Chapter 20 TGBW

FlamingoBees

Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

Chapter 20:

Confrontation ・The Ruthless and Merciless Rough Man

Old Master Chu looked at his son, then glanced at the others, his face beaming with happiness. "Let's eat," he said.

With Old Master Chu breaking the silence, everyone's attention shifted to the food in front of them.

Since noon when Luo Jian Jia started cooking, Madam Zhao had been curious. Now, looking at the food before her, she had many questions.

"Jian Jia, what exactly is this you've made? I've never seen it before," Madam Zhao asked.

Information wasn't readily available in this era. If one lived far from another region, they might not have even heard of a dish commonly eaten elsewhere. For example, dumplings, a common dish in the north, might be completely unfamiliar to someone from this area.

As for liangpi, a snack like this was not sold for miles around, so Madam Zhao was clueless about it.

Old Master Chu also looked over, although he had heard of dumplings, he had never heard of liangpi.

Chu Wei Leng lowered his head to inspect the food in front of him, furrowing his brow slightly.

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"Liangpi," Luo Jian Jia said.

"Liangpi?" Madam Zhao repeated, then she carefully picked up some liangpi from her bowl and examined it closely. "The name does seem fitting," she remarked.

Old Master Chu also nodded in agreement. "Indeed it does."

"How did you come up with such a strange dish?" Madam Zhao inquired.

In a household, cooking methods were often kept secret, so it was unlikely for someone to share their recipes with others. Therefore, unless liangpi making was a family tradition, it was unlikely for anyone else to know how to make it.

No one in Luo Jian Jia's family knew how to make it, and she had never seen it before. Her approach to making it was indeed peculiar.

However, she had already prepared her response. "I read about this in an ancient book a long time ago. I've never tried it before, but it turned out like this today. I'm not sure if it's any good since it's my first attempt. Let's all give it a try."

Upon hearing that it was from a book, Madam Zhao immediately exclaimed, "If it's from a book, then it must be right! You have good skills, it must be delicious."

Old Master Chu also nodded in agreement. "Your mother is right."

Chu Wei Leng remained silent, watching his parents converse with his seldom-seen wife.

He couldn't shake the feeling that his parents seemed to trust his wife a lot.

If he recalled correctly, when he left three years ago, his parents felt more guilty than fond of his wife. Things had changed a lot in just three years.

Seeing the three of them enjoying each other's company, he felt like an outsider.

Just as he was lost in thought, Madam Zhao suddenly said, "Leng'er, taste it. Your wife is quite skilled."

Chu Wei Leng snapped back to reality and glanced at Luo Jian Jia before replying, "Alright."

Although he agreed verbally, he didn't hold much expectation for this type of food.

Back in the royal palace, he had gradually evolved from a peasant to someone with refined tastes. However, three years of military life had brought him back to his roots.

Even more so than before, he wasn't picky.

As long as the food was cooked and could fill his stomach, it was fine.

Fancy dishes with elaborate descriptions were of no use to him.

Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao started eating first.

Luo Jian Jia and Chu Wei Leng, in perfect sync, began eating only after the elderly couple had tasted the food.

Madam Zhao knew her daughter-in-law's cooking was delicious, and she was particularly eager to try this fresh dish.

However, the moment it touched her tongue, she was pleasantly surprised.

Especially on such a hot day, even the nights were uncomfortably warm.

But the food was refreshingly cold, not only delicious but also cooling and smooth.

"So delicious, and so refreshing."

Old Master Chu, who had previously been indifferent to food, had become more discerning lately due to Luo Jian Jia's cooking, and was now starting to savor the taste of food.

Their impressions matched Madam Zhao's. Especially the addition of that garlic water, the taste was truly excellent.

Most people here didn't eat garlic, it was used as a seasoning, and raw garlic was rarely consumed.

However, when combined with the cold liangpi, the garlic water created an amazing flavor.

"Mmm, delicious," Old Master Chu also commented.

The three of them began discussing the taste of the liangpi.

"It's very chewy."

"Yeah, it has a nice texture."

"What is this, it's strangely delicious."

"It's gluten."

"The broth has penetrated into it, the flavor is rich."

"It would be even more refreshing with some cucumber."

...As they spoke, Madam Zhao noticed her son remained silent, eating his meal with his head down. She asked, "Leng'er, what do you think of the taste?"

Chu Wei Leng put down his chopsticks and swallowed the food in his mouth.

"Mom finds it strangely delicious, she's never tasted such fresh food before. Your wife is really talented," Madam Zhao praised once more.

Chu Wei Leng glanced at the liangpi in the bowl and savored the taste he had just experienced.

He felt nothing more than the cool, smooth texture.

After eating so much, he didn't feel the slightest sense of fullness.

~ Part 2 ~

Fancy.

Though he thought so in his heart, Chu Wei Leng didn't say it out loud. After all, he could feel that his mother genuinely liked it.

"Well, Mom is right, it's quite delicious," he replied.

"If it's delicious, then eat more," Madam Zhao said with a smile. "If it's not enough, you can have my portion too."

Chu Wei Leng quickly declined, "No need, Mom. I still have plenty in my bowl."

"Alright, as long as you have enough," she said contentedly.

After finishing her conversation with her son, Madam Zhao continued discussing with Luo Jian Jia.

"How did you make this liangpi?" Madam Zhao asked.

As soon as she asked, she realized something and quickly added, "Never mind, I won't ask."

It was her daughter-in-law's exclusive recipe, and she shouldn't pry too much.

Luo Jian Jia didn't pay much attention to this. If she did, she wouldn't have cooked in front of the Chu family members at home.

She was still thinking about earning some money by selling liangpi in the future, and she would inevitably have to cooperate with Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao.

Besides, this kind of food wasn't her invention, so there was no need to be so secretive about it.

As she was about to speak, she heard a slight discordant sound. She glanced lightly to her left, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly.

Don't think she didn't notice. Just now, Chu Wei Leng's attitude towards the liangpi wasn't particularly enthusiastic. Moreover, he ate so quickly that he probably didn't really savor the taste.

It was truly wasteful.

However, her customers weren't like him.

Thinking of this, Luo Jian Jia quickly regained her composure and explained to Madam Zhao slowly.

"Mother, you're being too polite. We're all family here," said Luo Jian Jia. Then she proceeded to explain the recipe for liangpi to Madam Zhao.

"Sip."

The occasional disharmonious sound came from the left side.

Luo Jian Jia heard it.

Madam Zhao and Old Master Chu naturally heard it too.

But everyone was immersed in discussing the recipe for liangpi, ignoring it.

"It's so complicated," Madam Zhao exclaimed after hearing the explanation.

She had seen her daughter-in-law making liangpi during the day and had found it confusing then.

Now, hearing her daughter-in-law's explanation, she found it even more complicated and difficult to execute.

"You're really smart, remembering it all after just one look," Madam Zhao praised.

"What's the cost for this?" Old Master Chu asked.

Now, the three of them were in perfect sync. With a new culinary creation on their hands, they all independently thought about selling it.

Upon hearing this, the slurping sound finally stopped.

"If you use a pound of flour, for this large portion, you can make four or five bowls. For a small portion, you can make seven or eight bowls. Excluding the cost of cucumbers, seasonings, and so on, the cost for a large bowl is about two wen," Luo Jian Jia said.

Madam Zhao calculated and said, "So, it's similar to the cost of egg fried rice?"

Luo Jian Jia replied meticulously, "To be precise, the cost is even lower than egg fried rice."

Egg fried rice?

Chu Wei Leng was puzzled.

Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao exchanged glances, immediately intrigued.

"Why don't we give it a try tomorrow?" Madam Zhao suggested to Luo Jian Jia.

Luo Jian Jia nodded, "Sure, we can try."

She had rarely cooked before and wasn't sure if the flour here was suitable.

Today's attempt seemed successful based on Madam Zhao and Old Master Chu's reactions.

The summer here is relatively long, estimated to last for another two or three months.

Give it a try?

Chu Wei Leng felt like he understood every word his parents and wife were saying, but he still didn't quite get it.

With that said, everyone continued eating.

Just as Luo Jian Jia finished her bowl of liangpi, she noticed Chu Wei Leng placing his bowl down. She turned to look and saw it was completely empty, with only a bit of soup left.

She was astonished.

This was the portion for three or four people, and it was the large serving.

This person ate way too quickly and too much.

Just this portion alone would cost about ten wen in ingredients.

Luo Jian Jia's gaze towards Chu Wei Leng held a hint of something.

"All finished, huh? Looks like your wife's liangpi suits your taste," Madam Zhao said with a smile.

"Are you full?" Madam Zhao asked, as usual, upon seeing the empty bowl.

Chu Wei Leng glanced at the remaining soup, paused, and replied, "There's still some more at home..."

Chu Weileng looked at the soup, hesitated for a moment, then said, "There's still some..."

Before he could finish saying "mantou", Madam Zhao interrupted him.

"Forget it, you shouldn't eat anymore. After all, this is all flour-based food. You've already had one serving, eating too much won't be good for digestion," she said.

Chu Wei Leng had been busy on the road, enduring hardships without getting enough to eat or proper rest.

Now that he was finally home and wanted to eat more, he was stopped by his mother.

"Your wife's bone soup is delicious. Have a few more bowls," Madam Zhao suggested.

He pursed his lips and nodded in agreement.

Well, drinking enough soup is enough.

Madam Zhao and Old Master Chu were naturally very pleased to have their son back home.

However, they could also see that their son wasn't in the best condition and appeared quite exhausted.

So, despite wanting to talk to their son a bit more, they all managed to hold back.

After finishing the meal, Madam Zhao urged Chu Wei Leng to rest.

Moreover, she not only urged Chu Wei Leng but also urged Lou Lian Jia to go back.

Although Chu Wei Leng was nominally Lou Lian Jia's husband, he was a stranger to her.

In her mind, Chu Wei Leng was not even as important as Madam Zhao and Old Master Chu.

Especially, Chu Wei Leng's scrutinizing gaze made her very uncomfortable.

Therefore, while Chu Wei Leng obediently went to sleep, she stayed behind to tidy up with Madam Zhao.

After tidying up, Madam Zhao brought up the matter of selling liangpi tomorrow, and the three of them gathered in the courtyard to discuss it further.

Lou Lian Jia was unwilling to be alone with Chu Wei Leng, so she was happy to join their discussion.

Half an hour later, Lou Lian Jia had nothing more to say, so she reluctantly went back.

As soon as she pushed the door, she heard the sound of snoring coming from inside.

Lou Lian Jia furrowed her brow and walked towards the bed.

It was midnight, with a bright moon hanging in the sky.

Moonlight seeped through the window, casting a gentle glow on the person sprawled out on the bed, deeply asleep.

It had to be admitted that the male lead's face was still quite handsome after being cleaned.

Even in his exhaustion, his sharp features remained distinct, displaying a handsome profile.

If he wasn't good-looking, he probably wouldn't have attracted the female lead and the original host.

However, even if he was handsome, this man was destined not to belong to her.

Moreover, his thunderous snoring greatly diminished his attractiveness.

She was a very light sleeper. How would she get through this night?

Lou Lian Jia sighed softly.

Just as she was thinking this, she didn't notice that the man lying on the bed, though still snoring, suddenly opened his eyes.

In the next moment, her wrist was grabbed by a hand covered in calluses, emitting heat.

The grip was strong, highly aggressive.

At first, Lou Lian Jia was caught off guard and was seized by the person.

But in an instant, she reacted and struggled hard to break free.

Chu Wei Leng had been dozing off, relying solely on instinct to grab the person standing by the bed.

However, the moment her wrist slipped out of his grasp, he was completely awake.

The other party had some skills!

Three years of military experience had made him seasoned. Just as Lou Lian Jia managed to break free, before she could steady herself, Chu Wei Leng grabbed her again.

Before she could react, she found herself pinned down to the bed by Chu Wei Leng.

"Speak, who sent you..." Chu Wei Leng's voice was extremely cold as he questioned, and when he reached the last word, he finally recognized who the person in front of him was, "... Madam?"

During the daytime, Lou Lian Jia had found the male lead's character somewhat strange.

But now, listening to his icy voice and seeing the murderous intent in his eyes, she fully believed that the man before her was the cold and ruthless male lead from the novel.

Glancing down at the arm pressed against her chest, Lou Lian Jia pretended to be calm as she asked, "Can you let go now?"

Chu Wei Leng also noticed the awkward position they were in at this moment. With a hint of embarrassment on his face, he pursed his lips and rolled over to lie on his side.

Once both of them were lying down, the atmosphere instantly became eerie.

•••

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Chapter 20 TGBW

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