After seeing off her sixth aunt, Shi Lan checked the sky and went to the kitchen.
Aunt Wang was picking vegetables to cook for dinner when Shi Lan pushed her aside, put the bok choy she had prepared aside, and asked her to help her wash the freshly harvested and peeled rice. She took a piece of winter melon, scooped out the pulp, smoothed the edges, and lightly carved the skin with the tip of a knife. Then she peeled off the top layer, revealing an extremely delicate pattern.
Aunt Wang was so shocked by Shi Lan's actions that her mouth dropped open.
"Madam, your technique is so skillful, have you perhaps learned it before?"
Shi Lan glanced at her and continued cutting the edges into a serrated shape, "I was just standing by and watching others do it."
Aunt Wang praised, "You've only seen it once, yet you've already made it so exquisitely. If you'd actually learned it, I don't know how you could do it."
Shi Lan chuckled. This Aunt Wang was wrong. The reason she could carve so well was because she had practiced swordsmanship. Although she hadn't practiced since coming here, she still had the feel for it. Besides, the design wasn't complicated. Compared to the sweet fruit she used to make, this would have been thrown into the garbage immediately.
She scalded the carved winter melon in boiling water until it was half-cooked. While Aunt Wang was cooking the rice in the pot, she put lotus seeds, yam, mushrooms and other ingredients inside the winter melon, added some clear broth and a little salt, and then steamed it on top.
Then I washed two fresh, green cucumbers, cut them into long, thin slices, rolled them up, made some sauce, and set them aside.
I also made vegetarian meatballs with tofu, a small dish of wood ear mushrooms and bok choy, and a plate of stir-fried green bean strips.
The sun was already setting when Mo Yun returned from outside with a happy expression.
Hearing the commotion, Shi Lan came out to greet them and happened to see the eyesore Zhou Yuxiu.
Shi Lan ignored her, pushed her aside, and followed Mo Yun into the house.
Aunt Wang shook her head when she saw Zhou Yuxiu stumble from being jostled, her eyes red, yet she stubbornly followed Zhou Yuxiu into the house.
When a person gets stuck on a particular idea, no amount of persuasion will help. Only after they learn their lesson and feel the pain will they understand.
Shi Lan's carefully prepared dishes were served, and Mo Yun raised an eyebrow when he saw the dishes that were different from usual.
Shi Lan blushed slightly, but pretended to be nonchalant as she picked up a cucumber roll that had been moistened with the sauce. "I've been out all afternoon, so I'll have something refreshing to cleanse my palate."
Mo Yun smiled, picked it up, and put it in her mouth. Her teeth made a crisp sound as she bit down, and even without eating it, she could feel the crispness of the cucumber.
"Excellent, this tastes wonderful, just like the feast I had at the General's house."
Shi Lan pursed her lips, trying to hide the smile that welled up inside her. Even ordinary family banquets in the General's Mansion were prepared by professional chefs. How could she, a half-baked chef, compare to them? Mo Yun was definitely trying to make her happy by saying that.
However, Shi Lan didn't want him to know she was happy, so she glanced at him and snorted, "The general invites you to a banquet and you're only eating cucumber strips?"
Mo Yun picked up another piece of cucumber, chewing it while grinning foolishly, neither confirming nor denying.
Shi Lan glared at him, then served him a bowl of winter melon soup. After he finished drinking it, Mo Yun held out the bowl, which was now completely empty.
Shi Lan glared at him angrily and served him another bowl.
This time, after drinking half of it, he said, "This is even better than the general's."
Shi Lan couldn't help but laugh.
Mo Yun was just teasing her on purpose, and seeing her laughing heartily made him especially happy.
Seeing him smile at her with his eyes narrowed, Shi Lan felt a little embarrassed and rolled her eyes at him with her clear black and white eyes, "Where did you learn that, you smooth talker?"
Mo Yun wiped her mouth, looking at Shi Lan with a seemingly aggrieved but actually cunning expression.
Shi Lan couldn't help but laugh again, saying, "Since it's delicious, eat more. I made this especially for you."
Mo Yun responded loudly and buried his head in his food.
Shi Lan poured herself a bowl of winter melon soup and drank it slowly, glancing at Zhou Yuxiu, whose face looked bitter, out of the corner of her eye.
Seeing how loving the couple is, she must be feeling terrible. But if you want to interfere in someone else's life, you have to suffer like this. The pain and the urge to cry are all her own doing.
Zhou Yuxiu ate two bites without tasting anything, then left.
Before leaving, she glanced at Mo Yun with a wistful look, only to see him eating with great relish without even looking up.
With tears in her eyes, Zhou Yuxiu returned to the room and sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). She angrily pounded the pillow until her knuckles turned red before finally lying down on it and crying. At that moment, she couldn't help but question whether what she was doing was worth it.
Actually, she didn't know why, but as soon as she saw Mo Yun, her heart became uncontrollable, as if something was pulling her, making her involuntarily move closer to him.
Yu Xiu had also been confused and hesitant, but all her confusion and hesitation vanished the moment she saw Mo Yun. She had only one thought in her mind: she must get Mo Yun, regardless of the cost or the consequences.
Yu Xiu slowly stopped crying. Her eyes, washed clean by tears, were clear, but the ruthlessness and determination in them clouded the clarity, revealing only a ferocious look.
In the main room, Aunt Wang cleared away the plates and bowls, Shi Lan sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) sewing half a thin cotton garment, and Mo Yun walked over mysteriously with a letter in his hand.
"Lan Niang, look what this is?"
Shi Lan tilted her head and glanced at it. Seeing that the envelope was still unopened, she was in a hurry to finish her work and was somewhat absent-minded. "What is it?"
Mo Yun waited for a while, and seeing her resume sewing, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
He reached out and snatched the clothes from her, then held the envelope up to her face again, saying, "This is a letter from my brothers in the army."
Shi Lan blinked, finally focusing her attention on him. She thought to herself, "So what if he sent a letter? She can't even read, what's the point of showing it to me?" But seeing the expectation in his eyes, Shi Lan went along with it and asked, "What did your brother in the army say? Is he looking for you?"
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