"It's ready to serve!" Yan Qiushu smelled the fragrance, smiled with satisfaction, and started to serve the porridge.
But this time, just as she was about to start, Shui Yu had already grabbed the long spoon and said with a smile, "Miss, you have been busy for a long time, I will do this."
Just kidding!
She was the maid assigned to take care of Yan Qiushu's daily life, and she was asked to do it all the time. If the housekeeper knew about it, her wages would be deducted.
Yan Qiushu was silent. She was still not used to being served in the kitchen. However, seeing the nervous smile on Shui Yu's face, she took two steps back and said, "Okay, thank you for your help."
"You are too polite, young lady. This is what I should do." Shui Yu replied quickly, but the smile on her face grew a lot bigger and her voice became a little more intimate.
She took out a palm-sized bowl from the cupboard.
The pattern is very beautiful, and it looks thin and light, but... it's too small.
In this era, women in wealthy families all used bowls this big because most of them didn’t eat much.
But Yan Qiushu is different. Her original appetite was not big, but she has increased a little in the past few days since she came here. Besides, she is hungry now, so she thinks she can eat several bowls of this small bowl!
However, since she had just arrived, Yan Qiushu thought about it and decided that it was not a good idea to eat too much at night, so she decided to eat less: "Give me three bowls."
Shui Yu asked, "Are there any guests coming?"
Yan Qiushu was silent for a moment, then said, "I will eat it myself."
Shui Yu: “?”
She was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously looked at the girl in front of her again.
Which noble lady eats so much? !
Especially her frail and thin figure, which made people feel pity for her. It looked like she could only eat one bowl of rice and two pastries at most!
But her surprise only lasted for a moment, and she immediately lowered her head again.
Yan Qiushu pretended not to notice and walked out calmly. She ate normally. Cooking is strenuous work. If she couldn't even eat well, how could she have the energy to do it!
So she is not shy at all!
Yan Qiushu thought so, but after she walked out, she secretly rubbed her face. In modern times, her appetite is considered normal, but how come it is considered excessive in ancient times? How can this be compared? The original owner had a small stomach, so she only enlarged it a little bit!
Shui Yu looked at it and couldn't help but smile.
This master seems to be much easier to get along with than the other noble ladies I have in mind.
The restaurant is a side hall. The Xiao family was generous enough to accommodate Yan Qiushu, an inconspicuous guest. The courtyard was also exceptionally large, and the side hall for dining also had a large round table.
She sat down first, and Shui Yu came over with the porridge and placed it in front of her: "Young lady, enjoy your meal."
Yan Qiushu nodded and reminded, "By the way, I'll eat three bowls. Can you share the extra?"
"Thank you for the gift, young lady." Shui Yu said immediately in a crisp voice.
Yan Qiushu was a little embarrassed: "What kind of reward is this?"
"Of course it does. The lean meat porridge made by the young lady smells so nice and must be delicious." Shui Xuan praised sweetly. Apart from the big pot of rice that the servants ate specially and the snacks that were occasionally rewarded, she had never eaten the meal made by the nobleman herself.
No wonder the Sixth Young Master specifically asked the butler to build a kitchen.
"Go and eat. No need to serve." Yan Qiushu reminded her. After seeing Shui Yu leave, she picked up the spoon.
The color of the lean meat porridge is not pure beige, but slightly darker, mixed with tender green. Served in a thin white porcelain bowl, the simple porridge has a more high-end feel.
After a delay, the layer on the surface of the lean meat porridge had become a little cool and condensed into a thin film. When the spoon touched it, the film broke, a stream of hot air wafted out, and the aroma became a little stronger.
She scooped up a small spoonful, blew on it, and after making sure it was cool, she couldn't wait to put it in her mouth.
The porridge filled with chopped greens and minced meat has a sweet taste with a hint of saltiness that whets your appetite. The rice grains that have been cooked until they bloom are soft and smooth, and melt in your mouth as soon as you take a sip.
But she encountered the slightly hard meat in the middle, so she chewed it twice subconsciously, and the salty and sweet rice aroma made her want to continue~
Yan Qiushu's eyes sparkled as she ate. It was indeed more delicious than she remembered!
Is this ancient food really so magical?!
She was full of doubts, yet she was intoxicated by this simple yet delicious food. Before she knew it, she had finished all three bowls of porridge, leaving nothing behind, and she even wanted to eat some more.
However...
When she stretched her head, she saw several servants from the courtyard already standing in the kitchen. They were enjoying their meal, so she didn't want to spoil their mood. It was almost enough to eat in the evening. She could take a walk and then wash up and go to bed. She would officially start work tomorrow!
The dining room was quiet, but in the kitchen, the sound of slurping porridge could be heard.
Porridge is not a good thing. The Xiao family has good welfare, and the servants eat meat from time to time, but they have never eaten the food made by the nobles.
Especially this porridge tastes really good!
It is not bland and has the refreshing taste of porridge. It has a soft texture and you can occasionally taste some minced meat.
Madam Xu finished eating first. She wiped her mouth with satisfaction and said with a smile, "I didn't expect this girl to be such a good cook. In the past, I couldn't eat this porridge without some salted vegetables. Now, this one tastes just right. I don't even need salted vegetables to eat with rice, and it's not so salty that I need to drink water!"
Shui Yan was still sipping. She had learned some etiquette from the host, so her movements were much more graceful than others. Upon hearing this, she curled her lips and said, "Yes, this girl has a good personality. She is worthy of being brought back by the Sixth Young Master himself~"
The last sentence was ambiguous again.
Nanny Xu also chuckled.
A light snort came from the side. A pretty maid with an oval face looked at Shui Yu with raised eyes and said in a sinister tone, "You really know how to flatter. It's just cooking porridge. If you still want to say it now, I won't be able to hear you."
"I didn't!" Shui Xuan frowned: "I'm telling the truth."
The maid Shuilu sneered, casually stirred the half-remaining porridge, subconsciously licked her lips, but did not continue drinking, instead, she pretended to put down the bowl in disgust:
"Whatever you say is true, but I want to remind you, which young lady has such skilled cooking skills? I think she is just an orphan brought back by the Sixth Young Master out of pity. At most, she will be a concubine. You, as for me, will be his maids in the future!"
"Shui Lu!" Shui Yu called out in a deep voice.
Shuelüesi was not afraid at all. She and Shuiyan were of the same level and the other party had no control over her, so she deliberately twisted her body and left.
Successfully made the good-tempered Shui so angry that her face turned pale.
Madam Xu patted her on the shoulder and said, "Ignore her. Shuilu is too ambitious and only wants to be the young master's concubine. She is not targeting you."
She is an elder of the Xiao family and married to a servant of the Xiao family. Because of giving birth to a child, she rested at home for two years and then wanted to come back to work, but there were not many members of the Xiao family and not many vacancies for serving, so she had been idle until now, when she was sent here to be Yan Qiushu's cook.
Therefore, the two maids, Shuiyan and Shuilu, were also grown up under her care.
In the past few years, the Xiao family has dwindled. The eldest master had an accident, the second master and two aunts are also gone, the fifth young lady has never married, and there are not many children in the family. The task of continuing the family line falls on the sixth young master, and many maids have become arrogant.
A few days ago, they heard that the Sixth Young Master was coming back, so they all went out secretly to buy some rouge and powder, hoping to dress up so that he would notice them.
These things are not secret.
Shui Yu sighed, calmed down, and continued to eat the porridge in the bowl.
The lean meat porridge, which had cooled down a lot, was no longer as hot as before, but it was just the right amount to allow her to savor the flavor of the food. She tasted it again and again, but still felt that -
It’s really delicious!
It was much more delicious than the bland white porridge and big pot of rice she usually ate!
Aqua is a waste!!!
Next day
The Xiao Mansion seemed a little lonely.
Yan Qiushu got up in the morning and sighed while washing up.
The Yan family, where the original owner lived in the memory, was not a top-notch family, but it was a large family with a large house. Even the voices of maids and servants would make some noise.
Especially in the morning, it's very lively with people coming and going.
But the Xiao family is not like this; they are quiet and peaceful, as if shrouded in a shadow.
But when she thought of the Xiao family's situation, she did not dare to make any noise.
Thinking of this, Shui Yu, who was combing her hair, asked, "Girl, the lean meat porridge is ready, and a few buns have been sent from the kitchen. Would you like to try some?"
Yan Qiushu nodded immediately: "Yes! Then just one bowl of porridge."
"Okay~" Shui Yu said with a smile.
Finally, he fixed her hair with a hairpin: "It's done, the girl looks so beautiful!"
Yan Qiushu was a little dazed after hearing what she said, so she looked at the mirror. The bronze mirror in front of her was very well polished. Although the complexion of the person in the mirror was a little wrong, the face was very clear and she could see the delicate long hair at a glance.
Under her beautiful hair was her little face that looked energetic after a good sleep. She was a little fatter than when she first came. Although she was tired from the long journey, she ate a lot and had some snacks on weekdays. Her cheeks had more flesh, and her smile was even more brilliant.
How can it not look good with beautiful hair and a beautiful face?
Yan Qiushu was still in a very happy mood. She sat in the restaurant with brisk steps to have breakfast, and then thought about what to make at noon to present to the bosses.
But as soon as the food entered her mouth, her eyes changed.
Then Yan Qiushu took another careful look at the bowl. There was minced meat, a little salt, and some vegetables, all cooked until soft. She followed the same steps as yesterday, and the finished product was almost the same.
But for some reason, she felt that... it wasn't as delicious as yesterday?
She took another spoonful, tasted it carefully, and finally confirmed that it was.
It tasted similar to what she remembered, but in terms of texture and aroma, it was totally incomparable to what she made last night!
Yan Qiushu took a deep breath and covered her pounding heart, feeling happy but also a little uncertain.
Is it really what she thinks? !