Lin Peiru looked at his innocent, flustered expression, and another mischievous idea popped into her head.
She deliberately tilted her head, looking completely innocent.
“Then… should I call you Little Brother Yunshen?”
“Boom!”
If Huo Yunshen had merely been blushing just now, his face had now turned completely dark.
It went from red to purple, then from purple to black.
He could feel the veins at his temples throbbing.
Grinding his back teeth, he practically squeezed the words out between them.
“Just call me by my name!”
Seeing that she had pushed him far enough, Lin Peiru stopped while she was ahead, though the amusement in her eyes deepened.
She deliberately drew out her words, her voice soft and alluring, carrying an almost imperceptible hook.
“Oh… then…”
“Yun… shen…”
Those two words rolled off her tongue with endless lingering charm, like a feather lightly brushing against the depths of his heart, leaving him numb and itchy.
Huo Yunshen shuddered all over, as though an electric current had passed through him.
He abruptly hunched his neck and no longer dared to look at Lin Peiru’s eyes, which seemed almost capable of speaking.
He practically fled, stumbling straight into the kitchen.
His retreating figure was so flustered that it was almost laughable.
Lin Peiru stood where she was and secretly laughed for quite a while before turning around to go to the main room and call for Mu Xinyao.
By the time she helped Mu Xinyao back to the kitchen, Huo Yunshen was standing with his back to the doorway, apparently sulking at the stove for some unknown reason.
The moment he heard her footsteps, his broad back visibly stiffened.
Mu Xinyao still looked somewhat weak as Lin Peiru supported her. Even her steps were a little unsteady.
But the moment she entered the kitchen and smelled the rich aroma of meat, her spirits immediately lifted.
Her eyes landed precisely on the bowl of stewed cabbage on the table.
The cabbage had been stewed until tender, the broth milky white, with several slices of meat streaked with fat scattered throughout. The enticing aroma filled the air.
Mu Xinyao’s face was full of surprise.
“There’s meat in the stewed cabbage? This smell…”
“Canned meat? Where did you get canned meat?”
Then, as though she had thought of something, she turned her gaze toward Lin Peiru, who had just entered.
“Did Peiru bring it?”
The moment she finished speaking, Huo Yunshen, who had been standing with his back to everyone and pretending to be a wooden post, suddenly turned around.
He raised his head, his dark eyes shooting straight toward Lin Peiru.
His gaze contained shock, confusion, and even a trace of complicated emotion that he himself hadn’t noticed.
Facing Huo Yunshen’s astonished eyes, Lin Peiru showed not the slightest trace of guilt. Instead, she playfully winked at him.
Huo Yunshen’s breath caught. It was as though something had lodged in his throat, and he immediately looked away.
Mu Xinyao’s gaze moved between the two of them before finally landing on Lin Peiru. Her tone carried a hint of helplessness.
“Peiru, dear, how could you take out something this precious?”
Lin Peiru helped Mu Xinyao sit down and smiled as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Auntie, these cans are meant to be eaten. If I don’t take them out, am I supposed to save them until they have babies?”
Mu Xinyao sighed and patted the back of her hand.
“You can keep them and eat them slowly yourself. We’re used to simple meals in our family. We don’t need something like this.”
Hearing this, Lin Peiru immediately took Mu Xinyao’s hand, her little face becoming serious as she deliberately put on a stern expression.
“Auntie, you’re being too formal with me.”
“We’re family now. How could I possibly eat alone and keep all the good food to myself?”
The moment she said this, the atmosphere in the kitchen instantly became somewhat subtle.
Huo Yunqiao lowered her head, unable to suppress the smile on her face.
Meanwhile, Huo Yunshen, who had been pretending to be part of the background, looked as though he’d been pricked by a needle. He muttered under his breath,
“Who said we’re family…”
His voice wasn’t loud, but in the quiet kitchen, everyone heard it clearly.
Before Lin Peiru could retort, Mu Xinyao calmly reached out and pinched Huo Yunshen hard on the waist.
“Ow—”
Huo Yunshen sucked in a sharp breath. His dark face instantly turned beet red, yet he stubbornly held back and didn’t dare make another sound.
He glared viciously at Lin Peiru, the accusation in his eyes practically overflowing.
Lin Peiru responded with an exceptionally bright smile, smug and provocative.
Dinner began.
The bowl of stewed cabbage with meat was placed right in the center of the table, becoming the undisputed star of the meal.
Lin Peiru picked up a piece of cabbage that had been stewed until tender and put it into her mouth. Her eyes immediately lit up, and she praised it without holding back.
“Wow! Yunqiao, your cooking is amazing!”
“This cabbage practically melts in your mouth, and all the flavor from the meat has infused into it. It’s even better than what I used to eat at state-run restaurants!”
Huo Yunqiao had never received such praise before. Her little face immediately turned bright red, like a ripe apple.
She waved her hands shyly.
“No… Sister Peiru, you’re too good at complimenting people.”
Lin Peiru picked up another slice of meat, looking thoroughly satisfied.
“I’m serious! I’m not exaggerating at all! You got the heat exactly right. The meat isn’t tough, the cabbage isn’t mushy, and the broth is so delicious. Yunqiao, you’re a little genius chef!”
Huo Yunqiao was praised so much that she could barely lift her head, yet her heart felt as sweet as honey.
She secretly glanced at Lin Peiru.
The more she looked at this beautiful girl from the city, the more she felt that Sister Peiru was kind-hearted, beautiful, and pleasant to listen to.
Meanwhile, Huo Yunshen sat beside them, silently shoveling rice into his mouth.
As he listened to Lin Peiru showering his sister with compliments, the corners of his mouth twitched repeatedly, and he discreetly rolled his eyes dramatically.
The meal ended in this strange yet harmonious atmosphere.
Lin Peiru put down her bowl and chopsticks and stood up, efficiently beginning to clear the table.
“I’ll wash the dishes!”
As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Huo Yunshen from the corner of her eye.
Her little plan was already clicking into place.
Given this man’s awkward yet soft-hearted personality, he definitely wouldn’t let a “guest” wash the dishes.
He would surely step forward and say coldly, “I’ll do it.”
However, contrary to her expectations, Huo Yunshen put down his bowl, stood up, didn’t even spare her a glance, and walked straight out of the kitchen.
His back was decisive and clean, without the slightest hesitation.
Lin Peiru’s movements paused slightly.
She stared at the empty doorway, and an indescribable bitterness slowly rose in her heart.
Whether someone loved you or not… apparently, it really was that obvious.
In her previous life, let alone washing dishes, Huo Yunshen wouldn’t even let her lift a finger.
Whenever there was no maid at home, he did all the housework himself, pampering her like a princess who had never experienced the hardships of the world.
But now…
It seemed he couldn’t even be bothered to look at her one more time.
Seeing her standing there distracted, Huo Yunqiao quickly came over and embarrassedly took the bowls from her hands.
“Sister Peiru, I’ll do it! Go rest!”
Lin Peiru came back to herself and forced a smile.
“It’s okay. I’ll do it. You have to let me contribute something to this family.”
Huo Yunqiao immediately shook her head like a rattle.
“You’ve already contributed more than enough!”
She looked at Lin Peiru, her eyes sparkling with sincerity and gratitude.
“That meat was so delicious today! I’ve never eaten meat that fragrant in my entire life!”
“This is all thanks to you, Sister Peiru!”
“How could I possibly let you do these chores too?”
Huo Yunqiao’s words were like a warm current, instantly washing away the bitterness that Huo Yunshen had caused in Lin Peiru’s heart.
Looking at this girl with clear eyes and genuine sincerity, Lin Peiru couldn’t help smiling.
“Yunqiao, if you put it that way, I really can’t be lazy.”
“I came to the countryside this time to receive re-education from the poor and lower-middle peasants and to temper myself. I’m not here to live like some pampered young lady.”
“If there’s something I can do, of course I should do it.”
As she spoke, she took several bowls from Huo Yunqiao without giving her a chance to refuse and began washing them efficiently.
“Let’s do it together. Two people working will be faster.”
Huo Yunqiao couldn’t argue with her, so she nodded shyly.
The two girls stood side by side in front of the basin and began washing the dishes together.
Under the dim yellow kitchen light, their figures overlapped, creating a warm and harmonious scene.
Standing at the doorway, Mu Xinyao took everything in.
Looking at the bright smile on Lin Peiru’s face, she became increasingly convinced that this truly was a wonderful girl.
Not only was she beautiful, but she was also hardworking and capable, without any of the spoiled airs one might expect from a girl from the city.
She had a good temper and a pleasant personality. With just a few words, she had already coaxed Mu Xinyao’s own taciturn daughter into smiling from ear to ear.
An uncontrollable thought suddenly surfaced in Mu Xinyao’s mind.
If… such a wonderful girl could become her daughter-in-law, wouldn’t that be wonderful?