Big Orange seemed to have been doused with cold water, instantly calming down and obediently squatting in the corner. However, its golden tiger eyes remained fixed on the meat on the cutting board.
Yan Yu casually tossed a piece of mutated beast meat with bones over, which landed right in front of it.
Big Orange's eyes lit up, it picked up the meat, and happily skipped off to the yard to gnaw on it.
Having resolved the two minor issues, Yan Yu continued with his work.
As noon approached, the educated youth settlement began to liven up somewhat.
There had to be some kind of celebration for the New Year. The male educated youth were assigned to sweep the yard, while the female educated youth gathered in the dormitory, preparing the so-called "New Year's Eve dinner" with a few frozen potatoes and cabbages.
But the walls of Ruan Tang's courtyard couldn't block out the domineering and alluring aroma of meat.
The aroma seemed to have grown legs, seeping into the educated youth settlement in wisps and strands, cruelly reminding them of the bland reality of their lives.
In the dormitory, Shen Yishan was clumsily trying to learn how to make dumplings from Lin Xiangnan. She kept adding too much water or too much dough, leaving her hands and face covered in white flour, looking like a little kitten that had fallen into a flour jar.
Jin Yuhong sat in the corner, a hint of sarcasm on her lips that she couldn't hide.
As someone who has been reborn, she has no interest in such menial work. But for the sake of her persona, she has to pretend to pick through the frozen cabbage leaves.
Outside, Gu Jinzhou and Zhao Weiguo carried a basket of potatoes into the kitchen. Both of them had stern faces and worked silently.
Their gazes, however, always involuntarily drifted toward the tightly closed gate of Ruan Tang's courtyard.
In everyone's heart, there was a mixture of jealousy, resentment, and doubt.
All of this had nothing to do with Ruan Tang, whose little face was flushed from being fed in the cozy little house.
All she knew was that Yan Yu's freshly fried lotus root had a crispy outer layer and a tender, juicy meat filling—it was absolutely delicious!
After a satisfying meal, Ruan Tang felt languid, like a well-fed cat basking in the sun, even the tips of her paws exuding comfort.
Yan Yu was quick and quiet when he cleared the dishes.
He didn't let Ruan Tang get involved, and just told her to obediently go back to the warm kang (heated brick bed) and stay there.
Ruan Tang refused to listen. She moved a small stool and blocked the kitchen doorway, resting her chin on her knees, her big, watery almond-shaped eyes following Yan Yu's tall figure without blinking.
Watch him wash the dishes, watch him wipe the table, watch him keep the kitchen spotless.
It was just an ordinary household chore, but he did it with a fatal attraction.
After tidying up, Yan Yu took out a clean aluminum lunchbox from his spatial storage.
He opened the pot that was warming on the stove, reached out with his chopsticks, picked up a few pieces of golden-brown and crispy fried lotus root, then picked up a few pieces of braised, oily, and trembling mutated beast ribs, and finally added a few pieces of fried ribbonfish that were golden brown on both sides.
A large box was bulging out, the aroma of meat mixed with the fragrance of oil wafting powerfully.
After putting the lid on, Yan Yu found a bamboo basket and put the lunchbox inside, carefully covering it with a clean cloth.
"Brother, are you going out?" Ruan Tang asked, looking up at him.
"Okay, go find Yu Hao." Yan Yu picked up the basket, walked up to her, and habitually reached out his large hand to rub her soft hair. "It's cold outside, stay inside and don't wander around."
"Okay—" Ruan Tang nodded obediently, her voice drawn out and sweet enough to stretch out like silk.
Yan Yu's lips curled into a smile before he turned around, pushed open the door, and went out.
A biting wind carrying snowflakes rushed in instantly, and Ruan Tang unconsciously shrank her neck and quickly closed the door.
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