Sure enough, a group of children stood at the door but didn’t enter.
Lin Feng and Lin Yu blocked their way, refusing to let them in.
Si Nian let out a small sigh of relief and walked over.
The moment she approached, the children around her fell silent.
One by one, they sniffled and stared at her with wide, curious eyes.
Lin Yu shot her an awkward look, as if saying, "See? It wasn’t me making noise—it was them. Not my fault."
Si Nian went inside, grabbed a handful of candies, and handed them out to the kids. The ones who received them immediately chirped, "Pretty sister!" before happily skipping away.
She then turned to her two younger brothers, stuffing their pockets with candies before ruffling their hair roughly. "Good job."
Their faces flushed red, and they turned away, refusing to meet her gaze.
"I wasn’t helping you! I just didn’t want them dirtying the house," one of them muttered, tossing the words over his shoulder before both boys dashed off.
Si Nian chuckled as she watched them leave, then returned to the kitchen.
Zhou Yueshen had already been called out for drinks, which was nothing unusual. Si Nian walked into the kitchen and found Zhou Suisui sweating from the busy work. She stepped in to help.
Zhou Yueshen had already sliced the meat—his knife skills were impressive, each piece uniform in size and thickness. Anyone with a touch of perfectionism would’ve swooned.
Si Nian filled the large iron wok with water. In those days, most households cooked on earthen stoves with built-in woks, versatile enough for steaming rice or stir-frying.
After steaming the soaked rice, she began marinating the meat Zhou Yueshen had prepared. Properly marinated, the meat would turn out tender and flavorful, never tough.
Zhou Suisui worked nearby, stealing glances at her delicate-looking sister-in-law, who moved effortlessly in the humble kitchen.
She was surprised. She’d assumed Si Nian would be even less hands-on than Lin Sisi.
Since marrying into the family, Lin Sisi had never once cooked.
Being a scholar, she was held in high regard—people often said a scholar’s hands were meant for writing, not cooking, so no one dared ask her to help.
Yet Si Nian, who seemed even more refined, didn’t act the least bit spoiled. She had no airs about her.
For some reason, though they hadn’t interacted much, Zhou Suisui found herself liking this sister-in-law more.
Still, watching her take out meat and eggs made Zhou Suisui wince. "Little aunt, isn’t this too much?"
These were supplies saved for her wedding. She worried they’d run out if they used them now.
"Not at all. With so many men in the house, they’ll need the extra energy."
Si Nian cracked eggs to make steamed custard for the kids. She also mixed flour and eggs to fry crispy dough cakes—a favorite among children and perfect for entertaining guests.
For the adults drinking, she planned to coat peanuts in egg and flour before frying them—crispy, fragrant, and the perfect snack to pair with alcohol.
The kitchen was sparse in seasonings, stocked only with potatoes, flour, pickled vegetables, and red beans.
As for meat, they only had what they’d brought back.
Though the ingredients were limited, Si Nian’s mind was already brimming with dish ideas:
Steamed pork with pickled vegetables, stir-fried pork with peppers, crispy dough cakes, spicy and sour shredded potatoes, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, pickled vegetable soup…
Simple, rustic meals—exactly what country folk loved.
Lin’s mother soon returned with a chicken. Guests meant a proper meal, and stewed chicken was tradition.
But stewing took too long, so Si Nian decided on a dry pot chicken instead.
Seeing her daughter truly knew her way around the kitchen—not just putting on a show—Lin’s mother felt both heartache and pride.
With Lin’s mother and Zhou Suisui helping, the side dishes were soon ready.
Steamed dishes were the easiest, and before long, an intoxicating aroma filled the kitchen.
Even those deep in conversation couldn’t help but swallow their saliva.
"What’s cooking? It smells incredible!"
"Yeah, even better than a banquet!"
Outside, Lin Yu stared at his older brother, who was holding the adorable little Yaoyao, and gulped audibly. "Second brother, did Mom ever cook this well before?"
Lin Feng pried Yaoyao’s tiny hand from his ear but didn’t answer.
Lin Yu followed his gaze and saw the sister he disliked walking out with a bowl of fried dough cakes.
Instantly, a swarm of children surrounded her, calling out, "Sister!" "Pretty sister!"—each more shamelessly flattering than the last.
And then the sister he disliked smiled brightly and handed out treats.
He swallowed hard and muttered to his brother, "What a bunch of brownnosers! She’s already won over Mom and Dad, and now she’s bribing the kids. But don’t worry, big brother—I won’t call her ‘sister’ just for some food. I’ll never accept her."
Growing up, he’d never once eaten anything made by a sister—Lin Sisi never cooked. Even when it was just her and the boys at home, he and his brother were the ones who cooked.
Lin Sisi never lifted a finger.
People said she was a student, an intellectual—different from them.
Their parents always told them to yield to her, calling her their elder sister who deserved their care.
If Lin Sisi couldn’t cook, how could this city-bred young lady possibly know how?
She was probably just doing this to win everyone over.
Those kids weren’t picky, but he was different. He could tell good food from bad at a glance.
Lin Yu lifted his chin, oozing disdain.
Si Nian seemed to sense their stares and glanced over.
She noticed Yaoyao had woken up and was now being held by the older Lin Feng.
The little girl was well-behaved, not fussing at all in his arms.
Maybe because Lin Feng was close in age to her brother, she wasn’t scared.
Si Nian walked over with the fried dough cakes—small, golden-brown, and fragrant with lard.
Lin Yu’s nose twitched, and he gave them a haughty side-eye.
But one look was all it took to nearly break his resolve.
Mentally, he resisted, but his body betrayed him.
Si Nian held out the bowl. "Hungry? Want to try one?"
The moment she got closer, the rich aroma flooded his senses.
Before he knew it, his hand had already grabbed one and stuffed it into his mouth.
Oh my god—so good!
Si Nian set the bowl down in front of them, then went back to the kitchen to bring out the steamed egg custard.
Topped with just a drizzle of soy sauce, the smooth, jiggly custard made Lin Yu’s eyes widen.
Si Nian spoke gently, "Lin Feng, Lin Yu, could you help me feed Yaoyao?"
Lin Yu gulped, his mouth watering uncontrollably.
Just as he was about to stubbornly retort, "Why should I?" his brother—utterly spineless—nodded and agreed. "Sure."
He angrily stuffed two more cakes into his mouth. If he was going to lose, he might as well eat his fill!
