Fu Qianqian immediately raised her voice, "This is for the kids, don’t get the wrong idea! It’s not for you—we’re not even close!"
Si Nian: "......" Well, she hadn’t said anything at all.
Fu Qianqian glanced around, her eyes flickering with a hint of envy. "You’re really something, Si Nian. Even in this backwater place, you manage to strike gold."
Then she suddenly shook her head—she had just seen the three children following Si Nian. The oldest one had to be at least ten!
She’d heard rumors before—that the man was much older and ran a pig farm.
Fu Qianqian’s mind instantly conjured up an image of a greasy, pot-bellied, balding man with yellowed teeth!
The thought alone made her stomach churn.
In this day and age, men with that kind of wealth were never young. Sure, owning a house like this was impressive, but was it worth sacrificing a lifetime of happiness?
She swallowed hard. "Si Nian, what does the man look like?"
Si Nian’s beauty was something even Fu Qianqian and all the girls their age in the military compound had to admit defeat to. No matter how rich the man was, how could she possibly lower her standards?
Otherwise, why would Lin Sisi have been so desperate to back out of the marriage?
"He’s fine," Si Nian replied, thinking of Zhou Yueshen’s sharp, coldly handsome features. If not for his intimidating aura and piercing gaze, he’d probably be the type many women in this era would swoon over.
Frankly, he was exactly her type.
Unfortunately, Fu Qianqian, still convinced Si Nian had married some old man, completely missed the modesty in her words. Hearing Si Nian say "fine," she assumed it was just a polite way of saying he was hideous.
She was speechless.
"Oh my god! How could you be so stupid? Sure, my brother’s a bit full of himself, but at least he’s good-looking! You could’ve fought Lin Sisi for him! But instead, you settled for some old man? My brother’s vanity would’ve been easier to stomach!" She practically seethed with frustration.
She’d thought Si Nian had married into wealth, but now it seemed she’d married the wealthy family’s patriarch!
Aside from money, what else could Si Nian possibly see in him?
Fu Qianqian stared at Si Nian’s stunning, flawless face, her heart aching with secondhand regret.
Since when had Si Nian been into such questionable tastes?!
Nearby, the two older boys shot Fu Qianqian wary, displeased looks.
They weren’t stupid. Even though they didn’t know this woman, her tone made it clear she was looking down on their dad.
And now she was praising her own brother? She must be trying to steal their mom away!
Their dad was the best dad in the world—what was wrong with him?!
"Whatever, forget it. I’m starving—got anything to eat?"
Fu Qianqian wasn’t one to stand on ceremony. She’d taken her rare day off to come all this way and warn Si Nian out of the goodness of her heart. A free meal was the least she deserved.
Back in the day, Si Nian had loved cooking, often making soups for her older brother—though most of it ended up in Fu Qianqian’s stomach. She’d never had the heart to tell Si Nian, though.
Didn’t want to crush her spirits.
Fu Qianqian sighed. She really was too kind.
Si Nian was also feeling peckish and nodded. "I’ll make you some noodles. We still have some bone broth left."
Her family loved her handmade noodles, so she often prepared extra to keep on hand.
On days when cooking felt like too much effort, they could just boil some up.
Today, she’d also foraged some wild mushrooms. After tucking the pitiful little white rabbits into a cardboard box with some grass, she set the mother rabbit aside, planning to let Zhou Yueshen handle it when he got back.
She knew how to cook them, but skinning and cleaning them was too much hassle.
Back in her old life, she’d always bought pre-processed meat from the supermarket.
She stoked the fire, letting the already-rich pork bone broth simmer gently. The deep, creamy color alone was proof of its nourishing quality.
After washing the mushrooms, she tossed them in and cranked up the heat.
These were common, safe varieties—as long as they were boiled thoroughly, there’d be no risk.
Plus, they added incredible umami.
The flames licked at the pot’s base as the milky broth bubbled, its savory aroma quickly filling the kitchen.
Si Nian had prepped the noodles earlier. Now, she chopped some scallions and cilantro.
Once the mushrooms were fully cooked, she fished out the bones and dropped the noodles into the broth.
Soon, a generous pot of pork bone noodles was ready, garnished with fresh greens.
The rich, meaty fragrance permeated the entire house.
Fu Qianqian had arrived early that morning and, being on a diet, hadn’t eaten anything.
She’d already been hungry, but now, the intoxicating smell made her stomach growl loudly. She couldn’t help but swallow hard.
She hadn’t been that hungry before, but the aroma was so irresistible it felt like her stomach was pressing against her spine.
Si Nian brought out a bowl and set it before her. "Eat up."
Then she called the two boys to help themselves in the kitchen.
Obediently, they trotted off to serve their own portions.
Fu Qianqian could tell just by looking that the noodles would be good—Si Nian had always been decent at cooking.
But the moment she took her first slurp, her eyes widened.
This—this was amazing!
Si Nian, meanwhile, was packing a lunchbox to take to Zhou Yueshen.
The farm wasn’t far—a quick walk would get her there in minutes.
Any longer, and the noodles would turn soggy.
She also added some pickled radish strips for extra flavor.
The moment she opened the container, Fu Qianqian—mid-slurp—paused and zeroed in on it.
"What’s that?"
Si Nian blinked. "Homemade pickled radish. Want to try some?"
Fu Qianqian nodded eagerly.
The radish looked crisp and tangy—perfect for cutting through the richness of the broth!
Si Nian gave her a small portion before saying, "I’m heading out for a bit. If you want more noodles, help yourself to the pot. Once you’re done, you can leave if you’ve got nothing else."
Fu Qianqian huffed through a mouthful of noodles. As if she wanted to stay!
She’d be out the door the second she finished this bowl!
But the moment the radish touched her tongue, all annoyance vanished.
So—so good!
Unbelievably good!
Since when had Si Nian’s cooking gotten this incredible?! She shoveled in more noodles, savoring the rich broth that flooded her senses.
The mushrooms were far better than anything in the city—each bite burst with savory juices, tender and succulent!
Paired with the spicy-sour radish, it was pure bliss!
She considered going for seconds, but when she stepped into the kitchen, two pairs of little eyes glared at her.
Fu Qianqian: "......"
Her hand froze mid-reach for the ladle.
Why were these kids’ stares so terrifying? qWq
Si Nian was living a hard life here!
(Author’s note: So stuck lately... even 4k words feels like pulling teeth.)
