Chapter 44

Yan Kexing had already scraped two mushrooms clean, while Shi Wen was still working on the one in his hand.

Yan Kexing took the mushroom from him and gave him a gentle push. "I'll do it. Go peel the garlic."

Shi Wen stepped aside and grabbed some garlic from the rack. "How much?"

Yan Kexing said, "A handful."

Yan Kexing washed the mushrooms clean, set them on the cutting board, and began slicing. Under his knife, the mushrooms swiftly became even, snow-white slices.

Shi Wen knew his knife skills were good, but he had not known they were this good. He was practically dumbstruck.

Yan Kexing had excellent knife skills and excellent cooking skills. Shi Wen did not struggle much before handing over the authority of head chef, retreating to a supporting role and merely helping out beside him.

Yan Kexing moved with remarkable efficiency.

Before long, the kitchen was filled with the fragrance of food.

The aromas seemed almost tangible, hanging heavily in the kitchen. Shi Wen could not escape them even if he wanted to, and could only let them lure his stomach into growling.

Before long, Shi Wen heard heavy panting.

When he turned around, he saw the three dogs squatting neatly outside the kitchen door with their food bowls in their mouths. Their tails wagged so quickly they were nearly making a whooshing sound.

Like owner, like dogs.

Shi Wen himself was craving the food terribly, so he felt too embarrassed to criticize the dogs.

His kitchen was outdoors. The dogs never came over while he cooked, and this was the first time Shi Wen had seen them waiting so obediently outside the door.

What kind of person raised what kind of dog, indeed.

There were not many side ingredients, so they were prepared in no time.

Shi Wen leaned against the cabinet and watched Yan Kexing cook.

Good-looking people looked good doing anything.

Yan Kexing stood before the stove, stir-frying. Whenever he tossed the wok, the lines of his arm muscles tightened to perfection.

The light fell over his face. He was as beautiful as jade, a truly pleasing sight.

Especially with how composed he was.

The food in the wok needed to be stir-fried rapidly over high heat, yet he did not seem flustered in the slightest.

A few minutes later, Yan Kexing plated the mushrooms. "The stir-fried mushrooms are ready."

Shi Wen carried the stir-fried mushrooms and was about to head outside when he caught sight of the dogs jumping around from the corner of his eye, whining through their noses like they were starving. He turned back and set the dish down again. "Better leave it here to cool."

An Wa protested loudly outside. "Woof!"

Shi Wen turned his head. "Barking won't help. Be careful you don't burn your tongue later."

Yan Kexing was smiling all over. He washed the wok clean, then tossed in the marinated beef and stir-fried it quickly.

Soon afterward, the rich, mouthwatering aroma of stir-fried beef rose through the kitchen.

Outside, the dogs scratched at the floor with their paws, whining even more anxiously.

If Shi Wen had not trained them strictly, they would have rushed into the kitchen.

Yan Kexing quickly made three dishes and a soup—stir-fried mushrooms, stir-fried beef, stir-fried eggplant, and loofah egg-drop soup.

The eggplant and loofah came from the vegetable garden behind Shi Wen's house. They had been picked and stir-fried fresh, making them especially tender.

All three dishes were prepared in the usual home-style way, yet they smelled anything but ordinary.

Not only were the dogs unable to resist, even Shi Wen secretly swallowed countless times.

Once all the dishes were ready, Shi Wen asked Yan Kexing's opinion, then served the three dogs plain rice and mixed it with soup, topping it with stir-fried mushrooms, stir-fried beef, and stir-fried eggplant.

Dogs could actually eat salt normally; they just could not eat dishes as their main food.

Shi Wen's dogs were especially active, so the saltiness of home-style dishes was just right for them.

The dog food Shi Wen prepared would not be a burden on them at all.

By the time the dogs had started eating outside, Yan Kexing had already served the rice and set out the chopsticks, waiting for Shi Wen at the table.

After washing his hands, Shi Wen came in from outside. The moment he saw Yan Kexing waiting for him, it felt as though something had struck his heart.

He lowered his head to hide it.

This was exactly the kind of family life he had dreamed of.

Yan Kexing handed him his chopsticks. "Eat."

Shi Wen sat beside him and took a deep breath. "You're such a good cook."

"You know my cooking is good before you've even tasted it?" Yan Kexing gently pushed the dishes toward him. "Try some."

Shi Wen held up his rice bowl, covering half his face. "I can tell it'll be good just from the smell."

Shi Wen was not merely flattering him. The food on the table really did smell amazing.

He first picked up a chopstickful of stir-fried mushrooms and put it into his mouth.

The mushrooms were coated in a thin layer of glossy sauce. With one bite, an intense burst of umami and juices exploded together, smooth and tender.

Its freshness was not overpowering, but soft and layered, leaving an endless aftertaste.

As Shi Wen tasted the stir-fried mushrooms, his eyes immediately lit up.

No wonder these mushrooms were called Delicious Mushrooms. They really were delicious!

They were so delicious that eating them brought an unusual sense of happiness and contentment welling up inside him.

Shi Wen said, "How can these mushrooms be so good?!"

Yan Kexing asked, "How do they compare to the Bachu Mushrooms from last time?"

"They're completely different flavors." Shi Wen carefully recalled the taste of the Bachu Mushrooms. "Delicious Mushrooms are thicker and meatier, and eating them gives you the satisfying feeling of taking a big bite of meat. Bachu Mushrooms are crisper, with an excellent texture. They're both delicious!"

Shi Wen took another chopstickful of mushrooms, then picked up a piece of eggplant.

The eggplant was just ordinary local eggplant, and it had only been stir-fried in an ordinary way. Yet Yan Kexing seemed to possess magic. The eggplant he made was fragrant, silky, and delicious, with a hint of the refreshing quality unique to summer vegetables. It went wonderfully with rice.

If Yan Kexing had not been sitting beside him, Shi Wen would have mixed the eggplant into his rice!

It was so good!

After finishing the three dishes and soup, Shi Wen forced himself to use his bowl to drink the remaining loofah egg-drop soup.

He felt as though his abs were about to bulge out.

Thankfully, he had not worn tight pants today. Otherwise, he would have worried they might burst open.