After washing hands, Qin Lian wiped her hands to dry with her dress casually and glanced around the empty kitchen.
She frowned, pursing her lips as she wondered what she could cook with so few ingredients.
It seemed as though barely anyone cooked here.
Seeing her scanning the kitchen, Xu Yinchen cleared his throat and explained, "I don't cook often. There's an aunt who comes daily to prepare meals for the children and clean the house."
"She's the one who manages the house when I'm not around. She must have forgotten to restock the groceries this month."
Qin Lian shook her head lightly and replied, "It's alright. There's some rice and a few vegetables here. We can make porridge and stir-fried veggies instead."
Saying this, she began scooping out the remaining broken rice and started washing them thoroughly.
From the ingredients available she could see that the ingredients available were low in quality and on the verge of going bad.
The condition of the kitchen was worse than she had imagined.
Xu Yinchen felt guilty serving her porridge on her first day, especially when she was hurt and clearly in need of something more nutritious.
But the kitchen was empty, and it was already late. He couldn't even step out to buy some eggs or meat for the meal.
"I'll go to the farm and bring some pork. I'll be quick," he said hurriedly, already preparing to leave.
But Qin Lian stopped him. "Wait! There's no need. It's already late, and pork would be too heavy for the night. After traveling, I was craving for something light anyway."
Hearing this, Xu Yinchen let out a quiet sigh and nodded. "Alright then. Don't worry, I'll make sure to restock the groceries tomorrow."
Qin Lian smiled faintly and didn't say anything.
As she busied herself, Xu Yinchen stepped forward to help, lighting the stove for her.
It was an old-style clay stove that required wood to ignite, not the gas stoves she was familiar with.
She watched him ignite the fire skillfully, a small flame growing steadily under his careful hands.
Seeing her hesitation, Xu Yinchen said, "I'll handle this. You focus on other things."
"Oh," Qin Lian nodded, placing the pot of rice on the stove to cook porridge.
She looked around the sparse kitchen for ingredients, finding only a handful of stale vegetables and a few seasonings—barely enough salt, a splash of soy sauce, some vinegar, and chilli powder.
There wasn't a drop of oil in sight.
She sighed and started cooking with whatever ingredients she was left with.
She picked up the vegetables to rinse them, but Xu Yinchen quickly stepped in.
"I'll do it," he said, carrying them to the sink and washing them thoroughly.
Once he finished, he clumsily tried to chop the vegetables, but seeing his uneven cuts, Qin Lian could tell this man might be strong enough to fight on the border, but his culinary skills were worse than she had imagined.
Letting out a quiet sigh, she stepped forward. "Let me do it," she said gently.
Her hands moved deftly as she sliced the carrots, green onions, and potatoes into neat, even pieces.
The carrots and onions were cut thin and precise, the potatoes evenly cut into cubes, each piece uniform—unlike his rough, haphazard cuts.
Seeing her expert chopping skills, Xu Yinchen was left speechless, a hint of embarrassment creeping in.
He had assumed she must have led a pampered life in the city, someone who had never needed to cook.
But watching her now, it was clear she had been doing this for years. Exactly what kind of life had she lived in the Qin family before coming here?
….
By the time the porridge had simmered to perfection, Qin Lian turned her attention to the vegetables.
With no oil available, she had to rely on the natural moisture of the ingredients.
Once the porridge was nearly done, she placed the wok over the fire, letting it heat up for a moment.
Then, she drizzled some water and tossed in the carrots first.
The faint sizzle of vegetables meeting the hot wok filled the air as she stirred them briskly.
The moisture from the carrots began to release, creating steam that softened them while preventing anything from sticking to the bottom.
She then added the potatoes, ensuring that as long as she managed the heat well, nothing would burn.
Then she added salt, followed by another stir to let the natural flavors develop.
A splash of soy sauce and chili powder to season it.
At last, she added the bok choy and green onions, tossing everything together with practiced ease.
Qin Lian moved with quiet efficiency, her calm demeanor giving no hint of the limited resources she was working with.
Once the vegetables were cooked through but still crisp, she set them aside and placed the porridge pot back on the stove to warm it up again.
The meal was simple—just porridge and a small dish of stir-fried vegetables, but it carried a sense of warmth and care.
Seeing her cooking with such ease despite the limited ingredients, a faint smile appeared on Xu Yinchen's lips.
The sight of her standing in his kitchen, focused and graceful, felt unexpectedly warm.
It was as if she belonged here, yet her elegance also made her seem out of place.
Was this why people said it was important to marry a good wife?
It had been years since he'd had a hot, freshly prepared meal at home.
He didn't know how to cook, and the food the auntie made was often cold by the time he ate it. He won't say it's good, but like edible.
As long as the food is cooked, it's edible for him.
Other times, he simply grabbed meals outside while working. Watching her now, quietly preparing a meal with such care, filled him with a sense of unfamiliar comfort.
….
Xu Yinchen's gaze shifted to the large pot of porridge simmering on the stove, and he frowned slightly.
"Erm… wouldn't this be too much for just the two of us?" he asked hesitantly, wondering if she had made too much.
"This isn't just for us," Qin Lian replied calmly, glancing at him while gently stirring the porridge. "Go and call the children. We'll eat together."
"But the kids said they already had dinner," he said, looking puzzled.
Qin Lian raised her eyebrows and said, "The children are growing. It's natural for them to eat more. Besides, porridge is light and easy to eat. They'll finish it."
Her calm logic left no room for argument.
Xu Yinchen hesitated for a moment before nodding. As he walked upstairs to call the children, a flicker of admiration stirred in his heart.
She had only arrived today, yet it already felt as though she had embraced this place as her home.
However, he couldn't dare to think too much of it.
After all, she had just arrived, and he knew nothing about her.
He wasn't even sure if she had come here willingly or if she could last even a week in this household.
As thoughts of their uncertain future crossed his mind, a faint frown appeared on his forehead.
...
The children were surprised when Xu Yinchen called them for dinner.
Since arriving at his place, it might be the first time they were actually sitting down to eat with him.
Xu Yinchen always left home before they woke up and only returned long after they had gone to bed.
They knew he worked hard, and that knowledge only made them feel more guilty.
They were well aware that their own family had abandoned them.
It was Xu Yinchen who had given up his promising military career just to take care of them.
Because of them, no woman wanted to marry him; everyone saw them as a burden, calling them unlucky.
This was one of the reasons why Xu Shen, who understood all of this far too well, felt even more distant from Xu Yinchen.
Why had he even taken them in? Why had he ruined his own life for them?
Did he pity them?
However, suppressing all these emotions, they were also curious about the new woman who was going to live in the house from now on and would be their so-called stepmother.
They followed Xu Yinchen downstairs silently, and when they arrived, what they saw left them stunned.
The woman was arranging the dishes on the dining table. There were five chairs around the round table and a stool, which looked odd among the matching chairs.
Four bowls were neatly placed on the table, with a steaming pot of porridge in the center and a simple vegetable dish beside it.
Noticing the extra stool, Xu Yinchen said, "I'll add another chair tomorrow."
Qin Lian smiled and nodded. "Okay! Since we're five people now, it's good to have one more chair."
She turned to the children standing behind Xu Yinchen and said gently, "Everyone, go wash your hands now. We'll eat together."
The youngest and the second couldn't help but drool at the sight of the steaming porridge and veggies.
While they were upstairs, the tempting aroma had already reached them, but they didn't dare to complain.
Their gaze shifted to Xu Shen, who stood frowning at the woman, his expression wary.
Was she being genuine, or was this just another act, like the aunt who came daily to care for them?