She made noodle soup, which was actually just the most common sour noodle soup in the countryside. However, the sour noodle soup made by Granny Lu was exceptionally delicious. She had learned to make it too. There weren’t really any tricks to it: plenty of vegetables, a generous amount of seasonings, and the noodles a bit softer. When eaten together with the broth, it was satisfyingly filling.
The noodles cooked quickly because the flame was high. She turned off the gas, brought the pot into the room, then fetched two small bowls and a tiny porcelain bowl filled with chili oil. The chili oil, which she already had, was infused with star anise, giving it a particularly fragrant smell.
Jian Zhiqing automatically picked up a bowl and served himself some noodles, adding a dose of chili oil. Qin Xiangnuan noticed that he seemed to really enjoy spicy food as he had already added three spoonfuls of chili oil.
Her chili oil was extremely spicy, having been made with skyward-pointing chilis. She only needed half a spoonful for herself, but Jian Zhiqing didn’t seem to mind the heat. In fact, he relished it, finishing one bowl with gusto before serving himself another, adding three spoonfuls of chili just like before, and an extra spoonful of chili oil at the end.
Out of the whole pot of noodles, Qin Xiangnuan ate less, only having one bowl, while Jian Zhiqing ended up eating almost half of the pot.
Qin Xiangnuan took the pot back to the kitchen to let it soak, planning to come wash it later. When she returned, Jian Zhiqing was standing by the window, tall and graceful. His back was straight, his shoulders broad, and his legs long. He stood there casually, one hand in his pocket. The light from outside refracted through the glass and fell onto the corner of his eye, melting a thin layer of ice there and warming it slightly.
Sensing Qin Xiangnuan’s presence, Jian Zhiqing walked over and sat down on the chair opposite her.
"Why didn’t you tell me when you arrived?"
Qin Xiangnuan pursed her lips slightly, not understanding why Jian Zhiqing would ask such a question.
Should she have looked for him? Were they close? Or did she consider herself something special, believing that Jian Zhiqing, whom she had only met a few times, would help her?
Owing someone too much can become a burden, and she did not wish to bear such weight.
"Qin Xiangnuan," Jian Zhijing’s eyes narrowed slightly as he addressed her by her full name. He was waiting for an answer to his previous question, but Qin Xiangnuan had yet to tell him.
Qin Xiangnuan’s voice sounded a bit hoarse. She picked up the cup from the table and took a sip of the hot water, "Actually, um..." Her voice wavered, then she continued, "I have been to Capital City once before, and I have a house here, so I didn’t think about troubling Brother Jian, really, there’s no need to trouble you," she had lived here in her past life, all the way until her death, she had been a person from Capital City.
Jian Zhiqing didn’t say anything, but Qin Xiangnuan could feel that the air around them seemed to have grown much heavier. He was angry, though it didn’t show on his face; his long, phoenix-like eyes were narrowed slightly, and his lips, usually not prone to smiling, were pursed tightly.
Qin Xiangnuan found herself at a loss for words. Seeing the peculiar atmosphere, she felt obliged to shift the topic elsewhere. Otherwise, she didn’t know if it would be more awkward to sit in silence or if she might choke.
"Brother Jian, how did you know I was there?"
She had never encountered Jian Zhiqing before, so why would he suddenly show up? She felt he must have come specifically for her little stand.
It was then that Jian Zhiqing finally opened his eyes, his serene gaze resting upon Qin Xiangnuan.