Last place taught second-to-last how to solve problems

Jiang Lan leaned against the kitchen doorframe and first glanced at Pei Du.

Toast and fried ham.

It was exactly like the "Western food" Jiang Lan had secretly complained about to himself not long ago.

Originally, if it had only been a simple version of Western food, that would have been fine.

But the terrifying thing was that as Pei Du frantically flipped the ham, Jiang Lan actually spotted a layer of pitch-black char.

Looking at the range hood above Pei Du's head, which was working for dear life to keep the burned smell from reaching his nostrils, he silently said, Thanks for your hard work, brother.

Jiang Lan watched Pei Du's handsome but clumsy figure from behind for a while, then chose to turn his gaze toward Qiao Xin, who had pinned up her long hair.

He would have been better off not looking. One glance left him even more horrified.

Looking at the thick, yellowish-brown mass in Qiao Xin's pot, Jiang Lan couldn't help walking up behind her. He craned his neck and sniffed, then asked with a grimace:

"Bro Qiao, forgive me for being blunt, but are you cooking sh..."

Qiao Xin whipped her head around and shot Jiang Lan a sharp, dangerous look:

"Watch your mouth."

Jiang Lan said, "I haven't even said it yet."

Qiao Xin gritted her teeth. "Say it and you're dead."

Jiang Lan pressed his lips together. "So even if I don't say it, you know what I want to say, right?"

Qiao Xin glanced back at the sweethearts gathered in the living room, then turned back and whispered, "Keep your mouth shut until my soup is out of the pot."

Jiang Lan genuinely couldn't understand how anyone could cook something that called such things to mind.

He looked at Qiao Xin and offered kindly, "Want me to help?"

As a model, Qiao Xin already had her hands full maintaining her figure and really had little time to study cooking.

But her refusal to admit defeat meant she could never back down in front of Pei Du.

So she had dug up this pumpkin soup from her distant memories.

Unfortunately, she had used too little water and too much soy sauce, leaving its color and texture beyond description.

Qiao Xin had already been worrying over it, and her eyes immediately lit up at Jiang Lan's words:

"Then can you bring me back from the dead?"

Jiang Lan took a deep breath and kindly suggested, "Why don't you try adding some milk to balance it out?"

He paused, then pointed at the pot and continued, "I think it could at least make the color look lighter... What do you think?"

Qiao Xin hesitated for a moment. "I think you have a point."

With that, she immediately opened a can of milk and poured it into the pot.

Jiang Lan found Qiao Xin's habit of acting the moment an idea struck a little frightening, so after dawdling for ages, he finally sidled over to Wen Zhiyan.

Watching Wen Zhiyan's clean, precise knife work as he chopped vegetables, he felt conflicted.

Even now, he still remembered the first time Wen Zhiyan had entered the kitchen.

Jiang Lan had been feverish during his rut, and Wen Zhiyan had made rice porridge and boiled eggs to take care of him.

But partway through, because Jiang Lan was irritable and excessively clingy during his rut, Wen Zhiyan had focused entirely on soothing him.

By the time he remembered the porridge and boiled eggs afterward, smoke had already filled the kitchen and living room.

Jiang Lan licked the corner of his mouth. Even now, he could still vaguely recall what that boiled egg had tasted like after the water boiled dry and it finally exploded.

"What were you talking to Qiao Xin about?"

Wen Zhiyan had noticed Jiang Lan as soon as he approached the kitchen doorway.

He had watched Jiang Lan whispering with Qiao Xin for ages before coming over, and now spoke up, interrupting Jiang Lan's thoughts.

Jiang Lan's gaze fell on Wen Zhiyan's hands as he chopped vegetables, and he said solemnly:

"I was teaching her to cook."

At that, Wen Zhiyan's knife paused, and he laughed.

Jiang Lan shot him a glare. "What are you laughing at?"

Wen Zhiyan said with a smile, "Last place teaching second-to-last how to solve problems?"

Jiang Lan was displeased. "Who's in last place?"

Wen Zhiyan suppressed his smile. "Me."

Jiang Lan watched Wen Zhiyan finish arranging the prepared ingredients, then blanch the washed ribs while placing oysters in a clay pot. His movements were practiced and orderly, as though he had done this countless times before.

"When did you learn to cook?"

Wen Zhiyan thought for a moment. "About five years ago."

Jiang Lan asked curiously, "What about the two years before that?"

Wen Zhiyan knew Jiang Lan meant the first two years after they had separated.

Wen Zhiyan considered for a moment. "Those first two years... I was busy with other things and couldn't find the time."

For a top-tier wealthy family like the one behind the Wen Corporation, even an ordinary party or a rise or fall in stock prices could make headlines.

Let alone major news like "the old emperor has died, and the new emperor has taken the throne."

Not long ago, reports about it had been everywhere across the major news outlets. Jiang Lan could hardly have avoided hearing about it.

Hearing Wen Zhiyan say that, he simply assumed Wen Zhiyan had gone back to fight over the family fortune during those first two years. He said nothing more about it and only asked:

"Is there anything you need help with?"

Wen Zhiyan said, "No."

"Then what should I do?" Jiang Lan asked again.

Wen Zhiyan pointed at the high stool behind him. "Just sit there."

Jiang Lan said, "Oh," then hoisted himself onto it, resting one foot on the stool's crossbar and keeping the other leg planted on the floor as he watched Wen Zhiyan intently.

Soon, Pei Du's toast and fried ham were ready. Seeing this, Qiao Xin hurriedly turned off her heat as well.

Neither even spared a thought for what Wen Zhiyan and Jiang Lan were doing before once again racing to carry their finished breakfasts to the table.

"What's this..."

Xu Can looked at the bowl of yellow liquid Qiao Xin had brought to the table and cautiously asked.

Qiao Xin pressed her lips together:

"Pumpkin soup."

Yu Nan could hardly believe it. "Really, Qiao Xin?"

Qiao Xin could speak without restraint or mercy when dealing with alphas.

But when faced with adorable omegas, she couldn't help becoming cautious, even averting her eyes and being evasive:

"What else would it be? What did you think it was?"

Yu Nan pressed his lips together:

"Qiao Xin, forgive me for being terribly disrespectful, but could you please look me in the eye and answer that again?"

Qiao Xin gave a light cough, glanced at the plate Pei Du had brought over, and diverted everyone's attention:

"Mine might not look great, but it definitely tastes good. It's nutritious and healthy, unlike our award-winning actor Pei's food. All you can see is pitch-black carcinogens."

Pei Du sneered:

"At least you can tell what mine is. Just remove the burned parts. Are you sure anyone will dare eat yours?"

Just as Pei Du and Qiao Xin were about to start arguing again, Ye Qiunian was the first to make a move.

He picked up a piece of the ham sandwich Pei Du had cut, tore off the blackened parts, then took a bite.

Everyone immediately turned their eyes toward Ye Qiunian.

Ye Qiunian chewed for a long time, swallowed the bread with what looked like some difficulty, then took a sip of water before looking at Pei Du and saying:

"Not bad. Don't toast the bread so dry next time. Thanks."

Pei Du grinned and shot Qiao Xin a smug look, saying cheerfully, "You got it."

Originally, if Wen Zhiyan hadn't been there, they might have made do with this breakfast and gotten through it.

But before long, everyone saw Jiang Lan emerge from the kitchen carrying a tray.