The room was dimly lit, and outside the window the rain was still falling in a steady drizzle.
Cheng Baozhu suddenly sat up, startling Xu Chuan badly.
He quickly patted her back in reassurance. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. It’s just muffled thunder, there’s not even a hint of lightning.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than a sharp crack sounded outside, followed by another peal of thunder.
Well… there really wasn’t any lightning visible in the room.
Cheng Baozhu was still a little dazed. When she came back to her senses, she turned to stare at Xu Chuan.
She hesitated, unsure whether she should tell him—
Actually… I have a system too.
She guessed Xu Chuan might be so shocked he wouldn’t be able to sleep.
Logically speaking, when Xu Chuan encountered his system, he hadn’t hidden it from her but had openly told her everything. So she should also be honest with him.
The reason she hadn’t confessed before was because she didn’t rely on the system to learn cooking, so it didn’t seem necessary to say anything. But from now on, she would be learning medicinal cuisine through the system, and it would likely be impossible to hide it from Xu Chuan.
They were husband and wife, living together. They spent the most time with each other and were the most sensitive to each other’s changes. Unless Cheng Baozhu only learned casually and never put that knowledge to use, Xu Chuan would notice sooner or later.
Just like how she could clearly feel that Xu Chuan’s cooking skills were improving almost by the day.
If she could notice it so easily, how could Xu Chuan, who was naturally far more perceptive, not notice her?
Back when Xu Chuan hadn’t bought her Liuyi Pagoda Candy from Lao Ban, she hadn’t even dared to secretly exchange points in the system for candy.
Because Xu Chuan kept track of how much candy he gave her, even knowing how many pieces she had eaten. That was why she still hadn’t dared to redeem the strawberry cake in the system that was about to return to its original price.
Life was too hard for her!
Yet when it came to confessing to Xu Chuan, she still didn’t quite want to.
Cheng Baozhu wished she could smack her own head. She really was too conflicted and annoying; she simply wasn’t as straightforward as Xu Chuan.
Her father had always said that one must always have something to rely on, must never reveal all one’s trump cards to others, and must never place hope in someone else’s character.
Her father had always hoped she would inherit his position, yet also feared she might marry a scheming man, so she had heard these words countless times and taken them deeply to heart.
Though Cheng Baozhu was somewhat pampered, she was also good at preparing for the worst when it truly mattered.
To be precise, she was actually something of a pessimist.
Outside, dark clouds churned in the night sky.
“Crackle—”
The rain suddenly intensified, beating fiercely against everything it could strike.
The wind and rain were kept at bay by the walls and door, leaving the room in quiet stillness.
Under the lamplight, Xu Chuan saw Cheng Baozhu’s conflicted expression. Her eyelashes fluttered as she stared at him, clearly lost in thought.
“What’s wrong? Do you have something to tell me?” he asked.
Cheng Baozhu blurted out instinctively, “No.”
Xu Chuan looked suspicious. “Really?”
With a stiff face, she insisted, “Really.”
He believed her even less. Turning her face toward him, he examined her closely and said, “Your eyes are telling me you’re lying.”
Cheng Baozhu pressed her lips together, her almond-shaped eyes wide and her cheeks puffed, refusing to speak.
Xu Chuan thought for a moment. “If you’re hiding something from me, it must be important. And it has to do with me…”
Cheng Baozhu: !
He continued slowly, “We haven’t been married long, and there aren’t that many things between us. You’re also acting guilty…”
Cheng Baozhu: !!
“You wouldn’t be—”
A sudden impulse surged through her. Before he could finish, she pulled his hand away and seized the moment to lean forward and kiss him.
Silence!
Dead silence!
It was as if the world had stopped. Even the sound of rain vanished from their senses. The earthen house felt like a sealed vacuum, enclosing them completely.
The only thing they could feel was the softness of each other’s lips and their mingling breaths.
“Pop—”
The light bulb made a faint sound, and at the same time, the room plunged into darkness.
Xu Chuan should have checked what had happened, yet he had no time to care. His mind seemed to have short-circuited, leaving only instinct guiding him as he slowly moved his hand onto Cheng Baozhu’s body, wanting to pull her closer.
Their lips pressed together, rubbing gently. Just as Xu Chuan leaned in further and placed his hand at the back of her head, Cheng Baozhu suddenly pulled away.
She let out a small gasp, then kicked him aside and flopped onto the bed, pulling the blanket over herself completely.
Under the blanket, her eyes were tightly shut, her eyelashes trembling. If there had been light, one would see her fair face flushed red.
Xu Chuan was no different.
For some reason, he was extremely grateful that the light bulb had broken at that exact moment. Even a second or two later, his flushed face would have been exposed, revealing that his composure was nothing but a pretense.
Looking at Cheng Baozhu wrapped up like a cocoon, Xu Chuan couldn’t help but laugh.
“Baozhu, Baozhu.”
He set his book aside, leaned down, and called softly by her head.
His voice was unbelievably gentle, as if soaked in honey. “Baozhu, come out, don’t suffocate yourself.”
“I’m not suffocating,” she replied in a muffled voice.
His heart softened instantly. She was just too adorable.
He really wanted to hold her again… and kiss her again.
“Not suffocating?” Xu Chuan said as he reached to lift the blanket. “Then I’ll come try it too.”
Cheng Baozhu: !!!
“Xu Chuan, you—you can’t do that!” she cried, arching her body to push him away. “You’re so shameless. How can you lift a girl’s blanket?”
“What?” Xu Chuan had already slipped into the dark blanket. As one tried to get in and the other tried to escape, the blanket rose and fell like waves.
“A girl’s blanket can’t be lifted, but my wife’s blanket can, right?” he said.
“No, no! I’m ticklish, don’t touch my waist…”
Cheng Baozhu was sweating all over as she quickly pulled the blanket off her head, gasping like a fish out of water.
Xu Chuan’s breathing was just as unsteady. It took considerable effort for him to finally hold her in his arms.
Her body was soft and fragrant, and he didn’t want to let go.
“Don’t worry, I’ll just hold you,” he said, kissing her temple softly. “You were already sleepy earlier, go to sleep.”
Cheng Baozhu snorted lightly and pinched his waist. When he hissed in pain, she finally smiled.
The night stretched on.
The couple fell into a deep sleep and once again entered their respective systems.
Xu Chuan was still deeply affected by that kiss. After entering the space, he sat blankly in a corner for a long time. By the time the system thought the smile on his lips might freeze, he finally stood up to begin studying.
System: …
Over the past few days, he had already mastered zenggao. As for strange-flavor chicken and sponge cake, he had become extremely proficient. He had even practiced knife skills and heat control to the point where he could slice potatoes into perfectly even shreds with his eyes closed, each strand as fine as a needle in water.
But now that the beginner’s bonus period had passed, he had to follow the system’s teaching plan.
He had originally wanted to learn braised dishes today, but he had to follow the system’s arrangement.
So what would he learn?
Various styles of braised pork.
Braised pork was a dish found both in the north and south, with several variations such as Benbang-style, Su-style, and Mao-style braised pork.
The methods were largely similar, yet the subtle differences created distinct flavors.
The foundation of every good braised pork dish lay in selecting the right cut of pork.
Xu Chuan first followed the intelligent instructor to learn meat selection. He examined hundreds of types of pork, studied various cuts, and even slaughtered ten pigs under guidance.
Ten whole pigs!
For quite a while afterward, his mind was filled with the sound of pigs squealing.
The best cut for braised pork was fresh pork belly with clear layers of fat and lean meat, especially the section near the front leg and lower belly. This cut was perfectly balanced, rich but not greasy, tender yet not dry.
Time in the system felt abstract, easy to lose track of.
Xu Chuan now counted by how many times he entered the consciousness relaxation machine. This time, he remembered entering it six times.
“Benbang-style braised pork requires a long cooking time. For optimal results with this size of meat, it’s best to simmer for about two and a half hours…”
The intelligent instructor, indistinguishable from a real person, patiently explained every detail.
Xu Chuan had already completed the lessons and made several excellent dishes. Now, Benbang-style braised pork was the final one.
He followed the key points carefully, cutting the pork into suitable chunks, blanching them in water with yellow wine, then washing them and placing them back into the pan to render some fat.
Once the surface turned lightly golden, he added yellow wine to bring out the aroma and soy sauce for color.
He remained calm and steady. Over the past few days, he had learned that the more impatient he was, the more likely the dish would fail.
He didn’t fully understand how the system graded dishes. To him, there seemed little difference between “good” and “excellent.”
But gradually, he began to understand.
When he cooked in a good mood, with steady emotions and complete control, he could create excellent dishes, even without strictly following every step.
The aroma of yellow wine rose from the pan. After adding water to cover the meat and bringing it to a boil, he transferred everything to a clay pot, added scallions and ginger, and let it simmer over low heat.
After two hours, he opened the lid, added rock sugar, and gently reduced the sauce.
A perfect Benbang-style braised pork was complete.
The dish glistened with a rich, reddish glaze, the large chunks of meat coated in a glossy sheen, both enticing and fragrant.
[Ding, congratulations to the host for producing an excellent Benbang-style braised pork. Reward: +4 points.]
The system’s flat electronic voice sounded, and Xu Chuan let out a long breath.
He had made six types of braised pork today, each earning four points. Including the smaller rewards from learning meat selection and slaughtering pigs, he had earned a total of 30 points tonight.
Combined with previous days, his total had reached 72 points.
Xu Chuan was satisfied. In another day or two, he could afford a whisk, and maybe even buy two chickens.
Meanwhile—
After sending Xu Chuan out, Cheng Baozhu remained in her system space.
Learning medicinal cuisine was different from cooking. Before that, she had to study theory.
At this moment, she was immersed in lessons from the medical system’s intelligent instructor.
She finally understood the meaning of Note 4. The system could not actively guide hosts into studying medicinal cuisine because once they started, they would realize how many points it required.
Naturally, the system wanted hosts to spend more points, so restrictions were put in place.
Although studying medicinal cuisine alone didn’t cost points, once you learned medicine, you couldn’t just focus on cooking. Otherwise, you’d only become someone who made medicinal meals, not a true practitioner.
To prepare medicinal dishes for others, you first had to diagnose their condition, determine the appropriate herbs, and decide whether additional treatments like acupuncture were needed.
Learning pulse diagnosis, acupuncture, and related skills all required points.
The class Cheng Baozhu was taking now was Basic Traditional Medicine, costing five points per session.
“Whoosh—” went the sound of her points disappearing.
Gone…
She cried inwardly. The strawberry cake she had been longing for was probably out of reach now…
System: …
You should be grateful that this class charges by session rather than time.
As long as she stayed in class, she only needed to pay five points. That was why she had remained for so long, even after Xu Chuan had left.
To keep her from quitting, the system had even placed the consciousness relaxation machine in the classroom, allowing her to experience the “womb-like” state Xu Chuan had described.
With its help, she managed to complete half a textbook.
After passing the instructor’s evaluation, she finally reached the medicinal cuisine section.
The instructor became noticeably more detailed here, explaining not only the techniques but also the real-world development and perspectives on medicinal cuisine.
“Medicinal cuisine is first and foremost food, not medicine. While it has therapeutic properties, it must also satisfy the color, aroma, taste, and presentation of food…”
Cheng Baozhu nodded while taking notes, her pen moving diligently.
“The origin of medicinal cuisine in your world likely dates back to ancient times, when people recognized the concept of food and medicine sharing the same source…”
She listened briefly, then set down her pen.
Seeing her upright posture and serious attitude, the system felt slightly relieved, though still worried.
How long would she keep this up?
Three days?
Hopefully! But it had to make her persist for 21 days, because studies suggested that 21 days could form a habit.
Unaware of the system’s doubts, Cheng Baozhu continued studying until she felt she had gotten her points’ worth, then waved for the system to send her out.
The couple slept until morning.
The system couldn’t help but marvel. It was truly remarkable—these two, brought together, perfectly fulfilled the conditions for unlocking the medicinal cuisine feature.
Xu Chuan provided the points and the prerequisite conditions.
Cheng Baozhu spent the points and studied medicinal cuisine.
The two of them really had stumbled into it by sheer luck.