Chapter 22: A Sudden Increase in Favorability

—”Xiao Chun, your older brother is so handsome!”

—”Hee hee, such a handsome man is mine, Chi Wan’s~”

Huo Chunchun, a simple and innocent little girl, didn’t quite understand what Chi Wan was saying, her face full of confusion, completely unaware of its meaning.

But she could tell Chi Wan was happy.

As long as her sister-in-law was happy, she was happy too.

Chi Wan smiled foolishly, and Huo Chuchun laughed along with her.

Huo Chunchun even echoed Chi Wan’s words, “My older brother has been handsome since he was little, he’s the most handsome in our village.”

A handsome older brother paired with a beautiful sister-in-law, perfect.

These two sisters-in-law, in a certain dimension, were thinking about the same thing.

Huo Dongzhi, who was sitting beside them, heard their conversation clearly.

Although he was only one year older than Huo Chunchun, he was much more mature.

If he had heard Chi Wan’s words earlier, he would have scoffed and laughed derisively.

After all, Chi Wan was a woman with a “stain” on her, unworthy of their older brother.

But today…

Huo Dongzhi just sat quietly, his eyes clear and calm.

When Huo Chunchun spoke, he even nodded slightly.

Zhang Yue’e walked past them, seeing the three of them “eagerly awaiting.”

She couldn’t help but smile.

Then she went back to the room and brought out a bowl of melon seeds, handing each of them a handful.

To let them eat while they waited.

In the kitchen at this time.

The five-spice pork belly, fried until the skin was crispy, was once again scooped out of the iron pot.

The pork that had been stir-fried earlier remained at the bottom of the pot.

Huo Nanchuan walked to the side, adjusting the fire of the firewood, turning the big fire into a small fire.

Then—

He took out the rock sugar.

That was Chi Wan’s instruction.

She said she wanted to eat braised pork belly, stir-fried with sugar color, shiny, sweet and soft pork belly.

Huo Nanchuan knew how to make this dish, he had learned it specifically from the master who cooked banquets in the village.

But usually when they ate at home, they wouldn’t be so complicated, nor would they be so meticulous.

But this time was different.

This was made specifically for Chi Wan, he wanted to make the best taste.

Rock sugar was put into the hot oil, starting to melt little by little, turning into soft and transparent syrup, emitting a faint sweetness.

Huo Nanchuan stirred the syrup with a spoon while turning his head to look outside.

In the dim light.

His gaze met Chi Wan’s, who was sitting not far away.

Seeing Chi Wan tilt her fair and delicate face, blinking her bright black eyes, and smiling gently at him.

That smile.

Caused the man’s heart to skip a beat.

Huo Nanchuan tightened his whole body, hurriedly withdrawing his gaze, not daring to look any longer.

Stir-frying the sugar color was the most difficult step in this dish.

It was extremely demanding in terms of heat and time.

If the time was too short, the color of the sugar color wouldn’t be rich enough, even if it was coated on the pork belly, it wouldn’t look good.

If the time was too long, the sugar color would turn dark, and the sugar would become bitter, and then even the pork would have a bitter taste.

This dish would be completely ruined.

Huo Nanchuan didn’t want to see Chi Wan’s disappointed expression, so he steadied his mind and focused all his attention on the iron pot in front of him.

When the syrup boiled, and dense small bubbles appeared, it was almost done.

The five-spice pork belly, which had been fried once before, was immediately put in.

The meat pieces rolled in the syrup, each side coated with a layer of shiny syrup.

After that, it was simple…

Add white wine, soy sauce, then pour in a bowl of water, and some indispensable green onions, ginger, garlic, and various spices.

Cover the pot and simmer.

When the water in the pot dried up, and the sauce became thick, the pork belly was also stewed until it was chewy and soft, and it could be taken out of the pot.

During the simmering time.

Huo Nanchuan didn’t idle, he also made a few other light dishes.

The tempting aroma emanating from the iron pot became even stronger.

Not only was the yard full of fragrance, but even outside the yard, it could be smelled.

It was a genuine meaty aroma.

Someone came over smelling the meaty aroma.

But it wasn’t someone who was cursing, but Aunt Li, who lived next door to the Huo family.

Aunt Li was about the same age as Zhang Yue’e, and her personality was also good.

They had been neighbors for over a decade, and the relationship between the two families had always been very harmonious.

It was Aunt Li who went to the field to find Huo Nanchuan and Huo Dongzhi this afternoon when something happened.

Aunt Li stood outside the stone wall of the yard, chatting with Zhang Yue’e over the low wall.

“Are you eating pork tonight at your house? So what they said in the village is true?”

Zhang Yue’e smiled happily, “Those things are true and false, I don’t even know what they said. Their mouths are on their own, let them say whatever they want, I don’t care. Pork… it’s our family’s Xiao Wan who is amazing, it’s all her credit.”

Aunt Li was still a little unfamiliar with Chi Wan’s name, “Xiao Wan? Is that your new daughter-in-law, the one who married the eldest son?”

“Of course! Xiao Wan saved up a year’s worth of meat tickets, she didn’t even dare to eat them herself, she gave them all to the family.”

Zhang Yue’e started praising Chi Wan, and her mouth couldn’t stop, her words flowed endlessly.

“Our Xiao Wan, she’s really beautiful, I’ve never seen such a beautiful girl in the whole ten miles.”

“Not only is she beautiful, but she’s also capable! In the production brigade, she’s the only one with the most work points, you all know this…”

“Before, we could only eat pork during the New Year and festivals, I didn’t expect to eat it again today. Since Xiao Wan married in, our family’s life has gotten better…”

Aunt Li was stunned.

She had originally believed the rumors like the other villagers.

Because Chi Wan was a woman who wasn’t clean, she was flirting with the male intellectuals, the Huo family was poor, they couldn’t find a new daughter-in-law, so even if she was a woman who wasn’t clean, she could give birth, so he married her.

But now she saw with her own eyes the life of the Huo family, and Zhang Yue’e’s attitude.

This family was harmonious and happy, they were even eating pork, their life was comfortable!

On the contrary, those who gossiped were simply sour grapes!

Aunt Li had completely figured it out.

But…

Aunt Li lowered her voice and asked, “Didn’t your eldest son used to be with the younger daughter of the Lu family, the one called Lu Xiangxiang…”

Zhang Yue’e interrupted her before she could finish.

“That was a long time ago! Our Nanchuan was just being polite with that Lu Xiangxiang, nothing happened between them. They also broke off the engagement and marriage according to the rules, don’t be like the others and spread rumors.”

A clear-cut statement.

Clear and concise.

Zhang Yue’e’s tone was unusually serious.

Aunt Li immediately understood, and said with some embarrassment.

“Don’t be angry, I just saw that girl from the Lu family hanging around your house, I thought something was going on.”

“There’s nothing going on! Nanchuan and Xiao Wan are getting along well! What kind of thing is that Lu Xiangxiang, how can she compare to our Xiao Wan…”

The two women’s voices were not loud.

But Chi Wan had good ears, she heard everything clearly, and couldn’t help but smile.

It was so good to have someone who sincerely defended her.

While they were talking.

Huo Nanchuan brought out the fragrant five-spice pork belly, and said to everyone, “Dinner is ready.”

The Huo family’s hard-earned dinner finally began.

Aunt Li didn’t say anything more, she waved her hand and left.

Chi Wan believed that it wouldn’t take a night, and the fact that their family was eating pork would spread throughout the village.

Including what Zhang Yue’e said tonight.

After being spread by Aunt Li, Huo Nanchuan’s reputation, which had been ruined because of her, would definitely be different.

But at this moment.

Chi Wan didn’t have time to think about these things, because her thoughts were all taken away by the bowl of five-spice pork belly in the man’s hand.

When it comes to eating, it’s the most important thing!

…

At night.

Lingbao Space.

Chi Wan took off her clothes and soaked in the spiritual spring water, the gentle water flowing over her skin, like a massage, it was incredibly comfortable.

This spiritual spring water was not only comfortable to soak in, but also had the effect of strengthening the body and making the skin smooth.

Her skin was not only white, but also tender.

When you touched it, it was smooth and slippery, more comfortable than touching jade.

But Chi Wan only soaked the part below her chest, she didn’t dare to soak her neck in the water.

The wound on the back of her neck had been medicated and was slowly recovering.

If she soaked in the spiritual spring water, she would wake up tomorrow morning without even a trace of the scar, and she wouldn’t know how to explain it to Huo Nanchuan.

This man was so obsessed with her wound.

Before going to bed, he also reminded her to sleep on her side, not to press on the wound.

“What a troublesome man~”

Chi Wan muttered this in her mouth, but the corners of her mouth were slightly raised, obviously smiling.

She smiled faintly while reaching out to touch her slightly protruding belly.

It was all Huo Nanchuan’s fault.

The braised pork belly he cooked was simply too delicious.

Chi Wan couldn’t resist, she ate three bowls of white rice in a row.

The kind where the rice bowls were overflowing, a full three bowls.

Actually, by the third bowl, Chi Wan couldn’t eat anymore.

But Huo Dongzhi, next to her, mixed the rice with the rich five-spice pork belly sauce, the rice was oily and shiny, each grain distinct, she couldn’t resist, she also mixed the rice with the sauce, and ate all the remaining rice.

Then.

She was full.

When she put down her chopsticks and empty bowl, Chi Wan even burped.

“Burp”.

Suddenly.

Everyone at the dinner table looked up at her.

The scene was so embarrassing, Chi Wan’s face turned red, she didn’t even dare to look at the empty bowl in front of her.

The dinner table was also silent.

Zhang Yue’e and Huo Chunchun both held back their laughter, while Huo Dongzhi had a twitching mouth and a awkward expression.

On the contrary, Huo Nanchuan, the wooden man, was the first to laugh.

It wasn’t a mocking laugh.

It was a low, soft, slightly doting laugh.

Chi Wan felt her ears burn, and her chest felt like a deer was leaping in her heart.

After someone broke the silence, the little episode passed in a flurry of laughter.

After dinner.

Huo Nanchuan saw that Chi Wan was full, so he took her out for a walk to help her digest.

The small and backward village didn’t have any entertainment activities, so the so-called digestion was just walking by the river, listening to the birds singing from the forest.

But the cool night breeze blowing on her face, with a hint of spring flowers, made her feel relaxed all over.

As the two walked slowly, they had a feeling that they could walk to the end of their lives like this.

Chi Wan also occasionally thought back to the kiss Huo Nanchuan had initiated earlier.

That burning touch…

That intimate contact…

Made the atmosphere under the night sky even more ambiguous and enchanting.

Even in the Lingbao Space at this moment.

Just thinking about it, Chi Wan’s reaction was both shy and embarrassed, even every cell in her body remembered the tingling numbness of trembling under Huo Nanchuan.

So hot…

The comfortable hot spring water suddenly became hot.

Chi Wan felt a burning sensation in her chest, she couldn’t soak in it anymore, she got out of the water with a splash.

Her originally wet body didn’t need to be dried, it immediately became dry as soon as it touched her body.

Her whole body was as white as jade, crystal clear and tender.

Chi Wan quickly put on her clothes, just as she was buttoning the last button, the chubby Xiao Tuanzi suddenly appeared.

Because Chi Wan liked little girls, so the Xiao Tuanzi transformed into a cute little girl according to her preferences.

A round head, black eyes, pink lips.

She also had two little pigtails that swayed back and forth.

She was a delicate and charming little girl, making people want to touch her.

The Xiao Tuanzi appeared in a hurry, she was in a hurry to report to Chi Wan.

She called out in a childish voice, “Master, Master, look! The favorability in the Lingbao Space has increased again! It has increased a lot, a lot!”