From a very young age, the original host had been responsible for preparing three meals a day for the family. If the food was even slightly unsatisfactory, she would be beaten or scolded by the three despicable family members. Naturally, this had honed her exceptional culinary skills.
In the evening, as soon as Yi Shang stepped through the door, he was captivated by the enticing aroma. "Wow, Su Yin, what are you cooking? It smells amazing!"
Hearing the commotion, Su Yin came out and saw Zhou Xianghan, Lu Xingcun, and Yi Shang entering together.
"Aunt Xianghan, Brother, Senior Yi, how did you all arrive at the same time? Dinner is almost ready. Please have a seat while you wait."
Zhou Xianghan wanted to help in the kitchen, but Su Yin shooed her out. Ten minutes later, Su Yin finished the last dish, spicy chicken, and asked the housekeeper to help carry the dishes to the dining table.
In the living room, Yi Shang couldn’t help but keep glancing toward the kitchen. If he hadn’t remembered he was a guest, he would have rushed in long ago. When Su Yin emerged, he eagerly ran over to help carry the dishes, grinning brightly. "Let me do it! You can count on me for this kind of thing!"
There were eight dishes in total. The chicken soup had been simmering since morning, prepared by the housekeeper. It had turned a golden color, emitting a rich aroma with a faint hint of medicinal herbs, yet it didn’t compromise the soup’s freshness at all. The oven-roasted lamb chops were sizzling, and the other home-style dishes were equally appealing in color, aroma, and taste.
As soon as the dishes were laid out, Yi Shang couldn’t wait to grab a lamb chop. The chop was coated in a thick sauce and roasted to a golden-brown crisp. With one bite, the tender, fatty part released a burst of meat juices mixed with the savory sauce, so hot it made him shiver. The rich aroma of the fat and the firm texture of the lean meat overwhelmed his taste buds, making Yi Shang feel as if tears of happiness were about to well up. He immediately gave Su Yin a thumbs-up, though his mouth never stopped moving.
Both Lu Xingcun and Yi Shang were strong fighters from the Zhandouxi, and as men, they enjoyed hearty meals with large portions. Su Yin had prepared generous servings, and most of the dishes ended up in their stomachs.
Su Yin stopped eating when she was about eighty percent full. Seeing that Zhou Xianghan had also eaten her fill, she personally served her a bowl of soup. "Aunt Xianghan, have a bowl of chicken soup. I added some special ingredients—it’s good for your health and won’t cause indigestion."
Zhou Xianghan nodded. "Alright!"
The chicken soup had a golden sheen on the surface and emitted a rich fragrance. However, upon tasting it, it wasn’t as greasy as one might expect. Instead, it carried a unique, refreshing aroma. After a satisfying meal, a bowl of this soup felt incredibly invigorating. After finishing the bowl, Zhou Xianghan felt warm and comfortable all over.
Under Lu Xingcun’s glare, Yi Shang snatched the last chicken wing, happily devoured it, and then served himself a bowl of soup. After finishing it, he still felt unsatisfied, so he ate the tender, stewed chicken meat from the soup as well.
Lu Xingcun rolled his eyes inwardly: Don’t think I don’t know you’re already stuffed. Acting like you’ve never eaten before.
Yi Shang was indeed stuffed. Rubbing his round belly, he felt as if his abs had been stretched out. He sighed, "Su Yin, your cooking is too good. It’s on par with the royal palace chefs. I won’t be able to face my mom’s cooking after this."
Zhou Xianghan laughed and scolded him, "You little rascal, always with the smooth talk. I’ll definitely tell your mom what you said."
After a period of laughter and banter, the two prepared to leave. Su Yin immediately asked the nanny to bring out the pastries she had prepared earlier, handing one portion to Yi Shang and another to Lu Xingcun.
"Senior Yi, take this back for Mrs. Yi to try. Brother, you too, take this home for your family to taste. I hope they won’t mind."
Lu Xingcun nodded.
Yi Shang, however, was so moved he nearly threw himself at Su Yin’s feet, only to be swiftly intercepted by Lu Xingcun. Settling for the next best option, he grabbed Su Yin’s hand and shook it, saying, "Su Yin, from now on, you’re my little sister too! Love you!"
Lu Xingcun rolled his eyes.
Su Yin thought to herself: I have to admire how easily he acts so familiar…
That evening, back at the palace, Lu Xingcun opened the food box Su Yin had given him. The first layer contained durian mango cheesecake, with rabbit-shaped pastries neatly arranged, their yellow and white hues gleaming temptingly.
The second layer held spring rolls, their crispy skins wrapped around fragrant meat and vegetables.
The final layer contained several delicate snow-skin mochi.
Looking at them, Lu Xingcun suddenly felt a little hungry…
Meanwhile, Queen Zhou Xianghui received a call from Yi Shang’s mother, who praised Su Yin’s pastries as exceptionally delicious and urged her not to worry about gaining weight—she absolutely had to try them or she’d regret it. The queen found herself growing hungry as well, but after waiting for a long time without Lu Xingcun coming to see her, she decided to summon him herself.
Seeing Lu Xingcun arrive empty-handed, the queen got straight to the point: "I heard that little girl from the Xianghan family made desserts for you to bring to me? Where are my desserts?"
Lu Xingcun blinked innocently. "I ate them all."
The queen: …
This child is beyond saving!
The next day, Su Yin saw Lu Xingcun again.
The system prompted: 【Target Favorability Updated: 10】
Su Yin breathed a sigh of relief—finally a positive number. Otherwise, she might have been tempted to beat him up and abandon this damn hidden quest.
After the previous incident, Lu Xingcun began occasionally dropping by the Su family for meals, leading Su Yin to reflect on the powerful allure of good food.
While some were happy, others were troubled. Su Yin felt her life was peaceful, but not everyone shared that sentiment.
Lu Xingcun’s noble status and formidable strength meant many kept a covert eye on him. Yet lately, Su Yin was often seen by his side, either bringing him food or chatting with him about who-knows-what.
At first, people were uncertain and cautious, unsure of Su Yin’s identity and unwilling to offend her rashly.
But once her background was uncovered, many reacted with disdain.
That girl who acted all innocent and adorable, clinging to Dida’s heartthrob—turned out to be someone from the lowest rungs of society, not even on par with ordinary people?
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before someone started a forum thread exposing Su Yin’s identity. Although the earlier videos were no longer searchable, some still remembered them. Upon closer inspection, they confirmed that despite her significant transformation, Su Yin was indeed the same person from those videos.
Her mother died young, and her father was in prison. What right did someone like that have to stay by Lu Xingcun’s side?
As soon as the thread appeared, Su Yin became the target of widespread ridicule. The comments grew increasingly vicious, and wherever she went—whether in class or walking down the street—people pointed, whispered, and gossiped about her.
Su Yin paid no attention. She was too busy with many things: studying, researching medicine as a backup plan, completing tasks related to her scumbag father, stepmother, and half-brother, and continuing to hone her culinary skills to boost Lu Xingcun’s favorability. She had no time to bother with these irrelevant people.
Until one day she was stopped by a few girls.
The leader was Yu Youqin, the only daughter of Finance Minister Yu Zhen, a third-year student in the Zhandouxi department.