It's Singles' Day again.
This day initially started as a meme created by netizens for Singles' Day, but it was later seized upon by online shopping platforms and turned into a grand celebration for online merchants. However, for Tang Qi, neither of these meanings mattered.
First, she doesn't have the habit of stocking up on her shopping cart; she buys whatever she wants without worrying about dates. Her privileged upbringing also means she doesn't need to pay attention to things like discounts or coupons.
Secondly, she is not single. It is the fourth year since her rebirth, and also the fourth year since she and Lu Zhe confirmed their relationship.
For Tang Qi, the most significant aspect of Singles' Day is that it's Lu Zhe's birthday.
Now that Lu Zhe's career is on track and he's no longer short of money, choosing a birthday gift for him is a rather difficult question. It's either a car or a house—something extremely expensive—or something that defies monetary value.
For example, a dinner you made yourself.
On the afternoon of Singles' Day, Xue Xiaodie looked at the mess in Miss Tang's kitchen and couldn't help but sigh, "Little Rainbow Candy, I did suggest you consider making dinner yourself... The problem is, this isn't a surprise, it's a shock."
Tang Qi didn't look at her best friend; she just stared blankly at the suspicious, charred substance on the plate.
"I clearly followed the order you described..."
Xue Xiaodie was immediately furious: "The heat! The heat! You went over the cooking time when you first started frying the scallions and ginger, and then you were even more slow when you added the meat, and in the end it was all burnt!"
Tang Qi looked aggrieved: "But how was I supposed to know it would be so hot!"
Xue Xiaodie: "When you put scallions and ginger into the pan, oil will definitely splatter. I warned you about that from the beginning."
Tang Qi: "But I didn't know it would be so hot!"
Xue Xiaodie sighed and remained silent.
After a long silence, Tang Qi suddenly asked in a low voice, "When A Zhe cooks for us, does he often get burned like this?"
Xue Xiaodie: What do you think?
Tang Qi took a deep breath and said with renewed spirit, "Then I can't give up so easily! Let's continue, I'll make two more dishes to practice."
Xue Xiaodie shook her head: "Forget it, your foundation is really too weak, practicing more would just be a waste of ingredients. The key is, we need to prepare dinner for him today, it's too late if you start practicing at noon."
Tang Qi was taken aback: "Then what should we do?"
Xue Xiaodie: "I've thought of a way."
Tang Qi: "You're not going to make it for me, are you?"
Xue Xiaodie: "It's not that I can't help you, but are you willing?"
Tang Qi thought for a moment and immediately shook her head: "No! It's pointless to ask others for help with this kind of thing."
Xue Xiaodie smiled slightly: "So, let's just do as I say..."
————
Lu Zhe got home from get off work around 7 p.m.
As soon as he entered the door, he smelled an enticing aroma. Following the scent through the entryway to the living room, he saw five fragrant dishes on the dining table.
Mapo tofu, braised beef brisket, three-cup chicken, shredded pork with green peppers, and cucumber salad.
Lu Zhe didn't work overtime today, mainly because Tang Qi had emphasized last night that she wanted to prepare a birthday surprise for him. Lu Zhe had made some guesses about what the surprise might be, including the possibility that the girl would cook for him herself. But he truly hadn't expected that Xiao Cai Tang, whose cooking skills were practically nonexistent, could actually do something like this.
These dishes were laid out on the table, and standing next to the table was that familiar girl.
Tang Qi wore her usual pigtails again today, and with her short skirt and black knee-high stockings creating a "definite territory" look, she looked like a cute, lolita-style girlfriend straight out of a manga. The only difference today was that she was also wearing an apron, giving her the feel of a younger sister cooking.
Although she was well past twenty, Tang Qi's attire looked perfectly natural. Walking outside, few would believe that this young woman was about to graduate from university.
Of course, the key point tonight isn't the shelf life of lolis, the key point is...
Lu Zhe pointed to a large table of dishes, his face full of astonishment: "You made all of this?"
Tang Qi put her hands on her hips, snorted, and said, "Who else could have done it? Look around, is there anyone else in the room?"
Lu Zhe: "No way..."
Tang Qi raised her little face: "What do you mean I can't do it? I've already prepared it and put it here! Hurry up and get your chopsticks to eat, or it'll get cold! Go, go wash your hands, I'll scoop the rice."
Lu Zhe quickly washed his hands, picked up his chopsticks at the table, and first took a piece of beef brisket.
The taste is authentic.
As a seasoned chef, he can distinguish spices like star anise and cinnamon, and these spices form an impeccable balance with basic seasonings such as salt, sugar, and soy sauce—neither too strong nor too weak, just right.
He didn't even bother to eat the rice; he swallowed the beef brisket and quickly picked up a piece of chicken.
He could tell, of course, that Tang Qi had made Three-Cup Chicken. Three-Cup Chicken is a famous dish from Gan Yue Province. It consists of one cup of wine, one cup of oil, and one cup of soy sauce, with no water added during cooking.
The moment the chicken entered my mouth, a rich aroma immediately filled my senses, lingering between my teeth.
Lu Zhe took a bite of rice, swallowed it along with the meat, and couldn't help but ask, "Impossible, right? I'd believe you if you said you made this cucumber salad, but these dishes..."
Tang Qi pouted: "Why do you think I made the cucumber salad? Is it because the cucumber strips weren't cut neatly?"
Lu Zhe nodded honestly.
Tang Qi immediately became displeased: "Who do you think you are! I made all of these, every single dish!"
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