What Binglu thought of was the former young lady Li Zhao’s feat of entering the kitchen.

Her miss had once overheard the eldest miss mention that the heir of Earl Guchang’s residence, Du Feiyang, loved eating grilled deer jerky. She had rushed to the main kitchen and worked all day, only to burn out a pot of charcoal. In the end, the oil caught fire and nearly burned down the kitchen.

Whenever Binglu thought of that day’s chaos, she couldn’t help but sigh for her miss.

The result was obvious—not only did she fail to make the grilled deer jerky, but her miss was also scolded by the old madam and became the laughingstock of both the East and West residences. Later, somehow, the story even spread to Earl Guchang’s residence.

From that day forward, whenever her miss came within three zhang of the kitchen, the kitchen maids and matrons would guard against her like preventing a thief.

Binglu felt heartbroken just thinking about it.

Her miss, such a lovely person, had tried to prepare soup with her own hands for that worthless heir, but not only received not a word of thanks, she was actually laughed at. It was truly outrageous!

“You have been in one?” Chi Can was quite surprised.

Yang Houcheng was equally amazed: “No way, Miss Li, you started learning culinary arts at this age?”

His sisters all began learning household management and cooking after their coming-of-age ceremonies.

Household management required careful instruction. As for culinary arts, learning one or two specialty dishes was sufficient. Girls from families like theirs didn’t need to toil with household chores—learning to cook a few dishes was merely the icing on the cake.

“If Brother Chi doesn’t believe it, then so be it.” Qiao Zhao said indifferently.

“Miss Li, what specialty dishes can you make?” Yang Houcheng asked curiously.

Was this girl trying to reach the heavens? She could do this and that—did she leave any room for normal people to survive?

Zhu Yàn, however, smiled.

If Miss Li said she could, then she certainly could, and probably very well too.

Thinking this way, his heart stirred, and he wanted to taste the young lady’s cooking. Perhaps it would be equally surprising.

Chi Can was also tempted. Though he didn’t speak, his ears twitched slightly.

Hearing these three handsome young masters doubt her miss, the little maid, protective of her master and fearing her mistress might lose face, hurriedly said: “My miss can make grilled deer jerky!”

Qiao Zhao also had painful memories regarding grilled deer jerky. Upon hearing this, she nearly choked on her saliva, and Miss Qiao’s usually calm expression twisted slightly.

Having such a maid who resolutely defended her master to the end was truly an honor.

“Grilled deer jerky?” It was Chi Can who spoke.

His eyes seemed to contain the stars of heaven, brilliant and bright, yet holding emotions difficult for others to understand.

His mother also knew how to make grilled deer jerky.

That year, his mother had taken young him on a southern journey for pleasure, but they were trapped by remnants of Prince Su’s faction at Lingtai Mountain.

All the guards protecting them had perished, and his mother had taken him to hide in the maze-like underground caves.

They were besieged for five days and nights. The food they had brought for their mountain excursion was gradually consumed, leaving only the well-preserved grilled deer jerky, which his mother fed to him bit by bit.

That was the most delicious grilled deer jerky he had ever eaten in his life.

Later, the jerky was also finished, but the rescue troops still hadn’t arrived, and his mother…

Chi Can’s face gradually paled as he sank into memories.

His mother had cut her wrist and, despite his crying and fear, fed him her blood.

He would never forget how his mother repeatedly cut her wrist, the wound bleeding then stopping, stopping then bleeding again.

He drank his mother’s blood and finally waited for the rescue troops—

That was both the nightmare and the gratitude he could never forget in his lifetime.

But later, his father died, his concubines came to the door, and his mother, who had once been willing to bleed herself dry to keep him alive, never made grilled deer jerky for him again.

Chi Can withdrew from his thoughts, even his vivid lips turning pale.

That mother who had loved him so much, even though she had held an invisible blade against his heart, cutting him again and again over these years, he still couldn’t bring himself to resent her.

Only, he seemed to have forgotten the taste of grilled deer jerky.

“You can make grilled deer jerky?”

Qiao Zhao felt that Chi Can was somewhat strange at this moment. After thinking, she nodded: “Yes, I can.”

“That dish is quite good.” Chi Can said, glancing at Qiao Zhao.

Seeing she did not react, Young Master Chi frowned displeasedly.

This heartless girl—she spoke of having no way to repay her life-saving debt and wanting to show great gratitude in the future, but then thought a single painting made them even?

Dream on!

Chi Can cleared his throat and snorted coldly: “Li San, I wonder if you’ve heard a certain saying?”

“What saying?” Qiao Zhao put down her teacup, thinking that they had been chatting idly so long that the tea had grown cold, affecting its taste.

Zhu Yàn and Yang Houcheng were also curious about their friend’s question.

“A life-saving debt should be repaid like a gushing spring, and if one has no way to repay—” He looked steadily at the calm-faced Qiao Zhao and paused.

Binglu had a flash of inspiration and blurted out: “One should pledge oneself in marriage?”

Chi Can and Qiao Zhao both froze simultaneously.

Binglu was shocked and covered her mouth while looking at her miss: “Heavens, Miss, when did you save this young master?”

Zhu Yàn and Yang Houcheng were stunned, then couldn’t help themselves and burst into loud laughter.

Indeed, like master, like servant!

The two looked sympathetically at their friend’s iron-blue face, each extending a hand to pat heavily on his shoulders, saying in unison: “Shixi ah—”

“Shut up!”

The usually gentle Young Master Zhu couldn’t stop laughing at all, and Yang Houcheng ignored the warning entirely, pounding the table in continuous laughter.

Chi Can looked at Zhu Yàn with a dark face, saying word by word: “Zi Zhe, you accidentally saw a matron relieving herself when you were little and secretly asked me why you stood while she squatted—have you forgotten?”

Zhu Yàn’s laughter immediately stopped. He hurriedly glanced at Qiao Zhao, covered his mouth with his fist, and began coughing violently.

“Haha, Zi Zhe, you had such stupid moments too?” Yang Houcheng laughed so hard he couldn’t straighten up.

Chi Can’s beautiful eyes narrowed as he looked sideways at Yang Houcheng and said unhurriedly: “Yang Er, when you were twelve and playing at Zi Zhe’s house, you instigated me and you to peek at Sister Yan bathing—”

Yang Houcheng jumped up and reached out to cover Chi Can’s mouth.

Zhu Yàn placed his hand on Yang Houcheng’s shoulder and asked expressionlessly: “There was such a thing?”

Miss Qiao, watching coldly from the sidelines: “…” She wondered which one would silence her afterward?

Yang Houcheng’s legs trembled as he smiled ingratiatingly at Zhu Yàn: “No, no—”

He wanted to say there was no such thing, but Chi Can, in perfect venomous tongue mode, directly threw him another line: “Not admitting it? I remember another incident—”

“We didn’t see anything!” Yang Houcheng desperately got it out, laughing dryly: “Zi Zhe, don’t be angry. I swear it was just curiosity, pure curiosity, and the key point is we didn’t see anything—”

The usually gentle and jade-like good man, Big Brother Zhu, grabbed Yang Houcheng’s collar in front of Miss Qiao and said coldly: “Yang Er, I think we should find a place to have a good talk.”

Peeking at his sister bathing? He should find a place to bury this bastard!

Yang Houcheng was still protesting his innocence even as he was dragged out the door: “This isn’t fair! Even if we had seen something, so what? Your sister was only seven years old then—”

With a bang, the door closed, and quiet finally returned to the room.