with concern and guilt. The three of them quickly took the water, drinking it down without hesitation. After drinking, they seemed somewhat weakened and powerless, as if they had just undergone a long ordeal. Each of their faces was weary, clearly unable to bear such a breakfast experience. The second uncle’s lips were trembling, glaring at Clara Bennett, "You wicked woman! What are you trying to do?" Clara Bennett calmly said, "I did nothing, just thought since the uncles are getting older, I would make this lotus seed heart tea especially for you. Although it does taste bitter, its effects are excellent for regulating the internal heat. A few days ago, after hearing some family issues from my brother-in-law, I felt that perhaps you have been heated, which might have caused all that." "That’s why I specially prepared this tea, hoping it could benefit your health. After all, in my view, your health is very important to me." The third uncle rebuked, "Nonsense! We suspect you’re deliberately trying to harm us! You say this tea is beneficial, but what about the sweets you gave us?! What exactly is in them!" At this point, the three uncles already felt dizzy, having a sense of being poisoned. Their eyes became glazed as if they couldn’t fully control their bodies anymore. Clara Bennett casually said, "Those are cookies made with Coptis, good for clearing heat and reducing fire, very suitable for your current situation. Even though Coptis tastes bitter, it’s excellent for clearing heat and detoxifying. I believe these cookies are incredibly beneficial for you." All three uncles said in unison: Bah! This is evidently meant to make us suffer in silence! "Oh, right, I conducted a small experiment with those cookies." Clara Bennett said leisurely, "Do any of you feel dizzy or numb in the mouth now? I was just testing the effect of these cookies, as some herbs require real-world testing to see their function." The three of them felt some odd sensations, and the elder uncle’s face immediately changed color; his face was pale, his eyes filled with anger and fear: "What did you give us? What have you done to make us feel this way?" Clara Bennett answered, "Actually, there wasn’t much added; just some ground apple seed powder was mixed in the cookies for testing. In small amounts, it’s not lethal, so there’s no need for excessive panic. Cyanide in apple seeds, at certain levels, is beneficial to the human body, though this time perhaps a bit too much was used, causing some discomfort." Upon hearing this, the elder uncle started trembling, tightly gripping the edge of the table; his joints turned white from exerting too much force: "How dare you be so reckless? How dare you do this to us?" Clara Bennett smiled and replied, "Men always like to ask women if they dare. But you must know, sometimes women get emotional to the point where they can’t fully control their emotions and behavior. And I’m the kind of person who holds grudges. If anyone dares hurt someone important to me, don’t speak to me of courage or consequences." The second uncle provocatively asked, "Is this to stand up for William? Aren’t you afraid that after what you did today, we will repay doubly in the future?" The other two looked at the second uncle, inwardly admiring him. This is really some proper villain behavior. The second uncle thought: This isn’t acting; I’m genuinely angry, this daughter-in-law is too ruthless! Clara Bennett looked firmly at her uncles, "William and I are a family, anyone who dares to harm him is bullying me." The eldest uncle took a deep breath, trying to reason, "Foster family matters are always decided by Foster family members. Unless you can prove you are carrying a Foster descendant, as someone from an outside family, on what grounds do you intervene in our family affairs?" Clara Bennett chuckled inwardly; same old tactics pushing for offspring. Sadly, this doesn’t work on her at all. "There’s no use talking about having children; don’t try to trick me." She declared decisively, "Since I married into the family, William and I are family. I will take care of his matters. From today onwards, I will decide everything in the house, and I will manage William’s finances. No one should attempt any crooked ideas. If anyone bullies William, I will not show mercy." "Respect for the elderly presumes that the elders care for the younger. If the uncles truly treat William well, I will naturally respect you. But if you continue treating him poorly as before, I won’t stand idle and will certainly fight for what’s right." The three uncles were stunned by this and were momentarily speechless.

Chapter 145: A Dumb Person Eating Huanglian (Bitter Herb)

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