nucmednet Chapter 333 Let's Make Lunch
Chapter 333 Let's Make Lunch
The next morning, the first rays of dawn, still carrying a slight chill, quietly filtered through the carved window lattice and into Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen's room. The two, exhausted from their journey the previous night, had gone to bed early, and now, driven by their biological clocks, they woke up almost simultaneously.
Gu Mochen's long eyelashes fluttered slightly as he slowly opened his eyes. The familiar carved bed canopy and the window letting in a soft light came into view. Beside him, Ye Qingchen was also rubbing her sleepy eyes. They exchanged a glance, both their eyes filled with the contentment of a good night's sleep. "Qingchen, I didn't expect us to wake up so early today." Gu Mochen's voice, deep and husky with the characteristic of early morning, broke the silence of the room. Ye Qingchen's lips curled into a slight smile as she replied, "Yes, I slept very soundly last night. The inn's beds must be very comfortable." With that, the two quickly got up and began washing up. Neither of them realized they had been away for two days, so they had slept exceptionally well that night.
Meanwhile, in another part of the courtyard, Bai Zhi and General Bai had finished their morning exercise and were returning from the inn's backyard. As they passed their younger sister Fuling's room, they deliberately slowed their pace; the room was quiet and still. Bai Zhi shook her head slightly, her eyes full of affection, and chuckled softly, "It seems my sister and Master Song slept soundly last night; they haven't woken up yet." General Bai smiled and nodded in agreement, "Young people, after all, are tired from their journey; it's only right that they sleep a little longer." The two discussed it and decided to prepare breakfast first, so that everyone could have something hot to eat as soon as they woke up.
Bai Zhi went outside the courtyard to find the waiter on duty, and happened to see him busily feeding their horses. She approached him and politely called out, "Brother waiter, could you please prepare some breakfast for us?" Upon hearing this, the waiter immediately put down the feed and replied with a beaming smile, "Don't worry, sirs, our breakfast is excellent. We have steamed buns, rice porridge, and side dishes—everything you could want. What would you like to eat?" Bai Zhi thought for a moment, then ordered a few of their favorite breakfast items, adding, "Please prepare them quickly; we're in a hurry." The waiter readily agreed and dashed off to the highest post station.
Meanwhile, Song Ming and Fu Ling were still fast asleep. The sunlight grew increasingly dazzling, illuminating the entire room through the window. Song Ming rolled over and muttered, "Why is the sun so bright..." Fu Ling also stirred in her sleep, slowly opening her eyes to the blinding sunlight. "Oh dear, what time is it!" Fu Ling instantly woke up, sitting up abruptly. Song Ming was also startled awake by her movement, asking sleepily, "What's wrong?" Fu Ling hurriedly dressed, saying, "Look at the sun, it's almost noon, everyone must have been up for ages." Song Ming then came to his senses and quickly got up to wash up as well.
After Song Ming and Fu Ling finished getting ready and stepped out of their room, the courtyard was already deserted. They looked at each other, bewildered. "Where...where did everyone go?" Song Ming scratched his head, looking puzzled. Fu Ling frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Why don't we go to the inn's lobby first? Maybe they're having breakfast there." They went to the lobby and asked the waiter, who told them that everyone else had already finished breakfast and left. The waiter enthusiastically said, "Sirs, would you like some breakfast too?" Song Ming waved his hand and said, "No need, lunch is almost ready by now, let's make it ourselves."
So, Song Ming and Fu Ling went to the kitchen in their small courtyard to prepare lunch. Song Ming rolled up his sleeves and skillfully picked up a cleaver to chop vegetables, while Fu Ling started a fire and boiled water. "Song Ming, where do you think they all went?" Fu Ling asked as she added firewood to the stove. Song Ming replied without looking up, "They probably went out to explore this town. Anyway, we don't know where to look for them, so we might as well just stay here and prepare lunch and wait for them to come back." The two chatted idly, but their hands never stopped moving.
Inside the kitchen, smoke rose and the aroma of food filled the air. Song Ming poured the chopped greens into the boiling oil; with a sizzle, smoke instantly filled the air. He skillfully stir-fried them, and in no time, the greens turned a vibrant, glistening green. Fu Ling helped by handing over seasonings and plates; the two worked together seamlessly. Since their marriage, Song Ming had always been the one cooking. He seemed to have a natural talent for cooking; despite knowing nothing about cooking, he learned everything very quickly.
Meanwhile, Gu Mochen, Ye Qingchen, Bai Zhi, and General Bai were strolling through the streets of the small town. The town wasn't large, but it was full of life. The shops lining the streets were dazzling, selling all sorts of local snacks, handicrafts, fabrics, and miscellaneous goods. Ye Qingchen was drawn to a jewelry stall and stopped. The stall owner was an elderly woman with gray hair, and her stall was filled with all kinds of exquisite jewelry. "Grandma, how much is this hairpin?" Ye Qingchen picked up a silver hairpin engraved with plum blossoms and asked. The old woman smiled and said, "Young lady, you have good taste. This hairpin is ten coins." Ye Qingchen turned to look at Gu Mochen, her eyes full of inquiry. Gu Mochen understood, smiled, took out his purse, paid, and gently inserted the hairpin into Ye Qingchen's hair, praising, "It's really beautiful, it suits you very well." Ye Qingchen's cheeks flushed slightly, and she smiled softly. Actually, Ye Qingchen wasn't after the hairpin. She really enjoyed the way Gu Mochen gave her gifts, and Gu Mochen knew this. Therefore, he always kept a lot of loose silver and copper coins in his space and accompanied Ye Qingchen on her shopping trips.
Bai Zhi and General Bai watched this scene with surprise in their eyes. "It's one thing for the Emperor and Empress to have such a good relationship, but it's a good thing they're married. They're always so lovey-dovey in front of everyone," Bai Zhi said softly to General Bai. General Bai nodded in agreement, "Yes, the Emperor and Empress really have a good relationship. It's a good thing we're married, otherwise, who could stand it?" As they were talking, they suddenly remembered that it was getting late and they should return to the inn, otherwise they would miss lunch.
The group quickened their pace back to the inn, and as soon as they stepped into the courtyard, they were greeted by the rich aroma of food. Song Ming and Fu Ling were carrying plates of steaming dishes out of the kitchen. "You're finally back! Any later and the food would have gotten cold," Fu Ling said with a smile. Everyone took their seats, and Ye Qingchen, looking at the table full of delicious food, couldn't help but feel a surge of appetite. "I didn't expect you two to be such good cooks. This food looks so appetizing," Gu Mochen praised. Song Ming coughed slightly and said apologetically, "I just made a few simple home-style dishes. Everyone, please try them."
Everyone knew that Song Ming wasn't good at joking, so they didn't say much. But after tasting it, they found it really delicious and were very happy. They all rushed to eat it. Seeing everyone's attitude towards the food, Song Ming was also very pleased. He thought he had done a good job, hadn't he?