They left at dawn and didn’t return home until noon. When they arrived, He Qiuhua was tilling the soil in the backyard, while Yan Xingmao sat in the main hall, weaving a bamboo basket with the leftover strips his children had used the previous day.

Seeing them return, a smile spread across Yan Xingmao’s face. “Did you get everything you needed?”

“Yes, we did.” Yan Xiaoyu nodded, pulling a wood-cutting knife from his backpack. “Father, try it out. See if it feels right in your hands.”

Yan Xingmao couldn’t sit still; over the past two days, he’d already woven several small items for the household. Yan Xiaoyu knew his deep concerns—he feared becoming a burden to his family. So he not only didn’t object to his work but also tried his best to provide him with comfort. After all, a relaxed mind meant a quicker recovery.

As they spoke, He Qiuhua, drawn by the sound, came over.

The family of four gathered to count today’s purchases. He Qiuhua looked at the pile with both delight and a twinge of pain.

“How… how could you buy all this meat? Half a pound would be enough for one meal today!”

Yan Xingmao remained silent, but his face showed concern.

Yan Xiaoyu replied while tidying up, “Both you and Father are severely depleted. You need proper nourishment. Sister and I need it too—otherwise we won’t last through the summer harvest.”

Yan Xingmao and his wife hadn’t taken the first part seriously, but the latter statement silenced their objections.

“You’re right. Your grandmother said the summer harvests take a toll on your health. We should start fortifying ourselves early.” He Qiuhua grew even more anxious at the thought. “Or maybe I should still go out to the fields with you? I could come back to cook meals.”

Yan Xingmao nodded repeatedly. “Father can manage alone at home. Should we let your mother join you in the fields?”

Yan Xiaoyu hadn’t expected them to bring this up again. He watched He Qiuhua’s pleading eyes and pondered for a moment before finally agreeing.

“Then Mother will spare half an hour each morning and afternoon to help with the rice harvest. The chores at home aren’t light either—don’t push yourself too hard.”

His concern warmed He Qiuhua’s heart. She happily agreed, “Alright, that’s fine!”

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

After putting things in order, it was already afternoon.

He Qiuhua went to Aunt He’s house to receive guests, while Yan Xiaoyu headed to the kitchen to cook. Yan Xiaoyue silently went to assist him.

During the days Yan Xingmao was treating his leg at Yu’s Clinic, Yan Xiaoyu made daily trips to town. Besides tending to his father, he was also scouting the scene. He had confidence in his skills, but he needed to understand what kinds of dishes were popular in Weishi County and what the locals favored. After all, a chef must know his patrons’ tastes.

Weishi County was predominantly mountainous. Perhaps due to the heavy mountain dampness, the locals favored bold flavors, preferring dishes that were savory, fragrant, and spicy. Villagers couldn’t afford iron pots, so when cooking vegetables in clay pots, they always added a dash of chili.

Years ago, the imperial court appointed a highly skilled agricultural official. The sweet potatoes and chili peppers they ate today were all thanks to his efforts. Sweet potatoes were first trial-planted in military fields along the southwestern border. Peiyang Prefecture, being adjacent to the frontier, was among the first to receive the seeds. Chili peppers arrived later, but like the native Sichuan pepper, they quickly became immensely popular. Now, nearly every household grows them.

With all these seasonings at hand, it was a boon for the cook, Yan Xiaoyu.

Talk is cheap; today’s banquet would be the perfect test to see if his cooking suited the local palate.

Yan Xiaoyu planned eight dishes—four meat and four vegetable—including braised pork with taro, minced pork with tofu, baked perch with scallions, fish head and tofu soup, plus several seasonal side dishes. The staple would be sweet potato and millet rice.

He’d use the iron wok for stir-frying. The newly purchased clay pot and small stove would be used to steam the rice today. The original clay pot would henceforth be reserved exclusively for simmering medicinal decoctions for Yan Xingmao.

Yan Xiaoyu instructed his elder sister to wash the new clay pot thoroughly and boil a pot of water on the small stove. He himself fetched a robe to put on and began preparing the ingredients.

The summer heat called for refreshing cold dishes to stimulate the appetite. Yan Xiaoyu planned to prepare a wild amaranth and cucumber salad. Cold dishes develop more flavor when set aside for a while, so he served this as the first course.

First, he chopped yesterday’s stash of scallions, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers from the Yan household. Then she blanched the wild amaranth, smashed the cucumbers, and diced them. Placing both ingredients in a large soup bowl, she added minced garlic, shredded ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and crushed chili peppers. Pouring hot oil over the mixture, she then added vinegar and sauce, tossing everything together until well combined. The dish was complete.

The fresh fragrance of cucumber and wild amaranth mingles with the spicy kick of Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers, instantly whetting the appetite.

With the cold dishes done, it’s time for today’s main events—Garlic-Scented Baked Perch and Braised Pork with Taro.

Clean the perch thoroughly, remove the innards, and slice the flesh into even strips. Marinate with oil, salt, and seasoning. While the fish marinates, prepare the braised pork with taro.

Wash the pork belly, cut it into chunks, soak to remove blood, then drain thoroughly. Place the chunks directly on the bottom of a heated cast-iron skillet. Sear over low heat until fat renders, then flip with chopsticks until surfaces turn slightly golden brown. Maintain low heat throughout to draw out the fat while sealing in the meat juices. Add rock sugar and stir-fry briefly over low heat. Pour in soy sauce, scallion, and ginger slices. Stir-fry over high heat until caramelized, then add half a pot of hot water and a large spoonful of cooking wine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer. Add spices and chili peppers. When the pork is 50-60% cooked, add peeled taro and continue simmering.

Once the sauce has been mostly absorbed by the taro and braised pork, season with a pinch of salt and reduce the sauce before serving.

The freshly served braised pork glistened like amber, its glossy sheen trembling slightly in the bowl. A rich, savory aroma wafted up, causing Yan Xiaoyue, who was tending the stove, to stare in fascination.

Yan Xiaoyu grinned triumphantly, using a clean small bowl to scoop out a piece of braised pork and a piece of taro. “Sis, taste this for me—see if it’s salty enough.”

Yan Xiaoyue obediently took the bowl and chopsticks from his hand. She first picked up a piece of braised pork to taste. Her eyes lit up, and after eating it with a look of pure satisfaction, she eagerly tried the taro.

The Yans were among the few wealthy families in the village. Though daily meals were frugal, during festivals, Yan Xiaoyue could still enjoy a couple of pieces of meat. To her, meat always tasted delicious, yet the combined flavor of all those past meals couldn’t compare to this single piece today. Not only was the pork exquisite, but the taro that followed was just as flavorful!

She savored the last half-piece of taro on her chopsticks with particular care.

“Is it good?” Yan Xiaoyu asked, both amused and pleased. “If you like it, you can have a couple more pieces later.”

Yan Xiaoyue silently marveled at her brother’s kindness, but her mouth remained honest: “It is delicious. The chefs in the Underworld are truly skilled—they’ve taught you so well.”

“…” After a moment of speechlessness, Yan Xiaoyu straightened up and began to spin a tale. “Of course! The chef who taught me was a royal chef in the palace during his lifetime!”

With that, whenever he cooked something unusual in the future, Yan Xiaoyue and the others wouldn’t suspect a thing.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Next, Yan Xiaoyu set to work on minced pork with tofu. Yan Xiaoyue cleared the clay pot used for boiling water to steam sweet potato and corn rice.

Steaming the scallion-scented baked perch in a clay pot was ideal, but with only these two heat-resistant containers available, the fish risked developing a fishy odor if left cold. Steaming it over direct heat also risked toughening the flesh, so it was better to prepare it later.

This was the first time Yan Xiaoyu had cooked alongside Yan Xiaoyue since arriving in this world. Unexpectedly, they worked together with surprising harmony. Yan Xiaoyue sat by the stove preparing vegetables while perfectly controlling the heat to Yan Xiaoyu’s specifications.

They truly looked like siblings in arms.

The siblings worked together to finish four meat dishes. The aroma of the food filled the entire room. Yan Xingmao, weaving mats in the main hall, couldn’t help but sniff the air.

He Qiuhua returned from Aunt He’s house. Before even reaching the courtyard entrance, she caught the scent, quickening her pace.

Stepping into the kitchen, she gazed at the dishes on the stove and couldn’t help but swallow. Then, with a dazed look, she murmured, “It… smells so good. Is there anything else you need help with, Mother?”

Her brother hadn’t been bragging—he really had learned his craft in the underworld!

“No need, Mother. Just one more vegetable. We’ll stir-fry it when the guests arrive.”

Yan Xiaoyu spoke while wrapping the last bit of meat in perilla leaves picked from the path behind the house. This would keep it from spoiling.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

About half an hour later, Aunt He’s family arrived, bringing Yan Xiaoyu’s group a basket of vegetables and five eggs.

Like the Yans, Aunt He’s family also consisted of four members. Aunt He and her husband, Liu Pingshan, had a daughter and a son. The daughter, Liu Xu, was already married; the son, Liu Tiao, was just fifteen this year, one year younger than Yan Xiaoyu, and had a shy disposition.

The Liu elders were somewhat biased in their favor, but Liu Pingshan and Aunt He had stronger personalities than Yan Xingmao and his wife. They had separated their household from the two brothers early on.

Precisely because their family situation resembled that of the second branch of the Yan family, Aunt He felt particularly sympathetic toward He Qiuhua and Yan Xiaoyu, the sister and brother. She always wanted to lend them a helping hand.

But Liu Pingshan wasn’t keen on it. He looked down on Yan Xingmao’s family and, like the other villagers, thought Aunt He was getting herself into trouble by meddling in the Yans’ affairs.

That day, Aunt He took it upon herself to lend Yan Xiaoyu one hundred wen coins. The couple sulked all night over it.

Fortunately, Yan Xiaoyu repaid the silver the very next day, bringing a bag of mung bean cakes to thank Aunt He. Liu Pingshan’s anger subsided, and the couple reconciled.

Still, he felt unenthusiastic about going to Yan Xiaoyu’s house for dinner today: “Yan Xingmao’s both legs are useless now. They’ll just be sitting on their divided inheritance, eating into their savings. What good food could they possibly offer guests?“

Aunt He shot him a glare. ”You’re such a snob! Whether there’s good food today or not, it’s all about their goodwill. You’re freeloading and still picking on them?”

“Am I picking on their food? I’m worried they’ll end up in debt! If you eat their food today and they can’t feed themselves tomorrow, will your meddlesome nature just stand by and watch?”

“Stop looking down on them. I see Brother Yu has finally made something of himself. Their family’s good days are still ahead!”

“Better days? Didn’t you see what happened when Yan Xingmao returned from town? His health is a bottomless pit—no amount of silver will fill it. Why else would Yan Xingsheng insist on splitting the family? Just wait and see. Today they’ll serve us some wild greens to fool us, then beg you to support them!”

“You’re such a pessimist, always seeing the worst in people!”

Aunt He denied it outwardly, but inwardly, she felt a twinge of unease.

She’d helped He Qiuhua and her family countless times over the years. Yet He Qiuhua had only ever offered verbal thanks, occasionally lending a hand when Aunt He was overwhelmed in the fields. This was the first time she’d brought pastries and specifically invited them to dinner.

Could it be they really couldn’t make ends meet anymore and were coming to beg for help?

The couple bickered a bit, then ignored each other all the way to Yan Xiaoyu’s house. When they arrived, they both stood there dumbfounded.

Yan Xiaoyu had prepared four meat dishes and four vegetable dishes—eight courses in total—to treat them!

Xiling Village was impoverished, and households like the Yans were rare. Most villagers only got to taste meat during festivals or when honored guests visited—and even then, it was usually just a couple pieces of meat tossed into a large bowl of vegetables. Never had anyone like Yan Xiaoyu, outside of any holiday, gone to the trouble of preparing four proper meat dishes to treat fellow villagers.

Liu Pingshan was utterly perplexed. With Yan Xingmao’s legs crippled, how could his ger still be so extravagant? How were they ever going to make ends meet?