After getting out of bed, she noticed a pot of plain congee and a plate of Liangban Tudousi on the table.
"Yueyue, I'm off to work. There's cooled water in the cup, and I've also filled the thermos with warm water. I'll make lunch when I get back!"
Jiang Shiyue raised an eyebrow. This man was quite thoughtful.
It was just that this Liangban Tudousi looked a bit too bland. There weren't even any chili peppers; she guessed he had probably only added salt.
Jiang Shiyue picked up the enamel cup and took a long gulp, her throat finally feeling much better.
The congee was cooked a little thick. Gu Yian had probably woken up early to make it, so it wasn't very hot anymore—just the right temperature to eat.
Stretching lazily, she ladled a serving of congee into a bowl. But after just one bite of the shredded potatoes, Jiang Shiyue's brow furrowed.
Just as she had imagined, it was bland and tasteless.
She got up, took the Liangban Tudousi to the kitchen, and added a bunch of seasonings.
Indeed, not letting Gu Yian cook was the right decision.
If she waited for him to come back and make lunch, she would probably lose several pounds in a month.
She preferred strong flavors, liking everything intensely numbing and spicy. That was the only way to eat with relish.
Gu Yian's cooking was rather light. Forget chili peppers; just take the noodles from yesterday. Aside from a sprinkle of salt, there was really no other flavor. She had no idea how he was used to eating like that.
After breakfast, Jiang Shiyue didn't stay idle.
She bought some fabric and some clothes from the mall, put them all in her suitcase, and prepared to make another trip to the city in the afternoon.
On her way back yesterday, she had considered it. Selling at the Black Market was rather risky; it would be better to partner with a clothing store.
Although she would earn a little less, it would be relatively stable.
She knew that the clothing of this era was basically all the same, so she was very confident that fashion from later generations would surely start a new trend.
Because no matter the era, women loved beauty, and women's money was the easiest to earn.
Seeing that it was almost eleven o'clock, Jiang Shiyue started cooking again. She had no desire to be poisoned by Gu Yian's culinary skills.
There was still a little pork left over from yesterday, which she had stored in the water tank. Afraid it would spoil, she had even rubbed a little salt on it.
Taking it out to check, she saw that it was indeed still fresh.
She washed the salt off the meat, cut it into thin slices, and set aside a little lean meat to mince. Then, she went to the vegetable patch to pick some long beans and an eggplant.
While washing the vegetables, she also washed the wild vegetables Gu Yian had brought back yesterday, otherwise they would spoil.
She planned to make Jiangdou Chao Rou, Roumo Qiezi, and a stir-fried wild vegetable dish.
When Gu Yian returned, he was carrying a fish that weighed about three or four catties.
He put the fish in a bucket, added some water, and then strode into the kitchen.
Seeing the busy figure in the kitchen, a flash of heartache crossed Gu Yian's eyes. "Didn't we agree that I'd cook when I got back?"
Startled by the sudden sound of Gu Yian's voice, Jiang Shiyue jumped.
She shot Gu Yian a reproachful glare. "You don't make a sound when you come back. Who are you trying to scare to death?"
Gu Yian immediately admitted his mistake. "I was wrong."
His speed in admitting fault truly astonished Jiang Shiyue; it was as if he had attended a class on proper husbandly conduct.
Turning her head away, she continued to stir-fry the food in the wok. "I'm not angry either."
Gu Yian's heart stirred, and he wanted to pull Jiang Shiyue into his arms. But he glanced down at his own clothes and decided against it, lest he dirty hers.
He just stood there foolishly to the side, staring at Jiang Shiyue without blinking, like a "waiting-for-wife rock."
Jiang Shiyue felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze and started ordering him around. "You can take the rice and Mi Tang out first."
Mainly, Gu Yian's gaze was too scorching, giving her the distinct feeling of being devoured, and her cheeks couldn't help but burn.
While Gu Yian was carrying out the rice, Jiang Shiyue dished the already-cooked Roumo Qiezi onto a plate.
In the interval when Gu Yian came back to get the dishes, Jiang Shiyue quickly washed the bowls and chopsticks.
Seeing Gu Yian about to serve himself rice, Jiang Shiyue reminded him, "If you're going to drink Mi Tang, it's best to drink it before the meal. Drinking it after can be a bit hard on the stomach."
Actually, she had wanted to say this yesterday, but his attitude then had annoyed her, so she had simply kept her head down and stuffed her face.
After their time together yesterday, and their in-depth exchange last night, their relationship had taken a qualitative leap. So, of course, she had to take good care of Gu Yian's health.
After all, this body of his no longer belonged to him alone; half of it was also hers, Jiang Shiyue's.
Besides, Gu Yian was the only source of labor in the family. If anything happened to him, all she could do was cry.
Gu Yian was now completely smitten with her; he would listen to whatever Jiang Shiyue said without ever asking why or whether it was right or wrong.
Whatever Jiang Shiyue said was treated like an imperial edict.
Remembering that Gu Yian seemed to be drinking a lot of water during dinner yesterday, she asked, "My cooking is a bit heavy on the flavor. Can you handle it?"
Gu Yian paused for a moment, then nodded immediately. "I can handle it."
Even though he couldn't really take spicy food, he was willing to change his eating habits for Jiang Shiyue.
Jiang Shiyue sighed. "Don't force yourself. If you can't eat spicy food, I can make something milder next time." Then she added nonchalantly, "I have no desire to be a widow at a young age."
Hearing this, Gu Yian stood up, his tone firm. "Yueyue, don't worry, I won't let you become a widow!"
As he finished speaking, the tips of his ears turned slightly red. "I really can't handle spicy food that well." As if to prove something, Gu Yian raised his hand. "But I'll get used to it slowly."
Jiang Shiyue couldn't help but laugh. "Look how nervous you are. I didn't say anything!"
She gestured for Gu Yian to sit down. "Alright, hurry up and eat."
After a pause, she pointed to the basin on the side. "If you find it too spicy, you can drink some Mi Tang."
He had discovered yesterday that Jiang Shiyue's cooking was truly exceptional. Although it was numbing and spicy, it tasted even better than the dishes stir-fried by the chefs at the state-run restaurant, leaving a memorable aftertaste.
If he hadn't seen Jiang Shiyue cooking with his own eyes, he would have even suspected that someone else had made it and sent it over.
Even when he told Hu Tianyou yesterday that Jiang Shiyue could cook, Hu Tianyou had looked as if he'd seen a ghost and even suspected him of lying to protect Jiang Shiyue's reputation.
The long beans were dry-fried, and the flavor in one bite was simply incredible.
Gu Yian shoveled down two mouthfuls of rice. "Yueyue, I've discovered your cooking is really delicious, even better than the master chefs outside."
Jiang Shiyue felt a little smug. Of course it was. She had modern seasonings; how could those chefs outside compare to her skills?
But she still said modestly, "It's alright, just something I threw together."
After speaking, she looked up and asked, "Do you know why I don't let you cook?"
Gu Yian shook his head.
"Because your cooking isn't as good as mine."
Although what Jiang Shiyue said was the truth, it was still a bit of a heart-stab.