Egg fried rice

Ruan Puchuan had been waiting for him to say just that. He readily agreed, "Of course."

Then, afraid his eagerness might arouse suspicion, he quickly added, "I ate at your house last time."

"I remember you."

"Mm. I was sold here too."

Lu Mingxi disliked this topic and awkwardly changed the subject. "Are you here to cut grass to feed the chickens too?"

"No, I was just passing by."

Anyone else would never have believed him. Someone who lived on the eastern side of the village could hardly end up passing through here.

"Have you eaten?"

Ruan Puchuan fell silent for a moment. "Not yet."

"Neither have I. I don't know when my brother will get up. I only know how to tend the fire, not cook."

The tall, thin youth picked some wild greens and handed them to Lu Mingxi. "Do you need my help?"

He took the wild greens and examined them, but still could not see how they differed from the ones he had picked earlier. "Would that be all right? Don't you have things to do?"

"Yes, but seeing you reminded me of how I used to be. You haven't been here long. A lot of things are hard to get the hang of without someone to teach you."

Lu Mingxi blinked his clear, innocent eyes. "You won't charge me?"

"No." Ruan Puchuan added, "I won't charge you. It's only a small thing."

Lu Mingxi's eyes curved into crescents as he linked arms with him and headed home. "Yay! Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Once I've found my footing here, I'll buy you candied hawthorn skewers."

The corners of Ruan Puchuan's mouth twitched, as though mocking his naïveté. "Then thank you in advance."

"You're welcome."

Lu Mingxi led him into the kitchen and lifted the pot lid to look inside. There was still half a pot of rice left. He had only ever rinsed rice and cooked it when the pot was empty, so he did not know what to do.

Seeing his troubled expression, Ruan Puchuan thought he had run into some difficult problem. He stepped closer for a look, and his mouth quickly began to water.

"There's still rice in the pot. How are we supposed to cook rice?"

He suggested, "Fry it, or make it into porridge."

Lu Mingxi looked to him for help. "How do we do that?"

"Do you have eggs?"

"Yes." Lu Mingxi took four from an earthenware jar. Seeing Ruan Puchuan watching him, he hesitated, then took another egg.

Ruan Puchuan really wanted to ask whether taking so many at once would cause trouble.

"Then what?"

"Do you know how to beat them?"

"Yes." Realization dawned on Lu Mingxi. "Are we making steamed eggs? My wife taught me."

Ruan Puchuan set a large bowl and a pair of chopsticks on the table. "No. Just crack three."

Lu Mingxi sat down and looked at the five eggs beside him. "Three? But there are four... five people."

He offered no further explanation and ducked behind the stove to light the fire.

The firewood here was nothing like the firewood at Li Wenxiu's home. The Li family's firewood was damp and very hard to light.

Once the flames had grown a little, he emerged from behind the stove, and Lu Mingxi handed him the beaten eggs.

Ruan Puchuan took the bowl and set it on the stove. Using the spatula, he scooped a spoonful of snowy-white lard from the earthenware jar on the stove and deftly greased the iron wok.

The fat in the wok was already smoking. Frightened, Lu Mingxi hid to one side and watched.

The eggs quickly set when poured into the wok. Ruan Puchuan swiftly broke them up with the spatula, added the overnight rice, and stir-fried everything together. The aroma nearly made Lu Mingxi drool, and he stared with shining eyes.

Lu Mingyi had only begun sleeping more soundly after Lu Mingxi got up. For some reason, it had grown much warmer beneath him. Someone was tending the fire and cooking.

He opened his eyes and looked around. His wife and Meng Erlang were sleeping in each other's arms; only his youngest brother was missing. The realization that his youngest brother was the one tending the fire and cooking instantly swept away his drowsiness.

"Delicious!"

The kitchen door creaked open.

Lu Mingxi put down his spoon and hurriedly stood, his hands clasped in front of him. "Brother."

Lu Mingyi did not look at him. His gaze fixed on Ruan Puchuan as he stepped into the kitchen. The latter smiled at him. "You're up. Come have breakfast."

"Brother, come and try it. It's really good."

He glanced at his utterly foolish younger brother, pulled his clothes tighter around himself, and said to the youth by the stove with polite reserve, "We can manage on our own."

Ruan Puchuan repeated the explanation he had given Lu Mingxi, even bringing Li Yun into it to lend it more credibility.

After all his explaining, the other man remained just as wary and distant. His heart sank a little.

"That smells wonderful. What did you make?"

The kitchen door creaked again, and Meng Zhixian walked in, fully dressed. Still seeming half-asleep, he rubbed his eyes and walked straight to the stove, ignoring everyone.

Ruan Puchuan was just about to speak when the kitchen door sounded again. His pupils contracted at the sight of the newcomer, and he lowered his head.

Su Yuhe came wearing only a cloak over her clothes. Paying just as little attention to anyone else, she headed straight for the stove. "That smells wonderful."

Lu Mingyi glanced at the frail youth with his head lowered and explained to Su Yuhe, "The Li family's son-in-law made it."

Only then did she notice Ruan Puchuan, who stood no more than three paces away. Her manner immediately cooled. "What brings the Li family's son-in-law here?"

Noticing her attitude, Lu Mingxi stepped forward, took her hand, and said coaxingly, "I invited him. I wanted him to teach me to cook."

Meng Zhixian gave a derisive snort. "Have you learned?"

He had nothing, yet had gone and incurred another debt of gratitude. Meng Zhixian would just have to see how this boy intended to repay it.