Abstinence Pei, don't be too sweet when chasing your wife

As the faint aroma of rice wafted from the temporary kitchen of the ruins, Pei Luonan was holding a pair of scissors, carefully trimming the small daisies picked from the wild - to be placed in Gu Fanxing's favorite white porcelain bowl and placed in the center of the dining table as a decoration.

He heard footsteps behind him and turned around to see Du Fei walking in with two insulated bags filled with fresh ingredients bought from the county market. There was a hint of sweat on his forehead and even his coat was slightly puffed up by the wind.

"Boss, all the ingredients are ready."

Du Fei placed the thermal bag on the workbench and opened it. Inside were ribs, tomatoes, eggs, and the fresh oranges that Ling Jiuer had been talking about for days.

"I specifically told the boss that I wanted the most tender ribs, which are essential for making sweet and sour spareribs. They're so tender and fall off the bones when stewed. I also asked him to chop them into small pieces to save me the trouble of wasting time."

Pei Luonan put down the scissors, walked to the operating table, and opened the incubator he brought with him.

Inside lay a fresh sea bass, its gills bright red and its tail occasionally moving. Next to it were emerald green broccoli, hand-peeled shrimps, and even the tender tofu that Gu Fanxing loved to eat was carefully packed in a fresh-keeping box with a layer of wet paper towel at the bottom of the box to keep it moist.

"Xingxing has been tired of sorting porcelain tiles lately, so she needs something light and nourishing. Steamed sea bass is the best choice. The ginger should be shredded as thin as hair to remove the fishy smell without making Xingxing feel spicy. The strength of the cuts should also be controlled. Too deep will damage the texture of the fish, and too shallow will make it taste bad."

The two smiled at each other and rolled up their sleeves in tacit understanding - Pei Luonan was responsible for processing the sea bass, while Du Fei began to wash the ribs.

The kitchen is not big, and the sunlight shines in through the window, falling on the busy figures of the two people. There is less formality between superiors and subordinates, and more liveliness between brothers.

"How was it when you and Jiuer watched the sunset last time?"

Pei Luonan asked casually while making even cuts on the back of the sea bass with a knife.

He had long seen through Du Fei's feelings for Ling Jiuer, and had previously secretly told Kong Haoyu that he wanted to "give" Du Fei a hand. Now that he saw him taking the initiative to prepare the ingredients, he was happy for him.

Du Fei was blanching ribs and adding ginger slices and cooking wine to the pot. When he heard this, the tips of his ears turned slightly red, but his hands did not stop moving.

"It's okay. Jiuer said she wants to watch the sunrise and pick oranges next time. I thought I'd take her there when I'm not busy on the weekend. I've already asked the orchard owner to leave a few sweet trees for us."

He paused, then added, "Boss, you've taught me well. It's true that taking the initiative is the right thing to do. Last time I brought her a mango mille-feuille, she was so happy for several days that she even told Xingxing that I 'finally got it.'"

Pei Luonan couldn't help laughing and sprinkled some shredded ginger on the fish.

"I didn't teach you anything. You took it to heart yourself. Being nice to a girl doesn't require any instruction. Remembering her preferences is better than anything else. Look at the stars. She likes light food, even tofu that's tender. Remembering these things is more effective than saying 'I love you' a hundred times."

Du Fei nodded, took out the blanched ribs, and started to prepare the sweet and sour sauce.

Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar and vinegar were poured into a bowl in proportion, and a little of Ling Jiuer's favorite tomato sauce was added. He scooped some juice with a spoon and tasted it. He felt that the vinegar taste was a bit strong, so he carefully added half a spoonful of rock sugar, stirred it evenly, and tasted it again before nodding with satisfaction.

"Jiu'er is afraid of sour food, so we have to get the right balance of sour and sweet, otherwise she won't feel comfortable eating it."

As they were talking, footsteps were heard at the kitchen door, and Gu Fanxing and Ling Jiuer walked in carrying fruits.

Ling Jiuer went to the stove and took a deep breath. "What a nice smell! Du Fei, are you making sweet and sour pork ribs? The sauce is so fragrant! It's even more delicious than the one I had in the county last time!"

Du Fei paused with the spoon in his hand, turned around and nodded with a smile.

"Yes, I know you like it, so I made it especially for you. Try it later and see if it suits your taste. If it tastes sour, I'll add some sugar for you."

Gu Fanxing walked over to Pei Luonan and looked at the sea bass with shredded ginger in his hand: "Why are you still peeling the shrimp? It takes too much time. Just let the chef in the kitchen help you."

"The chef isn't as careful as I am when peeling the shrimp. I'm afraid the shrimp thread will hurt my teeth." Pei Luonan put the peeled shrimp into a bowl and sprinkled some salt and starch to marinate. "You like stir-fried shrimp, so I have to make it myself to feel at ease."

Ling Jiuer came close to Gu Fanxing and whispered jokingly, "Xingxing, look how much President Pei cares about you. He even peels the shrimps himself. This is true love."

Gu Fanxing's cheeks turned slightly red, and he patted her gently, but couldn't help laughing.

Soon, the dishes were served one by one - the steamed sea bass lay on the white porcelain plate, tender and juicy.

The stir-fried shrimps are emerald green and each shrimp is plump and chewy.

The sweet and sour pork ribs are coated in a bright red sauce, exuding a sweet and sour aroma.

The scrambled eggs with tomatoes are bright in color and the eggs are fluffy; there is also a tender tofu soup with chopped green onions floating in it. The tofu is so tender that it melts in your mouth, and it is light and warms the stomach.

The four of them sat around the dining table. Pei Luonan picked up his water glass and said with a smile, "Today is a 'cooking competition' between Du Fei and me. I mainly want to make something that Xingxing and Jiuer will like to eat. Winning or losing is not important, as long as you enjoy your meal."

Ling Jiuer picked up her chopsticks, picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs, took a bite, and her eyes lit up instantly: "Delicious! The sweet and sour taste is just right, and the ribs are stewed until they are soft and fall off the bones in one sip. Du Fei, your cooking skills are amazing! It tastes better than my mom's!"

Du Fei looked at her smiling face, feeling warm in his heart. He picked up another piece for her and said, "If you like it, eat more. There's more in the pot. If it's not enough, I'll serve you more."

Gu Fanxing took a bite of the sea bass. The meat was tender and fresh, without any fishy smell. She looked at Pei Luonan with a smile.

"You even chopped the ginger so finely, worried that I would eat it too spicy. You're so considerate. This fish is steamed just right. It's even better than the one I had in the county last time."

Pei Luonan served her a bowl of tofu soup: "As long as you like it, I will make it for you every day if you want to eat it in the future."

At the dinner table, Ling Jiuer talked about her plan to pick oranges next time, saying that she wanted to pick more and share them with her teammates.

Du Fei listened carefully and occasionally added, "There are carts in the orchard, so you don't have to carry them yourself."

Gu Fanxing talked to Pei Luonan about the Song Dynasty porcelain pieces that he would sort out tomorrow, saying that there was a piece with particularly rare patterns. Pei Luonan nodded from time to time and said, "I contacted a friend who is in the cultural relics restoration business and asked him to help find the information, which will be sent to me tomorrow."

The sunlight shines through the window and falls on the daisies. The dew on the petals reflects the light. The aroma of food mixed with laughter is full of the warm atmosphere of fireworks.

After finishing the meal, Du Fei cleaned up the dishes. Ling Jiuer wanted to help, but he smiled and refused: "Just sit down and rest, I'll do it. You're full, sit down and digest it, don't get tired."

Pei Luonan sat with Gu Fanxing in the yard, took out a peeled orange from his pocket, and fed her the slices one by one, not forgetting to ask, "Is it sweet? If not, I'll buy another one."

Seeing this scene, Du Fei couldn't help but whisper to Ling Jiuer, "I have to learn how to pamper my wife like this, Boss. I will peel oranges for you every day in the future."

Ling Jiuer smiled and nodded, her eyes full of sparkling light - she felt that Du Fei's slowness to warm up and his seriousness were more touching than any sweet words.

As the sun sets, the four of them stand at the kitchen door and say goodbye.

Ling Jiuer took Gu Fanxing's hand and said she wanted to go to the tent to share the freshly washed fruits.

Pei Luonan patted Du Fei on the shoulder and said, "Not bad, keep it up, you'll be able to become a regular employee soon."

Du Fei smiled and nodded, his eyes full of determination - he knew that as long as he moved her with his sincerity and actions, he would soon be able to end the "trial period" and become her real boyfriend.

The kitchen light was still on, the dishes on the worktop had been cleared away, and the air was still filled with the aroma of food and the faint scent of daisies.

This "cooking competition" with no winner or loser ended with a table full of joy. Pei Luonan and Du Fei both understood that what conquered the girl of their dreams was never superb cooking skills, but the full love and care hidden in every knife and every spoon.