Chapter 5 My wife, are you the reincarnation of the God of Cookery?
Xu Chenglin is fast asleep and doesn't need anyone to watch over him for the time being.
After locking the gate, the two headed towards the market.
Along the way, they met many neighbors, and Xu Jinnian introduced them to Sheng An one by one, helping her get to know the people in the neighborhood.
If he's not home one day and there's an emergency at home, Sheng'an can ask his neighbors for help in time.
Most of these neighbors were very enthusiastic and friendly towards Sheng An, inviting her to their homes for a chat whenever she had time.
Sheng An followed Xu Jinnian away, and could still faintly hear the whispers about her behind her:
"Xu's son's new wife is really pretty, but she's too thin. She needs to take good care of herself."
"I heard that his parents died and he was raised by his grandparents. His family was always hungry, and he was a pitiful child."
"She is quite pitiful, but fortunately she is lucky enough to marry the Xu family's son. Once the Xu family's son passes the imperial examination and becomes a scholar, she will become a scholar's wife, and her life will be much more comfortable from now on."
"..."
After walking for about a quarter of an hour, the two arrived at a bustling market.
Five hundred years ago, the Grand Canal opened to navigation between the north and south.
As a vital waterway, countless ships pass through every year, and Qingzhou gradually became a prosperous place.
Qingzhou City has a large population, and people from surrounding villages and towns would come to the market early in the morning. At this time, the long market was bustling with noise and excitement.
Not only were the shops on both sides of the street open for business, but the stalls selling vegetables and food along the road stretched as far as the eye could see.
In his previous life, Sheng An often traveled and visited many ancient streets and alleys, but none of them presented a scene as full of realism as the market in front of him.
In a daze, Sheng An realized that he might have to completely replace the original owner of this body and spend the next few decades in this unfamiliar Great Wei Dynasty.
The moment the thought crossed Sheng An's mind, she couldn't help but shiver.
"What's wrong? Are you cold?"
Xu Jinnian's attention was focused on Sheng An, and he noticed her unusual behavior immediately.
On a cool early summer morning, the air was slightly chilly.
Sheng An took a deep breath, suppressing the inexplicable unease surging in her heart: "There was a foul smell just now, and I was bothered by it."
Xu Jinnian glanced at the poultry and livestock stalls next to him and didn't think much of it: "It really doesn't smell very good."
As he spoke, he took Sheng An's hand and quickened his pace to walk forward.
Sheng An looked at Xu Jinnian's perfect profile and this time did not pull her hand away.
Xu Jinnian led Sheng An from one end of the street to the other, passing by Zhang's meat stall along the way.
A crowd of people were gathered around the meat stall, but the two men didn't go up to greet Butcher Zhang and his son.
Sheng An wasn't just wandering around aimlessly; he would occasionally stop at a stall to inquire about the prices of the goods.
The original owner rarely went to the city and had very limited knowledge of prices.
Upon learning that the piece of silver Xu Jinnian had given him was only enough to buy fifty catties of rice, ten catties of pork, and two hundred eggs, Sheng An immediately became dejected.
Finally, she spent three coins to buy a piece of tofu.
Upon seeing the stalls selling live fish and shrimp, Sheng An asked about the prices but did not buy any.
We have several pounds of pork at home; we'll save the live fish and shrimp for next time. Every little bit helps.
On the way back, Xu Jinnian said to Sheng An:
"I will work hard to earn money so that you can live a life free from financial worries."
Sheng An shook his head: "Making money isn't urgent. You should focus on preparing for the college entrance exam in three months."
Even a three-year drought won't starve a cook; with her skills, why would she worry about going hungry?
Xu Jinnian didn't say anything, but decided to go back and copy the book, and then go to bed an hour later that night.
It was still early when she got home, so Sheng An rubbed her aching back and prepared to take a nap.
She was exhausted in the first half of last night and had many dreams in the second half, so she didn't sleep well at all. Right now, her eyelids are drooping and she has no energy to do anything else.
Looking at Xu Jinnian, who was putting in even more effort but seemed completely unaffected, Sheng An felt a pang of resentment: "Aren't you sleepy?"
Xu Jinnian thought she wanted him to keep her company but was too embarrassed to say it directly, so he pretended to be sleepy and said, "Yeah, a little."
After saying that, she took Sheng An's hand and led her into their new room.
Sheng An: "..."
That's not what she meant at all!
With a man of exceptional physique and looks lying beside her, Sheng An thought she wouldn't be able to sleep.
As soon as she touched the pillow, drowsiness washed over her like a tide, and within a few breaths, she was fast asleep.
Xu Jinnian slowly opened his eyes, quietly gazing at Sheng An's sleeping face, a faint joy welling up in his heart.
This is his wife, the woman he will spend his life with.
Sheng An slept for nearly an hour. When she woke up, there was no one beside her.
She went to the main room and saw that the door to the study was open and the man was writing at his desk. She didn't make a sound to disturb him and went straight to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
Sheng An looked down on Xu Jinnian's mediocre cooking skills and didn't want to force herself to eat, so she naturally wouldn't ask him to cook.
Seeing half a basket of fresh vegetables on the cutting board, Sheng An knew that Xu Jinnian had picked them from the vegetable garden.
Tender green bok choy, large-headed cabbages, and a bunch of scallions.
Chop, chop, chop—
Sheng An held a cleaver and chopped the meat with lightning speed.
Not long after, Xu Jinnian, who had heard the commotion, came in and took the knife from her hand: "I'll take it."
Sheng An didn't even look up: "The rice's in the pot, go start the fire and cook it."
Xu Jinnian sat down in front of the stove as instructed, stuffed a handful of pine needles into the firebox, and blew on the tinderbox to light it.
There are only three people in the family, and the variety of ingredients is limited, so Sheng'an plans to cook two dishes and a soup.
Stir-fried bok choy, braised cabbage with tofu, and pork meatball soup.
Xu Chenglin is taking medicine and is advised to avoid spicy and strong-flavored foods, including scallions, ginger, and garlic.
Sheng An has a unique method; even if she can't use scallions, ginger, and garlic to remove fishy smells and enhance flavor, she can still make delicious dishes that are perfect in color, aroma, and taste, making people's appetites soar.
After processing the ingredients, the rice in the pot was also cooked.
As the pot lid was opened, puffs of white steam rose up, filling the small kitchen with a rich aroma of rice.
Even though Xu Jinnian wasn't particularly fond of food, he couldn't help but be tempted by the aroma.
He couldn't imagine how fragrant and delicious the rice would be after it was steamed.
From lighting the fire to cooking the rice, Xu Jinnian was the one tending the fire the whole time. He couldn't understand why the rice was so fragrant this time, so fragrant that he couldn't believe it was ordinary rice.
It's as if each grain of rice has come to life, no longer just a simple thing to fill one's stomach.
Thinking of the noodle soup she had for breakfast, Xu Jinnian's gaze fell on Sheng An, who had his back to her, and a bold yet absurd guess came to mind.
As the two dishes and soup were served, their irresistible aroma wafted through the doors and windows, carried by a gentle breeze in all directions, attracting the nearby cats and dogs, who blocked the tightly closed gate and refused to leave.
Stir-fried bok choy is vibrant green and has a wonderful aroma.
Braised cabbage with tofu is a dish where the cabbage is sweet and refreshing, and the tofu is golden in color, making it a dish that is both visually appealing and delicious.
The pork meatball soup has a clear broth, with plump meatballs floating on top, steaming hot and tempting.
Sheng An couldn't resist picking up a meatball with her chopsticks, blowing on it, and putting it in her mouth with a gentle bite. She immediately squinted her eyes in satisfaction.
The meat is tender and juicy, with no gamey smell.
"You should try some too."
Seeing Xu Jinnian staring intently at her, Sheng An assumed he was also craving it, so she picked up a meatball and held it to his lips, saying, "Be careful, it's hot."
Xu Jinnian's ears turned slightly red, his gaze grew even deeper, and he opened his mouth to eat the meatball at the corner of his mouth.
Sheng An realized what was happening too late, and his hand trembled so much that he almost dropped his chopsticks.
She glanced at the smiling man, and suddenly felt self-righteous—
It's just an indirect kiss, we've already slept together, what's with the fuss!
Xu Jinnian swallowed the incredibly delicious meatball and stared at Sheng An without saying a word.
Sheng An felt uneasy under his gaze and was about to grab his collar and ask what he was looking at when Xu Jinnian's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he finally asked the bold and absurd guess:
"My lady, are you the reincarnation of the God of Cookery?"
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