Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

The midday sun peeked through the gaps in the locust tree leaves, scattering golden light across the courtyard.

Tao'er carried the last dish out of the kitchen. The eggplant sizzled in oil on the plate, and the aroma of garlic wafted far and wide.

She placed the dishes on the table and wiped the sweat from her forehead: "Don't just stand there, try this fish slice. It's sour and spicy, it'll whet your appetite."

It has pickled cabbage in it, it's so delicious!

She pointed to the spicy and sour fish slices on the table.

Ah Yan had already been peering over the edge of the table, and upon hearing this, he immediately picked up his chopsticks: "I want to eat! I want to eat!"

"Be careful, it's hot." Tao'er smiled and pressed his shoulder, picked up a piece of snow-white fish slice, blew on it, and brought it to his mouth.

Ayan took a bite, his eyes lit up, and he said indistinctly with his cheeks puffed out, "Delicious!"

It's both spicy and tender!

Then he took another bite of pickled cabbage, nodded like a little adult, and said, "The pickled cabbage is delicious too, crisp and sour!"

"Eat more if it's delicious, Ayan."

Tao'er said with a smile.

Ayan pointed to the plate of sweet and sour pork again, "Sister Tao'er, that one, that one!"

What is that?

It looks delicious, I want to try it.

"Little glutton, this is sweet and sour pork, I made it especially for you." Tao'er pushed the sweet and sour pork towards him, "Eat slowly, no one will take it from you."

Ayan picked up a piece of golden, glistening pork tenderloin, took a bite, and found it crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with sweet and sour juices melting in his mouth.

He squinted his eyes, nodding his little head repeatedly: "Sister Tao'er's cooking is the best!"

Ah Chen sat at the table, holding a bowl of pork ribs and yam stew, but his eyes kept glancing at the bowl of bright red, spicy and sour fish slices.

The fish slices were white and tender, floating in the red oil soup, sprinkled with bright green scallions, as well as translucent sweet potato vermicelli and Chinese cabbage. They looked very delicious!

He swallowed hard, extended his chopsticks, paused in mid-air, and then pulled them back.

Tao'er, with her sharp eyes, noticed his action and couldn't help but laugh: "Young Master Chen, your wound hasn't fully healed yet, you can't eat spicy food."

"I know..." Ah Chen lowered his head, poked at the yam in the bowl with his chopsticks, and said in a muffled voice, "I'm just taking a look."

Tao'er's heart softened, and she sat down next to him, putting a piece of pork rib into his bowl: "Look, this has been stewing all morning, the bones are tender now."

And this soup, I served it to you, drink more.

Ah Chen looked up, his eyes instantly brightening. "Thank you, Ah Tao."

"Don't mention it." Tao'er ladled him another spoonful of soup. "When you're better, I'll make you spicy fish dishes, as much as you want."

"Okay, Atao, you have to keep your word and not go back on your promise!"

I'm looking forward to eating your spicy and sour fish slices!

Ah Chen smiled brightly and nodded repeatedly.

Tao'er smiled and nodded.

Xiao Yi sat opposite him, holding his rice bowl with his chopsticks hanging in mid-air. He watched this scene, his lips twitching, but he didn't say anything in the end.

He lowered his head, shoveled some rice into his mouth, chewed it twice, looked up again, and then continued eating.

Ah Yan, his mouth greasy from eating, suddenly looked up and asked, "Uncle Shi, why aren't you eating?"

"Eat." Xiao Yi picked up a piece of stir-fried shrimp with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth and chewed, but his gaze drifted towards Tao'er.

Tao'er was serving Ah Chen his second bowl of soup. Her profile was very gentle, and she had a smile on her lips.

Xiao Yi looked at it for a while, then stopped eating with his chopsticks.

Ayan tilted her head and looked at him: "Uncle Shi, do you want some soup too?"

"No, what's so great about meat soup? It's nothing compared to the aroma of fish." Xiao Yi looked away and, as if in a huff, picked up a piece of fish and stuffed it into his mouth.

Tao'er looked up and met his gaze. She was stunned for a moment: "Brother Shi Qi, why aren't you eating?"

I stewed this braised pork for almost an hour, you should try it.

As she spoke, she pushed the bowl of glistening braised pork toward him.

Xiao Yi hummed in agreement, picked up a piece, and put it in his mouth.

The meat is stewed until tender and melts in your mouth, with a rich, savory sauce flavor.

Xiao Yi nodded happily, "Delicious."

This girl probably still cares about him; the fact that she served food to the Crown Prince just now suggests she was taking care of him since he was a patient.

With this thought, Xiao Yi's discomfort vanished.

Qingfeng, watching from the side, couldn't help but suppress a laugh; his master was jealous.

Then look at Dongkui. This girl is so carefree, she's just focused on eating and doesn't even notice the battle raging on the table.

"Then eat more." Tao'er put two more pieces on his plate, then turned to everyone and said, "I've made enough of these dishes, so please eat more."

Everyone has been working very hard these days, so we need to make up for it properly.

Especially Ayan, who is young and at the age when he is growing.

And Young Master Chen, you're injured; you should nourish your body so your wounds will heal faster!

Some of them she took from her spatial storage, though of course she wouldn't say that.

"Little Peach, we've never seen many of these things before. Where did you buy them?"

Dongkui pointed to the ham sausage and tomatoes inside the cucumber.

"I bought these from an old man who is a butcher. These sausages are made from pig hind legs."

Qingfeng, his mouth full of cucumber and ham stir-fry, mumbled, "This ham smells so good! It's made of pork, no wonder!"

"Of course it smells good!" Tao'er smiled smugly. "The things I buy are of course good."

Dongkui stopped talking, ate her food in small bites, and occasionally looked up at this person and then at that person, with a slight smile on her lips.

She ate a really good meal; she'd been so worried these past few days that she hadn't had a proper meal at all.

The meal was enjoyed in a lively atmosphere, and by the time the bowls and chopsticks were empty, the sun was already setting in the west.

Tao'er stood up and patted the oil stains off her hands: "Alright, everyone, stop sitting around."

Brother Xiao, go to the backyard and set up that barbecue grill.

"Qingfeng, go chop some firewood, make sure it's fine."

Xiao Yi put down his bowl: "Barbecue?"

"Yes, we'll have roasted lamb tonight," Tao'er said, rolling up her sleeves.

A large leg of lamb, weighing five or six pounds, with a good balance of fat and lean meat, will definitely sizzle and drip oil when roasted.

Thinking of the fragrant lamb skewers, Tao'er couldn't help but swallow.

She hadn't eaten this in a long time; she hadn't eaten it since she transmigrated to this Great Zhou Dynasty.

Ayan immediately jumped up: "I want to help too! Uncle Shi, let's go!"

Xiao Yi was pulled by him towards the backyard, and after taking two steps, he looked back again.

Tao'er was bending over to clear the dishes, a strand of hair hanging down. She raised her hand and tucked it behind her ear, revealing a small section of her fair neck.

He felt a pang of emotion and turned back.

Turning her head again, she found Dongkui rushing to help her clear the dishes.

The two walked towards the kitchen, one after the other.

In the backyard, Xiao Yi set up the barbecue grill with a large fire pit underneath.

Ayan assisted by helping out, handing things over or something.

Qingfeng brought over a bundle of firewood and squatted down to start chopping.

Tao'er brought out a large basin containing a whole leg of lamb, its meat a vibrant red, marbled with fat and lean. She placed the basin on the stone table and beckoned to Xiao Yi, "Brother Xiao, come and help me cut this meat into chunks, these are quite big."

She gestured to indicate the size.

Xiao Yi walked over and took the knife.

With a sharp blade, he swiftly and cleanly sliced ​​the meat.

Peach and Winter Okra sat to one side, slicing the cut meat into thin slices.

As Tao sliced ​​the food, she said, "Thinner slices absorb the flavor better and bake faster."

Dongkui imitated her, carefully slicing the mutton: "Sister Tao'er, this mutton has a gamey smell, it'll be hard to handle, won't it?"

"It's not marinated yet." Tao'er took out a small jar from the side. "Use this to marinate it later, I guarantee it will smell so good it'll make your mouth water and there will be absolutely no gamey smell!"

Ayan leaned closer, brought his nose close to the mutton, and sniffed it. He immediately wrinkled his face, pinched his nose, and pulled back, saying, "Ugh, this smells awful, it definitely won't taste good!"

Everyone laughed.

Tao'er reached out and pinched his little cheek: "Okay, if Ayan says it doesn't taste good, then don't eat it tonight."

"That won't do!" Ayan immediately panicked. "I, I was just saying..."

I'll eat whatever Sister Tao makes, whether it's good or not!

Just then, Xiao Yi walked over carrying a piece of chopped meat. Hearing this, he scooped up A Yan, tucked him under his arm, and chuckled, "You little sycophant!"

Ayan kicked his legs under his armpits, giggling.