Chapter 452: Chapter 452, ah, it’s time to send them off. Chapter 452: Chapter 452, ah, it’s time to send them off. Black Bean and Stepping Snow followed her into the kitchen, and Luo Qiao asked, “What do you want to eat tonight?”
Lu Yichen looked at Luo Qiao and said, “You’ve been tired enough recently, keep it simple, and I’ll help you.”
Luo Qiao smiled and said, “Why don’t we just make porridge, bake some flatbread, and stir-fry some vegetables? I’m going back to Capital City tomorrow, so let’s improve your meals a bit.”
As soon as Lu Yichen heard the girl was leaving again, he asked, “How long will you be back in Capital City this time?”
While scooping flour out, Luo Qiao replied, “I’ll be back before the mid-term exams at the end of May. I’ve left your phone number with the homeroom teacher. If there’s anything special, he’ll call you.”
Lu Yichen felt quite pleased upon hearing this and started soaking vermicelli and dried green beans, saying, “Okay, I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”
Luo Qiao brought back quite a few wild greens and handed them to Lu Yichen, “Pick these, we’ll have a cold vegetables salad in a bit.”
By the time Stone came back, the two of them had already cooked the food in a tacit understanding: minced meat with vermicelli, spicy green beans—which had been dried last fall and rehydrated before frying, giving them a distinct flavor—plus a dish of amaranth with mashed garlic.
As soon as Stone walked in and smelled the food, he rushed into the kitchen, “Sis, you’re back! I knew it was you once I smelled the cooking. Brother can’t make this flavor.”
Lu Yichen said, “Fine, from now on, I won’t cook myself either. We might as well eat at the canteen every day.”
Stone laughed, “No, no, no, brother has improved a lot in cooking. If you stop practicing, you might lose your touch. Besides, it’s cheaper to eat at home, and I don’t mind.”
Lu Yichen laughed, “If you’re so picky, you should learn.”
Stone laughed, “This summer vacation, I will start learning to cook. Then, I’ll make food for you and sister.”
Luo Qiao laughed, “It’s fine to learn some simple dishes. In case both of us are busy someday and you don’t want to eat at the canteen, you won’t starve. Besides, being able to cook is a plus when looking for a wife.”
Hearing Luo Qiao’s words, Lu Yichen thought to himself that he’d better practice more; he couldn’t let Stone outdo him. At the very least, he needed to have a few signature dishes.
Luo Qiao had not expected that today’s joke would actually lead to these two developing good cooking skills.
After dinner, Luo Qiao prepared some dough, getting ready to steam buns and flower rolls the next day. The three of them sat in the courtyard playing with Black Bean and Stepping Snow. Luo Qiao said, “When they get bigger, they’ll have to be sent back to the yard in Qingshan Village.”
Stone looked up and said, “Ah, are they going to be sent away?”
As Luo Qiao petted Black Bean’s head, she replied, “With them in the yard over there, we won’t have to worry about people sneaking in and causing trouble. If you miss them, sister can take you to see them on Sundays.”
By now, Black Bean and Stepping Snow had grown to be medium-sized dogs, perfectly capable of guarding the home. Luo Qiao had made sure to give them plenty of well water from her space, making them quite clever.
Luo Qiao had already had two rooms built in the orchard, where things could be stored and Black Bean and Stepping Snow could stay, offering shelter in case of wind and rain.
The three chatted until late before Lu Yichen took Stone and left.
After locking the door, Luo Qiao, as usual, entered her space. She had recently transplanted the seedlings and planted a new crop of grains since she had been making plenty of medicines from her space when she had spare time.
Some of these medicines had been tested on small animals with good results. She had made some whenever she could gather the necessary herbs and kept them in her space for emergencies.
Once in the Bamboo Building’s study, she calmed down and wrote two fables, paired with illustrations, before putting them away, planning to visit Capital City the day after tomorrow if she had time.
During her last submission, she had told them that she might stop sending in fables after a few more issues as she was almost out of ideas—the ones she knew were nearly all written out.
However, the newspaper encouraged her to write other types of stories. She considered that it might be better to talk in person, and switch to daily tips, health knowledge, or safety advice.
She happily made up her mind, then practiced boxing, did some yoga, took a bath, and picked up a medical book to rest. It had become her habit to read a little until she felt sleepy and then go to bed.