Chapter 31: Master of Both Steamed and Braised Dishes

Facing Chen Sisi’s schemes, Xu Zhaozhao felt nothing but weariness.

"If you have something to say, just say it."

"You haven't contributed anything to dinner. You're freeloading off our meal, so you need to provide some effort in return." Chen Sisi thrust two fish into Xu Zhaozhao's hands. "Hurry up and clean these fish, then braise one and steam the other!"

[Good grief! Chen Sisi’s calculating nature is practically written all over her face.]
[It was Shen Mu who set the condition, and they all agreed to it. Yet, the moment he’s gone, they’re ordering Xu Zhaozhao around?]
[Hey, don't lump everyone together; it’s just Chen Sisi.]
[Exactly, only Chen Sisi is trying to make things difficult for Xu Zhaozhao; the others aren't targeting her.]

Xu Zhaozhao was speechless. Shen Mu had provided the fish, yet she had become the one expected to do the labor.

"I’m not doing it," Xu Zhaozhao said, pushing the fish back to Chen Sisi.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Chen Sisi’s eyes widened. "Do you want to get a free meal from us?"

"Get this straight," Xu Zhaozhao replied. "It wasn't me begging to eat your food; it was you all inviting me to eat so you could have Shen Mu’s fish."

"Xu Zhaozhao, regardless of the reason, everyone is busy preparing the meal, and you should help too." Chen Sisi tried to rope everyone else in, hoping to incite them to criticize Xu Zhaozhao. But they were all adults, not the kind to be easily led by someone like Chen Sisi.

Song Qing, who was currently washing the rice, spoke up: "Sisi, if you don't know how to clean the fish, just leave them there. I'll do it once I finish the rice." Although her cooking was average, she was quite adept at cleaning ingredients.

When Song Qing spoke, Chen Sisi’s expression darkened even further. She stubbornly shoved the fish back toward Xu Zhaozhao. "No. Everyone else has their hands full; only Zhaozhao has no tasks, so she’s the one who can help."

"I can’t," Xu Zhaozhao pushed the fish away a second time.

"Xu Zhaozhao, what do you think you’re doing?" Being rejected for the second time made Chen Sisi irritable. She lowered her voice and hissed, "Just do what you're told! Where do you get off with all this nonsense?" She felt the need to remind Xu Zhaozhao that they were all still under contract—she was supposed to do whatever was asked of her, and nonconformity was not allowed.

***

Facing the nearly exploding Chen Sisi, Xu Zhaozhao rolled her eyes, feeling slightly more balanced now. Fine, whoever has the resources is the boss!

She took the fish, quickly scaled and gutted them, then seasoned them with cooking wine, vinegar, and other spices to marinate. Afterward, Xu Zhaozhao simply sat to the side.

"Well?" Chen Sisi, who had been standing right next to her, asked, "Why did you stop?" She added pointedly, "Don't you dare slack off and intentionally cause everyone to go hungry!"

[Chen Sisi, a brain is a wonderful thing; I suggest you start using yours!]
[Even I, someone who can't cook, know that fish needs to marinate for about ten minutes.]
[Be more tolerant of celebrities; many of them are helpless in daily life.]
[By the way, did you notice just now? Xu Zhaozhao’s movements in cleaning the fish were so skillful and fast. My mom has been cooking for decades and can't do it that neatly.]
[That's normal. Your mom isn't a fishmonger; if she didn't clean fish every day, how could she be that proficient?]
[So, is Xu Zhaozhao’s skill because she... used to be a fishmonger?]

While Xu Zhaozhao was waiting, Shen Mu returned from Auntie Fu’s house. He had given her two fish, and in return, she had gifted him a basket of freshly picked fruits and vegetables from her garden. Seeing Xu Zhaozhao, he handed it to her without hesitation. "From Auntie Fu."

Xu Zhaozhao pulled out a fragrant melon, rinsed it quickly with water, and took a big bite. She was tired of grilled fish, so fresh produce was the perfect way to quench her thirst.

Seeing the lush, vibrant vegetables in the basket, the other guests were envious. But knowing that anything from Shen Mu required a fair trade, they pushed aside their desire for the goods and focused on the evening’s side dish.

Once the melon was finished, Xu Zhaozhao put the marinated fish into the pots—one to braise and the other to steam. Before the fish were even done, the aroma filled the air. The guests sat around the table, swallowing their saliva. Everyone had a bowl of white rice, which was one of the supplies they had purchased earlier. Ke Hao hadn't bought many fresh vegetables, thinking he would just buy them fresh daily from the villagers upon returning to Ancient Tree Village, so Shen Mu’s catch was a welcome addition to the meal.

Soon, the braised and steamed fish were ready. The mouth-watering aroma had everyone eager to eat.

"Zhaozhao," Sun Yu, the fitness coach, said after taking a bite of the steamed fish, "your cooking is really excellent."

"Indeed, Zhaozhao, this fish is absolutely delicious!" Even the quiet Qiu Qianrou didn't hold back her praise. She particularly loved the braised fish.

Xu Zhaozhao glanced at the dark-faced Chen Sisi. She had been quite annoyed at being emotionally manipulated into cooking, but now, her mood had suddenly brightened. Anything that made Chen Sisi miserable was a good thing in her book.

***

That night, not wanting to stare at Chen Sisi under the same roof, Xu Zhaozhao chose to watch the moon from the porch swing. That was the beauty of the countryside—the moon was so large and round.

Suddenly, a tall shadow fell over her. Xu Zhaozhao assumed it was Shen Mu and didn't want to engage. When the person didn't take the hint and leave, she looked back, only to find it was Zhan Wang.

[Zhan Wang was acting strange yesterday; he invited Xu Zhaozhao to team up. Something's going on.]
[But we haven't seen any interaction between them before; how could something suddenly happen?]
[You guys aren't watching this dating show closely enough. Remember the night before last, when Xu Zhaozhao was here and Zhan Wang went to the restroom...]
[Huh? Didn't they not speak to each other then?]
[They didn't speak, but when Xu Zhaozhao was humming, Zhan Wang stood in the distance for a while.]

Seeing that Xu Zhaozhao had finally turned around, Zhan Wang sat down next to her with his guitar. "The song you were humming the other night was really beautiful. Could you sing it again?"

Xu Zhaozhao was surprised. "It was just a hum, not even a fully formed piece..." Of course, she was pleased to have her music praised by a professional musician.

"Are you saying that was an original composition?" Zhan Wang asked, disbelieving.

"That's right," Xu Zhaozhao nodded. "I was inspired that night and just hummed a few bars." She added, "If you want to hear the full version, you'll have to wait until the show ends, and I can finish it."

[Wow, is Xu Zhaozhao for real? She can write music too?]
[I told you, that melody she was humming was so good. I searched the internet for days, asked so many people, and couldn't find it. Turns out it was her original work in progress.]
[Acting, cooking, car repair, composing... Xu Zhaozhao, you really are a hidden gem, a true polymath!]