After returning home, the five girls went to take a bath first.
Xu Qingfan, who could finish bathing in five minutes, wasn’t in a hurry. After carrying Lin Wanning upstairs, he went back to the kitchen to make a late-night snack.
Fried instant noodles, salt and pepper mantis shrimp, and seafood porridge. The first two dishes were fine and didn’t take much time, but the porridge took almost half an hour since the rice hadn’t been soaked ahead of time and there were no leftovers.
Once Xu Qingfan set the table and found a suitable TV show to watch while eating, it was just past 10:30 at night.
"Qingfan, we’re ready. Go upstairs and carry Wanning down." Wu Lingyu came running down from the third floor, her face still dotted with water droplets from the shower.
"Oh, okay, the porridge is almost done anyway. I’ll just add the final ingredients and head up." Xu Qingfan nodded with a smile.
In Hong Kong’s style of boiling porridge, to fully bring out the freshness of the ingredients, the porridge is pre-cooked or leftover rice is boiled, reheated, and then the desired ingredients are added.
Wu Lingyu still had to dry her hair, so after reminding him, she went back upstairs.
Xu Qingfan added green crab, conpoy, preserved vegetables, and other ingredients to the white porridge. He then turned the heat from medium to high, covered the pot, and sprinkled a ring of white wine around the edge of the lid.
With a blowtorch, a circle of flame instantly rose on the clay pot surface, maximizing the pot’s temperature.
With the help of the white wine, the seafood inside could be cooked in under a minute. Afraid that leaving briefly might cause the porridge to boil over, he didn’t turn off the heat until it was just right, then left the kitchen.
After ordering a set of waterproof molds from a manufacturer, Lin Wanning only needed to "lock" her injured right leg in place when showering, which made it quite convenient for her to bathe while sitting on a stool.
By the time Xu Qingfan came upstairs, Lin Wanning had already changed clothes with the help of others and was eagerly sitting on the bathroom stool, waiting for a hug.
"Brother Qingfan!" Upon seeing Xu Qingfan, Lin Wanning showed a sweet dimple and spread her arms for a hug.
Xu Qingfan first fulfilled her wish by giving her a firm hug, and then lifted her into a princess carry, saying, "Don’t move your feet, be careful not to bump into the door frame."
"Mm!" Lin Wanning wrapped her arms around Brother Qingfan’s neck and intentionally pressed her face against his, singing, "When difficulties arise, please raise your left hand~"
"The left hand represents direction, it won’t bow to difficulties~"
Lin Wanning’s voice, singing this "Left Hand Right Hand" theme song from "Born to Stand Out," had a special charm that inexplicably brought peace to those who heard it.
"Hurry and come downstairs to eat supper, it gets cold easily in winter." Reaching the bedroom, Xu Qingfan knocked on the door to remind the four girls.
Zhang Yiyi and Wu Lingyu said simultaneously.
Xiao Ruawen, still preoccupied with what happened during the night, didn’t spare Xu Qingfan a glance and ignored him.
"Xia Xiaoxiao, hurry and put on your coat, or you’ll get cold!"
Only after Xia Xiaoxiao obediently put on her coat did Xu Qingfan carry Lin Wanning downstairs to the first floor.
After placing Lin Wanning on the sofa, she didn’t release her hold on his neck, and with a slight pull, their lips met.
"Hehe~ Thank you, Brother Qingfan." After the reward, Lin Wanning finally released Xu Qingfan.
He ruffled her hair, handed her the remote control, and then went into the kitchen to bring out the late-night snacks.
"Using your hands again, aren’t there chopsticks?" He said, carrying out the clay pot of porridge as Lin Wanning held a stick of ham sending it into her mouth.
"Let’s wait for everyone to eat together." Lin Wanning stuck out her tongue and, facing him, playfully sucked her finger into her mouth.
The four girls happened to come downstairs at this moment and, hearing their conversation, Xiao Ruawen remarked, "Wanning is stealing food, I heard it!"
"Ruan Wen didn’t see it, Brother Qingfan said he didn’t see it, so it didn’t happen!" Lin Wanning pouted adorably in rebuttal.
The house didn’t have a coffee table, instead, there was a Japanese-style kotatsu table in front of the sofa, allowing one to stretch out their legs while sitting on the floor, keeping them warm and comfortable.
Xu Qingfan quickly noticed another pair of legs overlapping his, like playing Jenga, another pair of legs on top of his.
Unlike playing mahjong last time, this environment was more suitable for mischief, but if Xu Qingfan wanted to unlock new maps and achievements, it seemed it was still far away.
He opened the clay pot, releasing the compressed aroma in the enclosed space, instantly whetting everyone’s appetite.
"Who wants to have porridge first? If you want noodles, serve yourself." Xu Qingfan served Lin Wanning first, since she was sitting on the sofa far from the table.
No one picked up their bowls and chopsticks; everyone stared at the crimson seafood porridge in the pot. Fried three-silk noodles could be eaten anytime, but piping hot seafood porridge was the most delicious.
The six of them each had their own bowls, made by themselves the last time they went pottery firing. After serving Lin Wanning, Xu Qingfan served Zhang Yiyi, then Wu Lingyu, Xia Xiaoxiao, and second to last, himself, deliberately leaving Xiao Ruawen for last.
Under normal circumstances, Xiao Ruawen would be shouting, "Where’s mine, where’s mine? Qingfan, where’s mine?"
But tonight, the girl was unusually calm, took a glance at the fried noodles beside her, and though originally determined not to eat food presented unwillingly, eventually succumbed to the delicious aroma.
"Here you go, yours."
Xu Qingfan handed her the bowl of porridge and cheekily winked. Xiao Ruawen, without saying a word, rolled her eyes before taking it.
[Don’t know what scheme she’s up to now.]
Xiao Ruawen blew on the porridge surface, then took a spoonful absentmindedly before sipping it.
[Why is there so much crab meat?]