Too Much Free Time

As everyone sat around the dining table, they were greeted by the enticing aroma of a dish they had never smelled before. In front of each person was a plate of steak, already sliced and accompanied by appealing sides like mushrooms, fried eggs, and potatoes, making for a lavish meal.

Beside each plate was a cup of rice wine, enhancing the dining experience with a touch of luxury.

Chu Qingzhi announced, “This is pan-fried steak, please go ahead and try it.” Eager to taste the inviting dish, everyone immediately picked up their chopsticks as soon as Chu Qingzhi gave the go-ahead.

Grandfather Chu took a sip of the rice wine before tasting a piece of the steak…

With just one bite, he was convinced that ordinary meat and wine would no longer satisfy him. The combination of rice wine and steak was indescribably delicious.

Grandfather Chu praised highly, “Qingzhi, if you were to open a restaurant, it would surely outperform all others.”

Grandmother Chu nodded in agreement, “I think so too. The beef is tender, fragrant, and flavorful, something others can’t easily replicate.”

Chu Rong and Li Qingyu also expressed their admiration.

Chu Xuhua commented, “It looks like a simple piece of meat with simple ingredients, but the taste is exceptional.”

Everyone agreed with this sentiment.

Chu Qingzhi smiled and said, “If you all like it, next time I’ll make pork chops for you. They’re also very delicious.”

Chu Xujin asked, “Can pork be cooked this way too?”

Chu Qingzhi nodded, “Yes, I’ll make it for you next time.” She then turned to Tang Jinghong, “How about you? Do you like it?”

Tang Jinghong, who had already eaten half of his portion, showed his appreciation for the steak through his actions. “I’ve had beef before, but it was never this delicious. I was a bit worried at first, but after one bite, my opinion on beef completely changed…”

Chu Qingzhi then shared some of her steak with Tang Jinghong and whispered, I have some beef left. I’ll make something different for you tomorrow.”

Tang Jinghong smiled, “Okay.”

After dinner, Tang Jinghong helped clean up before heading back home. On his way, he was stopped by Wu Yaqing, who asked awkwardly, “Brother Tang, didn’t Lu Yichen come back with you?”

Tang Jinghong gently replied, “The issue with Lord Zhang hasn’t been resolved yet.”

Hearing this, Wu Yaqing felt a wave of disappointment, “Oh, thank you. I’ll be going then.” She quickly ran back to her room.

Tang Jinghong continued on his way back to the study, sitting down to ponder. Later, he returned to Chu Qingzhi’s house and took her to the swing pavilion. “Qingzhi, I remember you once mentioned making a birthday cake. Tomorrow is your birthday, and I’d like to make one for you. Could you teach me how?” Chu Qingzhi looked at Tang Jinghong for a moment, her face breaking into a smile, “Let’s go, we’ll make it in the workshop.”

“Okay.”

Chu Qingzhi led Tang Jinghong to the cellar to pick some fresh fruits, then they headed straight to the workshop.

Given the rare occasion of their meeting, everyone else chose not to disturb them.

Another pair enjoying a rare moment together were Hong Yujun and Wen Shaoyuan, who left soon after dinner.

Wen Shaoyuan’s Home.

Wen Shaoyuan led Hong Yujun into their new house, which had been completed and renovated, only lacking furniture.

Wen Shaoyuan was sincere, saying as soon as they entered the door, “Yujun, how about we go to the county town to buy furniture tomorrow?”

Hong Yujun’s eyes shone with an unprecedented sparkle, looking at Wen Shaoyuan, feeling a sense of belonging, “Have you really decided to marry me?”

Wen Shaoyuan embraced Hong Yujun, “I decided a long time ago. Once I return from the capital next time, we will get married.”

Hong Yujun’s eyes were filled with joy, burying her face in Wen Shaoyuan’s broad chest, smelling his unique scent, “But you haven’t proposed yet.” Wen Shaoyuan solemnly said, “I want to propose now, but time is too rushed, and there’s not enough time to prepare. I don’t want to make you feel aggrieved. When I come back next time, I will properly prepare and then propose to you, is that okay?”

What mattered was the man’s attitude. Hearing Wen Shaoyuan’s plans for marriage, Hong Yujun felt reassured and asked about what concerned her, “When will you return to the capital?”

After tomorrow morning.” Wen Shaoyuan apologized, “Sorry, I don’t have much time to spend with you. But after we get married, I will ask for leave from the general and spend more time with you.”

He then handed a stack of banknotes to Hong Yujun, “Take this money to buy some land. We will live in the village in the future. Use the rest to buy whatever you like.”

He also gave Hong Yujun a jewelry box, “I don’t know what style of jewelry you like, so I bought some of everything. You can wear a different piece every day.” Hong Yujun opened the jewelry box to find it full of jewelry, including hairpins, earrings, bracelets, and more, “Why did you buy so much?”

“Is it a lot? I think it’s not enough.” For Wen Shaoyuan, being able to marry such a beautiful wife at the age of thirty was something he was extremely grateful for, and he wished he could give her all the best things in the world.

“Shaoyuan, thank you for being so good to me.” Hong Yujun also felt extremely fortunate to have escaped the brothel and found a man who cherished her so much.

Wen Shaoyuan held Hong Yujun tight, “Let’s go to a restaurant tomorrow, just the two of us, okay?”

Hong Yujun happily agreed, “Okay.”

In the workshop area.

Under Chu Qingzhi’s step-by-step guidance, both of their cake bases were put into the oven.

Next, they prepared the fruit.

Chu Qingzhi took grapes, apples, and pears, “Peel the fruit and cut it into small pieces to put on the cake later.”

Tang Jinghong said, “Okay.”

After cutting the fruit and placing it on plates, they prepared the cream.

They separated the egg yolks from the whites, keeping only the whites. They stirred the whites with chopsticks until foamy, then added sugar and milk, continuing to stir. When the whites became slightly thick, they added more sugar and milk, and kept stirring until the mixture became creamy. When the cream could be lifted with the chopsticks without dripping, it was ready.

“Qingzhi, how do you know all this?” Tang Jinghong couldn’t help asking, amazed at the transformation of the egg whites.

“I figured it out on my own,” Chu Qingzhi said, raising an eyebrow mysteriously.

“You always have so many brilliant ideas.” Tang Jinghong had no doubts. In his eyes, no one could match Qingzhi’s creativity and inventiveness.

“Sometimes when I’m free, I like to experiment with new things,” said Chu Qingzhi, glancing at Tang Jinghong.

The first time she encountered a bottleneck in her cultivation, she broke through by making spiritual food. Since then, she enjoyed making spiritual food whenever she faced bottlenecks, and gradually, she learned to make a variety of spiritual foods.

“So, everything you sell in your store is because you had too much free time?” Tang Jinghong concluded.

“You could say that,” Chu Qingzhi didn’t deny.