Chapter 54: Solitude

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I’ve seen people rolling dough, making dumpling wrappers, even rolling meat... but this is truly a first for a young lady taking a bridal sedan chair.

“Eh? You’re not asleep?” Shao Diandian glanced up casually and saw Wei Ting standing frozen at the doorway.

Wei Ting subtly composed himself and, leaning on his cane, stepped inside. “I’m a bit hungry.”

“Oh,” Shao Diandian replied without suspicion. “You came just in time—help me add some firewood.”

She thought, given his usual personality, he would disdainfully refuse, yet unexpectedly he quietly sat down on the small stool by the stove.

He set aside his cane and reached behind himself for dry twigs, placing them one by one into the firebox.

Shao Diandian raised her eyebrows in surprise. “You’re so obedient tonight.”

“Is there food?” Wei Ting asked.

Shao Diandian continued rolling out the minced meat. “There is, but you’ll have to wait a bit—I haven’t finished.”

Wei Ting began a long wait.

Shao Diandian flattened slices of cooked lean meat, then shredded them into tiny pieces.

Wei Ting watched her peculiarly.

Not only did she possess medical skills unheard of to him, but she often concocted dishes and snacks he’d never tasted.

This must be another new creation—though what it tastes like, he had no idea.

Usually, he just ate; this was the first time he seriously watched her cook.

She looked earnest, but her demeanor was different from the seriousness she had when practicing medicine.

“Do you really like cooking?”

“Because it’s very relaxing.”

What kind of answer was that?

Indeed, this woman often said things he didn’t understand.

Shao Diandian tossed the shredded meat into the pan, added salt, sugar, and a bit of soy sauce, stirring until fluffy, then plated it.

“Try some.”

She handed the dish to Wei Ting.

“Chopsticks,” Wei Ting said.

“How fancy!” Shao Diandian scoffed, turned, and pulled out a clean pair from the cabinet for him.

Wei Ting picked up a small pinch of the meat floss and slowly tasted it.

“How is it?” Shao Diandian asked.

He chewed carefully—salty with a hint of sweetness, a slightly grainy texture, not greasy but not dry. He couldn’t quite describe it, but the flavor was refreshing and unique.

He couldn’t help but take another bite; it grew more fragrant the more he chewed.

“What is this?” he asked.

“Meat floss!” Shao Diandian smiled. “Well? Not bad, right?”

“Not bad,” Wei Ting said coolly.

Anticipating his cold response, Shao Diandian was used to it and snorted, carrying a large plate of meat floss back.

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Wei Ting’s chopsticks missed their mark.

Holding the plate, Shao Diandian raised an eyebrow at him. “Say it’s delicious, and I’ll give it all to you!”

Wei Ting expressionlessly said, “Childish.”

“Hmph!” Shao Diandian tossed her head proudly, set down the meat floss, and brought out a bowl of chestnut filling.

This chestnut paste was made earlier by Little Wu’s family while they were sheltering here—finely mashed and delicate.

Most importantly, Little Wu’s family worked very cleanly, meeting Shao Diandian’s slight germophobia standards.

She was quite fond of this employee.

Shao Diandian pan-fried a chestnut meat floss cake and urged Wei Ting to taste it.

“How is it?” she asked.

“Maybe a bit too salty; I can’t taste the chestnut,” Wei Ting said.

“Then I’ll use less meat floss.” She made another one.

“Too sweet,” Wei Ting said.

“Too much sugar.” She reduced the sugar and chestnut, then presented a third cake. “How about this one?”

Wei Ting tasted carefully and said, “The filling is just right, but the crust is a little hard.”

Shao Diandian thought for a moment. “The heat was too high... use less firewood.”

Next, she made fillings with salted egg yolk and meat floss, honey dates and meat floss, red bean and green bean with meat floss.

Wei Ting ate until he was utterly full.

Did this woman have no end? When would she stop?

“Which one’s the best?” Shao Diandian asked, her flour-dusted face like a small kitten’s, looking at him.

Wei Ting’s own face was equally smudged with stove soot—though he didn’t seem to notice.

“About the same,” he said.

“Which do you think Er Dan would like best?” Shao Diandian asked again.

Wei Ting was surprised. “You made these for Er Dan?”

After fiddling for half the night, it was all for Shao Er Dan?

Perhaps because it was late and quiet, people’s emotional defenses weaken in tight spaces. Shao Diandian confided in Wei Ting about selling the recipe.

“My mother... when I was very young, she gave away the gift that belonged to me to one of her clients. To do business, she used my things to please them. I was very upset.”

Wei Ting said, “The recipe is yours; you’re selling your own property.”

Shao Diandian replied, “It’s the same.”

She hadn’t realized how much selling the recipe to Er Dan would hurt. To her, it was just a few recipes—she had many more in her mind. Selling the old ones meant new ones could be created.

Probably back then, her mother thought the same—just a small gift, they could always earn money later to buy her another, maybe even better.

“Are you making so many snacks just to cheer Er Dan up?”

Shao Diandian nodded, sitting on the small stool beside him, murmuring, “...It really does hurt for a long time.”

The firelight reflected in her melancholy eyes gave her a lonely appearance.

Wei Ting turned to look at her.

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At that moment, he suddenly felt she was a little pitiable.

Yes... a chubby little pity.

Shao Diandian continued cooking, determined to create a unique flavor, while Wei Ting loyally accompanied her.

They took turns tasting until they were stuffed.

In the early hours, she finally finished and sat beside Wei Ting to rest.

Her plump body soon succumbed to drowsiness; her head tilted, leaning against Wei Ting’s shoulder as she fell asleep.

Wei Ting frowned and lifted a slender, jade-like finger to nudge her head away.

Her head swung and leaned back again.

He nudged once more; she leaned again.

After several repetitions, her head didn’t move; his shoulder began to ache.

Wei Ting exhaled long and coldly said, “Hey, Shao Dayu, wake up.”

Shao Diandian was fast asleep.

“Shao Dayu.”

“It’s dawn—time to do business.”

No matter how Wei Ting called her, all he received in response was her steady breathing.

Finally the moment had come.

Wei Ting looked indifferently at Shao Diandian resting against his shoulder and reached to untie the pouch at her waist.

He didn’t find the token inside.

“Strange, where did I put it?”

He searched her sleeves—still nothing.

Could it be tucked in her bosom?

Wei Ting’s gaze flicked to her gently rising chest; he frowned and looked away, a bit embarrassed recalling the time she was suffocated.

But finding the token was important.

He gritted his teeth and slid his hand inside her cotton jacket.

Shao Diandian suddenly opened her eyes, staring blankly at Wei Ting, then at the hand inside her clothes.

“Are you touching me?”

Wei Ting’s eyelashes trembled. Seeing her clearly still half-asleep, he calmly said, “No, you’re just dreaming.”

Still groggy, Shao Diandian murmured, “Dreaming, huh...”

Then she tried to touch back.

In a flash, Shao Diandian yanked his waistband!

Wei Ting: “!!!”