Chen Yuancheng instructed Ling Qi: "Have a few people quietly escort Miss Xiao until she meets up with her villagers and leaves the city together."
Ling Qi responded and left. Chen Yuancheng then had the dishes Xiao Yunying had prepared brought to his courtyard.
Because he suffers from asthma, he cannot eat many things. He does not want his family to eat those tasteless meals with him because of his condition, so he eats alone in the yard.
His second sister and third brother often come over to have meals with him, saying they're tired of eating too much rich food and want to change things up.
He knew in his heart that she was just worried he would be lonely and came to keep him company.
Yuan Xuan came yesterday, so it should be Yuan Yao today.
Back in his own courtyard, sure enough, his second sister had come and was waiting for him there early in the morning.
"Brother, where have you been? Why are you only just returning? Did you leave the manor?"
"I went to check the kitchen."
After the maidservants set out the meal, Chen Yuanyao asked in surprise, "Brother, didn't the doctor say you shouldn't eat fish and shrimp?"
"You can eat a little, it's not that you can't eat anything at all."
"Why is there a piece missing from this fish?"
"I tried a piece in the kitchen, and it tasted good. You should try it."
Chen Yuanyao didn't say anything more. Her older brother had finally decided to eat something, and she didn't want to spoil his fun.
Chen Yuanyao picked up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up: "Sweet and sour fish? It's so delicious! Big brother, did the new chef make this?"
"It was made by... a girl who delivered the snow fungus, not our cook."
Chen Yuanyao then tasted the Longjing Shrimp: "Brother, you'll definitely like this dish."
"The taste is good."
The fact that her elder brother said "not bad" meant that the dish really suited his taste. Chen Yuanyao said, "Brother, do you know who this girl is? Her cooking skills are so good, why don't we invite her to cook for us?"
"She... probably won't agree."
Although he had only met her twice, he felt that she was definitely not a woman who liked to be bound by rules, and that she would not agree to be a cook in the Chen family.
Besides, the cook's monthly salary isn't much; it's not even enough for her to pick a few snow fungus plants.
Chen Yuanyao's mind raced: "Brother, from what you're saying, it seems you're quite familiar with this girl who's cooking."
Chen Yuancheng glanced at his sister indifferently: "Don't you dare talk nonsense in front of Grandmother, do you hear me? Hurry up and eat, and don't say anything."
Chen Yuanyao stuck out her tongue and focused intently on eating the delicious food.
Chen Yuancheng had a small appetite; he was full after eating only half a bowl of rice and a small amount of vegetables. Most of the vegetables ended up in Chen Yuanyao's stomach, making her so full that she kept rubbing her belly.
Chen Yuancheng said with disdain, "Look at the way you look."
"The food is so delicious!"
Chen Yuancheng took a sip of tea: "Next year you'll be fifteen, it'll be time to look for someone to marry. Be mindful of your words and actions."
"I don't want to get married so early. Besides, there are no outsiders here, so my brother won't tell anyone, right?"
Chen Yuancheng shook his head helplessly. He didn't know who his sister took after in terms of personality, and he often wondered if she was born with the wrong gender and should have been a younger brother.
Chen Yuanyao rubbed her stomach for a while, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt she couldn't give up on this girl with superb cooking skills: "Brother, what's the name of the girl who cooks? What does she do?"
"Her surname is Xiao, and her given name is Yunying. The snow fungus that Grandmother gave you these past two days was brought by her."
"Brother, I haven't seen you eat so much food in a long time. If you have the chance, ask that girl if she would like to come to our house as a cook."
"You're the one who wanted to eat it, right?"
Chen Yuanyao readily admitted, "The food is indeed delicious. You can ask her. It's okay if you get rejected; what if she agrees?"
Chen Yuancheng was somewhat tempted and relented: "Next time we meet... I'll ask her."
Chen Yuanyao's big eyes darted around. Sure enough, her older brother was never one to care about food or drink, let alone want to meet any girl.
He would avoid girls like the plague on ordinary days, let alone remember their names.
A girl whose name his older brother remembers and who is thinking about seeing again must have taken a liking to him.
Chen Yuanyao was as excited as if she had discovered a big secret. No, she had to tell her mother and grandmother.
"Big brother, I forgot I have something to do. I'll go back now and come visit you again later."
Chen Yuancheng's hand trembled as he poured the tea: "Go on, but don't come back unless it's absolutely necessary."
Chen Yuanyao rushed out in a hurry, and Chen Yuancheng couldn't help but remind her, "What's the rush? Slow down."
"Okay."
Before he finished speaking, Chen Yuanyao had already disappeared from sight.
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