Chapter 22.2

But… how should she prepare them? She was a little troubled. If there were no guests, she would simply cook them for dinner. But since He Wenyan mentioned there would be a female guest, it wouldn’t be appropriate to serve a pot of crabs that required everyone to crack, bite, chew, and suck on them—occasionally scraping and licking, no less. That wouldn’t make for an elegant meal.

Wen Xin picked up a crab and examined it. It was so large that holding it in one hand felt slightly difficult. She tossed it lightly in her palm—it had a good weight and a solid shell. Hmm… roasting might be the best option.

She could extract the crab meat, place it back into the shells with a bit of seasoning, let it marinate, then roast it over a fire. The crab roe would be separated and cooked into a rich, golden crab roe sauce. Once the crab meat was roasted to perfection, she’d drizzle a spoonful of the decadent sauce on top. That would be an absolute delicacy—every bite a luxurious treat.

Of course, the reason delicious food is so mouthwatering is that it takes significant time and effort to prepare. Just extracting the meat from the shells was already a major undertaking. Without the right technique and patience, one couldn’t achieve that divine, melt-in-your-mouth experience.

Looking at this entire basket of crabs, Wen Xin knew she was in for a tedious task. Restaurants had specialized tools for this, and she had worked with crab shells before, but now she lacked proper tools and gloves.

She had no choice but to use her hands. She steamed the crabs slightly, just enough to loosen the meat, then stood in the kitchen, carefully extracting it. Anyone who has ever done this knows—it’s not just time-consuming; it’s exhausting.

She had to get through the entire basket today. In this sweltering heat, leaving them overnight would lead to bacteria growth and a loss of freshness. If they couldn’t finish all the crab tonight, she could always turn the leftovers into spicy crab meat with roe sauce and store it. A spoonful of that on rice or noodles would be so delicious it could make the neighbor’s kid cry with envy.

But… it was just so much work.

After over two hours, it was already past four in the afternoon, and she had barely made a dent in the pile. She started feeling anxious. In her haste, she accidentally pinched her finger between a crab’s claw. A sharp sting shot through her fingertip as a drop of blood welled up and dripped onto the crab shell.

She gasped in pain, hissing through her teeth.

“Oww! Why is it bleeding so much? Hey, can you stop already? You know, they say one drop of blood is worth ten drops of essence! How much food do I have to eat to replenish this?”

She had been so focused on the crabs that she failed to notice the tall figure leaning against the doorway. One shoulder propped against the doorframe, arms crossed, he had been watching her in silence. Only when she cried out did his expression shift, and he stepped forward.

That was when he heard her remark about “one drop of blood, ten drops of essence.”

His otherwise composed and handsome face cracked slightly.

What a waste of something she didn’t even have.

Wen Xin had been injured before, but ever since she acquired the system, her diligent use of essential oils and botanical extracts had made her skin softer and more delicate. She had taken precautions, but still, she got pricked.

Before she could react, a large hand suddenly reached past her, turned on the faucet, and pulled her wounded finger under the cool stream of water.

The unexpected presence startled her.

Yan Zeyang was usually out early and back late. When he returned at night, she was already asleep. By the time she woke up, he had already left. This was the first time they had seen each other in days.

He must have just returned from the military district. He was still in uniform, not yet changed, and there was a faint scratch on his tanned face. She wasn’t sure what had caused it, but instead of marring his chiseled features, it gave him an air of rugged defiance.

Every time she saw his face, Wen Xin regretted it all over again.

Why did he have to be the male lead? If he weren’t, she would have—

“Have you looked enough?” he asked, turning his head toward her. They were so close their noses almost brushed.

Wen Xin wasn’t shy at all. After all, they had kissed before, right? If anything, she wanted to relive that moment. He had been completely stunned back then, and it was adorable.

Her eyes met his without a hint of embarrassment. His gaze was deep and unfathomable, like a starry sky stretching into infinity. She was tempted to kiss him again but managed to hold back. Instead, she smiled playfully.

Then, with lips barely moving, she mouthed: “With a face like yours, I could look at you forever.”

For a moment, she thought she felt his grip tighten slightly.

She glanced down at their hands. His rough, sun-kissed fingers held her pale, delicate ones—it was like dark chocolate wrapping around a dollop of cream. His thumb was still gently pressing against her wounded fingertip. The contrast made her skin seem even softer and more fragile.

“It’s just a small cut. The bleeding has already stopped,” she reassured him, her voice naturally sweet and charming. She wasn’t one to hold grudges. After all, they hadn’t seen each other in days. As long as he didn’t bring up the hazelnut incident, she still missed him a little.

So, in her most considerate tone, she added, “We have guests tonight. You should go change. I’ll finish this up soon.”

“Who sent these?” he asked, finally letting go of her hand. His eyes flicked toward the scattered crab shells on the counter.

“The logistics team brought them over. I was going to cook them, but Auntie He said there would be a female guest, and eating crab legs at the table wouldn’t look very elegant. So I decided to extract all the meat first to make it easier to eat. But even if we don’t finish them all tonight, I still have to get through them now. They won’t keep till tomorrow.”

Yan Zeyang frowned slightly. Without another word, he shrugged off his military jacket and tossed it onto the living room sofa. Then, he returned to the kitchen, unbuttoning his cuffs as he walked. He rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, revealing strong, muscular forearms. The veins on his wrists and the faintly bulging tendons along his arms gave him an air of restrained power.

Wen Xin was momentarily dazed.

God, those arms were sexy.

Taking the crab she had been working on, he said in a slightly husky voice, “I’ll do it.”

The shells she had struggled with all afternoon—spending hours prying them open—were effortlessly snapped apart in his hands.

Crack, crack, crack!

In just a few swift movements, the crabs were broken into clean, manageable pieces. All Wen Xin had to do now was scoop out the meat.

She needed over ten minutes to dismantle a single crab, but in his hands, it took just three minutes per crab. In no time, he had cleaned out the entire basket.

Wen Xin stared in amazement, repeatedly praising his skill. Eventually, she couldn’t resist grabbing his hands, turning them over and over to inspect them. Why was it that, despite both having flesh and blood, he had not a single scratch? He had just been twisting and pulling at those sharp shells, yet not only was there no wound, but not even a trace of a mark. Did he really not feel any pain? She gently ran her fingers over his palm and looked up at him with curiosity.

Yan Zeyang lowered his gaze slightly, his deep black eyes locked onto hers. Watching her delicate, jade-like hands softly rubbing his palm in search of an injury, an inexplicable heat surged through his chest. Seeing her tilt her head up in concern, his jawline tensed. Just as Wen Xin was about to examine his hands for a little longer, he abruptly pulled them away and hurriedly tossed out a sentence:

“Keep dinner simple. It’s not an important guest.”

Then, he turned and walked out of the kitchen.

…

Political Commissar Ye arrived with Staff Officer Wang’s daughter, Wang Jiajia, at six in the evening.

The Yan family’s dining table was laden with dishes, including freshly grilled crab meat. This dish was best enjoyed straight off the grill, so after marinating, Wen Xin had only prepared three crabs in advance. She would grill another three when they were ready to eat. The key to perfection was precise timing—the meat needed to be cooked just right, tender and bubbling, for the freshest and most flavorful taste, the kind that made you want to swallow your tongue along with it.

Wang Jiajia, the youngest daughter of Staff Officer Wang, was an arrogant young lady—a common trait among the children of high-ranking officers. Even Yan Zeyang, being from the same background, was no exception. The children of the compound were all prideful, each more spoiled than the last. However, today, she seemed to be restraining herself somewhat.

After all, she had set her sights on Yan Weiguo’s son. This was her first time visiting their home as a guest, so she had to act reserved. But when she saw Wen Xin carrying a dish of golden, aromatic spicy crab roe oil and a delicate mushroom crab soup, smiling warmly as she served them, Wang Jiajia’s gaze darkened with hostility.

She stared at Wen Xin for a long moment, then, unable to hold back, turned to He Wenyan and bluntly said, “Aunt He, isn’t your housemaid a little too young? Can she even cook properly? My father said that transporting these crabs wasn’t easy—let’s not waste good food. Our housemaid is over forty and worked in the military canteen for over a decade. She has real experience.”

He Wenyan smiled slightly. She had seen enough people underestimate Wen Xin’s cooking skills, only to have their pride shattered. Instead of arguing, she simply said, “You’ll know once you try it.”

No need for words—one taste would be proof enough.

Meanwhile, Political Commissar Ye’s jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw Wen Xin. Since when did the Yan family hire such a delicate and lovely housemaid?

And up close, the girl was even more stunning—her skin smooth as jade, her lips like cherry blossoms, with tiny beads of sweat glistening on her nose. Her smile was warm and captivating, perfectly revealing eight white teeth. It was a sight that sent a sense of ease and delight through the body. If he weren’t a married man of over ten years, he wasn’t sure he’d have the composure to sit still.

Well, well, well.

Yan Zeyang, that cunning brat, had played this game flawlessly!

No wonder he’d been rushing home so frequently these past days.

If his own household had such a housemaid, he’d be running back ten times a day!

Glancing over at Yan Zeyang, Ye Jianzhou rubbed his forehead. Before becoming a political commissar, he had been a reconnaissance soldier—he was trained to pick up on subtleties. Did this kid really think that keeping a straight face and avoiding eye contact could conceal his feelings?

That was the most obvious giveaway!

He was already thinking about how he would report this to the commanding officer when he got back…