The stir fried greens were fresh and tender, glossy with oil, crisp and refreshing, carrying a natural sweetness.
The egg drop soup was also beautiful, with yellow and white swirling together and a few strands of scallion floating on top. It looked light and refreshing, and one sip helped cut through the richness.
Finally, there was a plate of fried sticky rice cakes and oil sticks, golden and crispy. This was something she came up with on the spot. Su Wanqing cut the sticky rice cakes into small pieces, coated them in a thin layer of flour, and fried them together with the oil sticks. After frying, she sprinkled black sesame and white sugar on top. It was crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside, so fragrant it felt like it could make you swallow your tongue.
Lu Shiyan finished tidying the bed and came in. The moment he entered, he was instantly hooked by the aroma filling the room. When he saw the table full of dishes, he froze completely.
He stood at the doorway, eyes wide open, feet rooted to the ground. For a long time, he did not move at all, as if he could not believe what he was seeing.
Su Wanqing brought out the last dish, the fried sticky rice sticks, and saw him standing there in a daze. She could not help laughing. “What are you standing there for? Come sit down. Are you afraid I will poison you?”
Only then did Lu Shiyan come back to his senses. He walked quickly to the table and sat down, still unable to look away from the food.
He had never seen such a lavish meal in his life, neither at home before nor after coming to the countryside. Just the smell alone made him swallow unconsciously.
Su Wanqing handed him a pair of chopsticks with a smile. “Try it. See if it tastes good.”
Lu Shiyan took the chopsticks, his hands slightly shaking. He picked up a piece of braised pork and put it into his mouth.
The moment it entered his mouth, he froze.
The meat was tender and melt in the mouth, rich with sauce, slightly sweet and deeply savory. It dissolved almost instantly, leaving him speechless.
He immediately picked up another piece, then another, stuffing his mouth without pause.
Seeing him eating so eagerly, Su Wanqing could not help laughing. “Slow down, no one is fighting you for it. Do not choke.”
Lu Shiyan did not answer. He quickly stuffed a piece of fish into his mouth instead. The fish was tender, soaked in sauce, full of flavor with every bite.
After a few bites of meat, he grabbed some greens. Crisp and fresh, they perfectly balanced the richness.
Then he picked up a piece of fried sticky rice cake and oil stick. The moment he bit down, his eyes lit up. Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside, sweet fragrance filling his mouth with a stretchy texture.
Su Wanqing rested her chin on her hand and smiled at him. “Good, right? My cooking is good, right?”
Lu Shiyan’s mouth was full, so he could only nod hard and hum in agreement.
“You just said earlier that you have eaten all kinds of good food and would not fight me for meals. Now you look like you have been starving for years.”
“Really good,” Lu Shiyan finally managed after swallowing. Those were the only two words he could squeeze out.
Su Wanqing laughed again, her eyes curved with amusement. “Then eat more.”
Lu Shiyan picked up another piece of braised pork and said vaguely, “Wife, your cooking is so good. It is better than anything I have ever eaten.”
Seeing him eat with oil on his lips and a completely satisfied expression, something in her heart softened.
This man usually looked cold and distant, hard to approach and rarely smiled. Yet now he looked like a child, completely absorbed in eating without any restraint.
She scooped a bowl of egg drop soup for him and placed it beside him. “Slow down. Drink some soup. Do not choke.”
Lu Shiyan took the bowl, drank a big mouthful, then continued eating without stopping.
Soon, the two of them finished the entire table of food together.
The braised pork was gone, the fish left only bones, the greens completely cleaned out, the fried sticky rice sticks finished, and even the soup was almost empty. Not a single bite was wasted.
Lu Shiyan leaned back in his chair, patting his round stomach, letting out a satisfied breath.
Looking at him, Su Wanqing could not help but laugh. “Full now? You look like you have not eaten in centuries.”
Lu Shiyan nodded, his gaze fixed on her, soft and almost gentle. “I am full.”
She reached out and lightly poked his stomach. “Your belly looks like you are three months pregnant.”
Lu Shiyan suddenly grabbed her hand. His voice turned low and slightly hoarse. “Qingqing, how should I repay you for such good food?”
The way he called her made her heart skip a beat. A faint blush spread across her face.
She tilted her head teasingly, her fingers lightly tracing his chest. “Then how about you repay me with yourself?”
The moment those words fell, Lu Shiyan’s expression changed.
The lazy smile vanished instantly. His eyes darkened, full of intense emotion as he stared straight at her.
Her heart jumped wildly. She instinctively tried to lean back.
Lu Shiyan looked at her, throat moving slightly as he swallowed. His voice was rough. “What did you say?”
She panicked a little and quickly waved her hand. “I was joking, do not take it se—”
Before she could finish, Lu Shiyan stood up, bent down, and lifted her into his arms in one smooth motion. His grip was steady and firm, supporting her waist and legs with ease.
“Lu Shiyan! What are you doing?” she exclaimed, her voice soft and flustered.
She instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Her cheek pressed against his warm chest, clearly hearing his strong heartbeat, just as fast as hers.
Lu Shiyan looked down at her. His eyes were dangerously bright, like a wolf locking onto its prey.
“Repay me with myself,” he said, voice low and hoarse. “That is what Qingqing said.”
Her face turned completely red. “I was joking! Put me down!”
He did not let go. Instead, he carried her toward the bed with steady steps. The warmth of his chest seeped through their thin clothes, wrapping around her and making her entire body go soft.
She buried herself in his arms, unable to stop a small smile from forming. She lightly pinched his neck. “Who told you to really take it seriously…”
She struggled a few more times but could not break free. Looking up at him, his face was right there, his features sharp, his throat still moving, sweat faint on his temple, his eyes dark and restrained as if he had been holding back for a long time.
Her heartbeat quickened again, almost jumping out of her chest.
“Lu Shiyan…” her voice softened, almost pleading. “It is not even fully dark yet…”
He looked down at her and gave a faint smile. His voice was even rougher. “It is dark.”
She turned to look out the window. The sun had already set and the sky was dim, but the moon had not yet risen.
“That is still too early,” she protested.
Lu Shiyan chuckled softly. The vibration of his chest sent a strange tingling sensation through her.
In a few steps, he reached the bed and gently placed her down on the soft bedding.