Stir-Fried Soup and Fried Wontons.
“Smells so good!”
An’an immediately perked up from playing finger games with Pingping, sniffed the air, and followed the enticing aroma to its source. She hesitated for a moment before shuffling her little legs into the kitchen.
Qin Shi heard the footsteps but didn’t turn around. She casually tossed the chopped tomato pieces into the hot oil, which sizzled loudly as the tangy fragrance filled the air.
The acidic aroma mixed with the sound of sizzling oil seemed to draw An’an closer, like a moth to a flame.
Qin Shi added a pinch of salt with her spoon, stirred the tomatoes, and glanced over her shoulder. Seeing it was An’an, she smiled warmly, “Hungry?”
An’an nodded and, noticing that Qin Shi didn’t shoo her away, stood at the edge of the stove, tiptoeing to peek into the pot. “What are you making?”
“Tomato and egg soup,” Qin Shi replied.
“What’s that?” An’an’s eyes widened in curiosity.
“You’ve never had it before?” Qin Shi was surprised. She thought this was a common dish in northern regions.
“Grandma never made it.” An’an’s curiosity grew, and she tried her best to get a better look at the pot, but her short height only let her fingertips reach the stovetop.
Feeling a little defeated, An’an was suddenly lifted into the air. She let out a surprised squeal, “Ah!”
Qin Shi quickly turned around and saw Lu Zetian holding one child in each arm, standing beside her. In the corner, Gu Qinghai pretended to be looking for something but kept sneaking glances toward the stove.
Qin Shi chuckled softly, choosing to ignore them and continuing her cooking.
When the tomatoes were softened, she poured hot water from the thermos into the pot, estimating the right amount before covering it with a lid to let it simmer. Next, she measured half a bowl of flour and set it aside. Then she grabbed another pan, cleaned it, and placed it on a different burner to fry the hardened bun slices.
The bun had clearly been left out for some time and was quite tough, so frying was the best option. However, aware of how little oil was left in the container, she used only a small amount. After all, oil was not only expensive in this era but also required ration tickets.
Qin Shi’s movements were swift and efficient, almost mesmerizing in their precision and rhythm. The way she managed to fry bun slices and simultaneously stir the dough into small lumps for the soup was seamless and graceful. Lu Zetian and the kids, transfixed by her actions, watched without blinking, completely captivated.
For Gu Qinghai, it was a revelation. He’d never thought cooking could look so elegant and engaging, almost like an art form. It drew him in, compelling him to watch every step.
When Qin Shi finished frying the bun slices, she carefully poured the remaining oil into a bowl, covering it for later use. She then moved on to stir-frying some vegetables, and the loud sizzle of the hot oil snapping against the pan brought Gu Qinghai back to reality.
Glancing at his siblings, who were craning their necks to see better, and at Lu Zetian, who was just as engrossed, Gu Qinghai retreated a few steps as if escaping. His mind raced: What kind of sorcery is this? I’ve always hated anything to do with the kitchen, but now I can’t look away!
Feeling like he’d been ensnared, Gu Qinghai quickly busied himself finding bowls and chopsticks, avoiding the stove altogether.
If Qin Shi knew what he was thinking, she would have laughed out loud. After all, there was a reason cooking videos and food bloggers were so popular in modern times. While there was no magic involved, there was definitely a comforting, almost therapeutic allure to watching someone cook.
In less than twenty minutes, Qin Shi had dinner ready. The soup was abundant, so she brought the whole pot to the dining table.
Lu Zetian, seeing her confidently carry the heavy pot, silently put down the children he was holding and instructed them to wash their hands before eating. He had originally planned to help carry the pot, but Qin Shi had already handled it herself.
Gu Qinghai stared at the steaming pot on the table, recalling how Aunt Mo once spilled a bowl of hot soup because it burned her hands. He couldn’t believe Qin Shi had carried the entire pot without flinching.
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Gu Qinghai reached out to touch the pot, but Qin Shi stopped him. “Don’t touch it—it’s really hot. Go wash your hands and get ready to eat.”
Gu Qinghai hesitated, then asked, “Doesn’t it burn your hands?” He regretted the question as soon as he said it. It sounded like he was concerned about her.
Qin Shi replied matter-of-factly, “I held it by the handles.”
Gu Qinghai: “…”
Right. He had forgotten about that.
Feeling slightly annoyed with himself, Gu Qinghai turned and headed to wash his hands, his pace hurried and his mood complicated.
Watching his retreating figure, Qin Shi smiled faintly. The eldest child was sharp but seemed a bit awkward in expressing himself.
After everyone washed up and sat down, they stared at the colourful soup in their bowls.
“Red, yellow, green, white,” An’an counted with her spoon, grinning ear to ear. “It’s so pretty!”
“Eat,” Lu Zetian said simply.
An’an carefully blew on her spoonful of soup before taking a sip. Her eyes widened in delight. “It’s so tasty!”
Pingping nodded in agreement, exclaiming, “Delicious!”
Gu Qinghai didn’t say anything, but his lowered head and the steady scooping of his spoon spoke volumes.
The tomato egg soup was light and flavourful, perfectly balanced with a hint of saltiness and a slight tang from the tomatoes.
The small dough lumps were delightfully chewy, and the greens were soft but not mushy.
A sip of the soup brought in a mix of textures—the delicate shreds of egg and fragments of dough melted smoothly in the mouth, creating a rich and satisfying sensation.
Lu Zetian picked up his bowl and took a large sip. He let out a long, satisfied breath, exclaiming, “This is great.” The warmth spread through his body, bringing a comfortable sense of relaxation.
He grabbed a piece of golden, crispy fried bun and paired it with the refreshing stir-fried greens, savouring every bite.
After two large bowls of soup and half a plate of fried bun slices, Lu Zetian finally stopped, his appetite satisfied. Watching the children enthusiastically dig into their meals, he couldn’t help but admire Qin Shi’s cooking skills again.
Simple dishes like fried bun and stir-fried greens had been elevated into something extraordinary.
“Hiccup!” Pingping let out a dainty burp, prompting a giggle from An’an, who stared longingly at the last piece of fried bun on the plate. She wanted it but was already too full, her face reflecting her struggle.
Gu Qinghai noticed immediately and decisively snatched the last piece. He dipped it into the vegetable sauce and ate it in a few swift bites.
An’an, watching him finish it, turned to Qin Shi with hopeful eyes. “Can we have this again tomorrow?”
Qin Shi smiled. “Tomorrow, I’ll make something even better.”
The children’s eyes lit up, brimming with anticipation as they looked at her.
“What is it?” An’an leaned over the table excitedly. “Better than today’s?”
“You’ve tasted my cooking now,” Qin Shi said with a sly grin. “Everything I make is delicious. If you help me tidy up the rooms tomorrow afternoon, I’ll make you sweet caramelized sweet potatoes and apples as a reward.”
“What’s that?” An’an asked curiously.
“Sweet?” Pingping’s ears perked up.
Gu Qinghai saw through her plan immediately. “You’re trying to make us work.”
“It’s not making you work—it’s asking for your help,” Qin Shi said with a laugh. “With everyone pitching in, I’ll finish cleaning much faster. And as a thank-you for your help, I’ll make you delicious treats.”
“If you don’t want to help, that’s fine too. I can clean slowly by myself, but it might take so long that we’ll only have something simple for dinner.”
Gu Qinghai snorted. “This is bribery and blackmail!”
Qin Shi met his eyes, her smile unyielding. “So, will you fall for it?”
“You wish! I—” Before Gu Qinghai could finish, the two younger ones eagerly raised their hands, shouting:
“We’ll fall for it!”
“I want sweet potatoes and apples!”
Gu Qinghai glared at them, frustrated. Two little fools! They’re being completely played and are even excited about it!
“Great,” Qin Shi said cheerfully. “Let’s work together tomorrow.”
“Yay!” An’an waved her little hands enthusiastically, already excited.
Pingping smiled shyly, his lips pressed into a quiet grin.
Qin Shi watched the lively and outgoing An’an and the introverted, quiet Pingping, thinking about how different the twin siblings were in personality.
“Big brother, take your siblings to play,” Qin Shi said, motioning for the three kids to leave. She then turned to help Lu Zetian clear the dishes.
Gu Qinghai, who had been gearing up for another argument with Qin Shi, found himself momentarily at a loss when she stopped engaging him. Huffing, he grabbed some tissues, wiped Pingping and An’an’s mouths, and led them out.
Only after they left did Qin Shi let out a quiet laugh.
Lu Zetian glanced at her. “You enjoy teasing him, don’t you?”
“Mm-hmm~” Qin Shi stacked the dishes into the sink, thinking, Kids are just meant to be played with, aren’t they?
Lu Zetian chuckled softly and began washing the dishes. As he worked, he explained the backstory of the three children.
Gu Qinghai had been left without anyone to care for him after his grandmother passed, so Lu Zetian had taken him in. The twins, on the other hand, had been abandoned at Lu Zetian’s doorstep.
Their late father had been Lu Zetian’s squad leader. After their mother gave birth to them, she had planned to return to their father’s hometown and leave the children with his family. However, a mudslide had devastated the village, leaving many dead, including their grandparents.
At her wit’s end, the mother abandoned the twins at Lu Zetian’s home, leaving a note explaining her situation. She handed over the government allowances and death benefits meant for her late husband, refusing to take the children back.
At the time, Lu Zetian had been married to Mo Ling. Understandably, she was furious and refused to take in the children, especially since they were financially secure and didn’t need the additional responsibility. The army tried to find another home for the twins, but after multiple failed attempts, Lu Zetian, unable to watch the children go uncared for, decided to take them in himself.
This decision led to a heated argument with Mo Ling, who eventually divorced him.
After hearing the story, Qin Shi gave Lu Zetian a long, meaningful look. If it had been her, she would have divorced him too.
Deployments shortly after marriage, long absences, and then suddenly adopting two infants—who could handle that?
Lu Zetian, catching her gaze, seemed to understand what she was thinking. He coughed lightly and explained, “I couldn’t just leave them with no one to care for them.”
Qin Shi wanted to roll her eyes. “Seriously? The army wouldn’t have let them starve. If no one in the compound could take them, they’d find someone in the nearby county. Don’t tell me there wasn’t a single good home available.”
Lu Zetian knew she was right. Even now, he couldn’t explain what had come over him to make such an impulsive decision. It was as if something had compelled him.
Looking back, even he found it puzzling.
**Nomad: Hi everyone, many of you may have noticed that some novels haven’t been updated for a while. I struggled to regain access to my account after my site went down, which took some time to resolve. I’m also in the process of moving the website to a different hosting plan, which I’ve been handling manually in the background. This has taken up a lot of my time, but I’m almost done. You might notice the website going down for a few hours now and then while everything gets sorted. Sorry about that!**
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