Chapter 36: Chen Zhaoyue: The marriage report has not been approved yet, so I will still call you uncle.
Chen Zhaoyue was standing in front of the stove at this moment, holding an enamel basin filled with washed rice.
“…” She was looking at the big black iron pot with worry, and her delicate eyebrows were twisted into small pimples.
The firewood in the stove was smoking languidly, and the water in the pot hadn't boiled yet.
There were no electric rice cookers in those days, so people had to cook rice in a large iron pot using firewood.
She had asked Johnny to light the fire for her in advance, but considering that she didn't know when Wen Yanxi would come back from training, Chen Zhaoyue didn't dare to let Johnny stay outside all the time.
"The ratio of rice to water..." she muttered softly, stretching out her slender fingers and gesturing in the basin: "Is it still useful to measure with your fingers?"
He looked so serious, as if he was studying some scientific experiment.
Although she had a wealth of theoretical knowledge (after all, she had watched many period dramas), this was her first time doing something in practice, and she didn't expect to encounter difficulties right at the beginning.
Wen Yanxi stood at the door, silent for two seconds, and then said, "...What are you doing?"
"Ah..." Chen Zhaoyue was so frightened that the enamel basin in his hand fell into the pot with a clang.
"Oh," Chen Zhaoyue subconsciously reached out to grab it: "My rice!"
Wen Yanxi frowned, took a step forward, and held her wrist tightly with his big hand.
"Don't move!" His voice was a little lower than usual, with unquestionable strength.
The water in the pot had obviously been boiling for a while. If she just put her hand in, she would definitely get burned given her delicate skin.
In fact, Chen Zhaoyue had reacted as soon as she stretched out her hand. The big pot with hot smoke reminded her of the temperature inside. It was just a conditioned reflex after something fell. She would not really put her hand in to pick up the rice.
But at this moment she found that her wrist was still tightly held by Wen Yanxi.
The man's palm was broad and strong, with a thin layer of calluses on it. The temperature was so high that the place where she was held seemed to be burning. The temperature of this man's palm seemed to be no lower than the boiling water in the pot...
In addition, Wen Yanxi was behind her, almost holding her in his arms.
“Thank you…” Shen Zhaoyue held her breath unconsciously, feeling her pulse beating rapidly under his fingertips.
Wen Yanxi seemed to realize something and quickly let go of his hand, with the tips of his ears flushed.
He turned his head, picked up the chopsticks next to the stove, and fished out the enamel basin with swift movements.
The water droplets splashed on the stove, making a "hissing" sound.
"I won't really go and fish it out. I'm not that stupid." Chen Zhaoyue whispered, her cheeks flushed slightly, perhaps because of the stove fire or something else.
She looked down at her wrist, which seemed to still retain the warmth of the man's palm.
“…” He felt that this Miss Jiaojiao was really that stupid.
Wen Yanxi's eyes swept over the amount of water in the pot, which was enough to cook three meals of porridge, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
He had long known that Chen Zhaoyue was the eldest daughter of a capitalist, but he didn't expect that she couldn't even cook the most basic thing.
If she were left alone at home...
Wen Yanxi frowned slightly, and an absurd thought suddenly flashed through his mind: Could this young lady really starve herself to death?
"You don't have to do this," he said helplessly, his voice a little softer than usual.
"?" Chen Zhaoyue turned around after hearing that. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window, casting a warm glow on her face.
But at this moment, there was a wet grain of rice on her forehead, and she didn't know when it got there.
Although she looked a little embarrassed, her eyes were shining: "I want to try cooking, but I don't know how to use the things you have here."
Wen Yanxi's gaze lingered on her forehead, which was stained with rice grains, for a moment. His fingers hanging by his side moved unconsciously, and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes: "You..."
"Why don't you teach me? I can learn!" Chen Zhaoyue was completely unaware of his strangeness and took a step closer with great interest.
The hot air she exhaled as she spoke gently brushed past Wen Yanxi's ears, carrying with it the faint herbal scent that was unique to her.
Wen Yanxi's Adam's apple rolled unconsciously, and the words he was about to say suddenly got stuck in his throat.
He raised his hand and accidentally brushed the back of her hand, and both of them were startled.
Chen Zhaoyue wanted to make room and take a step back, but the kitchen was not big to begin with, and Wen Yanxi, who was tall and strong, had already taken up a lot of space. She accidentally stepped on his shoes.
"I'm sorry." Having stepped on someone, Chen Zhaoyue quickly jumped away and tried to shrink to the side so as not to get in the way.
"..." Wen Yanxi didn't say anything, but just reached out and gently brushed away the rice grains on her forehead. "You've never done it before, so there's no need to force it."
Wen Yanxi was also mentally prepared. After all, Chen Zhaoyue had warned him last night that she couldn't do housework, so he wouldn't be angry even if he saw Chen Zhaoyue sitting on the sofa doing nothing when he got home.
Not to mention, she actually said that she "can learn".
For him, the little girl actually wanted to learn how to cook...
Wen Yanxi suddenly felt warm in his heart.
The kitchen was suddenly so quiet that the only sounds left were the crackling of firewood and the sound of water gradually boiling in the pot.
"The water is boiling." Seeing Yan Xi not saying anything, Chen Zhaoyue was the first to break the silence.
Looking at the rice grains bubbling in the pot, she wondered whether she needed to stir it. She also wondered if this iron pot would stick.
"I'll take care of this." Wen Yanxi looked away again, his face calm, but his ears were now red as if dripping blood.
"I can help." Shen Zhaoyue raised his hand actively.
Wen Yanxi glanced at Chen Zhaoyue's fair and delicate hands, the fingertips of which were faintly pink, and it was obvious that she had never done any work.
"No need," he retracted his gaze, his tone unquestionable: "I'll cook from now on!"
"oh……"
Chen Zhaoyue did not insist and stood aside and watched obediently.
Are you so chauvinistic?
That’s great!
It was the first time she saw someone cooking in a big iron pot, and she stared at it without blinking.
Wen Yanxi rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong arms. His muscle lines rose and fell slightly as he added firewood and washed rice, full of power.
The firelight from the stove shone on his sharply defined profile. Chen Zhaoyue was lost in thought. After a moment's thought, she suddenly asked, "Have you reported your marriage?"
"Not yet." Wen Yanxi continued adding water to the pot. "It will take some time. We need to review it."
"Oh." Chen Zhaoyue nodded, his eyes turned, and suddenly a sly smile appeared on his face.
She took a step closer and spoke in a soft, southern accent, "Since you haven't passed yet, I'll just call you Uncle~"
She pronounced the last word over and over again, with the ending tone rising and an indescribable playfulness.
The ladle in Wen Yanxi's hand paused obviously, and a few drops of water splashed onto the stove, making a "hissing" sound.
He turned his head and met Chen Zhaoyue's smiling eyes.
Those lively eyes were particularly bright in the firelight, as if they were filled with tiny starlight.
Wen Yanxi's Adam's apple moved slightly, and he suddenly felt that the stove fire seemed to be burning too strongly, and the air around him became hot.
"Uncle~" Shen Zhaoyue deliberately dragged out the ending tone, tilting her head like a cunning kitten: "When can we eat?"
She blinked playfully, her thick eyelashes casting a shadow in the firelight.
Wen Yanxi's grip on the spatula tightened slightly, and his knuckles turned white.
The flame in the stove suddenly "crackled" and exploded into a spark, which made his ears red.
He turned his head to avoid her sight, his voice a little lower than usual: "Wait another half an hour."
"Then uncle~" Chen Zhaoyue was relentless and moved closer: "Do you really not need my help?"
"No need!" Wen Yanxi's voice was obviously a little drier than usual.
He stirred the food in the wok with stiff movements, and his originally neat movements were obviously several beats slower.
Chen Zhaoyue smiled secretly - my uncle really can't resist teasing!
"In that case, uncle~~I'll go set the table first." She obediently took two steps back.
After all, if I keep teasing like this, I feel like I won’t be able to eat for an hour.
When she turned around, she clearly heard a sigh of relief coming from behind her.
In the light of the stove fire, the tips of Wen Yanxi's ears were so red that they seemed to be dripping with blood, and even the back of his neck was covered with a thin layer of red.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
