A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

He Jinglan looked at Gu Xixi, paused for a moment, and then picked up the small bowl that was placed beside her.

"Drink honey water to help you sober up, sweetie, while it's hot."

Gu Xixi gulped down her water. "I'm serious, I'm going to grow grapes, sooner or later!"

"Mmm, it's just grapes, let's plant them!" He Jinglan smiled, her expression exactly like when she was petting Xiaohua.

After drinking a bowl of honey water, Gu Xixi felt much better.

But then, the most practical problems need to be faced.

What to eat for breakfast?

Gu Xixi is neither good at nor fond of cooking, but people are not crops in the field, which can be satisfied by absorbing fertilizer and water and basking in the sun.

Especially since there is physical work to be done next, the two of them not only need to eat their fill, but also need to find ways to ensure a balanced diet.

Thinking of this, Gu Xixi cheered herself up, put on her clothes and got out of bed. "Let's go to the kitchen and see what we can make to eat."

He Jinglan followed excitedly, "I woke up earlier than you, and I've been hungry for ages."

"Hey, the hot pot you cooked last night was pretty good. How about we have this instead? It's easy to make."

Gu Xixi said, "No matter how delicious it is, you'll get tired of it after eating it twice in a row."

"Besides, I only know how to cook a handful of dishes. If we get tired of them too soon, we'll have one less option in the future. It's better to switch things up."

Last night, the light was dim and they didn't look closely, but today the two of them found several more ingredients in the kitchen.

We finished most of the fresh vegetables last night, and the delivery person hasn't come today.

There was only one whole winter melon, two slightly wilted and wrinkled green eggplants, and a small bag of dried shrimp found in the corner of the cupboard.

He Jinglan looked at the winter melon in the basin, her face full of worry, "Sigh, winter melon..."

Gu Xixi asked, "Don't you eat winter melon?"

He Jinglan shook her head, "I don't have any dietary restrictions, but winter melon is very bland and watery, so I don't really like it."

Gu Xixi thought for a moment and said, "If it's just that you don't like its bland taste and texture, then that's easy to handle."

She scooped up a bowl of golden millet, rolled up her sleeves, and began to rinse it, saying as she did so:

"We can't go without vegetables. Winter melon is good for reducing internal heat and promoting urination, so it's actually the most suitable food to eat in the hot summer."

"I'll cook some savory porridge. You can try it later. If you like it, then eat it. If you don't, don't force yourself."

"I'll make you two egg pancakes, it's just something I can do on the side."

A small plate of steamed eggplant, cooled after cooking, is drizzled with a sauce made from a mixture of shallots and green garlic, making it tangy, spicy, and appetizing.

Winter melon, dried shrimp, and millet porridge: chopped winter melon is simmered over low heat until it becomes translucent and blends with the millet porridge. The salty and savory flavor of the dried shrimp adds the perfect finishing touch.

He Jinglan's eyes widened as soon as she took a bite.

"It's delicious! I never expected the umami flavor of dried shrimp to go so well with winter melon! The taste is not bland at all, yet it doesn't overpower the refreshing sweetness of the winter melon itself."

"I like eating winter melon like this!"

In summer, people often lose their appetite, but this porridge and dish were surprisingly delicious.

The two girls scraped the bottom of the pot clean in the end.

He Jinglan leaned back in her chair and sighed contentedly, "She says she's not good at cooking, but she always manages to make such delicious food."

"Xixi, what other surprises do you have that I don't know about?"

Gu Xixi chuckled and shook her head. "Do you know the saying, 'forcing a duck onto a shelf'?"

"Besides, I only knew how to cook a few things before: boiling vegetables, like the pot you ate last night. I also cooked porridge, baked buns, and boiled eggs."

"I learned how to make egg pancakes from the women in this village."

Before transmigrating into the book, she mainly ordered takeout when she was resting at home, but she would occasionally get tired of it.

Using hot pot ingredients to cook vegetables and meat, or using an electric cooker to cook a simple porridge after get off work, is the best choice.

Unfortunately, this is ancient times, so there are no hot pot ingredients of various flavors, nor convenient electric cookers...

After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, He Jinglan resolutely forbade Gu Xixi from taking any more action.

"You cooked the meal, so I'll wash the dishes and clean the pots."

In Huachidu Village, He Jinglan often washed vegetables and dishes with Shi Tou, and even learned how to start a fire.

So Gu Xixi didn't stand on ceremony with her and said with a smile, "It's fine if you work for me for a while, but when we get back to the He family in the capital, don't get into the habit of taking over the work of the maids and servants."

He Jinglan pouted, "What, are you afraid my brother will think you're abusing me?"

Gu Xixi nodded, "Of course, I'm counting on you and your brother to achieve great things in the future. As your good sister, I can benefit from it to some extent. It's always good to have someone to rely on when we leave the Northwest."

He Jinglan was amused and couldn't stop laughing, "You!"

"However, if you want to leave the Northwest and do anything important outside, you'll have to take me with you."

"Don't forget you promised me you'd hire me and let me make money here."

Gu Xixi nodded, "As long as you don't get dragged back to get married."

"Your handwriting is so good, you can write contracts, and you can do accounting and bookkeeping. You're a ready-made accountant, so why not use you?"

He Jinglan was envisioning the future and was happy for a while before she said seriously, "In that case, it's not enough to just get a little benefit from it. When I see my brother, I must ask him to protect us."

He Jinglan patted Gu Xixi on the shoulder, her expression as solemn as if they were sworn brothers.

"Xixi, my future wealth depends on you."

Gu Xixi sighed helplessly, "The dowry the He family prepared for you is enough for other people to spend for several lifetimes."

He Jinglan's eyes lit up. "You've reminded me! I'll think of a way to get these dowries in advance! Then I'll have the capital to open shops, buy estates, or buy land!"

Gu Xixi broke out in a cold sweat.

"Mr. Gu? Is Mr. Gu back?"

Upon hearing Aunt Lin's voice, Gu Xixi and He Jinglan exchanged a joyful glance.

Gu Xixi quickly got up and walked out, replying, "It's me."

"I just ate breakfast this morning and haven't had a chance to go home to see you yet."

Aunt Lin held Gu Xixi's hands tightly, looking her up and down excitedly. "She seems to have lost some weight, but her eyes are still bright and sparkling, and just looking at them gives you energy."

After a long time apart, Gu Xixi was also very happy to see him again. "How have you been lately? How is everyone in the village?"

Aunt Lin nodded repeatedly, "All is well, all is well."

“After you go home, we will continue to manage the oat fields as you taught us. The oats have turned yellow recently, and the ears feel firm to the touch, so they should be ready for harvest.”

"I was wondering yesterday how to let you know that communication has been so difficult lately, and I never expected you to come!"

He Jinglan washed her hands, then came out and said with a smile, "This is what happens when you wish for something to come true."

"It's been a long time, how are you, Aunt Lin?"

Aunt Lin was overjoyed, "Miss He is back too?"

Gu Xixi said, "She hasn't gone back; she's been staying at my house recently."

She glanced at the sun above and said, "I'll go check on the oat fields that each family in our village has been allocated."

The land reclaimed by the Northwest Army is the main focus of this trip; before that, we can take a look at the land in the nearby dependents' village.

Aunt Lin said, "No rush, you two come with me to the wedding feast first!"

"A wedding banquet?" Gu Xixi and He Jinglan were both surprised.