“Mom, let me cook lunch today!” Xu Ying ran over, pouting playfully. To unlock more recipes and features in her space as soon as possible, she was determined to cook at least ten dishes a day.
Before Mother Xu could even protest, Xu Ying had already snatched the carrot from her hands.
Watching her daughter rush into the kitchen, Mother Xu’s eyebrows twitched. It wasn’t that she didn’t want her daughter to cook—it was just too much of a waste of resources.
Sure, the food was delicious. But it was expensive.
“Sweetheart, why don’t you let Mom handle lunch today? You can go rest.” Mother Xu blinked at her daughter, trying to coax her gently.
Xu Ying grinned and shook her head. “Mom, didn’t you always want me to learn how to cook? I read a few cooking books the other day. Aren’t you happy I’m finally making food for you?”
Mother Xu was momentarily speechless. “Of course Mom’s happy, but—”
Before she could finish, Xu Ying quickly cut her off. “As long as you’re happy, I’ll take care of all the cooking from now on! I’ve realized I have a real talent for it, and it’s actually really fun.”
Mother Xu sighed, utterly helpless. “Well, if you really like it, then go ahead.”
Forget it. They’d just have to scrimp and save elsewhere to cover the extra gas costs.
Xu Ying beamed as she carried two radishes into the house. Thinking over the recipes in her mind, she realized she only knew how to make chicken stew with radish soup—but the family had eaten that before, so it probably wouldn’t earn her any points this time.
Wait a minute—her second uncle’s family had stir-fried spicy rabbit last time. But they hadn’t had chicken stew yet.
At home, they still had two pheasants, two fish, and eighteen wild duck eggs left.
For lunch, she decided on stewed pheasant with radish and tomato scrambled eggs.
There were only a few tomatoes left in the garden—just enough to pick for this meal.
Xu Ying asked her mother to help gather the tomatoes. Little shitou helped light the fire, while she prepared the stew.
As soon as the pheasant started simmering, a mouthwatering aroma wafted through the kitchen.
Drawn by the smell, Mother Xu walked in and immediately noticed a large spoonful of oil missing from the jar on the counter. Her heart ached.
Her daughter didn’t understand how expensive ingredients were. How could she? She wasn’t the one managing the household.
But what could she do? This was her child—of course she’d love her no matter what.
“Sweetheart, what are you doing with the tomatoes?” Mother Xu asked curiously, seeing the bubbling stew on the stove.
“I’m making tomato scrambled eggs. We’ve still got plenty of duck eggs left,” Xu Ying replied cheerfully as she cracked five duck eggs into a bowl.
Mother Xu’s heart twinged again at the sight.
“Well, if you want to eat it, then go ahead,” she said, sighing softly before turning to leave.
Little Shitou stood off to the side, stifling a chuckle as he watched.
Xu Ying, oblivious to their reactions, washed and diced the tomatoes. She left the chicken soup to simmer slowly in the back, then set a wok on the front burner. Once the oil was hot, she poured in the beaten eggs and scrambled them until fluffy, then scooped them onto a plate.
Next, she stir-fried the tomatoes over high heat with a sprinkle of sugar until they softened and released their juices. Then she added the eggs back in, seasoned everything with a pinch of salt, and stirred it all together.
“Little Shitou , taste this for me.” Xu Ying picked up a bite of tomato egg with her chopsticks and fed it to him, eyes shining with anticipation. “How is it?”
“Mmm! It’s so good!” Little Shitou ’s eyes lit up. “It’s fresh, a little sweet, not greasy at all, with a perfect hint of salt… it’s just delicious!”
【Favorability +1】
Xu Ying’s smile widened when she heard the system notification.
She was only twenty points away from unlocking a new recipe—and with it, a new area in her space. Excellent. She needed to keep it up.
“Mom! Try my tomato scrambled eggs!” she called.
“Huzi, you too—come taste!”
【Favorability +1, +1, +1】
“Is it good?” Xu Ying beamed as she watched them eat.
Seeing her daughter so joyful, Mother Xu felt her heart soften. “It’s delicious, honey. You were born to cook.”
Xu Ying’s face glowed with happiness as she set the chicken soup and tomato eggs on the table.
The only simple part of the meal was the staple food: steamed cornmeal buns.
“Little sis, what did you make? It smells amazing.” Big Brother Xu sniffed the air as he walked in, his smile bright.
Father Xu looked hopeful too. Every day after work he came home exhausted, but the moment he smelled that delicious fragrance, his fatigue melted away.
“What’s so special? Can’t chicken soup smell good too?” Mother Xu huffed playfully.
These brats were so big already, yet still acting like gluttonous kids over a meal.
Big Brother Xu chuckled, gulping hungrily.
“Mom, let’s send some soup to grandpa and grandma at the old house,” Xu Ying suggested, carrying half a basin of pheasant soup.
Mother Xu sighed, watching her daughter’s eagerness. “Go on, then.”
Xu Ying grinned and ran off with the soup.
Mother Xu watched her leave, her heart aching again. She had thought her daughter would become a bit more selfish after nearly drowning, but instead, she’d only grown more considerate.
Whenever something good came their way, her daughter never thought about keeping it for herself—she always thought of others first.
Look at her—she was still so thin.
The more Mother Xu thought about it, the more frustrated she became. She glared fiercely at Father Xu.
Father Xu, completely baffled, gave her a bewildered look. “What did I do now?”
“Ahem… let’s just eat first.” Father Xu tried to save face in front of his son.
“Eat what? We’re waiting for Yingying to come back!” Mother Xu snapped.
Father Xu froze, then cleared his throat. “You heard your mother. We’ll wait for your little sister to come back.”
With that, he went back inside.
Xu Ying hummed a cheerful tune as she carried the basket toward the old house. It wasn’t far—just a few minutes’ walk.
“Grandma!” she called happily as she approached.
Zhao Lingling heard the call and quickly opened the door, smiling warmly. “Yingying, what brings you here? Have you eaten yet?”
“I brought some chicken soup for Grandma. I’ll eat once I get home.” Xu Ying handed over the basket.
Zhao Lingling caught a whiff of the rich aroma and swallowed unconsciously.
“Is that Yingying?” Old Madam Xu’s strong, aged voice called from inside.
Xu Ying’s eyes brightened. She hurried into the main room. “Grandma!”
She ran over and took her grandmother’s arm affectionately.
Old Madam Xu felt the small hand on her arm and paused in surprise.
Old Man Xu, seated nearby, raised his brows slightly, then chuckled. “Your sister-in-law said you were doing well. Looks like she wasn’t lying.”
There was a deeper meaning in his words, and Xu Ying immediately understood.
Before she had met Dong Zhiqing, she’d been warm and close with her family. But after she got involved with him, her visits to the old house had grown fewer and farther between.
Xu Ying’s eyes reddened faintly, and she spoke softly through her nose. “Grandma, I know I was wrong. I won’t see Dong Zhiqing again.”
Xu Jianjun stood at the door, eavesdropping. When he heard those words, a grin spread across his face.
“Good girl,” Xu Jianjun said, walking in. “Ever since you met that boy, you forgot all about your elders.”
“I’m sorry, Second Uncle.” Xu Ying looked up at him with a playful pout, her soft gaze melting his heart.
“It’s good you know your mistake,” Xu Jianjun replied, though his tone had softened.