Chapter 9 Cooking, there will always be failures
The matter of dividing the house finally came to an end, but the troubles that followed made people even more worried.
This shabby thatched house would be uninhabitable unless it was thoroughly cleaned!
There was not even a well in the courtyard for water to be drawn from. For daily water use, one had to walk to the well at the entrance of the village or go directly to the river. This hard work naturally fell on Tu Subo's shoulders.
However, even so, the trivial matters at home are still like flying snowflakes, in large flakes.
The old lady enjoyed wealth and splendor throughout her life, and even during the arduous journey of exile, she never changed her habit of being bossy.
As for the old man, his habits were hard to change, so the remaining heavy work had to be shared by others.
Fortunately, after the cleaning work of the main house was shared out, people in the east and west wing rooms and the backyard could finally start cleaning in front of their own doors.
Xi Lanfang was busy trying to comfort the frightened Tu Su Minxu and Tu Su Yunxi and help them sleep peacefully, so she was completely unable to do anything else. In desperation, Gu Yuexuan had to take on the cleaning work in the west room.
She casually tore off one of Tu Subo's worn silk robes as a cleaning cloth, and took great pains to change several basins of clean water before she managed to clean the west room.
However, as soon as the cleaning work was completed, another thorny problem arose - who would be responsible for cooking?
The general who was responsible for arranging their settlement here was thoughtful. Not only were some necessary mattresses and spare clothes piled up in the yard, but the kitchen was also stocked with enough rice, grain, oil and flour to meet the needs of the Tu Su family for several months.
The current dilemma is not a lack of food, but a lack of staff in the kitchen.
Tu Subo worked tirelessly to travel back and forth between the water source and his home for more than ten times. His clothes were soaked with sweat, but he was still on his way back, hurriedly carrying the bucket, determined to fill the water tank.
This person's hands are free, so it's obvious that he doesn't know how to cook.
As for the rest of the family...
Gu Yuexuan helplessly threw the rag in her hand on the table, her heart filled with indescribable fatigue, and she sighed deeply.
It seemed as if she was the only one left who could take on this arduous task.
Although she knew she had no other choice, Gu Yuexuan still forced herself to stay still.
As an orphan with excellent survival skills, cooking is not difficult for her.
But the situation in Tu Su's family is different. Once she starts cooking, it means that she will have to stay by the stove day after day. If she is not careful, she will become a nanny who spends all day around the stove.
She would not easily try the role of being the first to stand out.
She waited patiently, but soon someone couldn't hold back any longer.
"Sister-in-law, it's past my parents' mealtime, why hasn't anyone come to the kitchen yet?"
Yu's face was covered in dust, and she asked gloomily, "You are only responsible for cleaning a room, why are you delaying for so long?"
"My mother's appetite is already fragile. What if she gets hungry?"
Xi Lanfang looked panicked after hearing this: "I'll go prepare the meal right away!"
Gu Yuexuan exclaimed in surprise: "Mother-in-law..."
"I know a thing or two." Xi Lanfang's words were firm and confident, but also revealed a touch of undue shyness.
Xi Lanfang misunderstood Gu Yuexuan's concerns, and a wave of sadness welled up in her heart. She explained with a choked voice, "When your father-in-law was alive, I would occasionally cook for him myself, but..."
Before she could finish her words, her eyes were already blurred with tears and she turned and left in a hurry.
Gu Yuexuan looked at the two children sleeping soundly on the bed and couldn't help but curl her lips.
About a quarter of an hour later, thick smoke suddenly billowed in the yard.
Tu Subo threw down the bucket and rushed into the house: "Mom!"
His footsteps stopped abruptly at the threshold, and before him was Xi Lanfang's anxious face.
"I... I didn't expect this fire to be so difficult to light..."
She tried for a long time but still couldn't get the flame to light. Instead, thick smoke came out of the stove.
Tu Subo nervously checked her and confirmed that she was not injured. He shook his head and sighed: "Don't worry about it, I'll do it."
Xi Lanfang argued anxiously, "But, as the sages said, 'A gentleman should stay away from the kitchen.' How can you be responsible for such a stove-related matter?"
Tu Subo laughed at himself: "Have I ever behaved like a so-called gentleman?"
During his long journey of exile, he was like a down-and-out vagrant, but before his exile, he was already a notorious playboy.
Gentleman? He has nothing to do with me!
Tu Subo quickly helped Xi Lanfang out of the kitchen and walked into the house.
Xi Lanfang's face was filled with fatigue, but she was still concerned about the situation in the kitchen. Tu Subo comforted his mother, "Don't worry, mother, I'll light the fire right away."
As they were talking, the two had already entered the house. Xi Lanfang sat on a chair and watched Tu Subo turn around and go back to the kitchen.
After a while, Gu Yuexuan also walked in. Seeing the thick smoke in the kitchen, she couldn't help but frown.
Gu Yuexuan walked to the kitchen door, looked at Tu Subo and asked, "What's wrong with you? Why did you make such a mess in the kitchen?"
Tu Subo smiled awkwardly: "I just tried to start a fire with hay, but it didn't start and made a mess of the kitchen. I'm trying to figure out a solution."
Gu Yuexuan smiled softly, walked over to Tu Subo, and said seriously, "It's actually very simple to start a fire. Let me teach you. We need to start the fire with thin firewood first, and then add more firewood after the fire starts. The firewood you used just now may be too thick, so the fire won't burn."
Tu Subo nodded, humbly accepting the advice: "I understand. Please give me your guidance."
Gu Yuexuan smiled and picked up the thin firewood, put it into the fire chamber on the stove, blew gently, and the fire gradually became stronger.
Tu Subo watched Gu Yuexuan's actions and secretly admired her intelligence.
Tu Subo followed Gu Yuexuan's instructions and successfully started a fire. He couldn't help but sigh, "I didn't expect there were so many details to making a fire. I never learned that at home."
Gu Yuexuan smiled and said, "Actually, many things in life require careful learning. When I was at my mother's house, I also learned a lot of housework from her. Otherwise, I would be completely clueless."
Tu Subo nodded slightly, looked at Gu Yuexuan, and asked, "Are you hungry?"
Gu Yuexuan smiled and nodded slightly, with a hint of expectation in her eyes: "Indeed, a little bit."
Tu Subo couldn't help but frown. He had grown up in a noble family and had never set foot in the kitchen. He knew nothing about cooking. However, he didn't want to disappoint his family, so he resolutely decided to cook himself.
The kitchen was filled with the faint aroma of wood. In the center was a huge pot, with a blazing fire.
Tu Subo looked at the scene in front of him and couldn't help feeling a little uneasy.
Gu Yuexuan looked at Tu Subo's hesitant expression, smiled gently, and said, "It's okay, we can do it together."
When Tu Subo heard this, a hint of gratitude flashed in his eyes.
The two began to get busy.
Gu Yuexuan instructed Tu Subo, telling him how to wash the rice and boil the water. Tu Subo followed her instructions carefully, feeling nervous.
Gu Yuexuan couldn't help laughing when she saw Tu Subo's expression. She patted Tu Subo's shoulder and said comfortingly, "Don't be nervous. When you cook, there will always be failures."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
