Yu Zhile walked to the front yard and noticed the atmosphere between Zhou Yuesheng and Yu Yue was a bit strange, but she didn’t say anything. Under Zhou Yuesheng’s hands, the storage shelf was already taking shape, looking exactly like the drawings Yu Zhile had made.
“You’re really impressive.” Yu Zhile loved to smile when praising people, making them feel as if they were being brushed by a gentle spring breeze.
Zhou Yuesheng nodded reservedly, but a mysterious sense of pleasure welled up in his heart.
Crawly took after his owner and was very affectionate toward Yu Zhile; his two short legs clung to her calf as he let out a soft whimper. The puppy’s milky voice, however, sounded a warning bell for Zhou Yuesheng, bringing back his prideful self-control. He glanced at the smiling Yu Zhile and then hurriedly looked away.
It was still early. Yu Zhile sat under the eaves, watching Yu Chi play with Crawly while Mole lay quietly at the feet of the book-reading Yu Chi. The rhythmic thump-thump of Zhou Yuesheng hammering nails into the wood filled her ears. She lowered her head and curled her lips, a sense of coziness washing over her.
After sitting for a while, Yu Zhile set to work on the sea cucumbers. The steps to make dried sea cucumbers weren’t complicated. First, she made an opening in the sea cucumber’s abdomen to remove the internal organs and clean out the sand. Next, she boiled water and added the sea cucumbers, stirring them constantly so they heated evenly. Finally, she added salt to marinate them; they would need to air-dry naturally for several days.
Once finished, Yu Zhile scanned the yard. The plants she had bought last time were planted in a corner, growing vibrantly. The large ceramic vat had been cleaned; in a couple of days, she would plant lotus roots. There were already quite a few fruit trees in the yard, but she planned to find some wild grapevines to transplant the next time she went up the mountain. Then, she’d have Zhou Yuesheng build a swing.
Suddenly, Yu Zhile felt the cloud mark on her wrist grow slightly warm. Realizing it was almost eleven o’clock, she turned on the livestream. Many viewers had been waiting in the room for a long time, and as soon as the picture appeared, comments started flooding in. After the first cooking livestream, Yu Zhile had received feedback that viewers wanted detailed explanations included in the cooking process.
At that moment, Zhou Yuesheng happened to finish the final step of the shelf—applying the varnish. As he looked up, he saw Yu Zhile wink at him. Not understanding what she meant, he walked toward her.
“Cooperate with me,” Yu Zhile whispered in his ear, standing on her tiptoes. A faint fragrance lingered at the tip of Zhou Yuesheng’s nose, causing his body to instantly tense up as he lowered his eyes and complied.
“Process the seafood first.” Yu Zhile patted his arm.
Zhou Yuesheng took the lead by picking up a sea urchin covered in blunt spines and asked, “How do I handle this?”
Yu Zhile picked up a pair of chopsticks and grabbed one to demonstrate, but he interrupted her. “You tell me, and I’ll do it.”
The sound of a wheelchair rolling over small pebbles echoed in front of them. Yu Yue stopped before them and tossed a pair of thick gloves to Zhou Yuesheng.
“Use the chopsticks to pierce through the sea urchin’s mouth, pry open a gap, and then split the sea urchin in half. Finally, clean out the internal organs, leaving only the yellow part,” Yu Zhile explained the steps for processing the sea urchin. “Scoop the yellow part out; we’re making sea urchin steamed eggs today.”
Zhou Yuesheng’s movements were steady; he processed them quickly and cleanly.
“Little Housekeeper, you’re so thoughtful and capable,” Yu Zhile whispered praise in his ear as she leaned over. The warm breath hit Zhou Yuesheng’s earlobe, dyeing it crimson. He turned his face to look at her. She was smiling, the corners of her eyes tilted up, her eyes like crescent moons.
Zhou Yuesheng’s memory returned to the moment he opened his eyes on the beach. Yu Zhile had introduced herself with a smile just like that.
Master.
He muttered the word silently in his mind. His tongue suddenly pressed against his teeth, and a faint taste of blood spread through his mouth. The enemy’s “honey trap” offensive was quite fierce.
Unaware of his internal struggle, Yu Zhile sat opposite him and began processing the other seafood. The shellfish had already soaked in salt to spit out sand, so they only needed a few simple rinses. She peeled the tiger prawns and removed the veins, and cleaned the internal organs and “beak” of the octopus. Yu Zhile finished the cleanup quickly.
“This is the abalone’s mantle,” Yu Zhile said, touching the outer edge. The meat suddenly contracted. “You must scrub it clean before cooking.”
The sound caught Yu Yue’s attention. Zhou Yuesheng looked up before Yu Yue could cast a glance, adopting a posture of learning while actually observing Yu Zhile’s expression. He suspected the “listening device” was her primary method of transmitting information.
Yu Zhile scrubbed vigorously with a bristle brush, and the light brown meat gradually became visible on the screen, looking bright and fresh.
[The texture looks like it would be quite springy.]
[Wow, seeing this meat gives me an appetite instantly.]
[The shell is multicolored and so beautiful; I want to collect it.]
After scrubbing the abalone clean, Yu Zhile took a spoon and scooped out the entire piece of meat, removing the organs. “This is the abalone liver; some people really love eating it.” She only showed it for a few seconds before discarding the organs and moving on to the next one. After carving a crosshatch pattern into the abalone, Yu Zhile turned her attention to the cod.
She sliced open the cod’s belly to remove the organs and the black membrane, washed it, and sliced it into fillets. She then added egg white, salt, and starch, mixing them evenly to marinate. The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, leaving many first-time viewers in awe.
Zhou Yuesheng was also fast at processing the sea urchins, quickly scooping out a bowl full of sea urchin roe.
“Come on, let’s learn to cook.” Yu Zhile winked at Zhou Yuesheng again.
Zhou Yuesheng helped carry the prepared ingredients into the kitchen and started steaming the rice. Then, he stood to the side to assist her. The first dish Yu Zhile made was chilled seafood in savory sauce; this dish tasted better after soaking to absorb the flavors.
“First, put the seafood into boiling water to blanch. You need to add ginger slices and cooking wine to remove the fishy smell.” As her voice fell, the seafood rolled into the water with a splash.
Soon, Yu Zhile scooped them out with a bamboo strainer, saying, “The seafood shouldn’t be boiled for too long, or the texture will become tough.”
The chili flakes and minced garlic were prepared in advance. Once the oil was heated to boiling, she poured it over the seasonings. Hot smoke rose with a sizzling sound. The addition of light soy sauce, sugar, and aged vinegar made the sauce’s aroma incredibly enticing.
[That smell… I’m drooling all over the floor.]
[I want it so bad, I’m so hungry. My daily question: when will Cloud Live launch the Small Shop feature?]
[Before synesthesia: The host ignores my life and death; After synesthesia: The host still ignores my life and death!]
The sauce was drizzled over the seafood, and Yu Zhile added cilantro and several slices of lemon. The entire dish looked, smelled, and tasted perfect. She had Zhou Yuesheng put the chilled seafood into the well to cool, and then she began making the sea urchin steamed eggs.
She added a few drops of oil to a plate, carefully placed the sea urchin roe inside, and then poured in the egg liquid mixed with water. Once the water in the pot was boiling, she placed it in the steamer. “You have to watch the time for this dish; if the eggs are overcooked, they won’t taste good,” Yu Zhile explained the key points.
The final dish today was shepherd’s purse and cod chowder. The shepherd’s purse had been brought over by Chen Zhao that morning, looking fresh and vibrant. She first blanched the shepherd’s purse in boiling water, rinsed it in cold water, and chopped it up. Then, she put a little oil into a clay pot, fried the fish bones until they were slightly charred and golden, poured in boiling water, and simmered the broth over high heat.
Yu Zhile stirred the soup as the fresh, sweet aroma dominated her sense of smell. “Add the fish fillets and shepherd’s purse in order. Boil for two or three minutes, then turn to low heat.”
Hearing this, Zhou Yuesheng pulled a few brightly burning pieces of firewood from beneath the stove.
“Final step: thicken with a starch slurry.” Yu Zhile slowly poured in the starch water, and the soup in the pot gradually became a thick chowder. The fragrance of the shepherd’s purse combined with the sweetness of the fish provided the viewers with an ultimate sensory experience. For a moment, gift effects flew everywhere, making it impossible to read a single word in the comments.
“That’s it for this livestream. Friends, see you next time.” After speaking, Yu Zhile closed the stream.
Zhou Yuesheng noted down her words verbatim. Just as he was bringing a large bowl of cod chowder to the table, an accident occurred—a loud bang came from the kitchen.
He rushed back. The clay pot had shattered into pieces, and a patch of skin on the inside of Yu Zhile’s arm was red. Her arm was submerged in ice-cold water as she let out a sharp intake of breath. After just a few seconds, she acted as if nothing had happened and said, “It’s not very serious. Don’t tell Yu Yue when he comes back.”
Zhou Yuesheng felt that the patch of red was particularly eyesore. His lips pressed into a straight line.
“Little Housekeeper, life is beautiful. Give me a smile.” Yu Zhile used her fingers to pull a forced smile onto his face.
“Yu Zhile, you—”
Before Zhou Yuesheng could get more words out, he was interrupted by Yu Zhile. She propped up her face and looked at him. “Hey, you know, you’ve never actually called me Master. Let’s hear you say it.”
Zhou Yuesheng pressed his lips tight again. Yu Zhile smiled secretly to herself; she had finally found this Little Housekeeper’s weakness.
“Sister, I’m here!” Chen Zhao’s voice approached from a distance.
The food was served. Yu Zhile sat unusually close to Zhou Yuesheng, causing Yu Yue’s gaze to wander between the two. Chen Zhao didn’t notice anything amiss. He was busy vividly recounting how he had forced the person in charge of the youth education center to give up their rations and pay two yuan in compensation.
“Just eat.” Yu Yue stuffed an abalone into his mouth.
The spicy and fresh chilled seafood instantly conquered his taste buds, making his eyes light up. Chen Zhao tried several other kinds of seafood. He couldn’t handle spicy food very well, so he was huffing and puffing, but he didn’t forget to give Yu Zhile a thumbs-up. “Sister, with your skills, you’d be overqualified even as a head chef in a state-run restaurant.”
“Eat more.” Yu Zhile scooped a spoonful of steamed eggs for him.
Zhou Yuesheng was quick to reach out and grab some chilled seafood, blocking the view of the burn on her arm; his movement was so large that Yu Yue glanced at him. As the food hit his mouth, the spiciness exploded on his tongue, making him frown. He had to eat several mouthfuls of rice to suppress the sensation. The tender cod paired with the delicate shepherd’s purse made for a rich, delicious broth. Chen Zhao drank two large bowls before stopping.
After the meal, Yu Zhile sat in her rocking chair, feeling drowsy.
Meanwhile, at a corner of the village entrance, Jiang Shangqing passed the large pagoda tree while carrying cow manure. Under the tree, villagers were chatting over their rice bowls. Seeing him appear, they muttered a few curses under their breath. As he drifted further away, a shrill voice rose from the crowd.
“I went west today and saw that little girl from the Yu family with a bamboo basket full of seafood, and a cod that must have weighed seven or eight pounds!”
Someone sneered, “Tang Guihua, stop bragging. Who doesn’t know there isn’t much seafood at the beach?”
“I saw it with my own eyes! If I’m lying, I’ll never give birth to a son in this life!” Tang Guihua’s neck turned red as she swore a poisonous oath.
Once she said this, the others believed her eighty percent. After all, everyone in Haiyu Village knew about Tang Guihua’s obsession with having a son.
“Hey, isn’t your sister-in-law best friends with Leni? Didn’t she invite her for a meal?” someone asked Tang Guihua.
“Sister-in-law! Si Ya is crying again.” Zhang Caihong suddenly appeared, loudly cutting off Tang Guihua.
Tang Guihua walked home grumbling. Zhang Caihong gave everyone a shy smile, then turned to follow in Tang Guihua’s footsteps. Jiang Shangqing looked back at the two women’s retreating backs, a glint of investigation flashing in his eyes.