Chapter 21 TGBW

FlamingoBees

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

Chapter 21:

Egg Drop Soup ・Women are Truly Troublesome

Chu Wei Leng had been extremely tired and had fallen asleep as soon as he lay down.

But the recent events had left him much more awake.

Moreover, with the soft fragrance of a woman beside him, there was also a hint of unfamiliar scent lingering in the air.

All of this was a very unfamiliar experience.

For many years, he had been the only one on this bed, and he had never shared a bed with any woman.

Lou Lian Jia also couldn't sleep.

It was her first time lying on a bed with a man.

Although the bed was large, with enough space between them for two people, she still felt uneasy.

Every time she closed her eyes, she remembered the recent events.

Because she was more alert, her senses became more sensitive.

Before long, she noticed a strange smell coming from beside her.

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The smell, how should she describe it? It was a mix of soil and a sweaty, fishy odor... like the smell of spoiled stinky tofu.

Glancing over, sure enough, Chu Wei Leng was still wearing the same clothes he had on when he returned.

He hadn't taken a bath or changed clothes!

Lou Lian Jia frowned deeply.

Should she remind him?

But they weren't that familiar with each other. No, to be precise, the male lead probably hated the original host.

Thinking of the male lead's cold and ruthless demeanor just now, Lou Lian Jia hesitated for a moment.

During this moment of hesitation, the faint snoring resumed.

Recalling the male lead's cruel and heartless nature, Lou Lian Jia pursed her lips, turned towards the wall, pulled over the blanket she usually used, and covered her ears.

Forget it.

She was living under someone else's roof, her future was uncertain, so she would endure a little longer.

With an additional person suddenly beside her, one who was dirty and smelly and made a lot of noise, Lou Jian Jia felt like she hadn't slept well all night.

When dawn approached, she felt like she couldn't hold out any longer and dozed off for a while.

Unexpectedly, that nap lasted for an hour, and when she woke up again, it was almost dawn.

Seeing the brightening sky outside and remembering the arrangements she had made with Madam Zhao yesterday, Lou Jian Jia muttered "oh no" to herself and quickly sat up from the bed.

As she sat up, she noticed that there was no one beside her anymore.

The man who had slept by her side all night had disappeared somewhere.

Looking at the clear gray marks on the bed, Lou Jian Jia wrinkled her nose in disgust.

She got out of bed and removed the sheets. Then, she also took off the pillowcase and bedsheet that Chu Wei Leng had dirtied.

After tidying up, she opened the door and saw Madam Zhao washing clothes by the well.

"Jian Jia, are you awake?" Madam Zhao greeted her with a smile.

Thinking about the agreement she had made with Madam Zhao to go to the town today to buy some flour for making liangpi, Lou Jian Jia quickly said, "Yes, I'm awake. Sorry, Mother, I overslept and missed the time."

Madam Zhao glanced at the dark circles under her daughter-in-law's eyes and then at the bedsheet and pillowcase she brought over, smiling even more happily.

"No need for us to go. Leng'er went to the town with his father," Madam Zhao said.

After that, she quickly took the bedsheet and pillowcase from her daughter-in-law's hands and said, "Let me wash these. You go back to sleep for a while. You must be tired from last night, right?"

Lou Jian Jia was slightly taken aback but then realized that Madam Zhao must be aware of her son's habit of snoring.

She wasn't someone who liked to complain, but after being disturbed all night and smelling that unpleasant odor, her mood wasn't particularly good. So she replied, "Yes, I couldn't sleep well."

Seeing her daughter-in-law admit it, Madam Zhao smiled even more happily.

At this moment, Chu Wei Leng was walking back home with his father, Old Master Chu.

The question he had asked yesterday had come back to Chu Wei Leng's mind, and he couldn't help but ask again, "Father, are you sure that girl at home is from the Luo family?"

As expected, Chu Wei Leng was once again slapped by Old Master Chu.

"Silly boy, if she's not the wife you personally brought back, then who else could she be?"

After saying this, Old Master Chu couldn't help but wonder why his son seemed to have become foolish after spending three years in the military.

Chu Wei Leng had a deep sense of doubt in his eyes as he asked, "Why does it seem to me that she's different from before?"

When he first saw her yesterday, he only felt that her gaze was somewhat different from before. But by the evening, he noticed a greater difference: she seemed to be much stronger than before.

Hearing this, Old Master Chu laughed and said, "Don't you know about the changes at home?"

"What changes?" Chu Wei Leng asked.

He had been wanting to ask this question for a long time. From the moment he returned home, he felt that things were different from before.

He had expected his parents to be sick, shedding tears every day. Instead, not only were they not sick, but their health had also improved significantly.

This was completely different from what he had imagined.

Both parents were healthy, with rosy complexions.

That day felt like a dream, especially a beautiful dream.

Old Master Chu carefully explained the changes that had occurred at home to his son.

Finally, he added, "All of this is thanks to your wife. You mustn't mistreat her in the future."

Chu Wei Leng's doubts deepened.

Was this really the same person as the girl he had married originally?

It didn't seem like it.

He remembered that the girl he had married was greedy and loved wealth, foolish, and willing to sacrifice her reputation to marry him.

She was truly shameless.

She was completely different from the girl his father described, who liked to work hard, respected her elders, and worked hard to support the family.

He didn't believe that she had the ability to earn money.

If she really could earn money, if she had such ability, their family wouldn't have been calculating over that small amount of money from his family.

"Have you noticed any changes in her?" Chu Wei Leng asked.

But Old Master Chu didn't seem to care much.

He was an honest man, and he generally didn't take others' ill feelings to heart.

What he remembered was Lou Jian Jia's care for him and his wife over the past two months, as well as her contributions to the family.

"People change. Aren't you different from three years ago?" Old Master Chu said with a smile.

No matter how his son changed, he was still his good son.

He wouldn't stop liking his son just because of his changes.

His daughter-in-law was also a good girl.

This statement made Chu Wei Leng silent for a moment.

Indeed, he had changed. So much had happened in these three years.

But his changes had reasons behind them. The changes in the Luo family girl, however, seemed somewhat inexplicable and too significant.

"You left on the wedding night, and for any woman, that's a devastating blow. Then you didn't come back for three years, and just recently, there were rumors about your death. Your wife has suffered so much injustice; it's only natural that she has changed," Old Master Chu began to reprimand his son. "Even if she hates you, resents you, and hits you a few times, you should endure it. Harmony in the family is paramount. You owe your wife an apology for your past actions. As a man, you should have the magnanimity to stop being so critical and suspicious of your wife."

Chu Wei Leng: "..."

After his father's speech, Chu Wei Leng didn't bring up Lou Jian Jia's changes again.

Ultimately, he wasn't very familiar with Lou Jian Jia.

Before their marriage, they had only met a couple of times.

The first time they met, Lou Jian Jia professed her admiration for him and insisted on marrying him.

The second time, she sacrificed her reputation to frame him, and they became engaged.

Perhaps... she had her reasons back then too?

Chu Wei Leng was almost convinced by his parents.

However—

"Father, didn't you notice how strong she is?" Clearly, Chu Wei Leng was thinking about what happened last night.

Old Master Chu was initially taken aback, then chuckled and said, "Did she really hit you? You're thick-skinned, don't bother arguing with your wife."

"No..." Chu Wei Leng stuttered a bit.

Was this still his own father?

"Alright, we're almost home. Let's not talk about this anymore. If rumors spread about your wife hitting you, it wouldn't be good for her reputation," Old Master Chu said, patting his son.

"Father, she didn't hit me, really..." Chu Wei Leng explained.

"Alright, alright, Father understands," Old Master Chu replied casually. "Your wife has had a tough few years. Let her vent a bit. Spend some quality time with her these days. It seems she's had some conflicts with her father's family recently. You should visit Lou Family Village with her sometime soon and reconcile the differences."

On the other side, Lou Jian Jia walked into the kitchen and looked around.

There was still some flour left from last night, placed on the countertop. Beside it, there were four or five eggs in a basket, and on one side were a few vegetables that hadn't been eaten from yesterday.

Lou Jian Jia pondered for a moment and came up with an idea.

She scooped some flour into a small basin.

Looking at the flour, she thought about Chu Wei Leng's appetite and decided to add twice as much flour.

Then, she cracked two eggs into the mixture.

Now that they were earning more money, they could afford to eat better, and Lou Jian Jia didn't hesitate to use eggs.

Afterward, she stirred everything together until it formed a batter.

After completing these tasks, she went to the vegetable garden and picked four tomatoes, washed them clean, and then diced them on the cutting board.

She also washed the small greens thoroughly and diced them, setting them aside.

With everything prepared, she started to light the fire.

Once the pot was hot, she added oil and then chopped scallions. After the aroma of the scallions was released, she added the diced tomatoes. When the tomatoes were cooked until soft and released their thick soup, she added water.

Once the water boiled, Lou Jian Jia took a ladle and held the basin in one hand, pouring the batter into the ladle while stirring.

As she poured, she stirred continuously.

Once all the batter was poured, she used the ladle to spread it evenly in the pot.

She covered the pot.

When the batter solidified, she cracked an egg into a bowl, beat it, and poured it into the pot.

The noodles in the pot were cooked through, so she added a handful of greens.

Then, she added some seasoning.

In less than two minutes, the egg drop noodle soup was ready.

~ Part 2 ~

In less than two minutes, the egg drop noodle soup was ready.

As Old Master Chu and his son approached home, they caught a whiff of the enticing aroma.

"Can you smell that? Doesn't it smell amazing? It seems your wife has made something delicious again. Your wife's culinary skills are truly remarkable, far better than those in the village who make noodles. You should really enjoy it," Old Master Chu remarked.

Recalling yesterday's fancy yet unsatisfying meal, Chu Wei Leng pushed open the door and headed straight to the kitchen with a bag of fifty catties of flour.

Meanwhile, Lou Jian Jia was still in the kitchen.

Upon seeing Chu Wei Leng suddenly appear, she was momentarily taken aback.

Quickly regaining her composure, she turned her attention back to the pot.

Throughout, there was no interaction between Lou Jian Jia and Chu Wei Leng.

Chu Wei Leng silently set down the bag of flour, pondering to himself. Was this woman really the epitome of perfection as his father described?

He couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't.

Lou Jian Jia heard Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao chatting and began preparing the meal. As she served the food, she adjusted her sleeve before starting to dish out.

Chu Wei Leng, observing her from the side, unexpectedly caught a glimpse of her fair wrist. His immediate reaction was to avert his gaze.

However, as soon as he looked away, he couldn't help but recall the peculiar sight and turned back to confirm.

"Sorry," he apologized.

Lou Jian Jia was caught off guard by Chu Wei Leng's apology. Following his gaze, she noticed the bruised marks on her wrist.

The bruises, still visible in shades of blue and purple, outlined the silhouette of a hand.

“Last night was my fault, did I hurt you?” Chu Wei Leng knew his own strength well. In battle, he could estimate the damage he could inflict on the enemy.

Last night, he did exert some force, but he hadn't anticipated it looking so serious.

Lou Jian Jia's wrist did ache a bit, but it was only when touched. The severity was exaggerated by her fair skin, which easily marked.

However, what concerned her more was Chu Wei Leng's refusal to bathe and his snoring during sleep.

With only the two of them present and a suitable opportunity, Lou Jian Jia wanted to bring up the matter.

But as she raised her head, she saw Madam Zhao standing at the kitchen door, smiling at them both.

Lou Jian Jia swallowed the words she was about to say and politely replied, "It's okay."

Then, she turned to Madam Zhao and asked, "Mother, should I serve the rice?"

"Yes, let Wei Leng help you," Madam Zhao replied with a smile, before leaving to chat with Old Master Chu.

After serving a bowl of rice, Lou Jian Jia intended to hand it to Chu Wei Leng beside her.

However, as she lowered her head, she noticed Chu Wei Leng's dirty hands.

Frowning, she withdrew the bowl. "Wash your hands," she said simply.

Chu Wei Leng paused, glanced at his hands, which appeared clean, and then rubbed them on his clothes a few times to ensure they were cleaner.

"Alright."

Lou Jian Jia's brows furrowed even deeper. She pursed her lips and repeated firmly, "Wash your hands."

Although Chu Wei Leng initially didn't want to go through the trouble, he couldn't resist the calm and determined gaze of Lou Jian Jia. Reluctantly, he got up to wash his hands.

Inwardly, he couldn't help but think, "Women are really troublesome."

Before long, the egg drop soup was served on the table.

Naturally, it received praises from Madam Zhao and Old Master Chu.

"What is this? It smells delicious," Madam Zhao asked with a smile.

"Egg drop soup," Lou Jian Jia replied.

After tasting it, Madam Zhao remarked, "Hmm? This noodle soup has the taste of eggs."

Lou Jian Jia explained, "Yes, I added eggs to the flour."

Old Master Chu also praised Lou Jian Jia's cooking.

The silent one among them was naturally the male protagonist, who was busy eating with his head down.

Lou Jian Jia explained the cooking process to everyone.

After she finished, the three of them bowed their heads and began to taste the food.

Meanwhile, the other person had already finished a bowl of soup in a hurry.

Madam Zhao looked at her son's empty bowl and remarked, "It's so hot, why did you eat so quickly?"

Chu Wei Leng replied, "It's just a habit."

"What habit? It's because you find your wife's cooking delicious, that's why you ate so quickly. I've never seen you eat this fast even when you were at home before," Madam Zhao teased her son with a smile.

Chu Wei Leng thought to himself that he was really hungry. He hadn't even tasted what the noodle soup was like, he just gulped it down.

He wanted to explain, but then he thought that explaining might only add to the misunderstanding, so he remained silent.

"Son, go get another bowl," Old Master Chu said.

"Go on, eat more. There's nothing as delicious as this in the military camp," Madam Zhao said.

Chu Wei Leng carried the bowl back to the kitchen, thinking, Is it delicious?

He didn't feel much.

He just felt the same as yesterday, fancy but not filling.

While Lou Jian Jia and Madam Zhao were satisfied after one bowl, Old Master Chu had two.

But after eating five bowls, Chu Wei Leng still didn't feel satisfied, and the pot was empty.

Feeling uncomfortably hungry, he searched the kitchen and found a leftover steamed bun from yesterday, which he soaked in the soup.

After stirring it with his chopsticks, he squatted by the stove and began to eat.

The moment the steamed bun entered his stomach, Chu Wei Leng finally felt full.

He couldn't help but reflect, why bother with all those fancy dishes, when a steamed bun is the most satisfying.

Lou Jian Jia stood by coldly observing Chu Wei Leng's enormous appetite, finally understanding why the Chu family hadn't saved much money over the years.

He really could eat a lot!

Watching him swallow his food absentmindedly, an expression formed in Lou Jian Jia's mind.

Wasting precious resources.

He didn't even properly taste the food she had prepared with care, it was as if Pigsy was eating ginseng fruit[1].

Such a waste.

Just as she was thinking this, Chu Wei Leng finished devouring a large steamed bun and turned to her, saying earnestly, "The steamed buns are well-made."

Lou Jian Jia: "..."

She decided to steam a pot of steamed buns for him at noon, ensuring he had his fill.

•••

[1] In Chinese folklore, the character Pigsy, also known as Zhu Bajie, is one of the main characters in the classic novel "Journey to the West" (西游记). In one episode of the story, Pigsy is depicted as being gluttonous and greedy. When he encounters the magical ginseng fruit, which is known for its extraordinary properties and is usually reserved for the gods or immortals, he can't resist eating it despite its sacred nature. This act symbolizes his foolishness and lack of self-restraint, as he prioritizes his immediate desires over respect for something sacred. Here is a link to that chapter of Journey to the West.

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Chapter 21 TGBW

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