After washing her hands, Qin Lian wiped them with her dress casually and glanced around the empty kitchen.
She frowned, pursing her lips as she wondered what she could cook with so few ingredients.
Seeing her scanning the kitchen, Xu Yinchen cleared his throat and explained, "I don't cook often. There's an aunt who comes daily to prepare meals for the children and clean the house."
"She's the one who manages the house when I'm not around. She must have forgotten to restock the groceries this month."
Qin Lian shook her head lightly and replied, "It's alright. There's some broken rice and a few vegetables here." She said, pointing to the items in the corner.
"We can make some porridge and stir-fried veggies instead."
Saying this, she began scooping out the remaining rice and started washing them thoroughly.
From the ingredients available, she could see that the ingredients were not only low in quality but were also on the verge of going bad.
The condition of the kitchen was worse than she had imagined.
Xu Yinchen felt guilty serving her porridge on her first day, especially when she was hurt and clearly in need of something more nutritious.
But the kitchen was empty, and it was already late. He couldn't even step out to buy some eggs or meat for the meal.
"I'll go to the farm and bring some pork. I'll be quick," he said hurriedly, already preparing to leave.
But Qin Lian stopped him. "Wait! There's no need. It's already late, and pork would be too heavy for the night. After traveling, I was actually craving for something light anyway."
Hearing this, Xu Yinchen let out a quiet sigh and nodded. "Alright then. Don't worry, I'll make sure to restock the groceries tomorrow."
Qin Lian smiled faintly and didn't say anything.
As she busied herself, Xu Yinchen stepped forward to help, lighting the stove for her.
It was an old-style clay stove that required wood to ignite, not the gas stoves she was familiar with.
She watched him ignite the fire skillfully, a small flame growing steadily under his careful hands.
Seeing her hesitation, Xu Yinchen said, "I'll handle this. You focus on other things."
"Oh, Okay." Qin Lian nodded, placing the pot of rice on the stove to cook porridge.
She looked around the sparse kitchen for ingredients, finding only a handful of stale vegetables and a few seasonings, barely enough for one meal.
There wasn't a drop of oil in sight.
She sighed and started cooking with whatever ingredients she was left with. She picked up the vegetables to rinse them, but Xu Yinchen quickly stepped in.
"I'll do it," he said, carrying them to the sink and washing them thoroughly.
Once he was done, he awkwardly picked up the kitchen knife and started chopping the vegetables.
But the way he handled them, like he was butchering pork or fending off enemies at the border, made Qin Lian wince.
He might be strong enough for the frontlines or a butcher's stall, but in the kitchen… his knife skills were a disaster waiting to happen.
Letting out a quiet sigh, she stepped forward. "Let me do it," she said gently.
Her hands moved deftly as she sliced the carrots, green onions, and potatoes into neat, even pieces.
Seeing her chopping skills, Xu Yinchen was left speechless, a hint of embarrassment creeping in.
He had assumed she must have led a pampered life in the city, someone who had never needed to cook.
But watching her cook, it was clear she wasn't a novice in the kitchen. Was it normal for a girl who had been raised in the city, pampered by her parents?
Just what kind of life had she really lived in the Qin family before coming here?
….
By the time the porridge had simmered to perfection, Qin Lian turned her attention to the vegetables.
With no oil available, she had to rely on the natural moisture of the ingredients, carefully controlling the heat to keep them from burning. She sautéed the vegetables with just a handful of basic seasonings.
Qin Lian moved with quiet efficiency, her calm demeanor giving no hint of the limited resources she was working with.
Xu Yinchen, who was standing on the side awkwardly, glanced at the large pot of porridge simmering on the stove, and he frowned slightly.
"Erm… wouldn't this be too much for just the two of us?" he asked hesitantly, wondering if she had made too much.
"This isn't just for us," Qin Lian replied calmly, glancing at him while gently stirring the porridge. "Go and call the children. We'll eat together."
"But the kids said they already had dinner," he said, looking puzzled.
Qin Lian glanced at him and said, "The children are growing. It's natural for them to eat more. Besides, porridge is light and easy to eat. They'll finish it."
Her calm logic left no room for argument. Xu Yinchen hesitated for a moment before nodding.
As he walked upstairs to call the children, he couldn't help but think about her. She had only arrived today, yet she moved around the house as if it were already her home.
But then, remembering the gap between their worlds, he quickly pushed the thought aside.
What if she couldn't get used to life in this village and wanted to leave after a few days?
It will be worse if they get used to her presence so soon. That's why he didn't dare read too much into it.