Is it bad to get too immersed in the role? Anxin thought to herself as she finished dressing, preparing to head downstairs.

Faint sounds drifted up from below—probably An Yang already up and preparing breakfast. She could take the opportunity to tell her sister that she’d be in charge of meals for the next ten days.

Out of the corner of her eye, Anxin noticed the man moving swiftly out of bed. As he removed his sleepwear, his toned, sun-kissed upper body was revealed, complete with well-defined abs and the faint outline of a v-line.

Anxin’s cheeks flushed, and unbidden, memories of that intimate night surfaced. She was startled out of her reverie by the man’s calm voice.

“I should get up, too. I’ll come downstairs and help you make breakfast. I need to eat before heading back to work.”

Her hand, just about to open the door, froze. Anxin quickly shoved the unnecessary images out of her mind and replied,
“It’s just breakfast. An Yang and I can handle it.”

Honestly, two women bustling in the kitchen was fine. Adding a man would just make things awkward. Better to let him sleep a little longer.

Seeing her playing the role of a virtuous wife, Bai Yichen couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Are you trying to turn me into a pampered freeloader?”

Come on. He wasn’t some privileged young master living a life of luxury. He was a self-reliant adult. Before getting married, he had managed his own life just fine. Now, was his wife planning to turn him into a slacker?

His teasing left Anxin momentarily speechless. Suddenly remembering something he’d said before, she added quickly,
“We’re a family now. Why bother drawing such clear lines? You should get some more sleep. I’ll take care of breakfast with An Yang and talk to her about lunch.”

Before Bai Yichen could respond, she opened the door, her face burning. She rushed downstairs, avoiding the sight of him removing his pajama bottoms. If she stayed another moment, she might see something… inappropriate.

Seriously, this man has no sense of boundaries! Doesn’t he realize there’s a woman in the room?

Watching her flee, Bai Yichen shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. His wife’s thin skin was as consistent as ever. They had already shared far more intimate moments, yet here she was, flustered because he was changing clothes.

Anxin dashed into the kitchen, where An Yang was already busy. The stove was lit, and a pot of pork rib soup simmered.

“Let’s have pork rib noodle soup for breakfast,” Anxin suggested as she moved to help with the noodles.

Looking over the vegetables, she added,
“We can add some bok choy, make a quick soy-based sauce, and whip up a cucumber salad to go with it.”

An Yang, her eyes sparkling with admiration, nodded enthusiastically.
“Sounds great, sister! Let’s do it your way.”

Ever since Anxin got married, it seemed her culinary skills had improved. An Yang always found her sister’s dishes delicious—sometimes even addictive.

Basking in her sister’s praise, Anxin didn’t hesitate to delegate.
“Then hurry up and wash the veggies!”

An Yang playfully rolled her eyes.
“Got it! Your free labor is off to wash the bok choy and cucumbers.”

Grabbing the vegetables, she headed to the yard to use the well water. Just then, Bai Yichen, now fully dressed, came downstairs.

“Hey, brother-in-law!” An Yang greeted him brightly. “You’re up! Come on, help me draw a bucket of water. My sister sent me out here to wash these, and you wouldn’t want me stuck doing all the work, would you?”

Anxin: “…”

Typical An Yang—can’t do the smallest task without pulling someone else in.

Obligingly, Bai Yichen filled a bucket for her. With water in hand, An Yang skipped off to wash the vegetables, leaving Bai Yichen to join Anxin in the kitchen.

The kitchen was filled with the warm haze of steam. Bai Yichen entered to find Anxin draining the soaked rice noodles. Through the mist, he paused to admire his wife. For a fleeting moment, the scene felt surreal, as if he were caught between a dream and reality.

From behind the steam, Anxin’s voice reached him.
“It’s going to be a hot day. For breakfast, we’ll have pork rib noodles. I’ll pack you some of the noodles and a bit of dressing for lunch. You can mix it into the noodles for a cold noodle salad—how does that sound?”

She felt a little guilty about the simple lunch but reasoned it was the best she could manage with her tight schedule.

Bai Yichen smiled slightly and nodded.
“Anything you make is fine.”

In truth, he wanted to say he loved everything she cooked. But when the words reached his lips, he simplified them.

Then a thought struck him. Recalling his colleagues, he frowned slightly.
“When you pack the noodles, make sure there’s extra. The mountain is crowded, and you never know who might ‘share’ your lunch.”

Anxin immediately understood what he meant. Remembering how they’d devoured an entire pot of stewed offal, she chuckled.
“Got it. Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of noodles for lunch.”

With the tasks in mind, Anxin worked quickly. Breakfast was soon ready, and the family gathered to enjoy a fragrant bowl of pork rib noodles.

Anxin took the opportunity to briefly explain to Anyang at the dining table that the transport team would be coming over for lunch today.

Worried that Anyang might not be able to prepare suitable dishes, Anxin went ahead and planned the lunch menu: stir-fried Chinese chives with cured pork, braised chicken with mushrooms, sautéed bok choy, fried peanuts, and egg and seaweed soup.

As Bai Yichen ate his bowl of noodle soup, he couldn’t help but feel that his simple lunch of cold noodles suddenly paled in comparison. Meals at home with his wife were far more satisfying.

But alas, he still had to endure the hardship of climbing the mountains for work. He might as well appreciate his humble cold noodles!