Chapter 23.1

He Wenyan asked Wang Jiajia a few polite questions about her school, to which Wang Jiajia replied with a slight pout, “It’s alright. The cafeteria food is mediocre at best. My mom is worried I won’t be able to eat well and wants our housemaid to move near my school to take care of me…”

He Wenyan chuckled and said, “Your housemaid used to work in the military canteen—she’s a veteran. Her skills are indeed excellent. Even Old Yan has praised her before.”

Ye Jianzhou nodded in agreement, adding, “I’ve known Staff Officer Wang’s housemaid since my early days as a soldier under the commander. I practically grew up eating her food—she always gave me extra servings back then. Jiajia, you should learn a few of her best dishes, too. It’ll come in handy when you get married someday.”

Wang Jiajia frowned, displeased. “Commissar Ye, families like ours all have housemaids. There’s no need for us to cook. Preparing meals and serving others—that’s a housemaid’s job. People of our status shouldn’t be competing with servants for work. My mother has never done housework in her life, and I won’t be doing any either.”

As she spoke, she shot a glance at Wen Xin, who was placing the freshly grilled crabs onto their plates.

Wen Xin: “…”

Was she talking about me?

It was just a job—why act like it was some measure of status? Some people had to learn to cook because of their family circumstances; others never had to because they were pampered. She would have loved to be spoiled too, but that wasn’t her reality. What could she do about it?

Ye Jianzhou chuckled. “Ah, my mistake. Jiajia’s hands were made for books, not for the kitchen. No need, no need.”

But inwardly, he thought:

Classic case of a high-born military brat. Direct, unfiltered, and entitled. These girls grew up in privilege, with high standards and plenty of options, so of course, they had a bit of arrogance. And why shouldn’t they? They had the right to be choosy.

But if she wanted a man who would indulge her every whim, she’d better choose wisely.

His gaze shifted to Yan Zeyang—the cold, sharp-eyed “devil commander”—who had just cast an indifferent glance at Wang Jiajia.

Same military brat, same privileged background. But would this tyrant of the compound tolerate her princess attitude?

Highly unlikely.

With his standards, a person who couldn’t take care of themselves and needed a housemaid to follow them everywhere was no different from dead weight.

This was going to be a disaster.

Meanwhile, Wen Xin continued serving the grilled crabs, placing them in front of the guests, along with freshly poured juice within easy reach.

This level of attentive service was nothing unusual in modern high-end restaurants. In fact, Wen Xin had leveraged her looks to secure jobs in upscale establishments with ease—never once struggling to find work.

Being this considerate and meticulous in service made people feel genuinely valued, leaving them with a sense of warmth and respect.

Wang Jiajia looked at the pinkish fruit juice in front of her with slight disdain. “What’s this?”

In this era, fruit juicers weren’t common, but Wen Xin had always been passionate about food. She had even worked as a bartender for a while, though she didn’t stay long because bars were too chaotic. Mixing fruit juices was similar to cocktail-making, so she was more than capable.

The peach juice had been boiled with a few other fruits, creating a tangy, appetite-stimulating drink. It was refreshing and not overly sweet, serving as a palate cleanser that allowed the flavors of the food to shine even more vividly.

“This is fruit juice,” Wen Xin explained with a professional smile. “It contains three types of fruit, along with hazelnuts and almonds. It’s rich in nutrients, helps clear the lungs, strengthens the spleen, and enhances skin complexion. Drinking a glass daily is great for a woman’s skin.”

Wang Jiajia had never heard someone introduce a drink like that before. Despite coming from a high-ranking family, the times were still underdeveloped. Compared to the future, even well-off households lacked the comforts of an average middle-class family in later generations. She thought she had seen the world, but next to Wen Xin—someone with knowledge spanning two centuries—her so-called “worldliness” was laughable.

He Wenyan and Yan Zeyang, however, were used to it. Everyone in the Yan household knew that Wen Xin was meticulous with her cooking. Sometimes, when she was in the mood, she would even explain which dishes were good for boosting energy, strengthening the kidneys, enriching the blood, clearing the lungs, or detoxifying the intestines.

Otherwise, with He Wenyan’s discerning eye as a hospital director, simply being a good cook wouldn’t have been enough for her to be this satisfied with Wen Xin. She nearly had her prepare a tonic meal for lunch to pack in a lunchbox.

A once-cold and fragmented family had gradually become warmer, with even the older and younger members able to sit together for a meal—at least maintaining a harmonious surface. That was what He Wenyan valued most.

Wang Jiajia’s resistance to Wen Xin stemmed from a subconscious rivalry between women, an instinctive hostility born from the competition of appearance. Because of that, she found herself wanting to roll her eyes at anything Wen Xin said. However, the mention of skincare and beauty struck right at her weak spot.

She had some freckles on her face and slightly darker skin, which she was very self-conscious about. She had even asked her older cousin in Shanghai’s major department stores to bring her back some high-end skincare products. But after using an entire set, her skin had only improved slightly—so subtly that it was barely noticeable. In the meantime, she had to rely on foundation to lighten her complexion.

Hearing that the juice was good for the skin, she scoffed but still took a sip. One sip turned into two, then three, then four or five.

In this era, even artificially flavored beverages were rare. The best drinks people had were either tea or sugar water.

When had she ever tasted such a well-crafted blend of multiple fruit juices and nut extracts?

Wen Xin’s taste was far ahead of her time. What she considered merely “acceptable” was, to Wang Jiajia, an unbelievable delicacy.

Wen Xin had also chilled it in the fridge beforehand. Since the spicy crab paste was rich and slightly spicy, pairing it with a cool vegetable-fruit juice in the summer was incredibly refreshing. A simple fruit juice wouldn’t have been enough to elevate the flavor, so she had added a bit of vegetable extract from her personal stash and a touch of raw honey.

The verdict was clear from the empty glasses—everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.

He Wenyan turned to Wang Jiajia. “How does the juice taste?”

Wang Jiajia wiped her mouth and stubbornly said, “It’s alright, about the same as what my maid makes.”

Wen Xin: “Huh?” Impossible!

Wen Xin then brought out the spicy crab paste. It was made by stir-frying crab roe and leg meat with oil and chili peppers, then slow-cooking it with seasonings until it turned into a thick, golden sauce with vibrant red chili flakes. The aroma alone was mouthwatering.

Once cooled, she stored it in clean glass jars. Despite using a whole basket of crabs, there wasn’t much roe, so even after adding crab meat, she had only managed to make two jars. She brought one over, scooped out a spoonful, and placed it atop the freshly grilled crab meat in front of each person.

Freshly roasted crab meat paired with rich crab roe paste—only those who had tasted it would understand its divine flavor.

This was a delicacy often referred to as a “gift from the gods,” and with Wen Xin’s touch, it was guaranteed to be unforgettable after just one bite.

Because the glass jar was transparent, Wang Jiajia could see the golden paste speckled with red chili flakes. She immediately wrinkled her nose and said in distaste, “What is this? I’m not eating it—I can’t handle spicy food.”

Ye Jianzhou, however, was completely captivated by the aroma. “This is the good stuff—crab roe! You have to try it; it smells amazing.” He scooped up a spoonful, took a bite, and immediately started nodding in satisfaction, too busy eating to say anything more.

When Wen Xin went to serve the spicy crab paste to Commander Yan, her fingers—particularly the injured one—caught his attention. She held the spoon delicately, her fingertip slightly raised to avoid touching the handle. Her skin was so fair and smooth that it resembled fine jade, naturally exuding an ethereal beauty. Under the light, her neatly trimmed nails had a translucent pink sheen, giving off a refined elegance.

Against that backdrop, the redness and swelling on her injured finger stood out starkly. Beautiful things were often fragile, and with such delicate skin, the injury appeared even more striking.

Yan Zeyang barely glanced at her hand before silently taking the jar and spoon from her, swiftly scooping out a portion for himself as well as Wang Jiajia and He Wenyan.

In one move, he had used up nearly half the jar, leaving Wen Xin heartbroken. Anyone who had ever painstakingly harvested crab roe knew how precious it was. She had planned to save some for herself! She instinctively snatched the jar back, giving Yan Zeyang a glare.

Yan Zeyang: “…”

Wang Jiajia, seeing that Yan Zeyang had personally scooped some for her, felt a surge of happiness. Her eyes practically sparkled as she gazed at him. She no longer cared about the crab paste’s yellowish color and pretended to hesitantly take a tiny bite, acting as if she would spit it out if it wasn’t good.

But after the first bite, she couldn’t stop.

A single crab was about the size of two hands cupped together, filled to the shell with freshly peeled meat. Typically, one crab was enough to be half full, two could satisfy a meal, and three would leave you stuffed.

But no one expected the crabs to be this delicious—so fragrant and flavorful that it felt like one could swallow their own tongue in delight. The only reason the guests maintained their composure was that they were children of the military compound, accustomed to fine things and raised with strict discipline. Had it been ordinary people, those who had rarely enjoyed such a feast, they might have been moved to tears, feeling as if their entire life had been made worthwhile in this moment.

Even in modern times, this would be a delicacy worthy of indulgence, if only Wen Xin bothered to prepare it more often.

She had grilled over a dozen crabs, working up such a sweat that her clothes were nearly drenched. But at last, she ensured that the guests had eaten to their hearts’ content.