Shi Fengju, with an empty stomach, waited for a while but did not hear the door open or see Lan Xiang coming. He suspected that his cousin must have stopped her out of spite.
Shi Fengju bitterly smiled, feeling the hunger gnawing at him as he looked at the cold dishes and rice on the table. He couldn’t bear life anymore!
Forget it! If he couldn’t eat, it wouldn’t kill him to starve for one meal! The young master, who had been pampered since birth, finally experienced the taste of hunger. Silently reciting "Starve the body and skin, work the tendons and bones," he took a book from the bookshelf, planning to read for a while to pass the time before returning to Ningyuan later. By then, he would ask Xingzhi to cook a midnight snack. Although he didn’t usually eat late-night snacks, it should be alright today. After all, wasn’t he the master of the house?
However, as he started reading, his eyes were immediately drawn to a tantalizing passage: "Cook fish knife with honey wine, clear sauce on a plate... simmer with ham, bamboo shoot, and chicken soup, a uniquely delicious taste..." He closed the book and saw the bold title, "Suiyuan Food List"!
Shi Fengju felt the suppressed hunger inside him surge. He unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva and, irritated, threw the book far away. He decided to lean back in his chair with his eyes closed to rest his mind.
After about two quarters of an hour, Shi Fengju felt it was time to leave, so he ordered Chang Huan to clean the study and headed to Ningyuan himself.
From behind the dark pomegranate bushes, two slender young girls appeared, both looking at Shi Fengju as he walked towards Ningyuan. One had jealousy burning in her eyes, while the other looked fearful and anxious.
"You advised me to come here to deliver his meal, but look! He couldn’t even wait for two quarters of an hour! What a nuisance!" Gu Fangzi coldly glared at Lan Xiang and sneered.
Lan Xiang’s lips moved, but she dared not make a sound, lowering her head even more. She thought she was indeed being nosy!
"Let’s go! Don’t just stand here catching a cold!" Gu Fangzi angrily crumbled the delicate flowers and stomped on them.
Sang Wan, Sang Wan, this woman, this woman! She refused to believe she couldn’t deal with her!
When Shi Fengju returned to Ningyuan, Sang Wan had not yet gone to sleep. Knowing that he was displeased tonight, she naturally had to be more careful.
Seeing Shi Fengju return so soon, Sang Wan felt reassured and smiled, calling out "Big Brother!" She hurriedly served him tea and water.
"You can sit down, let the servant do this!" Shi Fengju smiled, feeling a bit guilty for making her do the work.
Not wanting to insist further, Sang Wan followed his suggestion and sat down with a smile, watching as Xingzhi calmly fetched tea and water.
Shi Fengju hesitated for a moment, stealing a glance at Sang Wan. Seeing her bright eyes lively, he knew she had no intention of returning to her room to rest and warred with his thoughts. Finally, the rumbling hunger in his stomach won out and, he cleared his throat, instructing Xingzhi, "Ask the kitchen to make me a bowl of noodles for a midnight snack, go ahead!"
Upon hearing this, Sang Wan and Xingzhi exchanged a surprised glance, both wondering why Young Master Shi needed another meal when he had just eaten dinner a while ago?
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go!" Sang Wan noticed Shi Fengju’s changing expression and, giving Xingzhi a sharp glance, she told him with a casual laugh, "It’s my fault for not thinking ahead. If I knew you’d be back late, I would have told the kitchen to prepare the meal later! It’s true that the food loses its taste after sitting too long. I’m sorry! But the kitchen staff have to go home once the cooking is done. Why don’t I..."
Seizing the opportunity, Sang Wan continued, "Tomorrow, after I visit my mother, I’ll open up the small kitchen in Ningyuan. It’ll be more convenient for Young Master Shi’s meals in the future! We can start cooking at any time without relying on the main kitchen!"
Shi Fengju usually wouldn’t worry about such small matters, but felt this was a good idea, nodding with a smile, "Alright, let’s do that then. Just let my mother know tomorrow."
"Alright, I’ll mention it to her tomorrow." Sang Wan agreed with a smile, secretly feeling pleased. This was an unexpected surprise. With Gu Fangzi always plotting, who knew if she would try to sabotage the meals prepared in the main kitchen? It was better to have a separate kitchen right under their own watch. Otherwise, if something went wrong, there would be nowhere to complain. If she accused Gu Fangzi of wrongdoing to Shi Fengju and his mother, they would certainly not believe her, let alone stand up for her.
With nothing else to do, Shi Fengju took a look at Sang Wan’s book and casually asked, "Hey, what book are you reading?"
Sang Wan had to close the book and showed him the indigo-colored cover, "Records of Ten Continents and Three Islands!" She laughed and added, "Just reading to pass the time!"