Chapter 18: Red Beans of Love Grow in the South

When she saw He Yanxin accept it, Song Yeqing was a bit surprised. A man who could afford a Maserati actually cared about the money for some rice and meat?

But when she noticed his face had turned stone-cold and his expression was unusually serious, she silently raised a question mark in her heart.

Could it be that there was something about Wu Erlang and his wife that even Lady Song didn’t know?

Granny Ge also sensed something wrong with He Yanxin. After hesitating for a while, she ultimately said nothing.

She assumed he now deeply resented her second son and daughter-in-law. Since she did feel guilty about that, she didn’t dare say more.

But this version of He Yanxin also felt unfamiliar to her, and she didn’t dare insist he take the copper coins anymore.

She only muttered, “Then I’ll go back first.”

Since He Yanxin didn’t bring it up, after seeing Granny Ge to the door, Song Yeqing stuffed the piece of meat back into her hands. Without paying attention to the cries behind her, she ran back home and shut the door.

Sigh, truly pitiful. Thinking of the gentle and bright peasant woman she once remembered, Song Yeqing couldn’t help but sigh.

He Yanxin still looked displeased. Song Yeqing hesitated—what kind of matter could make an “outsider” like him look like that?

Could it be that the original owner’s memories and emotions affected him more deeply than she thought?

“Why are you just standing there?” He Yanxin asked as two children ran over and clung to his sides. He quickly adjusted his mood, squatted down, hugged the kids, and looked up at Song Yeqing.

“Nothing,” she shook her head.

Watching this affectionate scene of a doting father and devoted sons, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy in her heart: those two little brats—“Dad” comes home and they completely forget “Mom.”

Maybe it was because she had vaguely explained things earlier that morning, and since they were both, in many ways, from the same world…

Her resistance to He Yanxin had significantly lessened. After all, they shared a strange fate—dying together and transmigrating together.

So she asked naturally, “What should we make for lunch?”

She figured that since he brought the groceries, he should decide what to do with them. If she cooked, that would count as her contribution toward the meals.

“Hmm, how about sour soup with red beans?” He thought over what he’d bought and remembered they had pickled vegetables at home.

“Would that be okay? The rest, you can decide.”

From the original host’s memories, he knew red beans needed to be soaked before cooking. It was only a little past ten o’clock, so there should be enough time.

“Sounds good.”

Song Yeqing didn’t know how to cook many dishes—just some simple homestyle meals she had learned from Aunt Hua, who had taken care of her for many years in the old house.

Though her dishes couldn’t compare to professional chefs, they were about as good as many restaurant meals.

Aunt Hua had been an orphan rescued by the Song family in that era. She had no special talents and never married, staying with the Song family to help manage the household.

Technically, as an adopted daughter of the Song family, she didn’t need to personally care for Song Yeqing. But maybe out of pity, she took charge of Song Yeqing’s daily life whenever they were at the old residence. Many supplies in Song Yeqing’s space had also been prepared by Aunt Hua.

Unfortunately, Song Yeqing hadn’t had the energy to learn too much. She had only learned enough to not starve when living independently.

Sour soup with red beans was a specialty from the southern province, and it just so happened that she did know how to make it.

Cook some rice, make the sour red bean soup, stir-fried pork, and minced meat with eggplant in a clay pot. That should be enough for two adults. As for the children, they should have something lighter—maybe cabbage and meatball soup just for them.

She had taken a quick look at the ingredients and would do her best to divide things well.

Because He Yanxin had only bought grain, meat, and eggs. Aside from garlic chives, there were no other condiments.

The stir-fried pork and eggplant dish should have chili and garlic, but they were all out.

So she’d just have to use the remaining soy sauce from the bottom of the jar and some garlic chives for flavor. As for oil, she could render some from fatty meat.

Chili peppers did exist in this world; they had been introduced centuries ago and were already a staple in people’s diets.

Due to his fondness for red beans, He Yanxin was also motivated. Without waiting for Song Yeqing to take action, he left the kids and dashed into the kitchen to get ingredients.

The two kids: !?

Truly a loving father and obedient sons.

In fact, He Yanxin liked a lot of foods. But since conditions were lacking, red beans had gained special appeal in his eyes.

The plain and bland meals in the original host’s memory had tormented him.

He came out of the kitchen holding a big ceramic soup bowl filled to the brim with red beans—looked like at least a pound.

“Is this enough?” His eyes sparkled, clearly ready to go grab more if she said no.

Song Yeqing took a deep breath. That’s way too much—how’s she supposed to soak them? Was he planning to eat red beans as the main course?

“That’s too much.”

“Oh,” He Yanxin looked a bit disappointed. He grabbed a few beans from the bowl and held them in his hand, asking again, “How about this much?”

Was he serious or joking? Song Yeqing couldn’t tell. She had no choice but to step forward and take the bowl from him.

“Hold out your hand,” she said, carefully scooping off the top layer of beans into his palm.

He Yanxin felt a bit awkward at their closeness.

Standing before him, petite and focused, Song Yeqing gently handled the red beans. A breeze passed by, carrying a faint fragrance.

He Yanxin obediently held the beans in his hands, then glanced up at the sky.

But… that scent… seemed familiar.

It was similar to what he smelled on the kids this morning—and faintly in his own room.

No, earlier than that even…

Wait… hmm…

He remembered! It was the scent from a new aromatherapy shower gel his mom had replaced in his bathroom the last time he visited. He’d used it once, found it too fragrant, and never used it again.

But the scent had lingered all day at work, even after showering again that night—it had completely overpowered his usual body wash.

Such a dominant scent… That brand was really something. What, did they expand their business to ancient alternate worlds now?

His thoughts drifted off. By the time he came to, Song Yeqing was already gone.

And there he was, bent slightly forward, holding a handful of red beans and staring off into space—he must’ve looked pretty stupid.

He straightened up, deep in thought.

He wasn’t naive enough to really believe that brand had somehow made it here. Everyone had their secrets. If she didn’t want to talk, that was fine. No need to dig deeper.

Seeing that Song Yeqing had already skillfully started the fire, he put the red beans back and wanted to help with something.

Song Yeqing looked at the man who didn’t even know where to put his hands. Forget it, better if he didn’t make a mess.

“Go play with the kids.”

She had always been uneasy about leaving the two children alone, afraid something might happen. But when she cooked before, she had no time to watch them.

Now that He Yanxin was back—perfect. Let him watch the kids.

Play? That hurt.

But He Yanxin soon realized there really wasn’t anything he could help with.

Aside from stoking the fire, he hadn’t yet mastered the actual cooking skills from his memories. He knew what to do in theory, but doing it was a mess.

A classic case of the brain knowing but the hands not keeping up.

“Alright, I’ll go keep an eye on the kids.” As he walked out, he couldn’t help but turn back to emphasize, “I’m not going to play. I’m two years older than you, you know.”

Babysitting was one thing, but he wasn’t a kid himself—he wasn’t playing with them.

“Oh. Got it. Go on then.”

Song Yeqing’s face was indifferent. She didn’t mean it like that anyway.

Not long after, the courtyard filled with cheerful laughter. Not just from the kids—also from the man who had insisted he wasn’t going to play.

As she soaked the red beans in hot water, Song Yeqing found it funny.

She thought to herself: They get along pretty well. From now on, he can be the one to play with the brothers. She was already exhausted trying to entertain them these past few days.

(End of Chapter)