Chapter 101: Too Much Exposure
Chapter 101
It is said that when a husband and wife work together, the tasks become effortless.
After two hours of busy work in the kitchen, a table full of beautifully presented and fragrant dishes was served.
Huo Mei Shu couldn't help but drool with anticipation. She quickly went forward to take pictures and called Rong Dai over, saying, "Sister-in-law, come here!"
"Smile, don't waste this delicious meal."
She urged Rong Dai, noticing her sister-in-law's slight hesitation. Thoughtfully, she leaned closer herself, making an incredibly adorable expression. Just as she was about to take the photo, Huo Shao Ting appeared behind them like a ghost.
"Brother..."
Huo Mei Shu felt annoyed, but Huo Shao Ting swiftly pulled Rong Dai to sit beside him, saying, "Your sister-in-law is already tired from cooking."
Huo Mei Shu surrendered immediately, now understanding that her brother's attention revolves around his wife.
"Mei Shu, is it because Brother won't be coming home for dinner tonight? I've been eating at the hotel these past few days... my... teeth... hurt."
Huo Shao Ting had just entered the kitchen to fetch a spoon when Huo Shao Jie poked his head in. He smelled the aroma of the food and hurriedly changed into slippers. The first half of his sentence seemed normal.
Seeing Huo Shao Ting coming out of the kitchen with a spoon, his voice became weak and intermittent, as if he were a malfunctioning audio cassette.
"You're happy that I won't be coming home for dinner?" Huo Shao Ting sat down on a chair and calmly asked him in return.
Huo Shao Jie felt a chill down his spine, and he glanced at Huo Mei Shu with a resentful look. How could this girl not inform him that his brother was at home!
He quickly looked at Huo Shao Ting and forced a smile, saying, "Brother, I've had a hard time these past few days. Please don't be angry..."
Rong Dai couldn't help but laugh and cry. Who would have thought that the esteemed Huo Director would be so timid at home?
"Shao Jie, go wash your hands first. We can have dinner once Mom comes down. Your brother has already let go of his anger long ago. It's more comfortable for him to stay at home, and I can also discuss work matters with you."
She quickly mediated, not forgetting to signal Huo Shao Ting with her eyes. He wouldn't refuse since it was her request.
"Alright." Huo Shao Ting muttered lightly, and Huo Shao Jie felt a great sense of relief, quickly heading to the restroom to wash his hands.
After Lu Zheng came downstairs, the family sat together at the dining table and enjoyed their dinner happily.
"Sister-in-law, your culinary skills are even better than those of a five-star chef!" Huo Shao Jie had been starving these past few days in the hotel.
When he was away filming, he had no choice, but as long as he was in Shengjing, he would definitely come home for meals.
Wang Mom's cooking skills were excellent, but he didn't expect his own sister-in-law to possess such talent in the kitchen. He needed to make up for the missed meals these past few days!
"You're lucky today. Big brother is helping in the kitchen," Huo Mei Shu chimed in agreement.
Lu Zheng also praised, astonished by Rong Dai's cooking skills. Nowadays, there aren't many young people willing to stay in the kitchen.
Isn't one's own daughter like this? Although the Huo family doesn't need them to cook, she still hopes her daughter will have some basic culinary skills, but she refuses to learn.
This woman can choose not to enter the kitchen, but she can't be ignorant. She has mentioned it a few times that Huo Meishu has been perfunctory in dealing with her. Now she seizes the opportunity and immediately takes the chance to advise Huo Meishu, "Meishu, learn more from your sister-in-law. Don't get confused between salt, MSG, and starch."
"Yes, yes, as long as my sister-in-law is willing to teach, I promise to learn!" Huo Meishu continues to eat without even lifting her head, nodding repeatedly.
Lu Zheng thinks she is just appeasing herself and sighs, deciding to give up.
After all, a child is not controlled by the mother.
After a satisfying meal, the whole family is content.
Rong Dai sees them enjoying the meal and feels pleased. She also makes up her mind to cook more in the future.
Cooking a few times won't harm her. She has her own ways to take care of her hands. Otherwise, how could she have been able to hold an embroidery needle in her previous life in the cold palace?
"Oh, I can't. I'm too full. I need to take a walk," she says.
Huo Meishu rubs her belly, looking a bit worried. Eating so much without restraint will turn into a funeral pyre when it's time to lose weight.
"I think it's nice to sit in the yard under the shade of the vine trellis. It's not as hot in the evening as it is during the day. Drinking tea in the yard won't make you gain weight," Rong Dai interjects, feeling nervous about being alone with Huo Shaoting, especially after the awkwardness of last night.
"Really? Then, sister-in-law, please teach me quickly," Huo Meishu's eyes light up, and she pushes Rong Dai into the kitchen.
Rong Dai can't help but laugh and cry, but she thinks it's quite normal. Not many people can resist the temptation of good food.
Especially for girls, everyone wants to eat without getting fat.
There were many delicious things in the palace in her previous life, and they were abundant. Tributes came from all directions, and naturally, there were various delicacies.
The palace chefs were very particular about cooking, using the freshest and best ingredients, resulting in extraordinary flavors.
But the palace concubines couldn't engage in various weight-loss exercises like the women of this era. So, to prevent the concubines from gaining weight, the imperial physicians invented medicinal tea.
It promoted health and reduced fat. As long as they walked a few extra steps, they could maintain a slim and slender figure no matter how much they ate.
Rong Dai has seen the kitchen in the Huo family. It is very large, and besides various fresh and precious ingredients, there are also many precious teas and Chinese herbs.
She used to drink it often in the palace, and that recipe was not a secret there. She naturally knew it and still remembers it.
"Meishu, do we have tea utensils for brewing tea at home?" Rong Dai asks her younger sister-in-law while searching for tea leaves and some Chinese herbs needed.
Huo Meishu quickly goes upstairs to retrieve her own set of exquisite celadon tea utensils and cleans them. "Sister-in-law, how about this?"
Rong Dai takes a look and nods approvingly.
Then wash the Chinese herbs, filter them with warm water, brew the tea leaves, and finally filter out the mixture. Use a gauze bag to contain the tea leaves and Chinese herbs together, and after some consideration, add a bit of licorice.
In her past life, she was accustomed to drinking herbal tea without the addition of licorice. She was worried that the people of the Huo family wouldn't be accustomed to it, so she added some.
"Sister-in-law, is this tea? Why are you brewing it together with Chinese herbs?" Huo Mei Shu expressed some concern.
"This is medicinal tea. In fact, tea leaves can also be considered as Chinese herbs, but they are rarely used for treating illnesses. As long as the combination is right, there won't be any harmful conflicts. You can rest assured," Rong Dai smiled.
Rong Dai smiled and focused on brewing some tea to refresh the Huo family members, but she forgot that she had already revealed too much in front of Huo Shao Ting.
In modern times, very few young people dare to do something like brewing medicinal tea unless they come from long-standing prestigious families.
Chinese herbal medicine is extensive and profound, and mixing certain things together can be dangerous. However, Rong Dai's confident and calm smile showed no trace of worry.
Moreover, when selecting the Chinese herbs, she was very precise. She wouldn't even spare a glance for the unnecessary ones, as if it had become a habitual task.