Chapter 13 : The Extra Spiritual Spring Water

Shen Zheng glanced towards the girl. She smiled and even ran her hand through her hair.

Fang Jie threw a piece of firewood, weighing the axe in his hand.

Shen Zheng didn’t pay any attention to the girl. He just grabbed a bucket and returned to the house, saying to Fang Xiaoluo, “What do you like to eat? I’ll bring some tomorrow. Anything you want, I’ll get it for you.”

Fang Xiaoluo placed the blanched ribs to one side and began scrubbing the pot. “If you eat like this, aren’t you afraid I’ll mess things up and ruin your family?”

Shen Zheng shook his head. “No, being able to eat is a blessing. If you like it, that’s my blessing.”

Fang Xiaoluo smiled. The words of this tough man, who showed tenderness in his own way, were oddly pleasing to hear.

The girl outside was named Wang Hongfang. She grew up with Xu Yaqiu, and the two were best friends with a very close relationship.

Having heard Shen Zheng and Fang Xiaoluo’s conversation, she stomped her foot in frustration, then ran off amidst the laughter of others.

Shen Zheng crouched down to add firewood while Fang Xiaoluo let the steam evaporate from the pot before adding oil. “Do you know how to cook?”

Shen Zheng honestly shook his head. “No.”

He wasn’t picky about food, as long as it was cooked.

When he was young, he never knew food could taste differently. It wasn’t until he was sixteen and entered the army that he discovered that food could actually be delicious.

It wasn’t that his mother didn’t try to cook for him, but after he realized, he thought maybe cooking was something that required natural talent.

His mother’s cooking… well, let’s just say it was always cooked through.

Even after nearly thirty years of cooking, the flavor of her dishes remained the same. In a way, that was a rare consistency.

“But I can learn,” Shen Zheng added.

Initially, when he came for the matchmaking, he was really just looking for a stepmother for his three children, someone who could help manage the household with his mother.

After bringing the children home last month, everyone around him had been encouraging him to find a wife.

He listened to their advice and thought it wasn’t a bad idea.

So when the matchmaker introduced Xu Yaqiu, he thought if the woman was someone who could take care of daily life, marriage would be no problem. He would handle all the expenses, ensuring the woman wouldn’t feel wronged.

But after meeting Fang Xiaoluo, especially after what happened between them, he realized that his original thinking was flawed. Marriage would require effort from him too, not just the woman.

Fang Xiaoluo placed the blanched ribs into the pot. With a sizzling sound, oil splattered, and after stirring, every piece of rib was coated with a golden, crispy layer, fragrant and mouthwatering.

She added broth and seasoning, tossing in sliced onions and ginger. As the pot bubbled, Shen Zheng was amazed, he hadn’t known ribs could taste this good.

Fang Xiaoluo pointed at the bowl of potatoes. “So the first step in learning to cook is cutting these potatoes into chunks.”

She demonstrated the size, and Shen Zheng, with quick hands, chopped them up. Surprisingly, the big Captain had a decent knife skill.

Fang Xiaoluo complimented him, “You’re so precise. Do you have some sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder?”

Shen Zheng didn’t know what obsessive-compulsive disorder was, but he felt inexplicably pleased by her compliment. Something shifted in his heart.

Fang Xiaoluo rinsed the rice and set it to steam on a side stove, making a mix of millet, sorghum, beans, and some rice that Zhang Xinyan had soaked earlier to cook porridge.

After finishing that, she sliced some cabbage and chopped some large pieces of meat, soaking the vermicelli noodles.

Shen Zheng helped out by adding firewood, peeling garlic, and fetching water. The two worked together harmoniously.

When the ribs had simmered enough, she added the potatoes.

Soon, the braised pork ribs with potatoes were ready.

Then, Fang Xiaoluo made a cabbage and vermicelli stew, adding large chunks of meat.

The dishes were placed on the table, and everyone sat down.

Zhang Xinyan served Shen Zheng some food. “Captain Shen, don’t be polite, you brought this food. Eat more.”

“Thank you, Aunt Zhang.”

Fang Xiaoluo smiled at everyone. “Don’t just stand there, it’ll be cold and not as tasty.”

Fang Yamei and Fang Yating, unable to wait any longer, quickly grabbed their chopsticks as everyone began to eat.

Shen Zheng looked at the food in front of him. The braised pork ribs with potatoes were rich and thick with sauce, enveloping the ribs, making it incredibly appetizing.

He picked up a piece of potato and put it into his mouth. It was soft and savory, with a lingering fragrance that filled his mouth.

Next, he picked up a piece of rib. The ribs were cooked just right, easily falling off the bone with a gentle pull, tender and flavorful, without the slightest trace of porky smell.

The soft texture of the potatoes and the rich, fragrant ribs blended together, accompanied by the thick broth. Shen Zheng felt like his tongue couldn’t keep up with the deliciousness.

Fang Xiaoluo watched Shen Zheng eating and felt as if he were savoring some kind of magic elixir, with a look of amazement after each bite.

“Is it not to your taste?” Fang Xiaoluo asked.

Shen Zheng quickly responded, “No, it’s just that it’s too delicious. Honestly, I’ve never tasted anything this flavorful before.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Fang Xiaoluo said with a smile. She had always enjoyed cooking, and while she liked the taste of her own cooking, she didn’t believe that a big Captain like Shen Zheng hadn’t eaten good food before.

A small bowl of cabbage and vermicelli with pork was placed in front of him. The white broth, the translucent vermicelli, and the tender, delicate pieces of pork trembling as they were lifted made it look incredibly appetizing.

The vermicelli, wrapped in the sweetness of the cabbage and the fragrance of the pork, had the perfect texture, neither too soft nor too mushy, with just the right amount of elasticity.

When the pork and cabbage were eaten together, the pork was rich but not greasy, smooth in the mouth, offering a delightful taste.

“This is also delicious,” Shen Zheng commented.

It was clear that Shen Zheng was very appreciative. Fang Xiaoluo smiled brightly. “Then you should eat more.”

The meal was so delicious that no one spoke much. Even the usual staple of mixed grain rice, which they had all grown accustomed to, tasted incredibly sweet and fragrant today.

Shen Zheng ate three full bowls of rice.

The others didn’t hold back either.

For the past few days, any dish Fang Xiaoluo had prepared was always wiped clean.

After the meal, Shen Zheng voluntarily helped wash the dishes and clean up, even though Zhang Xinyan kept telling him not to trouble himself and to rest. Yet, he still swiftly finished the task.

After washing his hands, Shen Zheng said, “Uncle, Aunt, I’ll be leaving now. Tomorrow, I’ll bring someone to propose. Everything that should be done will be done properly.”

After Shen Zheng left, the Fang family fell into a moment of silence.

Later that evening, after dinner, Fang Jie was washing the dishes while staring at Fang Xiaoluo, who was washing clothes at the door. “Elder sister…”

Fang Xiaoluo turned around. This was the first time in these past few days that he had called her “sister” he usually didn’t say much.

“Xiao Jie, what’s up?”

“Are you really sure you want to marry Captain Shen?”

Fang Xiaoluo nodded. “Yes, don’t you think he’s handsome and very manly?”

Fang Jie scoffed at this reason. “If he treats you badly, don’t cling to him. There are plenty of men in the world. Don’t hang yourself on one tree.”

Fang Xiaoluo smiled widely. “Alright, if one day I run away from Shen’s house, you’d better take me in.”

Fang Jie hummed and turned away, but when he placed the chopsticks down, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

That night, Fang Xiaoluo slept on the same kang as Fang Yating and Fang Yamei.

In the east room, Zhang Xinyan and Fang Shijun stayed up late talking. Although they kept their voices low and it was hard to tell exactly what they were discussing, it was clear they were talking.

Zhang Xinyan roughly explained things to Fang Shijun. She could only tell him, this wasn’t something they could tell anyone else.

Fang Shijun seemed to understand why Zhang Xinyan had suddenly changed her mind and agreed to the marriage.

The next morning, Fang Xiaoluo noticed that both Fang Shijun and Zhang Xinyan had serious dark circles under their eyes, as if they hadn’t slept at all, looking very worn out.

While Zhang Xinyan was cooking porridge, Fang Xiaoluo took the opportunity to add two drops of the spiritual spring water into the pot.

When she checked, she was shocked to find that the amount of spiritual spring water had increased again.

It hadn’t increased just two days ago, why was there more yesterday?

Fang Xiaoluo fell into thought. What did the two instances of the spiritual spring water increasing have in common?

Both times, she had some connection with Xu Yaqiu and Shen Zheng.

Was the increase triggered by Xu Yaqiu, or was it because of Shen Zheng?