88, Streamlining (2 more updates)
Xie Zhinuan was surprised; the young nobleman across the door was asking for a nighttime snack for the first time.
“Alright, just wait a moment!”
Xie Zhinuan thought that eating something too greasy at night would be hard to digest, and the nobleman across the door had a very weak spleen and stomach.
“Aunt Chen, you go wash the pot; I’ll go to the backyard to pluck some greens!”
After saying this, Xie Zhinuan, carrying an oil lamp, went towards the backyard with a basket in hand and Routuan closely following by her side.
Xie Zhinuan plucked the greens, placing them in the basket. The greens were tender, and she was extremely careful not to damage them.
The greens irrigated with Spiritual Spring Water were indeed different.
Back in the kitchen, Xie Zhinuan drew water from the well to wash the vegetables, while Yuanbao watched from the door, feeling distressed.
The water was just pouring out like that…
Xie Zhinuan went back inside to wash the pot again before she poured water into it, found some dry noodles, and while finding a bowl, she added salt, oil, soy sauce, and some spices. Once the water boiled, she added the noodles. When they were eighty percent cooked, she put the greens in, blanched them briefly, and then scooped them into the bowl. She added broth, stirred twice, sprinkled a few green onion flakes on top, put the bowl in the basket, and sent Yuanbao on his way.
“Thank you so much, Miss Xie!”
“No problem!”
Xie Zhinuan smiled indifferently.
She only hoped the gentleman across the door wouldn’t eat a nighttime snack every evening.
It wasn’t a great feeling to get up from a comfortable sleep and prepare snacks at night.
Xie Zhinuan drank a bowl of limp noodles and poured some for Routuan as well. Aunt Chen quickly washed the pot, “You should go to sleep, miss. I’ll clean up here. You have to go to town tomorrow!”
“Okay!”
Xie Zhinuan put down her bowl and went back to her room to sleep.
Routuan swiftly finished the noodle soup and also followed Xie Zhinuan to sleep.
Aunt Chen couldn’t help but laugh at Routuan’s mimicking behavior.
No matter how affectionate the dog was with the foolish girl during the day, it was definitely going to sleep by Xie Zhinuan’s side at night. The loyalty was astonishing.
When Yuanbao brought back the noodles, Li Hengyi smelled the fragrance.
In the weak light of the candle, he saw that the noodles were very simple. Recalling that Xie Zhinuan seldom made complex food and that being picky was useless, he picked up the chopsticks and began eating slowly and carefully.
The noodles were fragrant, the vegetables tasty, and the noodle broth even more so.
Indeed, simplicity held its own delicious charm.
After consuming a bowl of noodles with the broth, Li Hengyi felt extremely comfortable.
He let out a gentle breath, Yuanbao tidied up the chopsticks, and only then did he sit on the bed to meditate and regulate his energy.
Xie Zhinuan had a good night’s sleep and didn’t wake up until dawn.
She got up as the sky was beginning to brighten.
Thinking of the nobleman across the door who had a snack last night, she called the foolish girl to grind soybeans for soymilk and then went to cut some lean meat, also plucking greens from the backyard, planning to make a pancake with pickled meat and greens, serve it with soymilk, and prepare a cold cucumber salad-a delicious meal indeed.
After Xie Zhinuan finished cooking the pancakes, Yuanbao came over.
“Yuanbao, you eat some first, and I’ll cook more!”
“Sure!” Yuanbao responded.
Xie Zhinuan handed him the food, and Yuanbao took it to eat under the shed outside. The soy milk was delicious, the pancakes even more so, and along with a bite of cold cucumber salad, nothing could be more delightful.
Xie Zhinuan packed the rest of the food in the basket, and Yuanbao carried it away. The pancakes had to be eaten warm, so he dared not linger.
Xie Zhinuan called the foolish girl over to eat, and after they had eaten, she left the remaining chores to Aunt Chen. The carriage arranged by Yuanbao was already waiting.
After saying goodbye, Xie Zhinuan, accompanied by Routuan, got on the carriage first. The coachman found it strange, as he had never seen anyone so fond of a dog.
However, he didn’t say much, as he knew that the food Xie Zhinuan cooked tasted good, and of course, there were other reasons.
Arriving in town, Xie Zhinuan headed straight for the jars and pottery shop.
Seeing Xie Zhinuan, the shopkeeper was initially startled, then quickly broke into an enthusiastic smile.
This was the God of Wealth, after all.
Chapter 90