A Young Woman's Heart

"Isn't there a spoon?" Xuan Anyi said helplessly.

"I forgot, I forgot!" Cha Li replied, quickly throwing the potato in her hand into the large bowl, and then using a spoon to scoop out the other potatoes as well.

Next, you crush them with a special tool, which is quite easy at this point.

This is mashed potatoes made using a clumsy method; actually, KFC's mashed potatoes are made by mixing potato starch with water.

The key to making mashed potatoes so delicious is actually the sauce on top.

"Teacher Shui, how do you make the sauce on top of the mashed potatoes?" This is where Cha Li's knowledge is lacking.

"Sauce? Oh, that." Mizuki Shi tilted her head and thought for a moment. "We should have some stock cubes at home. Look in the fridge."

"This?" Cha Li took out a bowl of creamy, yellowish-white broth cubes from the refrigerator.

“Yes, then add water to the pot and bring it to a boil, then add pepper, and finally thicken it with cornstarch.” Shui Zhishi made a thickening motion. “Pour the cooked sauce over the mashed potatoes and you’re all done.”

"OK, leave it to me!" Cha Li patted his chest confidently.

After making the sauce, the next step is to bake the bread and then fry the meat patties.

To be precise, it should be pan-fried, and it's made with pork instead of chicken, because Xuan An-yi said it tastes better that way.

Finally, I took the chicken legs out of the freezer, which had been frozen for almost an hour, and fried them in oil.

Scalding hot oil splattered out, but the two girls were already quite experienced; they had seen this kind of scene many times before, especially since they cooked frequently.

Even with the range hood on and the kitchen and dining room doors closed, the rich aroma still managed to waft out.

Hua Yinyin's stomach also started growling as she sat in front of the French windows.

"What is that? It smells so good!"

"Hmm, it should be... fried food!" Wang Jiale's eyes lit up, but then dimmed again. "No... I've gained so much weight these past few days, I can't eat fried food anymore..."

"What if this is what we have for lunch today?"

"Then I'll just eat a little bit, a... a chicken leg, no, half a chicken leg!" Wang Jiale muttered, touching her flat stomach. "Or... or maybe just one?"

"Are there any chicken legs left to eat in half?" Lu Chengyuan teased.

"Maybe Lele can do it, and we can give the rest to Lu Bolun, right?"

"Then how should we eat it?"

"Hmm... cut it in half vertically? Or eat the top half and leave the meat from the leg bone?" Hua Yinyin pondered.

"Isn't that just self-deception...?" Ye Banxia interjected.

"Alright, alright—time for lunch!" As they were chatting, Cha Li pushed open the door and brought out a steaming hot fried chicken leg. Fried food tastes best when it's freshly fried; it gets greasy when it's cold—that's usually the case.

"I'll go upstairs and call Xiaoyaoyao~!" Hua Yinyin ran up the stairs in a flash, and when she opened the door, she saw that Li Wanyan had entered the room at some point and was taking care of her.

"Hey, the class monitor is here, ugh, how cunning..." Hua Yinyin said, puffing out her cheeks and putting her hands on her hips. "How's Xiao Yaoyao? Is it time for lunch?"

"Hmm..." Mo Xueyao opened her eyes weakly, "I don't feel hungry..."

"Oh? That's a real shame. I was having a homemade KFC fried chicken meal for lunch today!"

Mo Xueyao frowned: "It sounds greasy, I don't have much of an appetite..."

"Ah, okay, okay, then class monitor, come down and have lunch!"

"Okay, I'll be down in a bit."

……

Chapter Forty-Eight: Lily and Jujube Soup

Mo Xueyao only woke up for a short while during the day to use the restroom, and then spent the rest of the day in a semi-conscious state.

Logically, her fever should have subsided considerably, but she was still too sleepy to get out of bed.

This went on until 11:30 p.m.

In this era where portable entertainment is scarce, most people go to bed early, generally falling asleep by 10 pm.

Moreover, we've been at the beach for many days now, and everyone has long since lost the initial novelty. We no longer chat all night like we did at the beginning.

As a result, the villa was plunged into complete darkness at this time, with almost no lights on, and even those that were on were small lamps that wouldn't significantly affect others.

After sleeping for a day, Mo Xueyao felt a terrible headache and her sleepiness had completely disappeared. The bed was also unusually warm for some reason. When she opened her eyes, she found that Hua Yinyin was holding her and sleeping soundly!

Mo Xueyao gently escaped from her embrace, casually put on a dress, washed her face with water in the bathroom, and then pushed open the door and went out.

She hadn't even combed her hair; it was just casually draped over her shoulders.

It looked messy and rough.

She hadn't eaten dinner last night, and hadn't eaten anything today either. When she really didn't want to sleep anymore, her stomach started growling.

I went downstairs to see if there were any leftovers in the kitchen or dining room so she could have something to eat.

The pitch-black corridor did not frighten her at all; on the contrary, she found the clear moon outside the window to be enchantingly beautiful.

"Meow—" Just as she stepped downstairs, she heard a meow. A yellow and white mixed-breed cat emerged from the darkness into the moonlight and meowed softly at Mo Xueyao.

"Hmm... Milk Candy, you didn't come here looking for something to eat too, did you?" Mo Xueyao asked half-jokingly, picking it up with one hand and holding it in her arms.

Suddenly, soft footsteps came from the stairs again. With the help of the starlight and moonlight outside the window, Mo Xueyao could see the face of the person who came.

It's Mr. Xue.

He was slightly surprised when he saw Mo Xueyao, then smiled and said, "Awake?"

"Yes."

"Everyone else is asleep." Mr. Xue's words carried a hint of teasing.

"And you? Why aren't you asleep?" Mo Xueyao asked while touching the milk candy in her arms.

"I'm thirsty, come down and get a glass of water." Mr. Xue glanced towards the dining room. "And you? Hungry and came down to find something to eat?"

"After all, I haven't eaten for three or four meals," Mo Xueyao readily admitted. "Was there any leftover food tonight?"

"Yes, I do have some, but it's just a few chicken legs. Can you eat that now?"

Mo Xueyao's brows furrowed immediately: "Chicken leg... I don't really want to eat it."

"Sick people have little interest in greasy food."

"Phew, looks like I'll just have to drink some water to fill my stomach," Mo Xueyao muttered.

At this point, it wasn't that she was being picky about food; it was just that the thought of the greasiness of fried chicken legs made her nauseous and want to vomit. If she actually ate them, she would probably throw up.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Xue took the lead and went into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator to take a look.

"Hmm... The good news is, there's still a piece of bread in the fridge, but it's the kind without filling or flavor—at most, it has a faint sweetness."

"It's better than nothing..." Mo Xueyao walked over quickly; she still had a good appetite for bread.

"Wait, if you don't mind, I'll make you some late-night snacks."

"Xiaoxue can cook?"

"I know a little bit," Mr. Xue said modestly with a smile. Then he rummaged through the refrigerator and took out a bag of dried lilies and a bag of unopened candied dates.

"What are you planning to do?" Mo Xueyao asked without any politeness. It would be great if someone could make her a late-night snack.

“Lily and jujube soup,” Mr. Xue replied. “Wait, there seem to be mint leaves here too. That’s great, you really have everything.”

"Then it's up to you!" Mo Xueyao walked to the dining table in the restaurant and sat down, waiting for the 'chef' of the night to bring the prepared meal to the table.

In this quiet villa, the kitchen echoes with the soft, rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables and the bubbling of boiling water.

A faint, sweet aroma wafted out, making Mo Xueyao feel refreshed.

Before long, Mr. Xue came out carrying a bowl of lily and jujube soup.

“You probably can’t eat too much, so I just cooked a regular bowl,” Mr. Xue said with a smile, placing another plate of bread on her right.

The bread was thoughtfully cut into several slices, and there was some jam, ketchup, and salad dressing squeezed on the left side of the plate for her to dip in.

It's just an ordinary piece of bread, but when plated like this, it seems to have a touch of the sophistication of French cuisine.

"The dates have all been pitted, so you can eat them without worry," Mr. Xue added, then picked up his freshly poured tea, sat on the other side of the table, and sipped it while looking out at the moonlight.

“Dried dates, dried lilies… this is…” Mo Xueyao scooped up a small, exquisite square that looked like jade with a spoon. She also noticed that these small squares were almost exactly the same size, and none of them broke while cooking.

"Tofu."

"Your swordsmanship is that good?" Mo Xueyao looked surprised. "Is there anything you can't do?"

"It was just a coincidence. There are still many things I don't know," Mr. Xue chuckled, still looking at the silvery moonlight outside the window without turning around.

Lily bulb and jujube soup has the effect of clearing heat and reducing internal fire, and it is most suitable for sick people to eat.

Mo Xueyao took a bite; it tasted sweet and slightly refreshing. "Hmm... they added mint?"

"Yes, is the sweetness just right?"

"Hmm, just right, it's subtly sweet, quite delicious," Mo Xueyao said approvingly. "Perhaps you could be a pastry chef, Xueyao!"

"Perhaps," Mr. Xue said, neither confirming nor denying.

Obviously, that's not his interest.

The soup is somewhat thick, like lotus root starch from West Lake, and tastes very refreshing, making people's appetite increase.

The headache seemed to have lessened considerably, making her feel much more energetic.

Mo Xueyao pinched a slice of bread with her hand, dipped it in the sauce, ate a bite of bread, and then drank a sip of soup. Suddenly, she felt incredibly satisfied.

What's interesting is that even though the soup was freshly served, it wasn't too hot; the temperature was just right, and drinking it made my stomach feel warm and comfortable.

"Speaking of which, aren't we going back soon?"

"The scheduled return period is from the 15th to the 20th. If we calculate based on the earliest possible return time, it should be time to go back." Mr. Xue was bathed in moonlight, and the distinct angles of his face made him look like a sculpture. "However, everyone had a great time, and nothing unexpected happened, so I guess I won't be back until the 20th."

"Yes, I hope we can play for a few more days." Mo Xueyao finished the last bit of soup in one gulp and slammed the bowl down on the table with some force. "Ah—so good!"

"And bread."