Yun Jingxing carefully picked up a piece of pork with his chopsticks.
The meat quivered slightly between them, glistening with an enticing sheen. As he took a gentle bite, the springy texture of the skin and the tenderness of the meat blended perfectly together. Rich juices burst forth, sweet and savory at once, fragrant without being greasy. As he chewed, the aroma of the pork and sauce danced across his tongue, making him close his eyes in enjoyment.
“It’s just ordinary pork belly, yet it can taste this incredible?”
While their father was still marveling in amazement, Yun Qingyuan, the second son, had already turned his attention to the chopped chili fish head.
Under the lamplight, the dish shimmered with a glossy layer of oil. The vibrant red chilies contrasted beautifully with the white flesh of the fish, creating an irresistible sight. The fish was delightfully firm and tender, its freshness unfolding slowly on the tongue before the fiery heat of the chopped chilies followed close behind, stimulating every taste bud. The delicate fish and the fragrant spice complemented each other perfectly, creating layers of flavor with every bite.
How blissful!
To have a daughter who was beautiful, intelligent, and capable of creating such extraordinary delicacies—what more could one ask for in life?
That meal brought both physical satisfaction and emotional fulfillment to the entire family.
After dinner, Yun Qingyi returned to her courtyard and sat on the swing to aid her digestion, already planning what dishes she would make the next day. It was then that her second brother arrived.
When their eldest brother had still been living at home, Yun Qingyi had always followed him around like a little tail. Whenever she was upset, she would only let him comfort her, and he always knew exactly how to cheer her up. Now that he had been assigned to an official post outside the capital, their second brother finally had the chance to step into that role.
Every day after work, Yun Qingyuan would get out of his carriage at the marketplace and walk the rest of the way home, always bringing back some trinket or fresh fruit that his little sister liked. Once home, he would chat with her, share amusing stories and interesting news from outside, and only when he saw her smiling happily did he feel his day was complete.
Today was no different.
Like a magician, he produced a large pear.
“Xuanxuan, look! What do you think this is?”
A snow pear!
Each pear was as large as a small melon—a rare sight even in the modern world.
Such fine pears could be turned into countless delicious treats.
Stewed pears, pear syrup, steamed pears, fresh juice, even pear wine…
As long as the fruit was good, the possibilities were endless.
Yun Qingyi’s mind was completely occupied with recipes. She exchanged only a few distracted words with her brother before drifting off into thought.
Yun Qingyuan shook his head affectionately. Signaling Shuiling not to disturb her, he quietly left.
The next morning, just as her father and brother were preparing to leave for work, Yun Qingyi stopped them.
“Father, Brother, your duties are demanding every day. I don’t have many talents, but I’ve prepared some food for you.”
As she spoke, Shuiling handed two food boxes to their attendants.
Because they left home early every morning, father and son rarely had time to sit down for breakfast. Most days, they simply made do with plain porridge and pickled vegetables.
Receiving carefully prepared meals from Yun Qingyi came as a delightful surprise.
When Yun Jingxing arrived at his office and opened his food box, he found steaming hot roujiamo—Chinese braised pork sandwiches—and a bowl of savory soy milk.
The previous evening, Yun Qingyi had noticed how much her father enjoyed the braised pork belly, so she had gotten up early to prepare another pot. She selected two pieces with the perfect balance of lean meat and fat for the sandwiches.
The bread was baked to a crisp golden brown, releasing an irresistible aroma that nearly intoxicated Yun Jingxing.
He took a bite.
With a satisfying crunch, the crust cracked open to reveal the tender braised pork inside. The soft interior of the bread had soaked up the rich meat juices, creating a wonderful contrast between the succulent filling, the flavorful crumb, and the crispy outer shell.
The savory soy milk was equally delicious.
The soybeans, soaked overnight until plump and full, had been freshly ground and boiled before being seasoned with soy sauce, dried shrimp, and diced pickled mustard greens.
One sip was deeply savory and utterly satisfying.
Yun Jingxing had just enjoyed the most luxurious breakfast of his life.
Only after finishing the last mouthful of soy milk did he notice the envious looks from his colleagues.
“Minister Yun, what was that you were eating just now? It smelled incredible!”
Yun Jingxing finally regained some composure.
“It was simply a little homemade breakfast prepared by my daughter out of filial devotion. Nothing special, nothing special.”
Ordinarily, everyone at the ministry grabbed a quick bite in the morning without much thought.
But happiness is relative—and so is misery.
Because Minister Yun had “casually” enjoyed such an extraordinary breakfast, the entire office’s productivity suffered for the rest of the morning. Everyone kept wondering the same thing:
How could breakfast at the Yun residence smell so good?
Yun Qingyuan’s food box was different from his father’s.
Inside were steamed soup dumplings and a bowl of rock sugar stewed pear.
During dinner the previous night, Yun Qingyi had noticed that compared to meat, her second brother preferred fish and lighter flavors. Rather than rich, heavy dishes, he enjoyed fresh and delicate tastes.
And since he had brought her those snow pears the day before, she wanted to return the kindness with a sweet treat.
Yun Qingyuan picked up a steaming soup dumpling with his chopsticks.
Through the paper-thin wrapper, he could see the broth gently swaying inside.
He carefully bit a small opening and sipped the rich soup, warm and comforting with its savory meat flavor and the fresh fragrance of ginger and scallions.
Taking another bite, he savored the tender filling and the chewy wrapper.
Every mouthful was pure delight.
The dumplings were kept hot, while the stewed pear remained pleasantly warm. Yun Qingyi had thoughtfully packed them in separate layers to preserve their best flavors.
The translucent pear pieces floated in amber-colored syrup.
Yun Qingyuan lifted a piece with his spoon. It trembled delicately.
As he placed it in his mouth, the refreshing coolness instantly dispelled the morning heat. The delicate texture of the pear blended perfectly with the sweetness of the rock sugar. Juicy yet not cloying, it carried a subtle fruity fragrance.
As he chewed gently, the pear fibers released their sweetness little by little, soothing his palate with every bite.
As the pear melted away, the sweetness of the rock sugar lingered, spreading across his tongue.
Yun Qingyuan couldn’t help but close his eyes in enjoyment.
At that moment, it felt as though all his worries had dissolved along with the sweet juice.
He had always doted on his younger sister.
Now, he had one more reason to spoil her.
“Qingyuan, what kind of soup are you drinking? Judging by that expression, it must be delicious.”
The speaker was Wei Yuheng, who was the same age as Yun Qingyuan. They had passed the imperial examinations in the same year and now served together at the Hanlin Academy, making them close friends as well as colleagues.
Wei Yuheng’s intentions were obvious.
He wasn’t merely asking—he wanted a taste.
The soup dumplings had already filled Yun Qingyuan about eighty percent full, so he was happy to share.
“My little sister made this pear soup fresh this morning. Brother Wei, would you like to try some?”
“In that case, I shall gladly accept your generosity.”
Wei Yuheng took the bowl and praised Yun Qingyuan repeatedly as he drank, saying how fortunate he was to have such a talented and thoughtful sister.
His compliments pleased Yun Qingyuan immensely.
“My sister has always been clever. What’s even more precious is how thoughtful she is toward our family.”
Whether she cooked or not, he would always cherish her.
In the past, although Yun Qingyi had been beautiful, she could only smile foolishly. Once, a fellow scholar had remarked, “What a pity.”
Hearing the disdain hidden behind those words, Yun Qingyuan had cut off all contact with him from that day forward.
Wei Yuheng, hoping to become closer friends with Yun Qingyuan, knew well that he adored his sister. Today, he had finally found the perfect opportunity to praise her.
“Qingyuan, you’re truly blessed. With a sister like yours, your meals must be a delight.”
As he spoke, he carefully saved the remaining half bowl of pear soup to take home to his wife, joking that she should learn a thing or two from Yun Qingyi instead of being so clumsy in the kitchen.
By the end of breakfast, both Yun Qingyuan’s pride and his appetite had been thoroughly satisfied.
As he returned to work, he was already planning what treats he would bring home for his little sister that evening. He intended to spoil her even more.