So, You’re the Henpecked One? 14

Chapter 14

Lin Zhao put away the rice, flour, and oil she had bought, and Chu Xihuan mentally noted their locations. Then, she asked Lin Zhao the names of the vegetables she had bought.

It was a novel experience. In the past, the vegetables Chu Xihuan saw were always cooked. It was rare to see them so fresh and tender before her eyes.

“This is choy sum, this is soft tofu, and this is a piece of pork.” Lin Zhao understood that Chu Xihuan might not be very familiar with these things, so she introduced them one by one.

Chu Xihuan nodded. She then saw Lin Zhao take out a limp, slightly damp, and rather unappealing-looking vegetable and couldn’t help but frown.

She could already smell the faint sourness in the air.

“This is pickled mustard greens. Later, I’ll take a few pieces, wash them, chop them up, and put them in the rice to cook porridge. It’ll be savory porridge,” Lin Zhao said cautiously.

In the past, savory porridge was what she made most often. After all, plain porridge was rather tasteless, and pickled mustard greens could be stored for a long time and added some flavor to the porridge.

Chu Xihuan paused for a moment, then looked away from the unappetizing pickled mustard greens. “Alright,” she nodded.

As long as she didn’t see it, she could still eat it.

Lin Zhao immediately broke into a smile. She put the pickled mustard greens in its special jar and started to prepare the choy sum.

Watching her, Chu Xihuan tentatively picked up a stalk, and Lin Zhao’s surprised gaze immediately fell on her.

“What are you doing?”

Chu Xihuan mimicked Lin Zhao’s actions, preparing the vegetable. “Since we’re living together, I can’t let you bear all the responsibilities alone,” she said slowly.

Besides, she had no confidence in Lin Zhao’s cooking skills. But she couldn’t just tell her that, lest she hurt her pride again.

“But…” Lin Zhao felt a little uncomfortable seeing Chu Xihuan like this. In her eyes, these were not things Chu Xihuan should be doing. This person’s hands should be holding books and pens, or playing with fine jewelry, not preparing vegetables.

“No buts.” Chu Xihuan smiled. “Do you still see me as the young lady I used to be?”

Lin Zhao lowered her head and mumbled, “Can’t I?”

Besides, she was one.

Chu Xihuan found her sullen expression a little amusing. Most people would be eager to push all the work onto others, but this one wanted to take everything upon herself.

Did this person even remember that she used to be an idle loafer?

“You can, but in moderation.” Chu Xihuan split the vegetable in her hand in two and chuckled. “Then you’ll have to work hard to earn money. A penniless young lady is quite a joke.”

Lin Zhao was speechless.

She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. “I’ll work hard!”

Chu Xihuan couldn’t help but laugh again. The gloom of the past few days was gradually dissipating. Who could say that her impulsive act this time wasn’t a blessing in disguise?

She had never been able to get what she had always wanted, but in Lin Zhao, she felt an unreserved sincerity, a feeling that she deserved all the genuine affection.

A lump formed in her throat, and she couldn’t help but say softly, “Lin Zhao, you…” She paused, feeling that this was not a good topic. Although she wanted to say that it was remarkable that Lin Zhao had grown up alone without her character being warped, wasn’t she also bringing up her sad past?

“Hmm? What about me?” Lin Zhao looked at Chu Xihuan, confused.

“Nothing, I just wanted to say you’re very fast at preparing vegetables.” Chu Xihuan swallowed her words and looked at the vegetables Lin Zhao had prepared.

Hearing her praise, Lin Zhao smiled sweetly. “I learned this when I was a child! When my mom used to cook for me, I would always be by her side helping out!”

Although she had been a bit mischievous and active as a child, she was surprisingly able to sit still when it came to preparing vegetables.

Hearing her voluntarily bring up her mother, Chu Xihuan’s eyes flickered. She kept stealing glances at Lin Zhao’s expression, afraid that she would become sad.

She wasn’t good at comforting people.

“Your mother taught you well,” Chu Xihuan said vaguely, praying that Lin Zhao wouldn’t cry. She was just following her lead!

“Mm-hm! I think so too!” Lin Zhao nodded with a bit of pride.

Now it was Chu Xihuan’s turn to be speechless. She hadn’t expected Lin Zhao to have such a thick-skinned side.

She was both amused and exasperated, but also relieved. Perhaps too much time had passed, and even the deepest sorrow would be covered by layers of time, no longer so painful to recall.

Just like everything else, time could heal all wounds.

After preparing the vegetables, Lin Zhao took them to be washed, then washed the meat and cut the vegetables. It was already past lunchtime, and Lin Zhao didn’t want to make a big fuss, but Chu Xihuan said she would eat a little with her, so Lin Zhao immediately wanted to show off all her skills!

Chu Xihuan was relieved when she saw Lin Zhao render the fat from the pork in the pot. When she had first heard her talk about “meat soup,” she had thought she would just throw the meat directly into the water to boil. If the meat was fatty, it would have been incredibly greasy.

After rendering the fat, Lin Zhao scooped out the excess oil and then poured water into the pot.

Chu Xihuan’s eyelids twitched. She wasn’t sure what Lin Zhao was trying to do.

When the water in the pot boiled, Chu Xihuan saw Lin Zhao cut the soft tofu and throw it in. After a few more minutes, the prepared choy sum was also thrown in, creating a pot of vegetable and tofu… meat soup?

Chu Xihuan was silent. It seemed Lin Zhao really did just cook everything together in one pot.

What kind of hard life had this Lin Zhao lived before?

“Done!” Lin Zhao said happily.

Chu Xihuan couldn’t help but smile. It was fine. It wasn’t strange, and it didn’t look inedible. It was worth a try.

Lin Zhao served her a bowl and looked at her expectantly.

Under Lin Zhao’s gaze, Chu Xihuan took a spoonful of the soup. It was light and not greasy, surprisingly to her taste. Although all the ingredients were cooked together, there were no strange flavors. It wasn’t amazing, but it was edible.

“It’s good,” Chu Xihuan nodded.

Lin Zhao’s eyes immediately lit up. “Then eat more! You’re so thin.”

When they stood together, Chu Xihuan looked a little taller than her, tall and thin, as if she could be blown away by the wind.

Chu Xihuan fell silent at her words. She looked at Lin Zhao, wondering how she had the nerve to call her thin.

This person was much thinner than she was!

“You’re the one who needs to eat more,” Chu Xihuan said lightly. This person was almost as thin as a stick.

“Mm-hm!” However, in Lin Zhao’s ears, this was Chu Xihuan caring for her!

It was only the first day after their marriage, and Chu Xihuan was already caring for her!

Lin Zhao was overjoyed.

No matter how hard Chu Xihuan tried to remember, she couldn’t recall having a cookbook among her books. After all, the thought of learning to cook had never crossed her mind before. Why would she have bought such books?

Sighing softly, she would have to buy one later.

Chu Xihuan ate a simple meal with Lin Zhao. Seeing Lin Zhao eat even such a simple meal with such a satisfied expression, Chu Xihuan felt a little uncomfortable.

“I’ll take your measurements later. It won’t do to dress like this for the homecoming visit tomorrow,” Chu Xihuan said. Although her father had said he would act as if he didn’t have her as a daughter, the proper homecoming courtesies still had to be observed.

Lin Zhao blinked, remembering the clothes Chu Xihuan had been working on in the room earlier. Were they for her?

“Are those your clothes? If you give them to me, what will you wear?” Lin Zhao pressed her lips together. She wanted them, but she was also afraid that Chu Xihuan wouldn’t have anything to wear.

“I have plenty of clothes. You don’t have to worry about that,” Chu Xihuan said lightly.

Hearing her say this, Lin Zhao’s eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly.

Chu Xihuan is specially making clothes for me~

**

Author’s Note:

Xixi, a penniless young lady is called a fallen noble lady. This character setting is also quite appealing. [Eating Melon][Eating Melon]

The seemingly scoundrelly and carefree Zhaozhao is actually someone who can be lured away with a single piece of candy. [Let Me See][Let Me See]