When Xiao Qin saw Zhou Jiajing carrying back a strip of pork, he could not help asking in surprise, “Officer Zhou, you know how to cook too?”
He often went in and out with Zhou Jiajing and knew that he usually ate either at the canteen or at restaurants outside. At home, the stove seemed to be cold year-round.
A trace of embarrassment flashed across Zhou Jiajing’s fair face. He cleared his throat lightly. “This was bought by Jiang… Lianyue.”
Jiang Lianyue nodded. “I bought it. Xiao Qin, you’ve worked hard driving me around these past two days. Come eat dinner at our place tonight.”
Xiao Qin came from a big family, but only he and his father worked. Life was tight, and they only got to eat meat during festivals. Hearing this, he was tempted, but he did not agree right away. Instead, he looked at Zhou Jiajing to see whether he had any objections.
Zhou Jiajing, of course, had none. He even immediately recalled the delicious egg pancake from that morning, and saliva was already starting to gather.
If Xiao Qin came over, Jiang Lianyue would definitely have him stay in the company. That meant he could eat along with them openly.
Thinking of this, Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. “You’ve been working hard these days. Come over and have a simple meal.”
“Then I won’t stand during the ceremony.” Xiao Qin grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth. “I’ll come taste Sister-in-law’s cooking.”
Jiang Lianyue smiled. “Tonight I’m making Dongpo pork. I guarantee you’ll eat happily.”
Zhou Jiajing quietly swallowed it.
If she said it was good, then it must be very good.
At this moment, he had completely forgotten that just a few hours earlier, he had sworn he would never eat anything Jiang Lianyue cooked again.
After they got home, Jiang Lianyue rolled up her sleeves and went straight into the kitchen.
After pouring water for Xiao Qin, Zhou Jiajing followed her in. “Do you need me to do anything?”
Jiang Lianyue glanced at him, then withdrew her gaze and tipped her chin toward the vegetables by the chopping board. “Can you pick vegetables?”
Since one strip of pork might not be enough for three adults, Jiang Lianyue had bought some water spinach and white flower greens along the way, planning to stir-fry one dish and make a soup.
Zhou Jiajing was one of Xiao Qin’s superiors. Xiao Qin could not sit still in the living room and poked his head in. “Officer Zhou, Sister-in-law, I can pick vegetables. I’ll do it.”
Zhou Jiajing picked up the water spinach and white flower greens. “We’ll do it outside.”
Jiang Lianyue nodded and turned back to her work. She first put the rice on to cook, then used another pot to boil water, adding scallions, ginger, garlic, and the washed pork belly to blanch it. As it cooked, she skimmed off the foam. Once the meat was done, she took it out and cut it into square pieces about two centimeters wide. She lined the bottom of the pot with ginger slices and scallions and garlic, added the pork belly, poured in soy sauce and white liquor, then tossed in star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon bark, sprinkled sugar over it, and let it simmer slowly.
After she finished these steps, Zhou Jiajing brought in two basins holding the water spinach and white flower greens and began washing them.
The kitchen was small. Amid the gurgling of boiling water, the fragrance of meat gradually spread from the pot. It was dinnertime, and the sound of vegetables hitting hot oil crackled everywhere. The smells of other households’ meals drifted in as well, yet Zhou Jiajing only smelled the gentle scent of the girl beside him.
Perhaps because she was often close to flowers, she carried a fragrance somewhere between jasmine and camellia. It smelled very pleasant, he thought.
Zhou Jiajing secretly glanced at the girl concentrating on the fire. The glow of the flames reflected on her face, casting a warm golden layer over her snow-white skin. She looked gentle and capable, with a homely grace that felt perfect for family life.
Unable to resist, he looked a little longer, and a phrase surfaced in his mind: graceful in the hall, capable in the kitchen.
After washing the vegetables, Zhou Jiajing left the kitchen with some reluctance.
In the living room, Xiao Qin was sweeping the floor with a broom. Zhou Jiajing looked at Jiang Lianyue busy in the kitchen, then at Xiao Qin bent over sweeping, and felt more and more like an outsider himself.
“You’re a guest. How can we let you do the chores?” Zhou Jiajing took the broom from Xiao Qin’s hands. He was the master of this house.
Xiao Qin looked at his now empty hands and retreated awkwardly to the side.
After Zhou Jiajing finished sweeping, he noticed Xiao Qin’s unease and quickly said, “Didn’t you say you wanted to study? I have some books in my room. See if there’s one you like. You can borrow it to take home.”
Xiao Qin followed him into the study, picked a book from the desk, and began reading seriously.
Zhou Jiajing casually picked up a book and sat beside him.
A few minutes later, Xiao Qin sniffed. It smells so good.
More than ten minutes later, Zhou Jiajing coughed lightly. So fragrant. I really want to eat.
Twenty minutes later, Xiao Qin could no longer focus on reading and said with a simple grin, “Officer Zhou, Sister-in-law’s cooking is amazing. It smells so good.”
Zhou Jiajing smiled and replied with forced composure, “It’s so-so.”
“You’re really blessed.” People loved to be modest, and Xiao Qin did not take Zhou Jiajing’s words seriously. He spoke with genuine envy.
Zhou Jiajing once again thought of the egg pancake from the morning. He really was quite blessed.
“You’re blessed today too.”
Hearing this, Xiao Qin grinned broadly. “Yes, I’m blessed today too.”
They looked at each other for a moment, then both burst into laughter. Neither of them could read anymore. In the smell of this mouthwatering, anyone who could still concentrate on a book either had no sense of smell or something wrong with their head.
After laughing, Zhou Jiajing said, “Come on, let’s go see if your sister-in-law is done.”
The two of them left the study and went to the kitchen door, craning their heads to look inside.
The big iron pot was covered with a bamboo lid. Steam drifted out through the gaps, fragrant enough to make one swallow reflexively.
Jiang Lianyue was turning off the fire. The rice was done.
She was about to lift the pot off the stove when a fair hand reached out beside her. “I’ll do it.”
Jiang Lianyue stepped back and gave the space to Zhou Jiajing.
Standing so close, the gentle fragrance on the girl’s body cut straight through the rich smell of food and entered Zhou Jiajing’s nose. He quietly held his breath.
They were only husband and wife in name. He had to keep propriety.
Jiang Lianyue lifted the lid to take a look. “I’ll stir-fry the vegetables and make the soup. We can eat in ten minutes.”
There was not enough time, and the cookware and ingredients were limited, so Jiang Lianyue made an adapted version of Dongpo pork. Instead of simmering it for two hours, she only cooked it until the meat was tender and well flavored.
Zhou Jiajing felt his ears suddenly burn. Rushing in like this made him look as though he were starving.
He glanced at Jiang Lianyue in embarrassment.
She did not look at him. Instead, she turned to pick up a bowl and spatula, preparing to dish out the Dongpo pork.
Seeing that he could not help much, Zhou Jiajing returned to the living room to set out the table and chairs.
Xiao Qin helped as well. The two of them quickly moved the dining table to the center of the living room and set out the bowls and chopsticks.
Before long, Jiang Lianyue carried out a bowl of fragrant Dongpo pork. Zhou Jiajing hurried forward to take it and placed it on the table.
Jiang Lianyue went back to the kitchen to continue working. Zhou Jiajing and Xiao Qin stared at the steaming Dongpo pork, swallowing again and again.
The pork belly, cut into neat cubes, was arranged tidily in a white sea bowl. Its glossy red color and rich aroma made mouths water.
“Officer Zhou, Sister-in-law’s cooking is even better than a big restaurant chef’s,” Xiao Qin said.
Zhou Jiajing nodded. “It really is better than what restaurants make outside.”
That was the truth, and he had to admit it.
Jiang Lianyue moved quickly. Not long after, she brought out a plate of water spinach. Ten minutes later, dinner officially began.
“Sister-in-law, your cooking is amazing. Just looking at these dishes makes me hungry,” Xiao Qin praised with a smile.
Zhou Jiajing’s gaze followed Xiao Qin’s words to the table. The Dongpo pork was a rich, glossy red. The water spinach was bright and fresh. In the white flower greens and egg soup, the greens were vivid, and the egg flowers were either snowy white or golden yellow. It truly was irresistible.
Jiang Lianyue curved her lips slightly. “Then eat more.”
Zhou Jiajing and Xiao Qin had been thinking about it for a long time. They both lifted their bowls and quickly took a mouthful of rice, but neither of them immediately reached for the dishes. Instead, they looked at Jiang Lianyue and waited for her to take the first bite.
She noticed their behavior and nodded inwardly. At least they had some conscience and knew she had worked hard cooking.
Without ceremony, Jiang Lianyue picked up a piece of Dongpo pork and put it into her mouth. Zhou Jiajing and Xiao Qin immediately followed suit.
The glossy pork entered his mouth, and Zhou Jiajing’s eyes widened instantly. The meat was rich and flavorful, savory with a hint of sweetness. The layers of taste were unlike anything he had ever eaten.
“Sister-in-law, it’s so good. It tastes even better than it looks.” Xiao Qin quickly swallowed a piece and praised, “I almost swallowed my tongue just now.”
The blunt compliment made Jiang Lianyue laugh. “If it’s good, then eat more.”
Zhou Jiajing paused mid-chew and shot Xiao Qin a look.
Who would have thought that someone who usually looked so honest and dull could be this slick with words?
Zhou Jiajing chewed the Dongpo pork fiercely. Seeing that Xiao Qin had already started on the water spinach, he hurriedly swallowed, unwilling to fall behind, and reached for the greens as well.
The fresh aroma of the water spinach mixed with garlic. As he ate, Zhou Jiajing thought that with just this one plate of greens, he could easily eat two bowls of rice.
After that, Zhou Jiajing no longer had the leisure to glare at Xiao Qin. He lowered his head and focused on eating, because if he was any slower, Xiao Qin would finish all the dishes.
More than ten minutes later, only three empty bowls remained on the table. Even the soup had been drunk completely.
Xiao Qin rubbed his stomach and sighed in satisfaction. “I’m so full.”
Zhou Jiajing shot him a sidelong glance. After eating four bowls of rice, how could he not be full?
He had worked at the machinery factory for three years and gone to the countryside with Xiao Qin hundreds of times. He had eaten at the same table with him so many times and still had not known that Xiao Qin’s appetite was this big.
Feeling Zhou Jiajing’s gaze turned a little cool, Xiao Qin restrained his relaxed expression slightly. He stood up and began clearing the bowls. “Sister-in-law worked hard. I’ll wash the dishes.”
Here it came again. He was the master of this house.
Zhou Jiajing reached out and pressed down on the bowl in Xiao Qin’s hands, smiling. “I’ll do it. You’re a guest. How can we let you do the chores?”
Xiao Qin would never dare let his superior wash dishes for him. He held on to the bowl and would not let go. “Officer Zhou, I’m used to doing this at home. If I just sit around, I’ll feel uncomfortable.”
Watching the two grown men stiffen over who would wash the dishes, Jiang Lianyue curved her lips slightly.
In the Lingnan region, women really did have relatively high status. Two grown men argued as a matter of course and with perfect confidence, without the slightest intention of letting Jiang Lianyue wash the dishes.
“Xiao Qin, sit down. I have something I want to ask you.” Seeing that they had been at a stalemate for two minutes with neither convincing the other, Jiang Lianyue spoke up.
This time, Jiang Lianyue sided with Zhou Jiajing. There was no other reason. He was right. It really was not appropriate to let a guest wash the dishes.
As soon as Xiao Qin heard that Jiang Lianyue wanted to ask him something, he immediately let go of the bowls, sat down, straightened his back, and said, “Sister-in-law, ask away. If I know it, I’ll definitely tell you everything.”