After settling Wen Qi in, Li Suian went into the kitchen to cook. She walked with brisk steps, went into the kitchen, then hurriedly grabbed a small vegetable basket and headed to the garden to pick vegetables.
Wen Qi pulled his coat tighter around himself, picked up the still-steaming cup of tea on the table, and took a sip—it was slightly bitter. He watched the young girl’s busy figure, and a faint warmth crept into his cold, indifferent gaze. She really was full of energy.
Before long, Li Suian returned, her small vegetable basket filled to the brim. Passing by Wen Qi, she asked, “Brother Wen Qi, are you cold?”
Wen Qi shook his head, and she went clattering back into the kitchen.
The slender girl, wearing an oversized apron, bustled in and out of the kitchen, and every time she came out she would ask Wen Qi if he was thirsty, hungry, or cold—like a chattering little chatterbox.
Did Wen Qi find it annoying? Given his personality, he probably should have. But right now, he couldn’t feel annoyed at all. Instead, there was a faint sweetness and warmth in his heart.
He thought, he must be terminally ill, his mind addled.
The warm sun was at its peak, a gentle breeze swept through the courtyard, and the bamboo grove outside rustled softly. Wisps of cooking smoke rose into the air. Wen Qi closed his eyes, savoring this rare taste of worldly life.
A commotion sounded from the yard, and he opened his eyes to see a group of plump, snow-white piglets cautiously edging closer to him.
He was slightly taken aback, locking eyes with the herd of piglets. The piglets stopped in their tracks, tilting their little heads up, their short tails wagging back and forth. Bathed in sunlight, they looked a soft pinkish-white.
The corner of Wen Qi’s mouth curved slightly. He thought to himself that he must truly be at the end of his rope—even a bunch of piglets looked handsome and refined to him now.
One bold piglet trotted up to him, snuffling with its little snout. Wen Qi thought that smooth, chubby little body would probably feel nice to touch, and his long, slender hand with well-defined knuckles itched to reach out.
Unfortunately, before he could touch the piglet, the sensitive little creature seemed to sense his intention and scampered off. One piglet led the way, and the rest followed in a mad dash, a herd of little pink pigs thundering across the yard—quite a spectacle.
Li Suian heard the commotion and looked out through the kitchen window, catching sight of Wen Qi’s outstretched hand that he hadn’t yet withdrawn. She couldn’t help but smile with pride.
The piglets she raised were fine-looking and clean. No one else in the village could raise pigs as good-looking as hers—anyone who saw them wanted to pet them.
These piglets were over a month old now, just starting to eat feed, and at the age where they could run and jump. She had opened a small gate in the pigpen door so the piglets could slip out and play.
The more sun the piglets got and the more they ran around outside, the sturdier they would grow.
Rice was steaming in the pot as Li Suian quickly washed and chopped the vegetables. Today was Wen Qi’s first time eating at her home, so she had to put on a good show. She planned to make three dishes and a soup: shredded pork with green peppers, mushroom and bok choy, tomato scrambled eggs, and pickled cabbage tofu with sliced pork soup.
She sliced the tenderloin into thin pieces, soaked and marinated them in scallion-ginger water to remove the gamey smell, then added egg white, salt, and seasonings, mixing everything well before setting it aside.
She had a small charcoal stove at home—an old relic with some history to it. Her grandmother had used it in her youth, and now it had been passed down to her.
She lit a fire in the little stove, got the charcoal burning, and placed a small clay pot on top.
The clay pot heated up, and a small piece of lard was melted in it. Then, the chopped scallions and ginger were added and stir-fried until fragrant, followed by the sliced pickled cabbage, which was tossed in the wok. After that, water was poured in, and seasonings such as salt, MSG, and light soy sauce were added to adjust the flavor. Once the water came to a boil, the tofu and sliced meat could be added.
As the soup simmered over the charcoal stove, she went to the stovetop to stir-fry the dishes. The rice was already steamed, so the wok was free for cooking.
The aroma wafted out of the kitchen, and Wen Qi, sitting outside, couldn’t help but glance toward the kitchen. Back home, he could always smell the fragrance of her cooking from afar, but now that he was closer, it seemed even more enticing.
The tantalizing aroma made him restless. He stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
Li Suian saw him come in, spatula in hand as she stirred, and said with a soft laugh, “Are you hungry? Just wait a little longer and it’ll be ready. You should go out—the oil fumes will cling to you and won’t smell good.”
Wen Qi didn’t leave. He simply stood still about a meter behind Li Suian, watching her cook.
The first dish she made was shredded pork with green peppers. Both the peppers and the meat were cut into thin strips, and the meat was lightly marinated. Garlic slices and ginger shreds were sizzled in the wok, then the shredded pork was added and stir-fried. Once the meat changed color, the green peppers went in and were cooked until just tender, followed by seasonings to taste, and the dish was ready to be plated.
Her movements were practiced and swift, making it look effortless to whip up a dish. But Wen Qi, who had one unpleasant experience in the kitchen, felt that cooking was something that required a bit of talent.
He figured the heavens had probably distributed all his cooking talent elsewhere—what he made couldn’t even be called edible.
By the time several dishes were done, the kitchen was filled with fragrance, and Wen Qi felt his nose had nearly gone numb from the delicious smells.
Li Suian carried the dishes to the dining table, and when Wen Qi offered to help, she hurriedly refused: “Just sit tight. The plates are hot, and your hands are so delicate—what if you get burned?”
The young woman started her nagging again. Wen Qi had no choice but to obediently sit down and wait to be fed.
The meal was set on the table—three dishes and a soup for two people, which was indeed quite a lot. But Li Suian had controlled the portions, making the servings smaller so nothing would go to waste.
She scooped out some of the pickled vegetables she had made herself from the pickle jar—tangy, spicy, crisp, and very appetizing.
She ladled Wen Qi a bowl of the pickled cabbage, sliced meat, and tofu soup. His stomach wasn’t in good shape, so he couldn’t eat too much, and having a bowl of soup before the meal would help him eat less.
“I used very little oil in this soup. Try it—it won’t be greasy.”
Wen Qi nodded in thanks and took a sip. Indeed, as she had said, it wasn’t greasy at all. The sourness of the pickled cabbage was appetizing, and the saltiness was just right.
He tried a piece of tofu and a slice of meat from the soup. The tofu was silky and smooth, with no beany taste, and the meat was tender, soaked through with the flavor of the broth.
After just two sips, he felt completely at ease all over.
Li Suian filled her own bowl with a generous portion of rice and, as she ate, stole glances at Wen Qi. Watching a handsome man eat seemed to improve her own appetite.
The two ate in focused harmony, the atmosphere peaceful—until a few uninvited guests arrived and shattered the tranquility.
A car engine sounded from outside the courtyard. Li Suian set down her bowl and chopsticks and went out to look, only to find a white sedan already parked in the yard.
The car came to a stop, and three people got out. Li Suian recognized them: her great-aunt, her great-uncle, and their eldest grandson—her cousin.
Third Aunt was her grandmother’s third younger sister, who had married into a village on the outskirts of town back in the day, and her family’s circumstances were much better than theirs in the remote mountain hollow.
She didn’t much care for that family—they were stuck-up and looked down on others—but since they’d already come, she couldn’t very well chase them off, so she had no choice but to greet them with a smile.