Ruling the Historical Romance Novel as the Female Supporting Character-Chapter 286: The Enviable Young Couple

That old woman wasn’t stupid and clueless. On the contrary, she was very clear-headed and had dared to cause trouble in the team for many years because of it. To be blunt, she was deliberately tormenting Fang Xuewei now.

But she should consider how badly she had offended Commander Qin and Comrade Su. If not, would there have been so many disturbances at yesterday’s banquet? They were ruthless and had no reservations at all.

If she wanted to gain any advantage from them, it would only happen if they were in the wrong.

"Fine! You actually want to divorce my son? At your age, who would even want you?" Niu Fanghua fumed, reaching out to scratch at Fang Xuewei, only for Fang Xuewei to catch her hand firmly.

"And why shouldn’t I consider divorce? So what if no one else wants me? I have a steady job in the city. There’s no way I’m going back to the countryside to farm. I could just rely on my salary and live just fine on my own." Fang Xuewei’s gaze was cold and determined, showing no sign of backing down, which made Niu Fanghua pause momentarily.

Hmph! Niu Fanghua sneered inwardly. She would wait for her son to return and tell him how this woman was restless and unfaithful, pushing for divorce. She’d convince him to find a new wife--someone who could actually bear a son for the Mi family. She wouldn’t let this woman lead their family to a dead end!

"If you won’t let me get the food, then you go! I must have it today," Niu Fanghua shoved the soup bowl into Fang Xuewei’s arms.

Fang Xuewei was exasperated. "Mom, if you’re going to beg for food from someone else, do you expect me to take such a big bowl? Are you trying to get me kicked out with a broom?"

She grumbled and, disregarding Niu Fanghua’s attitude, took a rice bowl from the cupboard, went back to unlock the room, and took ten eggs from the dresser before leaving satisfied.

"Ah, you wasteful woman! Just for that tiny bowl, you took ten of my eggs? Are you sure you’re even part of this family?" Niu Fanghua clutched her thigh, wailing dramatically.

Fang Xuewei turned back and glared at her. "If you want some, then be quiet!"

Niu Fanghua wanted to refuse out of spite, but the aroma in the air was too tempting; she couldn’t help but keep swallowing hungrily. Seeing that her mother-in-law finally fell silent, Fang Xuewei stepped outside smoothly with her offering.

Ten eggs for such a small bowl of food wasn’t exactly a bargain, but given how her mother-in-law had offended the neighbors, she had no choice but to find a roundabout way to make amends with Commander Qin and his wife. She couldn’t just watch as her husband, after all these years, got pushed into retirement thanks to her troublesome mother-in-law.

Standing outside the bamboo fence, she called out a few times.

When Su Yijia came out, she greeted her with a friendly smile. "Comrade Su, what are you cooking? It smells so good! Could I trade for a bit? I brought ten eggs and just need a bowlful."

She lifted the eggs as she spoke.

"It’s just hotpot base, but it can also be used to stir-fry spicy dishes. It depends on whether you can handle the spiciness," Su Yijia replied, opening the gate without taking the eggs.

"We can handle it; our family loves spicy food. But you two really know how to live, unlike me. Besides roasting meat and fish, I can’t think of anything else delicious to make. I need to learn from you to cook more tasty dishes in the future," Fang Xuewei said, her tone growing warmer.

Su Yijia didn’t respond but led her into the kitchen. Seeing Qin Kaize slicing lamb leg in the kitchen, Fang Xuewei secretly admired them. She had thought Commander Qin was cooking to avoid tiring his newlywed wife, but it seemed cooking was a regular thing for him.

Even though Fang Xuewei and Mi Hongwei had a good relationship for nearly twenty years, and her husband had always stood by her, he wasn’t as meticulous about household chores as Commander Qin.

Noticing Fang Xuewei’s gaze, Qin Kaize straightened up and nodded slightly in greeting.

"Qin, you really care for your wife. Does that mean you do all the household chores?" Fang Xuewei teased with a smile.

Qin Kaize didn’t feel embarrassed at all. On the contrary, he said seriously, "Yes, Jiajia is young and doesn’t take care of herself well. Since I’m six years older, it’s natural for me to take care of her."

What was meant as a joke made Fang Xuewei’s heart ache. But seeing their harmonious interaction, she felt genuinely happy for the young couple.

"Auntie Fang, are you planning to make hotpot or stir-fry? I still have enough hotpot base, but if you’re using it for stir-frying, you won’t need so much. It might go bad if left out in this hot weather," Su Yijia asked, taking the bowl from her.

Fang Xuewei glanced at the time and thought there was still enough time to buy ingredients from the supply and marketing cooperative. She smiled, "I’ll take it then."

Su Yijia took a large soup bowl from the cupboard and filled it with the extra hotpot base. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Thank you." Fang Xuewei quickly handed over the eggs and took the large bowl. She dipped her finger into the mixture and was delighted by the rich, spicy flavor.

"Miss Su, how do you cook this? It’s incredibly delicious!" Fang Xuewei praised, unable to hide her admiration.

She wasn’t exaggerating. She had never tasted such a wonderful flavor before.

"I used two bowls of lard, half a bowl of oyster sauce, three spoons of fish sauce, half a bottle of sesame oil, chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves, grass fruit, star anise, galangal, angelica, fennel, dried tangerine peel, cinnamon bark, and rock candy... and then stir-fried it all," Su Yijia shared the recipe openly.

Fang Xuewei was overwhelmed by the list of ingredients, and couldn’t remember most of them. The quantity of the first three types of oil alone was enough to make her hesitant.

She wondered how such delicious food was made. It must be a result of spending money.

Only a couple without children and with money would afford such indulgence.

"What’s fish sauce?" Fang Xuewei asked, curious about the new seasoning.

"It’s a fermented product made from anchovies salted for a year and sun-dried," Su Yijia explained without worrying about any concerns regarding the fish sauce.

Besides Qin Kaize, no one knew if she had ever made it before.

"Comrade Su, you’ve really put in the effort to make this," Fang Xuewei remarked.

She used to think casually made dishes were fine, but now she realized how much effort went into making them. Anchovies and oysters were cheap on the island, but she had never thought of using them this way after over a decade here.

"I was just bored and thought of something to try," Su Yijia said with a smile.

This was just the beginning! Never underestimate a foodie’s dedication to their cravings. Fried chicken, takoyaki, crepes, grilled pork belly... she was nearly driven mad by her cravings.