Her Cooking Was This Good?

The feel beneath his hand was soft and boneless. Zhou Chenglei withdrew his hand and took a step back.

Jiang Xia also casually went over to turn the food in the large iron pot.

Great-Grandmother chuckled. "Oh my, I never realized A'Lei was so good at doting on his wife. Xiao Xia, just let him do it."

"I'll do it," Zhou Chenglei said again.

This time, he did not reach out.

Jiang Xia did not look at him. "No need. I can do it. Go wash the White Clams for me."

She was worried the White Clams contained sand, so they needed to be blanched and rinsed before being used to make Garlic Steamed Angled Luffa.

Zhou Chenglei felt awkward staying there any longer, so he obediently went outside to wash the White Clams.

Jiang Xia cooked alone using two iron pots, and she put both small stoves to work as well.

Since most of the meat was seafood, which cooked easily, and there were plenty of people helping with the preparations, Jiang Xia managed to put together ten dishes and one soup in about two hours.

The men chatting outside had long since been teased by the aromas drifting from the kitchen until the greedy worms in their bellies were croaking with hunger.

Guang Zong Yao Zu and his brothers had gone to herd cattle and ducks. After returning at nightfall, they came over to eat. Smelling the aromas from the kitchen, the children all gathered at the doorway, loudly praising Little Aunt's cooking.

Tian Caihua scolded them and chased them away several times, but they refused to leave.

In the end, Jiang Xia smilingly sent them outside to pick some flowers for decorating the plates. Only then did they scamper away, all smiles.

When the dishes were served, everyone was stunned by the food, which was a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, with such exquisite and beautiful plating.

In her previous life, Jiang Xia had worked as a kitchen assistant in a five-star hotel. She had decorated the Braised Pork Belly with the purple eggplant flowers that Guang Zong Yao Zu and his brothers had picked. She arranged the Blanched Tiger Prawns in circles, placing a little red flower carved from a carrot in the middle; it looked like a blooming peony. She cut the Tiger Grouper into circles and steamed it, garnishing it with shredded scallions and red chili. A flower made from angled luffa adorned the fish's mouth, bringing it to life. It looked just like a peacock spreading its tail—so lifelike and beautiful!

Usually, everyone simply cooked their food until it was done and considered the job finished once it was plated. Who would arrange it so neatly, let alone think of decorating it?

Father Zhou said, "Xiao Xia made this? It's arranged so beautifully that I almost can't bear to eat it."

Mother Zhou smiled. "How do you know Xiao Xia made it?"

Father Zhou gave her a meaningful look. "What do you think?"

When his wife and eldest daughter-in-law cooked, they only cared about getting the food cooked and making sure it would not give anyone diarrhea. How could they possibly make something so fancy?

Mother Zhou discreetly stepped on his foot.

Zhou Chengxin exclaimed, "Fourth Sister-in-law, you're quite the cook. You've really been hiding your talents!"

Great-Grandfather said, "This is more than just good cooking. It's practically better than the State-Owned Restaurant's!"

Great-Grandmother cheerfully said, "In all my many decades, this is the first time I've seen food cooked into something like flowers. I've truly learned something new today."

Zhou Yongguo gave Jiang Xia a thumbs-up. "Granddaughter-in-law, you're a wonderful cook!"

Then he turned to Zhou Chenglei beside Jiang Xia. "Grandson, you're truly blessed!"

Zhou Jie imitated his father. "Little Uncle, you're truly blessed!"

Zhou Chenglei ignored the father and son's empty banter. His attention was fixed on the dishes on the table. He had eaten state banquets before, and he suspected that if she were given more ingredients, she could probably put together an entire state banquet.

But was her cooking really this good?

Jiang Xia had lived twenty-eight years in her previous life. After the age of three, she had gone without adequate food and clothing. Sometimes, she had been so busy working that she had not even had time to eat, often going hungry for one meal and overeating at the next. It was only after graduating from university and paying off her medical bills that she finally relaxed. After that, she liked making her dishes look and smell as good as they tasted, and she enjoyed plating her own meals, arranging every dish beautifully. That had been her only pleasure in her spare time.

But the original owner absolutely could not have cooked this well.

Noticing Zhou Chenglei's scrutinizing gaze, Jiang Xia had already thought of an excuse. She smiled and said, "Someone in my maternal grandfather's family worked as an imperial chef in the palace. My maternal grandfather was an excellent cook, and I learned from him when I was little. But I haven't cooked in a long time, so I don't know how it tastes. Please bear with this meal."

Everyone immediately showered her with praise again. "It looks delicious!"

"It's making my mouth water just smelling it. It must be delicious!"

Zhou Chenglei knew that Jiang Xia had indeed lived with her maternal grandparents for a time when she was little, but that had been before she started primary school, hadn't it? Jiang Xia picked up her wineglass and tugged at his sleeve, saying softly, "Shall we, as husband and wife, offer everyone a toast?"

Zhou Chenglei came back to himself.

The four words "as husband and wife" brushed across the deepest point of Zhou Chenglei's heart like a feather. He lowered his head and glanced at the fair little hand clutching his sleeve, then looked at the glass in her other hand, which bore a red Double Happiness Character. They had bought it when they got married.

They were indeed husband and wife, even if they were soon to divorce.

He lowered his eyes, picked up the glass bearing the Double Happiness Character, and stood.

Zhou Chenglei raised his glass and said, "Sorry for the trouble today, everyone. Jiang Xia and I would like to offer you all a toast. Thank you for your help."

Jiang Xia followed him to her feet. "Thank you all so much today. If you hadn't helped, the house wouldn't have been repaired so quickly. Thank you!"

Good meat and good dishes called for good wine. Zhou Chenglei had bought some while he was out, and before the meal, Jiang Xia had found the wineglasses and poured a drink for everyone.

She had asked Mother Zhou and the others, and they did not drink. Only Great-Grandmother said she would have a small glass, so Jiang Xia prepared watermelon juice for the adults and children who did not drink.

The watermelon had been brought by Zhou Jie's mother. It had been grown by her maternal family and was a Shitou Melon, an enormous one. It had turned sandy when cut open, and after being soaked in well water, it was especially sweet.

Everyone stood and raised their glasses of wine or watermelon juice. "Good luck in your new home, may your household prosper, and may you enjoy good health!"

Jiang Xia downed her glass in one go, without leaving a single drop.

She drank with practiced ease and poise, her bearing open and graceful. It was a pleasure to watch.

Zhou Chenglei glanced at her.

Even two qian of strong liquor burned his throat. Yet delicate as she was, she had downed hers without changing expression, as though she had clinked glasses with people countless times before.

Great-Grandmother cheerfully drained her glass and said with a smile, "Xiao Xia is a wonderful child! She's graceful in the hall and capable in the kitchen, a woman destined for great things. A'Lei, your good fortune is still ahead of you."

Zhou Chenglei picked up the bottle and poured wine for everyone without saying anything.

Jiang Xia playfully replied, "Great-Grandmother really has the best eye for people. Your gaze is as sharp as a torch—you saw at a glance that I'm a husband-prospering wife!"

The entire table burst into laughter at Jiang Xia's shamelessness.

Hearing everyone praise Jiang Xia, Tian Caihua looked at the oil-shimmering dishes on the table and pursed her lips. Whether Jiang Xia would prosper her husband was unknown, but she was certainly a spendthrift!

Whose family would be willing to use so much oil for cooking? The family had been allocated only half a jar of oil when they split up, and she had already wasted almost all of it on their first meal.

No matter how capable Zhou Chenglei was, could he really afford to support her?

Zhou Yongguo picked up his wineglass and said to Zhou Chenglei, "A'Lei, you've married a husband-prospering wife. Your grandfather and I must have a drink. Granddaughter-in-law, you join us too!"

Jiang Xia smiled and agreed. Zhou Chenglei did not pour wine into her glass. When she reached for the bottle, he took it away and placed a glass of watermelon juice he had just poured in front of her. "This wine has a strong aftereffect. Drink watermelon juice."

Zhou Yongguo said, "Hey, hey, hey, that won't do! Your grandfather is offering you a toast, so you have to drink wine! You can't drink watermelon juice!"

He had heard that the two of them still had not consummated their marriage.

His grandson was truly having a hard time. He was twenty-eight and still had not experienced a woman's touch.

For the sake of his grandson, who had defended him in fights since childhood, he, as the grandfather, had decided to give him a hand tonight!