Chen Xuanmo smiled and walked over, taking the plate of stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork from her hands. “Let me,” he said.
Ye Qiuling gave him a sidelong glance, slightly annoyed. “How long have you been standing here without saying a word?”
Chen Xuanmo, expression calm, lied smoothly. “Just arrived.”
Ye Qiuling said, “Then take it out first.”
Chen Xuanmo: “…Alright.”
She placed the other chicken into a pot of cold water, added ginger slices and cooking wine, and brought it to a boil. Once it started bubbling, she skimmed off the foam, rinsed the chicken, and from the system space retrieved five or six dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked them, and then sliced a cross pattern on each.
Ye Qiuling felt that the large pot wasn’t ideal for soup, but how could she suddenly pull out a different pot without explanation? Two large stoves really weren’t convenient for cooking soup.
She turned to the system space and asked Hamster 66, “66, does the system store have the smartest thing for installing electricity?”
Hamster 66 replied confidently, “Of course! The system store has everything.”
Ye Qiuling explained her idea. “I want to turn this shop into a hotpot restaurant. I’ll need electricity. Can you handle it?”
Hamster 66 immediately responded, “Leave it to me. Tonight, a mysterious person will install electricity for you, and your shop can operate as a hotpot restaurant. Don’t worry.”
The little hamster puffed up his chest and said, “I’m just a bit short of points to exchange for humanoid form. You need to work hard to earn points.”
Hearing that the shop could become a hotpot restaurant, Ye Qiuling’s face lit up. “Got it, understood.”
With no large clay pot in the system space, she had no choice but to use the big pot. She filled it with plenty of water, added the chicken, mushrooms, red dates, and ginger slices, piled on extra firewood, and let the fire burn hot.
After half an hour, she pushed some of the fire aside, letting the soup simmer slowly to deepen the flavor. She added bamboo shoot chunks, simmered another fifteen minutes, and adjusted the seasoning with salt.
The bamboo shoot and shiitake chicken soup was ready. She served it into a large bowl, and Chen Xuanmo, as usual, took it out.
Once he walked away, Ye Qiuling quickly retrieved the roast chicken from the system space. The fragrant aroma instantly filled the kitchen. Ye Feng came in, sniffing. “Sister, it smells amazing.”
Ye Qiuling had purchased a glove from the system store, peeled back the foil, revealing the golden, crispy, and tempting roast chicken.
Ye Feng’s eyes went wide. “Sister, you’re amazing! This roast chicken looks so delicious, I want to eat it.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll give you some right away,” Ye Qiuling said with a smile.
She brought the chicken to the table. “Dinner’s ready,” she announced.
Twisting off a drumstick, she handed it to Ye Feng. “Here, eat.”
Ye Feng’s mouth watered uncontrollably. “Thank you, sister,” he said, grabbing it and taking a bite.
The chicken was tender, the skin golden and crispy, and the flavorful sauce had soaked into the meat, savory and fragrant.
He was so absorbed in eating that he didn’t speak, biting through the drumstick quickly, and even licked it clean, still wanting more.
Ye Qiuling gave the other drumstick to Shen Wanru, who placed it back into Ye Qiuling’s bowl, saying, “You eat, I’ll just take the chicken from the soup.”
Ye Qiuling didn’t refuse. Taking a bite, she thought, this was delicious—she hadn’t tasted roast chicken like this in a long time.
Chen Xuanmo watched her content expression, a small smile playing at his lips.
After finishing the drumsticks, Ye Qiuling served everyone a bowl of soup. “Drink the soup first to warm your stomach.”
At the table, they held the bowls, blowing on the steaming liquid before sipping, grimacing at the heat.
Their little expressions made everyone laugh.
Shen Wanru tasted the clear, flavorful soup, picking up a bamboo shoot. She had expected it to be soft, but it was crisp, the chicken tender, the combination surprisingly delicious.
Chen Xuanmo tested a bamboo shoot with his tongue before eating. The crispness of the bamboo shoots paired with the tenderness of the pork created an unexpectedly delightful taste.
After the meal, Chen Xuanmo bid them farewell and returned home.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window, warming Ye Qiuling’s face. Ye Feng rolled over, still groggy, then remembered, today was the day to visit the private school.
He quickly got up to wash, then went to the kitchen. Retrieving a piece of pork from the system space, he placed it in the sink to rinse.
Only then did he notice a faucet in the sink. Ye Qiuling was delighted, looking around to find the kitchen now fully modernized and fully equipped.
Entering the system space, she excitedly shook Hamster 66 awake. “Thank you, system big guy!”
Hamster 66 rubbed his eyes with tiny paws, still groggy. “Thank…what?”
Seeing his adorably confused expression, she couldn’t resist pinching his cheeks. “Of course, thank you for the renovation!”
Hamster 66 glared at her. “Do you even see the time?”
The clock on the wall pointed to six. Flustered, Ye Qiuling laughed. “Haha, I’ll make breakfast first, you keep sleeping.”
With that, she left him in a daze, but he shrugged and lay back down to continue sleeping.
In a good mood, Ye Qiuling hummed as she turned on the faucet to rinse the pork.
She sliced the pork into thin pieces, placed them in a bowl, and added salt, chicken essence, pepper, and starch, massaging it to marinate for fifteen minutes.
Hamster 66 even thoughtfully brought out the rice cooker. Ye Qiuling felt like she would love this system forever.
She measured rice, rinsed it under the faucet three to four times until the water ran clear, added enough water, and set the cooker to the porridge setting.
From the system space, she also fetched some vegetables, washed and chopped them, and prepared ginger slices.
As the rice began to bubble, she added the vegetables and ginger, cooking until the vegetables softened. She then added the marinated pork, brought it to a boil, and adjusted the seasoning with salt.
She served the porridge, placing it on the table. Ye Dazhi, used to the village’s early mornings, had already been sitting at the doorway, staring blankly, unsure what to do.
Shen Wanru, ever busy, was tidying here and there, unable to sit still.
Ye Qiuling thought, once they earned a bit more money, she could buy a piece of land in the backyard for Ye Dazhi to farm, watching him daydream as he admired the neighboring household’s plot.
She tapped his shoulder. “Father, breakfast is ready.”
Ye Dazhi turned, seeing his daughter, and smiled. “Alright.”
He looked to Shen Wanru watering the plants. “Mother, come eat too.”
Shen Wanru put down the bucket, turned to Ye Qiuling. “Okay.”
Sleepy-eyed Ye Feng ran down the stairs, smelling the fragrant vegetable and pork porridge. “Sister, Father, Mother, come eat! I’m hungry!”
The three of them looked at him and couldn’t help smiling. Their little glutton had finally woken.
Seeing them seated, Ye Feng eagerly scooped a bowl of porridge, savoring its light but flavorful taste. The pork was tender, and before long, his bowl was empty.
Looking up pitifully at them, he asked, “Sister, is there more? I’m still hungry.”
Ye Qiuling was surprised. She had only eaten two spoonfuls herself, and little Feng had already finished his bowl, which looked as clean as if washed. He pointed to the kitchen. “There’s more in the kitchen.”
Hearing that, Ye Feng hurried to the kitchen, filled his bowl again, and ran back.
Shen Wanru cautioned the little foodie, “Slow down, no one’s taking it from you. Be careful not to fall.”
Ye Feng giggled and sat down, starting his breakfast properly.
The table fell into a calm rhythm, the only sound being the clatter of spoons against bowls.
Ye Qiuling said, “Father, Mother, I’m preparing to take little Feng to school.”
Shen Wanru and Ye Dazhi exchanged a glance. Shen Wanru nodded, “Alright.”
Ye Qiuling was relieved at their quick agreement, expecting she would have to persuade them longer.
After breakfast, little helper Ye Feng washed the bowls and wiped the table diligently.
Ye Qiuling sat by the doorway, watching the large tree in the yard. The leaves had turned yellow and fallen, forming a little duck-shaped pattern on the sunlit ground, delightfully cute.
After a short rest, Ye Qiuling accompanied her family to visit schools to see which would suit Ye Feng best.
They visited several schools. Some were run-down, others had teachers who favored wealthy children, calling on them first, and gently instructing them to sit if they couldn’t answer.
Poorer children, when called upon and unable to answer, were scolded, often publicly. The other students would glare at them in anger, blaming them for upsetting the teacher.
It wasn’t the child’s fault; the child would blame themselves for angering the teacher.
Finally, they reached Qizhi Hall. The teacher there treated weaker students kindly, having them read or practice more without scolding. He explained that if they didn’t understand something, more practice and copying would help them learn it.
Ye Qiuling paid the tuition and then took Ye Feng to a shop to buy clothes. A white-and-green garment with delicate embroidery and soft, comfortable fabric caught her eye.
She reached out to grab it.
Looking up, she saw a beautiful woman with elegant makeup, wearing a bright red embroidered outfit.
Ye Qiuling smiled politely. “I picked this first. Could you let me have it?”
Unexpectedly, the woman argued, “Who says? I saw it first. You snatched it away.”