Chapter 177: The Benevolent Xu Yuexin, Warm Heavenly Mother

"You're worried about my investment, aren't you?"

Xu Yuexin kept selecting the vegetables, not even lifting his head as he spoke.

"It's not that I'm worried; it's just that the amount is huge."

"Don't worry, I have my own plan."

Xu Yuexin tossed the vegetable leaves he had picked into the basin, then calmly looked at Da Yizi and said, "Next time you still have to go to Xiangjiang with me."

"Oh."

Da Yizi gave Xu Yuexin a once‑over, speaking in a neutral tone.

She felt that Xu Yuexin's arrangement wasn't sincere.

In a short while, Xu Yuexin and Da Yizi finished selecting the vegetables, and the daughter‑in‑law and Aunt Shen also skewered all the meat.

Now only Heavenly Mother was still preparing the hot‑pot base.

Xu Yuexin lit a stove in the courtyard to let the daughter‑in‑law and Aunt Shen grill meat, then returned to the kitchen to help Heavenly Mother prepare the hot‑pot base.

Preparing the hot‑pot base entirely by hand is somewhat difficult; Heavenly Mother had only ever watched others do it and had never actually made it herself.

Seeing her hand soaking in the bright red, spicy pot, Xu Yuexin opened the cupboard and took out a pair of rubber gloves, handing them to her.

"Put them on, or you'll hurt your hand."

"Mm…"

Heavenly Mother hurried to the faucet, washed the burnt chili oil off her hand, and put on the gloves.

While Heavenly Mother was putting on the gloves, Xu Yuexin pinched her fair, tender cheek.

Heavenly Mother flushed and quickly slapped his hand away.

"Someone's outside."

"What are you doing?"

She looked at Xu Yuexin with displeasure and said.

"No one saw it."

Xu Yuexin chuckled, replying nonchalantly.

After speaking, Xu Yuexin fetched a pair of rubber gloves for himself and helped Heavenly Mother make the base.

But in his mind, he kept replaying the scene of pinching Heavenly Mother's cheek.

Honestly, the embarrassed and frightened look Heavenly Mother gave just now was rather lingering.

After a while of busy work, Xu Yuexin dipped a finger into the broth and tasted it.

"Mmm… it's flavorful."

Having tasted it, Xu Yuexin said.

With his help, the hot‑pot base was finally declared finished.

Then Xu Yuexin lifted the heavy hot‑pot and carried it to the dining hall.

Guogong Mansion Main Hall has two dining rooms: one that merges with the living room, larger in size, suitable for meals when guests arrive.

The other is a small dining room, suitable for the family to eat together daily.

Today they ate in the large dining room, and Chen Qiaoqiao had already set up the gas stove on the table.

Xu Yuexin placed the hot‑pot onto the gas stove, and at that moment Chen Qiaoqiao patted his shoulder: "Move the stove over here."

"I can't move it."

"Alright then."

After saying that, Xu Yuexin walked into the courtyard, easily lifted the stove into the dining room, and set it beside the table.

Heavenly Mother, Chen Yixue, and Shen Qingru had already arranged the sliced beef and lamb and the cleaned vegetables, waiting for the hot‑pot to heat up and start eating.

"Try the grilled ones first."

At that moment, Chen Qiaoqiao brought the grilled beef and lamb skewers to the table, giving each person two skewers.

Xu Yuexin picked up a skewer and saw the lamb on top browned to a golden hue, a small amount of fat emitting an enticing aroma that whetted the appetite.

Xu Yuexin took a bite…

"Mmm, delicious—crispy outside, tender inside, the meat's fragrance is rich; after one bite I want another."

One bite after another, Xu Yuexin quickly devoured all the grilled skewers.

"Like this much? I'll give you mine."

The daughter‑in‑law, seeing how much Xu Yuexin liked the skewers, handed him an untouched beef skewer and said.

"No need, I'll grill it myself."

As the first to finish, Xu Yuexin took on the duty of grilling skewers and adding them to the hot‑pot for everyone.

He dropped a dozen or so pieces of beef and lamb into the pot, added some lotus root slices and asparagus that Heavenly Mother had brought, then took the plate of skewers to the stove, placed all the skewers on it, and stood by the stove to watch.

The stove flame grew stronger, and lively sparks leapt from the honeycomb coal holes.

Soon the lamb and beef skewers were scented by the flame. Xu Yuexin waited nearby, and when he judged one side was sufficiently cooked, he flipped the skewers.

Come to think of it, Xu Yuexin's skewer‑grilling skill was forged back when he was sent to the countryside.

To get meat, he and the other male Educated Youth often caught snow frogs at the foot of the mountain, peeled them on the spot, sprinkled a bit of salt, and roasted them over fire—the taste was incredibly fresh.

Through repeated practice, Xu Yuexin's barbecue technique kept improving, up to today.

Soon a batch of fragrant skewers came out of the fire, and Xu Yuexin gave three skewers each to Heavenly Mother, the daughter‑in‑law, Da Yizi, and Aunt Shen, keeping three for himself.

"So fragrant."

Heavenly Mother tasted a small bite and raved, "Perfectly grilled."

"Better than what I make."

The daughter‑in‑law laughed, "Why not set up a stall to sell skewers?"

"Alright, you be the boss lady."

Xu Yuexin said.

"It's a promise."

The daughter‑in‑law smiled sweetly, and picked two slices of beef and mutton, two slices of lotus root, and some asparagus from the hot pot for Xu Yuexin, placing them in a bowl before him.

"The asparagus is really delicious."

"You try it."

"It's tasty."

After eating a piece of asparagus, Xu Yuexin nodded, turned to Heavenly Mother, and said, "Next time you come from Wuhan, bring some more with you."

"Alright, next time I'll bring two bags."

Heavenly Mother smiled and agreed.

"It's snowing."

Chen Qiaoqiao pointed outside the window and said.

Xu Yuexin and the others looked out the window and saw the sky already drifting down feather‑like snowflakes.

These days Jingcheng is colder than in later eras, and the first snow arrives a bit earlier.

Before long, a layer of snow had piled on the courtyard ground, the north wind blew in gusts, and the sky grew dark.

Xu Yuexin stood up, turned on the lights, bathing the interior in a warm, bright yellow.

The stove fire beside the table flickered, the hot pot made a bubbling "pulu pulu" sound, and white steam rose.

Xu Yuexin and Chen Qiaoqiao stood up in turn; one brought a dipping oil sauce for everyone, the other fetched noodles to serve as the staple.

Dish after dish was tossed into the hot pot, its cooking releasing a mouthwatering aroma.

Against the backdrop of heavy snow outside, the scene felt very warm and cozy.

Moved by the scene, Heavenly Mother's heart became warm and fuzzy.

"So warm."

Heavenly Mother couldn't help but sigh.

Heavenly Mother left home at age eleven to study dance, and today marks exactly eleven years.

And today is the warmest moment of those eleven years.

Unconsciously, tears glistened at the corners of Heavenly Mother's eyes.

Xu Yuexin was the first to notice Heavenly Mother's change.

"All right, why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying."

Heavenly Mother quickly laughed, shook her head and said, "I'm happy."

"Being with you all is truly wonderful."

"Hmm, from now on just stay here with us."

Chen Qiaoqiao was the first to say, "The conditions are definitely far better than renting a place outside."

"Alright, I'll pay five yuan a month in rent."

"We're all friends,"

Xu Yuexin waved his hand to refuse, "Mentioning rent would be too formal."

"Right, let's eat the dishes."

After speaking, Chen Qiaoqiao picked a slice of beef for Heavenly Mother.

Heavenly Mother said thank you, lifted the bowl and took the beef.

At that moment, a mix of five flavors swirled in her heart.

(End of chapter)