HomeEchoes of YouthChapter 498: Cooking

Chapter 498: Cooking

Qiao Zhao gripped the bottle tightly as she looked at the tall man before her.

Shao Mingyuan smiled and ruffled her hair. “I don’t need it. Don’t worry, I’ll come back early.”

“Alright then, we’ll prepare a late-night snack and wait for you.”

The smile in Shao Mingyuan’s eyes deepened. “I remember Chen Guang bought some seafood. I’d like to eat shredded chicken with jellyfish and stir-fried shrimp with scallions.”

“Got it.” The tension in Qiao Zhao’s heart was replaced by amusement.

“I’m leaving.” Shao Mingyuan suddenly extended his arms to hug Qiao Zhao briefly, then quickly let go and sternly instructed Chen Guang, “Protect Miss Li well.”

Even after Shao Mingyuan left, Chen Guang was still tugging at his hair.

Why did he feel like the student had surpassed the master?

Seeing the General and Miss Li being so sweet together made him both happy and melancholy.

Seeing Qiao Zhao standing in place silently, Chen Guang comforted her, “Third Miss, don’t worry. Night reconnaissance like this is child’s play for our General. There’s absolutely no problem.”

Qiao Zhao glanced at Chen Guang and said in a flat tone, “I’m thinking about how to make the late-night snack.”

She could manage the stir-fried shrimp with scallions, but how exactly was she supposed to make shredded chicken with jellyfish?

Miss Qiao bustled about in the borrowed kitchen for quite a while before finally producing two presentable dishes.

After washing her hands and sitting at the dining table, she suddenly realized a long time had passed, and her heart stirred.

Had Shao Mingyuan requested the shredded chicken with jellyfish to keep her from finding the waiting time unbearable?

Once this thought arose, Qiao Zhao’s heart warmed, and his handsome features immediately appeared clearly in her mind.

She had been certain he wouldn’t be in any danger, but in this quiet night, smelling the aroma of food, she finally understood what it meant to be confused by concern.

She was thinking of that man, and with her emotions invested, she couldn’t help but worry about him. Her suspended heart could only settle when she saw him.

This feeling made her somewhat unaccustomed, yet it also brought a sense of security from having somewhere to belong.

Mutual affection was probably a very beautiful thing.

Miss Qiao thought this way and smiled as she pressed her lips together.

Chen Guang quietly sniffed and covered his stomach. “The dishes Third Miss made look really good.”

Why wasn’t the General back yet? If he didn’t come soon, the food would get cold!

Qiao Zhao lowered her eyes to stare at the plate of shredded chicken with jellyfish garnished with a few red pepper strips, thinking privately: After wasting several plates to produce this one presentable dish, she’d be truly embarrassed if it didn’t taste good.

“Third Miss, does this shredded chicken with jellyfish taste good?”

Qiao Zhao glanced at Chen Guang’s beaming face and said modestly, “It should be passable, but I don’t know if your General will find it to his taste.”

Chen Guang chuckled. “The General and I have quite similar tastes. How about I taste it for him?”

Ah ah ah, he was so hungry in the middle of the night, why wasn’t the General back yet!

Qiao Zhao smiled at Chen Guang. “This portion is for your General. If you want to taste it, I kept another serving.”

She got up and went out, soon returning with a plate of shredded chicken with jellyfish that she placed in front of Chen Guang, saying gently, “Go ahead and eat.”

Chen Guang hesitated for a moment.

He felt like this kind of good fortune shouldn’t fall to him.

He quickly glanced over and saw that the two plates of shredded chicken with jellyfish looked identical in color and aroma, so he relaxed and took a large chopstick full into his mouth.

“Is it good?” Qiao Zhao asked.

Chen Guang’s eyes widened as he chewed with twitching mouth corners, finally swallowing with difficulty after a while and saying stiffly, “Delicious.”

Did Miss Li put in half a bottle of vinegar?

“As long as you think it’s good. I feel like I might have put in too much vinegar.”

The young guard’s eyes welled up with tears.

You know you put in too much vinegar!

Seeing Qiao Zhao’s half-smiling expression, Chen Guang’s heart stirred.

Wait, could this plate be Miss Li’s failed attempt?

Just as Chen Guang was muttering to himself, a figure leaped directly through the window.

In the depths of autumn, with heavy night dew, the tall man in black brought a chill to the entire room as soon as he landed.

Qiao Zhao quickly stepped forward to meet him. “You’re back.”

Shao Mingyuan pulled down his black face covering, revealing a handsome face. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Only then did Qiao Zhao’s heart settle, and she showed a genuine smile. “It’s good that you’re back. Let me heat the dishes.”

“No need.” Shao Mingyuan held her back. “It’s not the dead of winter, how cold could it be? Don’t bother, just eat with me.”

He pulled Qiao Zhao to sit at the dining table, sniffed, and praised, “It smells delicious.”

Seeing him pick up chopsticks to eat, Qiao Zhao pushed him. “Wash your hands first.”

Shao Mingyuan reluctantly put down his chopsticks to wash his hands. Qiao Zhao directly picked up the plate with too much vinegar and dumped it into the slop bucket outside.

“You just threw it away?” Chen Guang clicked his tongue.

Although it had too much vinegar, it was edible if you could bear it. What a waste to throw it away.

Miss Qiao looked completely unperturbed. “Mm, that plate was inedible.”

Chen Guang felt like an arrow had pierced his heart, clutching his chest in tearless grief.

Inedible, so she gave it to him to eat?

Third Miss, doesn’t your conscience hurt?

You should know, this wonderful General was picked out by me for you!

Shao Mingyuan quickly returned, glanced at Chen Guang’s strange expression, picked up chopsticks to take some shredded chicken with jellyfish, and his eyes immediately brightened. After swallowing, he nodded repeatedly. “Delicious.”

Qiao Zhao smiled with pursed lips. “Then eat more.”

Watching the General wolfing down his food, Chen Guang quickly grabbed a chopstick full and put it in his mouth. The fresh, fragrant, and refreshing sensation instantly bloomed on his taste buds, making him sigh in comfort.

“So delicious!”

Shao Mingyuan glanced at Chen Guang. “Didn’t you eat before?”

Chen Guang looked up in confusion.

Of course, he hadn’t eaten – how could they eat before the General returned!

“He has already eaten,” Qiao Zhao answered for Chen Guang.

The General’s brows furrowed slightly as he said mildly, “It’s so late. Eating too much isn’t good. Go to bed early.”

Zhaozhao had personally cooked these dishes, and watching this kid eat even one bite made his heart ache.

“General!” The young guard looked incredulous, his accusing gaze turning to Qiao Zhao.

One bite counted as eating? And it was the plate with too much vinegar!

Third Miss, if you keep this up, you’ll never get married!

The young guard’s pitiful, accusing gaze finally softened the future General’s wife somewhat. “Eating too much at night isn’t good. You two can share.”

After the meal, Shao Mingyuan finally spoke about his night reconnaissance of the two Xing residences.

“Xing Wuyang’s residence has become an empty house. I found this – it was probably overlooked during the cleanup afterward.” Shao Mingyuan reached into his chest and pulled out a waist token stained with dried blood.

Qiao Zhao glanced at the characters on the token and read, “Fudong Guard Commander Yao Bin.”

She looked up at Shao Mingyuan. “When Zhenniang mentioned several officials, this Commander Yao was among them. Unlike Xing Wuyang, who was transferred to Fudong, Yao Bin is a native of Fudong, a hereditary commander. Zhenniang said Commander Yao had always been dissatisfied with Xing Wuyang’s actions and had helped her father.”

“It seems my guess was pretty close to the mark.”

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