Chapter 18: Is Her Cooking Really This Good?

The touch beneath his hand was as soft as if it had no bones. Zhou Chenglei withdrew his hand and took a step back.

Jiang Xia, acting as if nothing had happened, turned to rummage through the vegetables in the large iron wok.

Great-grandmother said with a chuckle, "Oh, I didn't expect Ah-Lei to be such a doting husband. Xia, just let him do it."

Zhou Chenglei added, "I'll do it."

This time, he didn't reach out.

Jiang Xia didn't look at him. "No need, I can do it. Go wash the white clams for me."

She was worried the clams might have sand, so they needed to be soaked and cleaned before she could make them into steamed sponge gourd with minced garlic.

Feeling awkward staying there, Zhou Chenglei obediently went out to wash the clams.

Jiang Xia worked alone using two iron woks, and she even managed to set up the two small stoves.

Because the meat was mostly seafood, which cooked quickly, and there were many hands helping out, Jiang Xia managed to whip up ten dishes and one soup in about two hours.

The men chatting outside had long since been teased by the aroma wafting from the kitchen, their appetites roaring.

Guangzong, Yaozu, and their brothers had gone to tend the cows and ducks; they came over to eat as soon as they returned at dusk. The children, smelling the fragrance from the kitchen, crowded around the doorway, praising how delicious Auntie Xia's cooking smelled.

Tian Caihua scolded them away several times, but they refused to leave.

Eventually, Jiang Xia smiled and sent them out to help pick some flowers for garnishing, and only then did they scurry off happily.

When the food was finally brought to the table, everyone was stunned by the dishes, which were perfectly balanced in color, aroma, and taste, and presented with exquisite beauty.

In her previous life, Jiang Xia had experience working as an assistant in a five-star hotel kitchen. For the braised pork, she used the purple eggplant flowers brought back by Guangzong and Yaozu's brothers to decorate the plate. For the poached tiger prawns, she arranged them in concentric circles with a small red flower carved from a carrot in the center, making the dish look like a blooming peony. The grouper was sliced into rings for steaming, garnished with shredded scallions and red chili, and a sponge gourd flower was used to accent the fish's mouth, making it look like a peacock spreading its tail—vivid, lifelike, and breathtakingly beautiful!

Normally, people just cooked things until they were done and served them; no one would ever arrange them so neatly, let alone think to decorate them.

Father Zhou asked, "Xia made this? It's so beautifully arranged, I almost don't want to eat it."

Mother Zhou smiled. "How do you know it was Xia?"

Father Zhou gave her a meaningful look. "What do you think?"

When his wife or eldest daughter-in-law cooked, they only cared about making sure it was cooked through and wouldn't cause diarrhea; why would they make it so fancy?

Mother Zhou secretly stepped on his foot.

Zhou Chengxin marveled, "Fourth Sister-in-law has quite the skill! You've been hiding it!"

Great-grandfather added, "This is more than just skill; this is better than a state-run restaurant!"

Great-grandmother said happily, "In all my life, I've never seen food made to look like flowers. I've truly learned something new today."

Zhou Yongguo gave Jiang Xia a thumbs-up. "Granddaughter-in-law, what skill!"

Then he turned to Zhou Chenglei beside her. "Grandson, you are a lucky man!"

Zhou Jie mimicked his father. "Little Uncle, you are a lucky man!"

Zhou Chenglei ignored their banter. His attention was entirely on the dishes on the table. Having eaten at state banquets before, he suspected that if she were given more ingredients, she could easily produce a full state banquet.

*But is her cooking really this good?*

Jiang Xia had lived for 28 years in her previous life, and after the age of three, she had lived on meager rations. She often went hungry because she was too busy working to eat. It wasn't until she finished university and paid off her medical bills that she could breathe easy. From then on, she loved making food that was visually stunning and aromatic, and she enjoyed plating her own meals beautifully; it was her only leisure pleasure.

But the original owner of this body definitely couldn't have cooked this well.

Sensing Zhou Chenglei's scrutinizing gaze, Jiang Xia had already prepared an excuse. She smiled and said, "There were imperial chefs in my maternal grandfather's lineage. My grandfather was a great cook, and I learned from him when I was little. But I haven't cooked in a long time, so I'm not sure how it tastes. Please just make do with this meal."

Upon hearing this, everyone rushed to praise her again.

"It looks delicious!"

"It smells mouth-watering; it's definitely going to be great!"

...

Zhou Chenglei knew that Jiang Xia had indeed lived with her grandparents for a period during her childhood, but that was before she started primary school, wasn't it?

Jiang Xia picked up her wine glass, tugged at his sleeve, and whispered, "Shall we, as husband and wife, toast everyone?"

Zhou Chenglei snapped out of his thoughts.

The words "husband and wife" felt like a feather brushing against his heart. He looked down at her fair, delicate hand clutching his sleeve, and then at the glass in her other hand printed with a red "Double Happiness" symbol—something they had acquired when they got married.

They were indeed husband and wife, even if they were on the verge of divorce.

He lowered his eyes, picked up the "Double Happiness" glass, and stood up.

Raising his glass, Zhou Chenglei toasted, "We've troubled everyone today. Jiang Xia and I would like to toast you all to thank you for your help."

Jiang Xia stood up following him. "Thank you so much for today. If it weren't for your help, the house wouldn't have been repaired so quickly. Thank you!"

Good meat and vegetables require good wine. Zhou Chenglei had bought wine on the way back, and before eating, Jiang Xia had found the glasses and poured drinks for everyone.

She had asked Mother Zhou and the others, and they didn't drink alcohol. Only Great-grandmother said she would have a small drink, so Jiang Xia prepared watermelon juice for the non-drinking adults and children.

The watermelon had been brought by Zhou Jie's mother from her family's farm. It was a large "stone watermelon," so big that when sliced, the flesh was grainy and incredibly sweet from being soaked in well water.

Everyone stood up, raising their glasses of wine or watermelon juice, and clinked them together. "Congratulations on the new home! May your wealth grow and your house flourish, and may you all stay healthy!"

Jiang Xia downed her glass in one go, without leaving a single drop.

Her manner of drinking was practiced, calm, and elegant, making her a pleasure to watch.

Zhou Chenglei glanced at her.

Even he found the high-proof white liquor pungent, yet she, who seemed so delicate, drank it all without changing her expression, as if she had toasted with people countless times before.

Great-grandmother happily finished her wine and laughed. "This child Xia is truly wonderful! She's graceful in the parlor and skilled in the kitchen. She's meant for great things. Ah-Lei, your real fortune is yet to come."

Zhou Chenglei poured more wine for everyone, remaining silent.

Jiang Xia replied playfully, "Great-grandmother has the best eye! You saw right through me and knew I'm a wife who brings luck to her husband!"

The whole table was amused by Jiang Xia's thick skin.

Hearing everyone praising Jiang Xia, Tian Caihua looked at the glistening, oily dishes and pursed her lips: *I don't know about bringing luck to a husband, but she's definitely a spendthrift!*

What kind of household uses this much oil for cooking?

They had split the family assets, including half a jar of oil, and she had nearly wasted it all on the very first meal.

No matter how capable Zhou Chenglei was, he wouldn't be able to support her, would he?

Zhou Yongguo picked up his glass and said to Zhou Chenglei, "Ah-Lei, since you've married a wife who brings luck, we two must have a toast! Granddaughter-in-law, you come too!"

Jiang Xia smiled and agreed. Zhou Chenglei didn't pour wine into her glass, so she reached for the bottle, but he pulled it away and placed a glass of the watermelon juice he had just poured in front of her. "This alcohol is strong. Drink the watermelon juice."

Zhou Yongguo interjected, "Hey, hey, hey, that won't do! When Grandpa toasts, you must drink alcohol! You can't drink watermelon juice!"

He had heard that the two of them hadn't even shared a bed yet.

His grandson's life was truly difficult; at twenty-eight, he still hadn't tasted the sweetness of a woman.

Out of consideration for the fact that his grandson had helped him fight since he was a child, the grandfather decided to lend him a hand tonight!