After Prince Ning hurriedly left the Prime Minister's residence, Lin Qian eagerly plunged into the steamy kitchen. The kitchen was filled with the rich aroma of various ingredients. Fresh, juicy vegetables were laid out on the cutting board, their vibrant green color glistening. The tender meats had distinct textures, and a variety of spices emitted their unique scents. The colorful ingredients combined together resembled a magnificent painting, pleasing to the eye.
Lin Qian skillfully processed the ingredients, her gaze focused and determined. The cleaver in her hand danced like a nimble butterfly, cutting the ingredients into perfect shapes. She secretly resolved to create a truly innovative dish, perfectly and ingeniously combining modern culinary concepts with the ingredients of this ancient world, bringing a unique flavor to this world.
Before long, a unique and delicious dish was presented to everyone. The dish was uniquely shaped, resembling a fine work of art. The colors were vibrant and eye-catching, with red peppers, green vegetables, and white meat complementing each other, emitting an enticing aroma that made one's mouth water.
The servants of the Prime Minister's residence gathered around, their eyes filled with astonishment and admiration as they gazed at this unprecedented delicacy.
"What kind of food is this? It looks so novel!" A maid couldn't help but ask curiously, her eyes wide open, staring intently at the dish, her face full of curiosity and anticipation.
"This is a new dish I created, everyone come and try it!" Lin Qian said with a smile, her eyes sparkling with confidence as she anticipated everyone's reaction. She was confident in her culinary skills, but also harbored a slight desire to test the abilities of Prime Minister Lin and his wife.
Everyone took a bite, and the moment the food entered their mouths, a look of satisfaction immediately appeared on their faces, and they praised the dish highly.
"This tastes absolutely wonderful!"
"I've never eaten anything so delicious before!"
Just then, the voice of the Pheasant System rang in Lin Qian's mind: "Aren't you afraid of exposing your uniqueness by showing off your culinary skills so ostentatiously?"
Lin Qian calmly replied in her mind, "They should know that I am not their daughter."
The Pheasant System was utterly shocked. Its voice shone sharply in Lin Qian's mind: "How is this possible? They treat you like their own daughter! I can't believe it! How could this be?"
"Heh, just pretending." Lin Qian sneered inwardly, her hands moving swiftly as she arranged evenly sliced pieces of pork belly on a plate. A hint of disdain on her face, she continued speaking to the quack system in her mind: "From the moment I woke up, I sensed something in their eyes. They probably already knew I wasn't the original Lin Qian, but they chose to pretend they didn't know. There must be a reason for that."
The pheasant system was still incredulous: "This is unbelievable!"
As the sun set, a sumptuous dinner was laid out in the garden of the Prime Minister's residence. Prime Minister Lin and his wife were already seated, and when they saw Lin Qian bringing out the dishes, their faces immediately lit up with loving smiles.
"Qianqian is here, come and sit down. Today, your mother specially asked the kitchen to make your favorite Eight Treasure Duck." Prime Minister Lin looked at Lin Qian with a smile, his eyes full of affection.
"Thank you, Father. Thank you, Mother." Lin Qian sat obediently beside them, a sweet smile on her face, as if she really were their biological daughter.
"Qianqian, why have you been going to the kitchen so often lately? Is the food in the manor not to your liking?" Madam Lin asked with concern as she placed a piece of Eight Treasure Duck into Lin Qian's bowl.
"No, the food at the manor is delicious, I just..." Lin Qian paused deliberately, showing a troubled expression.
"But what is it? Just tell me what's wrong, and your parents will definitely stand up for you." Prime Minister Lin put down his chopsticks and looked at Lin Qian with a serious expression.
"I just... I just felt that the dishes in the manor were a bit monotonous, so I wanted to research some new dishes myself so that my parents could try something new," Lin Qian said softly, her head lowered.
"Oh? Our Qianqian can even research recipes on her own? She's getting more and more capable!" Mrs. Lin said with delight, without a doubt that Lin Qianqian's words were true or false.
"Yes, Qianqian has really grown up and become more and more sensible." Prime Minister Lin echoed, his eyes full of satisfaction.
"Father, Mother, please try this." I smiled and placed my modified Kung Pao Chicken on the table, but my heart was completely unmoved. Acting, anyone can do that.
"Qianqian is so thoughtful." Madam Lin picked up a piece of chicken and savored it. "Hmm, it tastes good, even better than the chefs in the manor."
"Right, right?" I blinked innocently. "Isn't our daughter amazing?"
"Haha, our Qianqian is the best." Prime Minister Lin nodded with a smile.
Night fell, the moonlight like water, spilling into the courtyard of the Prime Minister's residence, yet it could not illuminate the gloom in the hearts of Prime Minister Lin and his wife. They sat facing each other in the room, the flickering candlelight reflecting their worried faces.
“Madam, I think that from the first moment we saw Qian’er wake up, we should have realized that she was no longer our daughter.” Prime Minister Lin’s face was solemn, with a trace of worry that he could not hide in his eyes. His brows were furrowed, as if he were carrying a heavy burden.
The Prime Minister's wife's eyes reddened, tears welling up, her voice slightly choked: "My lord, how could I not know? At that one glance, I sensed that although this child possessed Qian'er's appearance, she seemed like a completely different person inside. Her eyes had lost their former innocence and dependence, replaced by a depth and unfamiliarity that we couldn't fathom." As she spoke, she could no longer hold back her tears, which slid down her cheeks.
"What exactly is going on?" Prime Minister Lin was filled with doubt, his eyes brimming with confusion and unease. He kept stroking his beard, trying to calm his anxiety.
"I don't understand either, but it's come to this. No matter who she is, this body is still our daughter. We can only pretend we know nothing and continue to love her." The Prime Minister's wife suppressed her grief, trying to keep her voice calm. However, her voice still trembled slightly, revealing her inner pain. She picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, quickly soaking a large area of the handkerchief.
Prime Minister Lin sighed deeply, his sigh filled with helplessness and exhaustion: "That's all we can do. I hope she can be safe and sound and that nothing else will happen. We have already lost the real Qian'er, and we can't let this child suffer any more harm."
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