Chapter 46 Teach Me to Cook
Huo Tingzhou moved very quickly, while Jiang Si hadn't yet figured anything out.
He has already prepared lunch.
Perhaps the conversation at the guesthouse earlier had an effect, because Huo Tingzhou did not just make do with whatever was served to him because there were only two people at home eating.
On the contrary, he prepared a very lavish lunch.
In addition to braised pork with Shanghai-style fare, he also stir-fried two seasonal vegetable dishes.
Knowing that Jiang Si couldn't live without soup, I made her a special double-dish soup.
The portion size is relatively small, just enough for one meal.
Huo Tingzhou picked up a piece of braised pork for her, saying, "Try it first and see if it's sweet enough."
In fact, he didn't cook very often after enlisting in the army.
He hasn't cooked this kind of local Shanghai cuisine in a long time, so I don't know if his cooking skills have deteriorated.
Jiang Si obliged and took a bite.
It has to be said that Huo Tingzhou is really talented when it comes to cooking!
The braised pork he made was tender, flavorful, and not greasy at all.
The sugar content and cooking time were also perfectly controlled.
Jiang Si ate several pieces in one go, and seeing that he hadn't touched his chopsticks, she picked up a piece for him as well.
"Don't just look at me, you eat too, it's really delicious!"
Seeing that she genuinely liked it, Huo Tingzhou felt a little relieved. "If you like it, I'll make it for you whenever I'm home."
Perhaps his words gave Jiang Si some inspiration, because Jiang Si suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
"If you have time later, could you teach me how to cook?"
Huo Tingzhou was clearly taken aback upon hearing this.
He knew that in most families of this era, the man was the breadwinner and the woman stayed at home.
Cooking, laundry, and childcare are all household chores that are assumed to be done by women.
But those are other people's opinions, and have nothing to do with him.
All Huo Tingzhou ever wanted was her.
This has absolutely nothing to do with whether she knows how to do housework or whether she is willing to do housework.
"Did someone say something to you?" Huo Tingzhou asked.
Regardless of whether it was true or not, Huo Tingzhou immediately expressed his opinion.
"If they say anything nasty, just blame it on me."
Jiang Si didn't rush to explain, but instead asked him a question.
How many missions do you usually go on a year, and how long does each mission typically last?
Huo Tingzhou was puzzled, but still answered truthfully.
"It happens about four to five times a year, with each session lasting about half a month on average. Sometimes it takes longer in special circumstances."
"What am I supposed to eat at home while you're on a mission?"
Before Huo Tingzhou could even speak, Jiang Si had already guessed his thoughts.
"Are you suggesting that He Ping deliver it to me, or that I can eat at the cafeteria?"
That's exactly what Huo Tingzhou thought.
But Jiang Si's next words completely dispelled his idea.
Jiang Si said, "He Ping and I are about the same age. He brings me three meals a day. Putting aside the question of whether people will say I'm lazy, what if some gossip starts to spread?"
"And yesterday, Sister Hu told me that the food in the staff canteen in the residential compound has no oil at all."
"I can eat this once in a while, but I can't stand eating it for half a month in a row."
The space has a one-button cooking function, so Jiang Si can cook whatever she wants to eat.
The problem is, Huo Tingzhou didn't know she had a spatial ability.
Jiang Si even guessed that if the first two paths didn't work out...
When Huo Tingzhou goes on a mission, he will likely ask Sister Hu to bring him meals every day.
Since that's the case, she might as well take advantage of this time to learn how to cook.
That way, we'll have a reason to take things out of the space later.
Otherwise, wouldn't all that effort she put into hoarding so many things have been for nothing?
Of course, Jiang Si didn't expect her cooking to be particularly delicious; the important thing was that she knew how to cook.
Seeing that Huo Tingzhou's expression softened, Jiang Si continued.
"I'll give it a try. If what I make is so bad that I can't even put my mouth on it, then forget it!"
Since she had already said that, Huo Tingzhou had no better solution at the moment and could only nod.
When they had almost finished eating, Huo Tingzhou casually mentioned it to Jiang Si while clearing away the dishes.
The barracks department will send someone over soon, and if all goes well, they can start construction on their small courtyard this afternoon.
The wall was made of coral reef stone, just as Jiang Si had suggested.
The size of the yard is about the same as that of Commander Xiao's house next door.
"Could we build another thatched hut in the yard?"
As Jiang Si spoke, she drew a sketch.
"That's about it. We can put a square table inside later."
"When it's hot, we eat out in the evenings, which also helps us cool off!"
Huo Tingzhou took a look and felt that there was no major problem.
"I'll go ask the defense section first. If the materials are readily available, I'll bring them over later."
"Then ask the barracks section if they have any pebbles of this size."
Jiang Si gestured, "If you don't have any, small pebbles will do."
The open space in front of their house hasn't been paved yet, and when it rains, every step will definitely leave a hole.
The military needed multiple levels of approval to use blue bricks, so Jiang Si thought pebbles would be a better choice.
Spread a thin layer, then add some crushed coral stones inside.
Finally, use lime, clay, and sand to fix it in place. This will prevent slipping and allow for drainage.
"A home belongs to two people," Jiang Si said, then asked Huo Tingzhou for his opinion.
Do you think this is okay?
Huo Tingzhou nodded.
For some reason, he really enjoyed listening to her talk about these things.
The thought that she had personally decorated this home filled Huo Tingzhou with an overwhelming sense of excitement.
"Then go ahead."
Jiang Si got up early this morning, and now that she has finished eating, she is starting to feel sleepy.
After dozing for about an hour, she heard noises coming from outside.
When they went outside, they saw more than a dozen young men in green military uniforms unloading goods from the truck, and Huo Tingzhou was among them.
When Jiang Si came out, everyone shouted in unison, "Hello, sister-in-law!"
This powerful voice is much louder than a loudspeaker.
Jiang Si steadied herself and said, "Hello, thank you for your hard work these past two days."
"Sister-in-law, you're too kind. This is what we should do."
The group smiled and quickly sped up their work.
Jiang Si stepped aside, and when Huo Tingzhou came over, she asked him quietly.
"Should I bring out something to treat them?"
Although all the fees were paid in advance, the outdoor temperature today is close to 30 degrees Celsius.
Soon everyone will have to dig the foundation and build the walls; this is no easy task.
Huo Tingzhou was about to say yes when he noticed that the person in front of him suddenly tilted their head to the side.
Looking in the direction she was looking, Huo Tingzhou immediately spotted two strong young soldiers.
Huo Tingzhou: "..."
He frowned and subconsciously turned her little head back to its normal position.
"Stop fooling around." Jiang Si patted his hand, her brows furrowing slightly.
At this moment, Huo Tingzhou also realized that something was wrong.
She seemed to be looking not at the two young soldiers, but at the things they were carrying.
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