When Yan Muyu and Qiu Chao returned to the Little Mud House, Pei Wan had already started steaming the rice.
The first thing she said upon seeing Yan Muyu was enough to make her crumble.
“Young Boss Yan, could you chop some wood?”
The Little Mud House had no modern stove—just an earth stove that ran on firewood. Before Yan Muyu and Qiu Chao arrived, Pei Wan had spent ages just trying to light it. The live stream viewers had watched in agony, terrified these women wouldn’t get lunch.
Yan Muyu: “…”
As she took off her hat, she said, “Didn’t I chop extra last night?”
【Visible despair…】
【Pei Wan’s rice-steaming could be its own special episode. So satisfying to watch…】
Qiu Chao saw Pei Wan carrying a fish outside and asked, “You gonna gut it?”
Pei Wan hummed in affirmation. “Yingxue likes it.”
【Right now, I’d be fuming. What right does Ding Yingxue have? Pei Wan could have had a bigger life, but she chose to be her nanny.】
【What nonsense, ls. They’re sisters doing it willingly— who asked you?】
【Are Ding Yingxue’s haters all Pei Wan stans?】
【Family business, don’t @ us.】
Yan Muyu said, “Fine. I’ll chop wood, you two cook. Once it’s ready, I’ll deliver it.”
She didn’t complain. She shrugged off her jacket, set it aside, and didn’t fancy chopping under the blazing sun in the yard. Instead, she grabbed her gear and headed to the courtyard.
The air was thick with the aroma of steaming rice. On the other side of the courtyard, Pei Wan was prepping the fish.
It was fresh from that morning’s market run with Yan Muyu—a big one. Seeing Pei Wan’s delicate frame, Yan Muyu felt a twinge of doubt. “You sure you can handle it? Those tails can sting.”
Qiu Chao brushed past her to wash vegetables, tossing back casually, “Little Yan, Miss Pei is a medical doctorate graduate.”
Yan Muyu let out an exaggerated whoa. “A scholar, huh.”
【You two are killing me. Who hasn’t gone to school?!】
【Deep down, Yan Muyu and Qiu Chao aren’t exactly academic stars. Qiu Chao’s… middle school grad.】
【Yan Muyu’s a slacker but did fine in school, and being a pro photographer is badass.】
【Pei-jie!!! Why? I can’t wrap my head around it. As a med student who hates the field, her credentials and experience going to waste as Ding Yingxue’s agent is such a tragedy!】
【Remember that gossip about Ding Yingxue not wanting her sister outshining her? But they seem close.】
Pei Wan, perched on her low stool opposite them, chuckled. “Specializing has its merits.”
The next moment, Yan Muyu watched her stun the fish with a smack, then gut and clean it in one fluid motion— no hesitation whatsoever.
The log split in two. Yan Muyu blurted a “Holy shit!” echoing the chat exactly. “Badass!”
Qiu Chao fetched water to rinse the vegetables. Her elegant hands stood out against the vibrant greens, but she clearly wasn’t a stranger to manual labor. She prepped them quickly and headed inside to stir-fry first.
Yan Muyu’s chopping was far more practiced than yesterday. The rhythmic thwacks of her axe mingled with Pei Wan’s scrape of scales and Qiu Chao’s sizzle from the wok. The camera pulled back from close-up, capturing a cozy slice of everyday life.
Once Yan Muyu finished chopping, she washed her face. Her movements were loose and carefree; even wet bangs didn’t faze her.
Qiu Chao had two veggie dishes done and was now portioning them into the house’s old lunch boxes.
She spotted Yan Muyu lounging in the hall’s rocking chair, scrolling her phone with nothing to do, and called out, “Little Yan.”
Yan Muyu: “What?”
【Not imagining it— Yan Muyu’s attitude toward Qiu Chao is icy.】
【But Qiu Chao’s “Little Yan” sounds so affectionate…】
Qiu Chao: “Come help me with the soup.”
Her cooking speed merited its own special. Even her decade-long fans had no idea their idol was this efficient.
Qiu Chao rarely shared her daily life. Her occasional photos were hurried snapshots from schedules—a distant back view, or a rare leisurely afternoon tea.
Home cooking? Never on the menu.
Rumors said she had a sister, but she’d never appeared on her socials.
She kept her past private, which only amplified her allure, leaving fans dying to glimpse her real routine.
The Pastoral Idyll: Me and My Agent column had already dropped several videos in sync.
“Qiu Chao’s Lunch Time”
“Pei Wan’s Fish Killing Tutorial”
“Wood Chopping Techniques”
“Tips for Picking Cow Dung”
“Liu Song Teaches Ethnic Songs”
Qiu Chao’s earth stove stir-fry vid had the most shares.
That segment had pro cinematography—not from Qiu Siyuan’s team, but Whale Entertainment’s recent hire: a documentary cameraman who’d jumped ship with his editing crew for a seamless collab.
—First time seeing Qiu Chao cook. So fresh!
—Like my wife cooking for me.
—She doesn’t look hardship-hardened, but she’s so at ease with that earth stove…
—Pei Wan struggled forever at first, but Qiu Chao didn’t need instructions.
—Mysterious woman, waaah.
Yan Muyu hummed and came over.
Qiu Chao had divided the seaweed egg drop soup into two portions—one in a small pot. By the time Yan Muyu picked it up, the soup bowls were already set out.
Neither spoke; one set down, the other ladled.
The old house had a slanted skylight. Ancient beams held a swallow’s nest—who knew if they’d return next spring.
The old fan sliced the air. Sunlight filtered through the tiles like spotlights.
Dust motes danced as Pei Wan fried fish in the kitchen, the sizzle of ginger, scallion, and garlic teasing appetites.
Even if the live stream audience couldn’t smell it, the sounds and visuals were enough to stir hunger.
Yan Muyu ladled some soup and asked offhandedly, “You don’t usually cook yourself, do you?”
She was a natural chatterbox, unbothered by the stream.
Though it was only the first official day, viewers could tell Yan Muyu adapted to the camera best.
Probably from toying with lenses since school days, framing beauties—and slipping in front of them with effortless poise.
Her question was casual as she filled a thermos.
They waited for Pei Wan’s fragrant fried fish chunks before packing it all up.
Qiu Chao: “Occasionally. Foreign food doesn’t always agree with me.”
The tension had eased—maybe from Yan Muyu’s wood-chopping fatigue, or the tiring round trip.
She’d served herself a bowl of rice last night, now she grabbed one for herself and one for Qiu Chao, handing it over.
“True enough.”
Qiu Chao: “Didn’t you go to school with Director Shen? I hear she even brought a chef.”
The mics picked up ambient sounds: the fan’s hum, wooden spoon clinking bowls, birds outside the skylight.
Yan Muyu scoffed. “Shen Tianqing and I weren’t in the same class, and we didn’t live together.”
With that, she sat. The chopstick case sat nearby as she turned to Pei Wan. “Can I eat first?”
The next moment, Pei Wan brought out the fish. “You two go ahead. I’ll eat with Yingxue.”
Yan Muyu: “You two are glued at the hip.”
Pei Wan: “Eating with you two would be weird too.”
Silence fell. Yan Muyu glanced at Qiu Chao, who picked up a piece of fish and naturally praised Pei Wan. “This is delicious.”
Pei Wan packed her own share. “You’re no slouch either. That pickled cabbage with pork and green beans—Yingxue will love it.”
She couldn’t string three sentences together without mentioning Ding Yingxue, a stark contrast to her scholarly, somewhat aloof face.
Qiu Chao burst into laughter. “Really?”
“Really,” Pei Wan replied.
She glanced at Qiu Chao’s rice bowl again. “You have quite the appetite.”
Qiu Chao shook her head. “Little Yan scooped it for me. I didn’t have the heart to refuse.”
Pei Wan turned her gaze toward Yan Muyu.
Yan Muyu bristled. “Then don’t take it.”
Qiu Chao lifted her steaming bowl. “In that case, I’ll share some with you.”
Amid Pei Wan’s shocked stare and those of the viewers, Qiu Chao actually shoveled half her rice into Yan Muyu’s bowl.
【Is this really appropriate for their relationship?】
【Aunt and sister-in-law vibes.】
【No way!! Even if they used to live together, they weren’t this close, right?】
【Sharing rice makes them close? Back then, people actually treated her like a real sister-in-law.】
【Me and my sister-in-law couldn’t do this. Mine always gave her leftovers to my brother.】
【Though… Yan Muyu, aren’t you being way too casual about this!!!】
Pei Wan suddenly decided it was best to keep quiet.
She moved quickly, packing up lunch for herself and Ding Yingxue while grabbing Liu Song’s and Sister Xi’s portions too. With the bags in hand, she hurried out the door.
She left in such a rush, as if lingering a moment longer would leave her little sister hungry.
Qiu Chao glanced at Pei Wan’s retreating back, then at Yan Muyu’s now-overflowing bowl. “Little Yan, eat up.”
Yan Muyu chuckled. “What’s this? Still think I’m your sister-in-law?”
She scooped up a spoonful of pickled veggies and peas. The flavor was just like back then.
Qiu Chao and Pei Wan might have only been polite, but the one who truly loved this dish was Yan Muyu.
It was something Qiu Chao had learned over those four years as her sister-in-law: Yan Muyu’s tastes.
“Can’t I care about you if you’re not?” Qiu Chao asked.
Propping her chin on her hand, she watched Yan Muyu eat. “You’re my manager now.”
If only that word “manager” could be crossed out.
“Yes, yes, yes. I’ll be your beast of burden,” Yan Muyu said.
There was something about watching her eat that opened up the appetite. Even Qiu Chao, who wasn’t particularly hungry, suddenly craved food.
Not to mention that this was the first time in years she’d sat beside Yan Muyu like this—sharing a meal once more.
Such feelings were hard to contain perfectly. In her excitement, Qiu Chao snatched away the shreds of pork Yan Muyu had her eye on.
Yan Muyu didn’t mind and reached for another piece—only for Qiu Chao to snatch that one too.
She was starting to feel exasperated and opened her mouth to say something, but Qiu Chao beat her to it, clipping some vegetables onto her plate instead.
Her teasing tone was plain as day. “Eat more meat. It’ll do you good.”
~~~
Yan Muyu took a deep breath. Between bites of fish, she said, “It’s a bit greasy.”
She couldn’t help thinking: How does she say things like that without batting an eye?
Yan Muyu figured she’d had her fair share of romances over the years. Sure, they all came with expiration dates, but compared to her bland, look-don’t-touch vegetarian fling with Shen Tianqing, they’d been proper affairs—full of passion and poetry, the kind of adult emotions that had both meat and veggies on the plate.
Her exes had come in all flavors. In the good times, there were sweet whispers and endless pillow talk into the night—no one had ever been as blunt and crude as Qiu Chao.
And yet, even nursing her old grudge, Yan Muyu had to admit how rare a beauty this face was.
How could someone so perfect sprout a mouth like that?
Not that she could come right out and call Qiu Chao greasy.
Besides, greasiness was subjective—like curse words fitting certain people. When a beauty let one slip, it could be endearing. Yan Muyu might even find it cute.
Qiu Chao’s brand of cute.
But Yan Muyu could never say it aloud.
She let out a long sigh, her brows knitting together as if Pei Wan’s fish were genuinely too oily from the heart.
The oblivious viewers fixated on the fish in the frame, chiming in with a barrage of opinions.
