Chapter 29

Shi Tingyu quickly washed her face and changed into fresh clothes to get rid of the kitchen odor before hastily coming out.

She didn’t want to keep her guests waiting since it was her family hosting the dinner.

As Shi Tingyu emerged, she noticed that no one at the table had started eating.

Lu Weiguo waved to her, “Xiao Yu, come over here.”

Shi Tingyu walked over, and Lu Weiguo instinctively held her hand, guiding her to sit beside him.

Feng Wei watched this scene with sparkling eyes, feeling deeply gratified. He indeed played the role of a matchmaker well.

Previously hearing the rumors, he had considered intervening after Lu Weiguo settled in, but now it seemed unnecessary. With his experienced eye, he could tell there was mutual affection between them. It was far from a strained relationship.

Lu Weiguo addressed everyone, “Alright, let’s dig in. These dishes were prepared by your sister-in-law and Sister Zhang all afternoon.”

The guests were considerate, thanking the women for their hard work.

They say plenty of oil makes the dish better, and Shi Tingyu was generous with the ingredients. The vibrant colors alone were tantalizing.

Shi Tingyu served Damao a chicken leg first, and everyone started eating.

The men eagerly reached for the clams and lobsters. The enticing aroma made them crave the flavors, and as they savored the spicy and fresh taste, the texture of the seafood was delightful without any fishiness.

A glass of wine would have been the perfect accompaniment, but unfortunately, alcohol was not allowed in the camp.

Mrs. Zhang couldn’t resist either. While cooking, the aroma of the spicy lobsters made her mouth water. Even though they were eating a bit faster than usual, with the presence of the soldiers, it felt more refined.

Shi Tingyu enjoyed the boiled fish, her lips a rosy hue. She preferred spicy food as she found it appetizing.

Lu Weiguo glanced at Shi Tingyu’s fair hands and peeled a lobster for her, placing it in her bowl.

Lost in the flavors, no one noticed Lu Weiguo’s actions. It wasn’t until he placed the lobster meat in Shi Tingyu’s bowl multiple times that the others caught on.

Some exchanged teasing looks and playful remarks.

“Captain, I want some lobster too. Can you peel one for me?” Captain Li joked, causing laughter among the group.

Lu Weiguo shot Captain Li a sharp glance and replied nonchalantly, “Don’t you have hands?”

Captain Li recoiled, showcasing his exaggerated reactions with humor.

Damao looked confused as he asked, “Mom, what are they talking about?”

Seeing the child’s innocence, Zhang Jin nudged Captain Li under the table, reminding him to behave in front of his son.

Shi Tingyu simply smiled; it was normal for men to banter in such gatherings.

Without her and Mrs. Zhang and her son, there would likely have been some bawdy jokes exchanged.

Captain Li and the others were merely teasing the usually reserved Captain.

Observing Lu Weiguo peeling lobsters for Shi Tingyu and seeing her enjoy them, Damao tugged at Zhang Jin’s sleeve.

“Dad, can you peel some lobsters for me and Mom? Auntie is really enjoying them,” Damao said, making Zhang Jin blush a bit.

These days, it’s rare to find men who pour tea, water, and peel shrimp for their wives.

“You little rascal, this lobster is spicy.”

Damao didn’t care, “I want to try the spice, and Mom isn’t afraid of it.”

In the end, after seeing how calmly Lu Weiguo was serving Shi Tingyu some clam meat, he reluctantly peeled the shrimp for his wife and son.

Mrs. Zhang blushed; it was the first time her husband had taken care of her like this in public.

Damao was delighted and bit into the lobster meat, finding the spice so intense he could barely refrain from spitting it out.

Observing this, Shi Tingyu poured some water into a bowl and handed it to Damao, suggesting, “Damao, if the lobster is too spicy, you can rinse the meat in the water to reduce the heat.”

Obediently, Damao dipped the shrimp into the water Lu Weiguo had given him, and after a few tries with his chopsticks, he found the spiciness had lessened significantly.

His eyes lit up. “Auntie, you’re so smart.”

Lu Weiguo’s lips curled slightly, looking pleased with the boy’s reaction.

The meal was a delightful affair, with everyone eating until they were quite full. Even Damao had eaten an extra half bowl of rice.

Don’t underestimate that half bowl of rice; the bowls were quite large nowadays. If Mrs. Zhang hadn’t stopped him, Damao would have eaten more.

Damao’s thoughts were wandering. He wished he could eat his auntie’s cooking every day; Uncle Lu was indeed lucky.

Seeing the dishes nearly finished in the large plate, Shi Tingyu felt relieved. The dinner gathering was a success.

As everyone left, only Mrs. Zhang and her family stayed behind.

Mrs. Zhang stayed to help tidy up, while Damao and Zhang Jin waited for her.

Initially, Shi Tingyu said they didn’t need to bother and that she and Lu Weiguo could handle the cleanup, but Mrs. Zhang insisted.

Once the cleanup was done, Mrs. Zhang prepared to leave.

Shi Tingyu called out to Mrs. Zhang, “Wait a moment.”

“What’s up, Sister?” Mrs. Zhang asked, puzzled.

Shi Tingyu went to the kitchen and brought out a large bowl filled with braised pork and potatoes.

The lobsters and clams were favorites among the men, and those dishes were the first to be emptied.

Originally, Shi Tingyu had kept some dishes aside without serving them, just in case they needed more during the meal.

After the lobsters, clams, and boiled fish were finished, only some braised pork and chicken stew with mushrooms remained.

The plates of these two dishes were empty on the table, while there were still some in the kitchen.

After helping out all day, Mrs. Zhang decided to pack up the remaining dishes that hadn’t been served.

“Sister, these dishes haven’t been touched. Take them home with you to enjoy,” Mrs. Zhang offered.

Mrs. Zhang hesitated, “Oh, how can I accept this, Sister? These are such delicious dishes; you should keep them for yourselves.”

Shi Tingyu responded, “We still have some at home, and it’s too hot to store them now. Just the two of us can’t finish all of this.”

Saying this, she handed the bowl of food to Mrs. Zhang.

“Please take this, Sister. You can return the bowl later,” Shi Tingyu insisted.

Damao looked eagerly at the food, hoping his mother would accept it. He knew it wasn’t his place to speak, so he silently urged his mother to accept the offer.

It seemed like Damao’s silent plea was heard as Mrs. Zhang eventually accepted the bowl. Even Zhang Jin, who was observing from the side, breathed a sigh of relief.

It wasn’t that his wife’s cooking was bad; it just couldn’t compare to Shi Tingyu’s.

Zhang Jin savored the meal and knew it would be a rare treat in the future. It wouldn’t be easy to have such a delicious meal again.

He couldn’t keep mooching off others for meals; even brothers from the same parents wouldn’t do that.

Mrs. Zhang could see how eager her husband was, so after thanking Shi Tingyu, she left with her son.

A short while later, Mrs. Zhang returned the washed dishes.

After seeing Mrs. Zhang off, Shi Tingyu remarked to Lu Weiguo, “Mrs. Zhang is such a kind-hearted person.”

Lu Weiguo guided her to a chair, gently squeezed her slightly sore arm, and simply replied, “Hmm.”

He then said, “You worked hard today.”

Shi Tingyu smiled, “It was fine, with your and Mrs. Zhang’s help, it wasn’t too tiring.”