Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 27

“She’s not one of us from the second branch!” Yu Fuling frowned, clearly displeased. Meng Yujiao had already stripped naked and climbed into Yu Jinyan’s bed, how could she ever be worthy of her little brother?!

“Fuling…” Yu Qizhe’s brows twitched slightly.

Fuling didn’t dare mutter another word. She picked up her basket of sewing supplies and instructed, “You’ve been reading all afternoon. Rest your eyes and go for a walk.”

Yu Qizhe gave a soft response, and Fuling carried her sewing basket back to her room.

By the time Yu Jiao arrived at the kitchen, Madam Song was already making dinner. She had a pot of steamed buns on the stove and was seated by the hearth feeding the fire.

Seeing Yu Jiao approach, Madam Song smiled and said, “You’ve been practicing calligraphy all afternoon, you must be tired. Go rest, I can manage this on my own.”

Yu Jiao spotted a basket of mushrooms on the ground and shook her head. “Writing isn’t tiring at all. Did you gather these mushrooms from the mountain?”

“Picked them at the foot of the back mountain,” Madam Song replied as she stoked the flames in the hearth. “Once the buns are steamed, I’ll make a mushroom dumpling soup for dinner.”

Yu Jiao asked curiously, “Aunt Song, how do you usually cook these mushrooms?”

The basket was full of drumstick mushrooms. Back when she lived in the mountains with her grandfather as a child, Yu Jiao often forage for mushrooms to cook. Drumstick mushrooms were the most common sautéed dish, they were tender and smooth, and when stewed with wild mountain chicken, the flavor was even more delightful.

“We mostly use them in soups,” Madam Song explained. “Some villagers stir-fry them, and we’ve done that too a few times, but they always turn out gritty. It’s odd, they’re hard on the teeth when stir-fried, but taste great in soup.”

Yu Jiao couldn’t help but chuckle. Mushrooms grow in the wild, exposed to wind and sun, sprouting from soil and decaying wood. Dirt easily gets trapped in their gills, so they need to be thoroughly cleaned. Otherwise, they’ll taste gritty, but she didn’t have the heart to tell Aunt Song directly that it was probably due to poor cleaning.

She took a few drumstick mushrooms from the basket and said, “Auntie, let me stir-fry some for you later. I’ve made them before at home, they won’t turn out gritty.”

“Alright, I’ll keep the fire going for you then,” Aunt Song replied cheerfully, always easygoing.

Yu Jiao cut off the dirty base of the mushrooms and soaked them in water, carefully cleaning each one. After slicing them, she placed them in a bowl and headed to the backyard vegetable garden to pick some red chili peppers and two cucumbers. Back in the kitchen, she minced garlic and made a smashed cucumber salad.

Even though this meal was for the whole Yu household, Yu Jiao wasn’t about to shortchange herself. Food is the most important thing under heaven, she thought. Even with limited ingredients, she was going to eat well.

Once Aunt Song finished the mushroom dumpling soup, she tended the fire while watching Yu Jiao cook. Yu Jiao worked quickly, heating oil in the pan and tossing in garlic and chili to release their fragrance. The aroma filled the kitchen before the mushrooms even hit the wok.

“Mmm, that smells amazing!” Madam Song exclaimed, unable to hold back.

As the mushroom slices cooked, they gave off a meaty fragrance. The scent drifted into the courtyard, drawing Yu Fuling to the kitchen. When she saw Yu Jiao at the stove, her first instinct was to throw out a sarcastic remark. 

But instead, her mouth began to water uncontrollably. Afraid that speaking would make her drool, she sniffled and stared longingly at the pan.

Yu Qizhe sat beneath the locust tree in the courtyard, listening to the sizzle of stir-frying from the kitchen. He looked up at the starry night sky, his peach blossom eyes unusually clear yet hollow. Leaning against the tree, his thin figure seemed especially solitary.

Knock, knock…

A knock sounded at the door. Yu Qizhe snapped out of his thoughts and walked to the gate. When he opened it, a flash of surprise flickered in his eyes before quickly fading back into calm.

A young woman stood outside, equally startled. Her delicate brows arched gently, and a faint, graceful smile lit up her oval-shaped face.

“I’ve come to pick up some medicine for Grandma’s cough,” she said softly, her voice tender and pleasant. Her bearing was composed and elegant.

Yu Qizhe gave a slight nod and stepped aside without expression, allowing her into the courtyard.