Chapter 14

Though Commander Yan was always dressed in crisp military attire, radiating an air of discipline and righteousness, his choice of clothing at home was surprisingly stylish. At first glance, he might seem to wear just a simple tank top or shirt, but Wen Xin had keenly noticed that the fabric and design were anything but ordinary—even by modern standards, his outfits didn’t look outdated.

Clearly, these weren’t local goods. They were either high-priced imports or luxury items from foreign trade shops.

Fresh out of the shower, he was only wearing a pair of snug, form-fitting briefs—not the loose, knee-length military shorts.

What Wen Xin saw was a flawless physique with not a trace of excess fat. Broad, powerful shoulders, an elegantly defined spine, and long, toned limbs. His muscles were subtly sculpted—not overly bulky but carrying an explosive strength hidden beneath the surface. His skin had the healthy, sun-kissed glow of someone who trained outdoors often, giving it an irresistible allure.

She had seen plenty of male models in magazines before—who hadn’t? But this was different!

Seeing a man like this in real life, in crisp, high-definition reality, was an experience no photograph or video could ever capture.

Especially with that… particular area wrapped in soft fabric.

She could practically feel the heat radiating from it.

She stood there, momentarily stunned, her pink lips slightly parted, revealing pearly white teeth. Her gaze lingered somewhere she probably shouldn’t be looking.

Yan Zeyang, too, was momentarily caught off guard. The second floor was his private space. After showering, he had walked directly from the bathroom to the living room, completely unprepared for someone to suddenly come upstairs.

As a man, being seen like this wasn’t a big deal. But as a woman, shouldn’t she have immediately turned around and left?!

Following her line of sight, his expression darkened instantly. Turning his back to her, he grabbed a white dress shirt from the sofa and quickly put it on.

Wen Xin swallowed hard, her legs still feeling a little weak. Damn, even from the side, he looked amazing! His muscular thighs were slightly apart as he fastened his shirt buttons. The way the fabric draped over his body, revealing glimpses of toned abs and broad chest, was simply too much.

Too. Damn. Sexy.

Her little heart was racing uncontrollably.

Whoever said women weren’t visually stimulated by male beauty? This kind of god-tier physique—just getting a glimpse was already worth it!

If he put on a tank top, combat pants, and military boots, then flexed those muscles under the sun, dripping with sweat from training… That wild, untamed look was exactly her type!

She had sensed it the moment she first saw him.

And she had been absolutely right.

“Have you seen enough?” Yan Zeyang asked coolly, buttoning up his pants and fastening his belt with effortless grace.

Wen Xin nearly choked on her own saliva.

His face, however, was anything but pleasant. His thin lips were tightly pressed together, and his sharp eyes were cold as ice.

Wen Xin: “…” This wasn’t her fault! She hadn’t expected to walk into this scene! And besides, could he blame her when he looked that good?

“Aunt He said you didn’t have dinner, so I brought you some buns. They’re fresh out of the steamer—eat them while they’re hot,” she said, clearing her throat and forcing a smile. She walked over and set the wooden tray on the coffee table.

Yan Zeyang let out a low snort and sat down. His hair was still damp, and Wen Xin noticed that the top few buttons of his shirt were left undone, revealing droplets of water clinging to his firm chest.

This is so unfair! Wen Xin wailed in her heart. His looks and aura were already incredibly eye-catching, yet every movement he made seemed to effortlessly exude raw masculinity and an irresistible charm. How was she supposed to resist that?

Her gaze unconsciously drifted downward again, just in time to see him sitting there with legs apart, exuding confidence and dominance. And then… uh, that size was truly… impressive!

But before she could stare any longer, he abruptly grabbed the newspaper from the coffee table and used it as a shield to block her view.

“Get out!” He pointed at the stairs with the newspaper.

It was the first time Wen Xin had ever been “asked” to leave in such a manner. Feeling a little guilty, she obediently responded with an “Oh” and turned to leave.

As she descended the stairs, she took two steps before instinctively glancing back—only to catch Yan Zeyang also looking in her direction. The moment their eyes met, he immediately glared at her, clearly displeased that she had the audacity to look back.

Wen Xin couldn’t help but burst into laughter and quickly turned away before his expression turned even darker.

His flustered, annoyed reaction was simply too amusing.

At the dining table, Yan Miaomiao was quietly munching on a bun, while He Wenyan had just taken a sip of porridge when she suddenly heard the loud sound of Yan Zeyang chasing someone out from upstairs. A moment later, Wen Xin walked down, lips pursed.

“What happened?” He Wenyan asked.

“Nothing.” Wen Xin calmly walked over and scooped half a bowl of porridge for Yan Miaomiao.

To He Wenyan, this scene looked like Wen Xin was suppressing her grievances. After all, the Wen family had offended the Yan family—there was no way Yan Zeyang would treat her kindly. Of course, she would suffer some mistreatment.

However, He Wenyan appreciated Wen Xin’s temperament. She had always despised people who made a big fuss over minor grievances or started crying over the smallest slight.

“Sit down and eat.” She said.

“Alright!” Wen Xin had no intention of sulking alone in the kitchen, so she grabbed a bowl and sat beside Yan Miaomiao. The little girl, chewing on her bun, grinned at her with her tiny rice-like teeth.

The summer here was particularly hot and stifling.

By her estimation, it was currently August—the peak of the summer heat. Wen Xin took a shower before bed, then lay on the bed and started rummaging through her small woven suitcase.

There wasn’t much entertainment in this world. She had originally wanted to scroll through her phone, but after searching everywhere, she realized her portable charger was missing. It should have lasted a while, yet no matter how much she searched, she couldn’t find it.

Then it hit her—she had been holding it in her hand when she traveled through time. It must have been lost in the river.

Since she had already opened the suitcase, she decided to organize its contents. Though the box wasn’t big, it was surprisingly spacious. Besides the lost charger and cables, it contained her makeup bag, filled with small bottles of sprays, creams, sunscreen, two lipsticks, blush, foundation, and other essentials.

There were also some personal undergarments—lightweight ones—as well as a couple of nightgowns, two camisoles, and a pair of shorts.

Aside from the clothes she had been wearing when she arrived, this was all she had. The only other item was a small jewelry pouch.

Inside were rings, pendants, and clothing accessories, all crafted from colorful gemstones, gold, platinum, and silver. They were exquisitely made, but in this era, no one valued such things. Even gold couldn’t be easily exchanged for money.

Sighing, Wen Xin picked up a ring encrusted with tiny diamonds and slipped it onto her finger, admiring it for a moment. She had absolutely loved this ring before, but now, it was useless. With a sigh, she took it off and tossed it aside.

After locking the suitcase, she lay on the bed and sighed again.

In this era, a single dollar could buy an entire basket of goods. How on earth was she supposed to earn 1,500 yuan? That was the bare minimum she needed to buy a house.

She pondered for a while, but exhaustion quickly took over. She had barely slept the night before and soon drifted off.

This time, however, she learned her lesson—provoking that devilish man would only bring trouble upon herself. There was no need to make life harder than it already was. She had always been someone who knew when to adapt.

That’s why, the next morning, she got up at four o’clock sharp.

She initially just wanted to use the restroom and freshen up, but since she was already up, she decided to head into the kitchen.

Yan Zeyang wasn’t just waking up early to torment her—he had genuinely maintained a strict morning training routine for years. Before, he would finish his training and go straight to the military compound, eating breakfast at the mess hall.

But now…

At exactly four o’clock, when he came downstairs, he noticed the kitchen light was already on.

Inside, a slender figure was busy moving around.

His steps faltered slightly. He swept a glance at her silhouette, then walked out the door without a word.

By four-thirty, the sky was already growing bright.

For breakfast, Wen Xin had prepared steamed rice. She had soaked the grains overnight, so by morning, she only needed to steam them.

Her steamed rice was exceptionally delicious because she always added “special ingredients.”

Back in her original world, she had access to a system that could extract various food components. One of them was a pure, aromatic fat derived from milk, which was commonly used for skincare in autumn and winter. It was perfect as a body lotion—hydrating yet non-greasy.

Wen Xin loved the natural, delicate sweetness of this milk extract. It had a fresh dairy fragrance that wasn’t overpowering. Best of all, it was completely edible!

She had discovered that just a small spoonful of it could enhance the flavor of pastries, giving them a subtle yet delightful aroma.

One of her favorite tricks was adding a bit of this milk fat to bread and rice.

She didn’t need to use much—just a few teaspoons would make steamed buns incredibly fragrant. Though rice had a milder aroma, the end result was soft, plump grains that glistened with a faint sheen of oil, exuding a light milky fragrance.

Yesterday, the logistics department had delivered a slab of fresh beef.

Aside from the portion she had used for last night’s buns, the rest had been stored in the fridge.

This was where Yan Weiguo’s status as a high-ranking official came in handy.

Whenever the mess hall procured high-quality ingredients, they would prioritize deliveries to the homes of a few key leaders in the compound. Meanwhile, others either had to eat at the mess hall or buy their own groceries—paying with ration tickets didn’t even guarantee good produce.

The Yan family not only had fresh ingredients delivered daily but also enjoyed a variety of options. Meat was never scarce, and even fruits—like watermelon—were delivered every couple of days.

In the stifling summer heat, people often lost their appetites.

That’s why light, refreshing, and appetizing dishes were a must.

Wen Xin took out the beef and chopped a portion into small cubes. She mixed it with an array of seasonings and sauces to make her signature summer appetizer—a fragrant, spicy beef sauce.

Once the beef was stir-fried to perfection, its rich, mouthwatering aroma quickly filled the entire kitchen and living room.

When Yan Zeyang returned, he could already smell the aroma from the courtyard. Glancing toward the kitchen, he saw Wen Xin still busy at work. She had just finished preparing the spicy beef sauce, but since He Wenyan and Miaomiao couldn’t handle such strong flavors, she had to make a milder mushroom-flavored sauce as well, along with a few refreshing side dishes.

On the dining table sat a large bowl filled with freshly steamed, glistening white rice, still steaming hot. Two spoonfuls of rich, aromatic beef sauce were drizzled over the top, making it look irresistibly appetizing.

Yan Zeyang had never eaten rice this way before. He hesitated for a moment before picking up his chopsticks and mixing the fluffy rice with the thick, fragrant beef sauce. As he stirred, the grains gradually absorbed the sauce, turning a rich, reddish-brown hue. The aroma alone was enough to make one’s mouth water.

His throat moved slightly as he swallowed his anticipation. Finally, he took a bite.

The taste was beyond words.

This time, Wen Xin didn’t dare serve him in a small bowl again. If he made her shell another whole bag of hazelnuts as punishment, she wouldn’t be able to stand it. So, she deliberately switched to a large soup bowl for him instead.

To her surprise, Yan Zeyang finished everything without even blinking.

Wen Xin had made the beef sauce simply because she was craving it herself. In the summer heat, nothing was better than drizzling a few spoonfuls of this over plain rice—it instantly made her appetite soar. She could easily eat an extra bowl. A small one, of course.

After finishing his meal, Yan Zeyang did something unprecedented—he actually carried his empty bowl and chopsticks to the kitchen.

Wen Xin stepped forward to take them from him, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled brightly, her tone warm and affectionate—completely different from her attitude yesterday. “Did you have enough to eat? There’s more if you want.”

Yan Zeyang glanced at her briefly before giving a simple, indifferent “Mm.”

Wen Xin: “…”

So, he was the type who wouldn’t yield to force but responded well to kindness?

She just had to avoid challenging him head-on—he preferred a soft approach!