Chapter 36: Homemade Meat Sauce + Jerky

Nan Qiao turned around just in time to see Sheng Yanchuan returning with the cleaned mushrooms and bamboo shoots.

After a moment of thought, she said, “Brother Sheng, can I borrow your vegetable knife? I’ve got nothing to cut the mushrooms with…”

She did have one in her space, but she’d already taken out two. If she pulled out a third one… she’d look like some kind of vegetable vendor. Why would she carry so many knives?

“I’ll have Taohua go get it.”

“Alright, I’ll go prep the seasonings then,” Nan Qiao replied as she headed into the kitchen.

“Taohua, go get our vegetable knife and tell them I need to use it. Be careful not to cut yourself,” Sheng Yanchuan called to Taohua in the distance.

“Okay!” Taohua responded, dashing off to fetch it.

By the time Taohua returned with the knife, Sheng Yanchuan had already pulled over a small stool and was sitting at the cutting board. Per Nan Qiao’s instructions, he diced the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu.

The courtyard bustled with energy. Once Nan Qiao had prepared all the scallions, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, cumin, chili powder, and other seasonings—

Shen Nian had already finished slicing all the chicken. Nan Qiao carried the meat into the kitchen, split it into two portions, and planned to make one spicy batch and one non-spicy.

She heated oil in a pan and fried the meat until it was halfway done. Then she took it out, added the respective seasonings for the spicy and non-spicy versions, and stir-fried them gently over low heat. Since the meat had already been fried, a quick stir to infuse the flavor was all it took. The whole process went pretty fast.

While Nan Qiao was working on the chicken jerky, Shen Nian brought in the rest of the pork, all sliced and ready. She quietly stood by, watching Nan Qiao work with full focus.

The kitchen was filled with the pungent, rich aroma of meat and spices. It practically made Shen Nian drool.

Seeing Shen Nian staring longingly at the pan, Nan Qiao chuckled. She scooped two small bowls of both the spicy and non-spicy jerky.

“Here, take these out and let everyone taste. See what they think,” Nan Qiao said, handing the bowls to Shen Nian.

Then she picked up the bowl of pork and resumed her previous steps.

“Qiao Qiao’s already finished one batch! Come try it! Our Qiao Qiao’s cooking is top-notch—once this batch is gone, you won’t get another chance!” Shen Nian shouted gleefully as she ran out with the bowls, showing them off.

“I want some, I want some!” Taohua exclaimed excitedly. She’d been lured by the smell for ages but felt too shy to ask. Now that Sister Shen Nian had brought it out, she couldn’t wait any longer.

And it wasn’t just Taohua—Li Zhuoran, who had been cutting meat, had long been tempted. Ever since the smell had wafted out of the kitchen, he’d been slicing meat while sneaking glances in that direction.

“Taohua, can you handle spicy food? This one’s non-spicy. Take whichever you want,” Shen Nian said, placing the bowls on the table. She picked up a spicy piece and took a bite.

The moment it hit her mouth, Shen Nian’s eyes lit up in delight. Nan Qiao’s cooking was amazing! Over the past few weeks, she’d learned a lot from her and hoped to master it soon.

To be fair, it wasn’t necessarily that Nan Qiao was some culinary genius—it was just that households nowadays used as little oil as possible when cooking. Everything was bland, let alone things like oyster sauce, cumin, or pepper.

Compared to that, Nan Qiao’s dishes were bursting with flavor.

Seeing the three of them enjoying the food, Sheng Yanchuan stood up, washed his hands, and carried the prepared ingredients to the kitchen. Since they were all feasting, he wasn’t going to miss out on a chance to spend time alone with Nan Qiao.

Once inside, he placed the bowls to the side. In the hot kitchen, Nan Qiao had her back turned and didn’t notice his arrival, focusing intently on frying the meat.

Feeling a bit sorry for her, Sheng Yanchuan picked up a fan and started fanning her.

Sensing a cool breeze, Nan Qiao looked up to see Sheng Yanchuan.

Her beautiful face was softened with a gentle smile, glowing with charm. Her cheeks were already flushed from the heat, and seeing her like that made Sheng Yanchuan’s heart ache. He took the chopsticks from her and said, “Tell me what to do. You go wait outside—it’s too hot in here.”

“It’s fine. I’m almost done,” Nan Qiao replied casually.

“Did you try it? Is it good?” she asked, watching Sheng Yanchuan as he took over frying.

“No. I only came in now because it’s the first time today no one’s watching you,” he said.

Nan Qiao stared at him, eyes wide like a startled pup. Her heart softened into mush. She picked up a piece of meat from the bowl and fed it to his lips.

“Try it. It’s really good.”

Sheng Yanchuan’s gaze flicked to her fair, delicate fingers, and a mischievous smile played at the corners of his mouth.

As he bit into the jerky, his lips brushed against her fingers ever so slightly.

Nan Qiao’s face, already pink from the heat, turned scarlet all the way to her ears.

“If you’re gonna eat, eat properly! If you keep that up, I’m not feeding you anymore,” she huffed, flustered.

“Oh no, that won’t do,” Sheng Yanchuan chuckled as he scooped the cooked meat from the pan. Glancing casually at the courtyard, he saw the others still eating and chatting, completely unaware of the kitchen scene.

He suddenly wrapped his arms around Nan Qiao’s waist and lifted her onto a nearby counter so their eyes were level.

Nan Qiao let out a surprised squeak and quickly covered her mouth, glancing nervously outside.

“What are you doing? They’re all still out there!”

“So… it’s okay if they weren’t?” Sheng Yanchuan whispered lowly, moving closer. “You weren’t this shy last time in my room, were you?”

“When was I ever shy?” Nan Qiao stammered, clearly flustered.

Seeing her stiff-necked stubbornness, Sheng Yanchuan couldn’t help but laugh.

“Okay, okay. My Qiao Qiao isn’t shy at all. Then… since you’re so bold, how about giving me a kiss?” he said as he gently cupped her cheek, his voice filled with temptation.

A strange thrill surged through Nan Qiao’s heart. The contrast between the cheerful chatter outside and Sheng Yanchuan’s teasing gaze was dizzying.

She watched as he slowly leaned closer…

“Where’s Sheng Yanchuan? Don’t tell me he wasn’t satisfied eating out here and went into the kitchen to sneak more? I better go check!”

A voice from outside immediately snapped Nan Qiao back to her senses.

She gave Sheng Yanchuan a firm shove, sending him stumbling back as she jumped off the counter and pretended to calmly continue frying the jerky.

“Sheng Yanchuan, what are you doing—sneaking snacks in the kitchen?” Li Zhuoran’s voice called out from the doorway.

Caught off guard, Sheng Yanchuan rubbed his nose awkwardly. “I was just bringing in some ingredients. Thought I’d check if there’s anything else that needs doing.”

“Alright, alright. You all get out. Everything’s been chopped—just bring it in. I’ve got this covered,” Nan Qiao said, shooing everyone away so she could focus on the important task at hand.

“Oh, right—let your families know you’ll be eating here tonight. I’ll cook some noodles so you can try how the sauce tastes,” Nan Qiao poked her head out of the kitchen and said.

“No problem! I’ll head back now to tell them and bring something tasty to add to the meal!” Li Zhuoran responded cheerfully. After sitting for a bit, he got up to notify his family so they wouldn’t cook an extra batch at home.

Seeing only the two girls were left, Sheng Yanchuan also said he’d head home for now and come back later.

While everyone was distracted, Nan Qiao added a bit of diluted Pond Clarity Water from her space. Though its effects weren’t as potent in that form, it was still beneficial for health.

Once the sauce was done, she set it aside to cool before bottling it. The bottles had already been high-temperature sterilized in her space and were well-sealed. She wasn’t worried about spoilage in the short term—and it would be convenient for her brother to bring to the army.

After finishing that, Nan Qiao also made a cold cucumber salad, sliced some tomatoes, and sprinkled them with sugar to chill on the side. Both the cucumbers and tomatoes were from her space’s fridge, so they were still nicely chilled—perfect for dinner later.

With everything prepped, Nan Qiao finally returned to her room. After spending the whole afternoon in the steamy kitchen, she wrinkled her nose at the oily smell on her clothes and slipped into her space.

She paused time within the space, took a long, luxurious bath to wash away her exhaustion, and came out refreshed.

Leisurely, she settled into the rocking chair in the courtyard with a book in hand.

“Nan Qiao, Shen Nian! I brought something delicious—come quick!” Li Zhuoran called as he pushed open the courtyard gate, carrying a parcel.

“What did you bring?” Shen Nian walked out from the kitchen, intrigued by the smell.

“Donkey Rolls—specialty from the capital! My family mailed them to me. The packaging is solid, so nothing’s spoiled. I brought some for you to try,” Li Zhuoran said, placing two packs on the table.

“Wow! I’ve heard of them but never had any before!”

“Don’t eat them yet—wait until after dinner. They’re tasty but really filling,” Li Zhuoran said, settling into another rocking chair in the courtyard.

“Not gonna lie, this little courtyard of yours is really cozy,” he added, glancing around.

It was clean and tidy. The locust tree overhead was in full bloom, and its floral fragrance wafted in with the breeze. The soft wind made the air cool and comfortable. Suddenly, he felt that living in the countryside wasn’t so bad after all.

“Of course! These two rocking chairs are our favorite. Every evening after dinner, we sit here, catch the breeze, and read—it’s pure bliss,” Shen Nian boasted.

“It really is comfortable,” Li Zhuoran agreed.

“I wonder when Brother Sheng and Taohua will be here. The noodles are already cut and ready,” Shen Nian said, glancing at the gate.

“Should be soon. If not, we can start cooking. I’ll go call them,” Nan Qiao said, getting up.

“Sit down, I’ll go. You’ve been busy all afternoon—take a break,” Li Zhuoran offered and left the courtyard.

While he went to fetch Sheng Yanchuan, Nan Qiao brought out a bowl of the meat sauce and the cold dishes she’d made. She set out the chopsticks. The only thing left was the noodles and for everyone to take their seats.

Just as the noodles were served, Sheng Yanchuan and Taohua followed Li Zhuoran into the courtyard.

“Sorry, someone dropped by our house earlier. I couldn’t leave right away,” Sheng Yanchuan apologized.

“Right? If it were me, I wouldn’t leave either—you gotta eat with your guests,” Li Zhuoran said with a mischievous grin, casting glances at Nan Qiao.

“Come sit. The noodles are ready. Try the sauce I made,” Nan Qiao urged, ignoring Li Zhuoran’s teasing and ushering everyone to the table.

“What was that about? What happened?” Nan Qiao didn’t ask, but Shen Nian couldn’t contain her curiosity.

“Oh, just our Brother Sheng and some… good news—” Li Zhuoran started to say, only for Sheng Yanchuan to quickly clamp a hand over his mouth.

“Can’t even shut up while eating?” Sheng Yanchuan muttered, his eyes darting nervously as he shoved a bowl into Li Zhuoran’s hands, wishing he could plug his mouth with it.

“Good news?” Nan Qiao froze with her bowl in hand. What kind of “good news” had him smiling so ambiguously?

“N-no, nothing! He’s just making stuff up. These noodles are great!” Sheng Yanchuan said, flustered.

Nan Qiao glanced at his bowl of noodles, her expression unreadable.

Seeing he wouldn’t say anything, and with Li Zhuoran stuffing his mouth to avoid more trouble, Nan Qiao turned to the quietly eating Taohua.

“Taohua, what happened at your house just now?”

“Just now? Oh, it was…”

“Taohua!” Sheng Yanchuan cut her off with a sharp tone.

Nan Qiao shot him a displeased look, making Sheng Yanchuan even more panicked. “Nan Qiao, let me explain—I really didn’t know she was coming—there’s nothing between us, you saw what she was like last time!”

“Taohua, continue,” Nan Qiao ignored him and gently encouraged Taohua.

Taohua looked at her brother nervously but, reassured by Nan Qiao’s soft smile, cautiously said, “It was… that older sister with the last name Huang that we saw at the state-run restaurant. She and her mom came over. Dad said we had guests and wouldn’t let Brother go out.”

Nan Qiao raised an eyebrow but said nothing more. She quietly continued eating and didn’t speak again for the rest of the meal.

Sheng Yanchuan looked at her, wanting to explain, but with Shen Nian and Li Zhuoran there, he didn’t dare say too much. He was afraid of stirring up more trouble and upsetting Nan Qiao further.

Even Li Zhuoran seemed to realize he’d caused a mess this time and didn’t speak again. The entire meal was eaten in awkward silence.

Afterward, Li Zhuoran volunteered to do the dishes, and Shen Nian, sensing the tense mood, joined him to help.

Nan Qiao remained on the rocking chair reading, unmoving. The only difference was that tonight she didn’t tutor Taohua, and the words on the page didn’t really register.

Sheng Yanchuan stayed close by, quietly trying to explain. “Qiao Qiao, I really didn’t know she’d come. There’s truly nothing between us—you saw for yourself what kind of person she is.”

“Qiao Qiao, please say something…”

He sat beside her, continuing to explain, but Nan Qiao didn’t say a word. She didn’t even know why she felt so tangled up inside—just that her chest felt tight.

She didn’t like arguing, especially in situations like this. Compared to throwing a tantrum, she was more used to retreating into herself.

After her parents passed away, though her aunt had cared for her well, Nan Qiao knew how hard her aunt had it. So she rarely told her anything, and over time—

Despite seeming sunny and well-off, Nan Qiao had always been someone who bore everything alone. Incredibly independent.

Sitting on the chair with her book, she only looked up once Shen Nian and Li Zhuoran finished washing the dishes.

“You two should go home and rest. It’s been a long day. Once the canned meat and jerky have cooled, I’ll pack them up for you,” she said before turning and heading to her room.

The others exchanged glances, left speechless.

Sheng Yanchuan stood there, watching Nan Qiao go inside, then finally sighed and walked away.

His back looked desolate, full of grievance.

He really didn’t know… he truly was innocent this time…