Yueqian felt slighted, but she didn't respond verbally; hearing that he allowed her to use the firewood was enough for her. A small smile appeared on her lips. Initially, she had planned to cook just a little, enough for one. However, being questioned like this sparked a childish desire in her to show off her culinary skills to her husband.

    Unbeknownst to her, this act of hers would end up captivating her husband completely, to the point that in the future, no matter how many beauties tried to seduce him, his heart would not waver from her.

    Her delicate, pearl-like hands moved adeptly. After Mu Heng volunteered to add more fire to the stove, the two younger siblings refrained from eating their own food, choosing instead to help their sister-in-law who was still awkward with handling things around the house. Yet, as they watched, they could only exclaim in ‘oh’ and ‘ah’ continuously.

    Naturally, who would have thought that the dowry Yueqian brought included brand-new, pristine pots, strangely shaped but beautiful pans, spatulas, ladles, bowls, basins, and other utensils?

    Even Huan’er couldn't help but exclaim, "This capital is truly marvelous. All these items are top-notch, unlike anything we've ever seen before."

    The girl's statement was entirely accurate, except that these items were not from the capital; they had all been neatly packed into the chests as part of her dowry.

    The two children followed her like ducklings, accompanied by one adult. Whatever Yueqian reached for, there was always a hand ready to assist, a testament to the goodwill of her husband, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law. Their actions significantly melted the initial coldness and barriers she had towards them.

    At least she felt inclined to repay their kindness by ensuring this meal was splendid.

    The stove was divided into two sections, something Mu Heng's parents had previously done, making the kitchen spacious enough to avoid any confusion. One part of the stove was used to cook clean, well-sorted rice. The two children stared at it for a long time with great interest. They had never seen such beautiful rice grains before in their lives. Their interest was understandable.

    The other part of the stove was used for frying. Yueqian lit the fire and added a bit of vegetable oil for fragrance. The pan she used was non-stick, so even adding pork directly caused no issues.

    Once the oil was fragrant, she added two cups of minced pork. After the pork started to cook, she added sliced ginger, which sent its delicious aroma wafting far beyond their home.

    Turning to check the pot, she noticed the water boiling vigorously, but the rice wasn’t quite ready. So, Yueqian decided to use another pan, this time adding more oil before frying some fish balls.

    The fish balls, round and unlike any others previously seen, captured everyone's attention. The savory aroma of fish slowly wafted through the air, making the onlookers salivate.

    The fish balls cooked quickly, necessitating the use of a slotted spoon to remove them from the pan. The children acted as helpers, skillfully handling the dishes and utensils despite their young age. They really understood things.

    Part of her felt affectionate towards these well-mannered children, yet she also felt a deep sympathy, wondering what hardships they had endured to be so proficient at such a young age.

    Yueqian didn't discard the pan with the remaining oil; she felt a pang of wastefulness. Normally, she wasn't one to waste food, especially in this world where oil was scarce and expensive. Carefully, she set the pan aside, cautious of the oil's heat potentially harming someone.

    Once the rice was almost done, she added the ginger-fried pork, stirring it until it was well-mixed with the rice, which turned a slightly brownish appetizing color. She threw in a variety of modern seasonings, including soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and even MSG.

    As the pot continued to boil, the delectable aroma intensified. A pot of boiled rice big enough for everyone couldn't be ignored. Yueqian looked over the three of them before going to fetch preserved eggs and roasted nuts to serve alongside the freshly fried fish balls.

    Seeing the side dishes, the siblings' appetite surged. The children, who were watching nearby and not the best at hiding their feelings, clearly showed their desire to eat the meal in front of them. Yet, they were too shy to interfere with their sister-in-law's cooking, fully aware of the meal's value.

    The most composed of them all seemed to be Mu Heng, who was merely helping Yueqian move items around. He seemed uninterested in the meal she had prepared, although he couldn't help but sneak sniffs of the tantalizing scent.

    "With Tianjin preserved vegetables, shrimp, spring onions, and cilantro, it's complete," Yueqian sprinkled the final garnishes, enhancing the dish's aroma and visual appeal.

    "Everything's ready now, let's serve it up," she told them, but the children, initially eager, retreated from the lavish food.

    They wanted to eat, but they dared not.

    "Hmm? Should I serve you?" Yueqian narrowed her eyes slightly when she saw their reaction, looking at Mu Heng as if expecting him to answer.

    "We've got food already. Just those buns should be enough to fill us up. The food you've made should be saved to last longer, you don't need to share it with us," Mu Heng appreciated his wife's kindness.

    But all this wasn't his to claim; it was all his wife's. If they were to rush in and share her meal, wouldn't it be like living off her?

    Yueqian paused to consider. She understood their intent, but the meal was already too grand. If not eaten this morning, at most, it would last until lunch the next day before spoiling. Sharing it with them was better than letting it go to waste.

    Although they said that, it's not like they really wanted to eat her food.

    “Even though we agreed yesterday not to interfere with each other’s belongings, there are times I want to cook for you, so just eat. Moreover, I had a favor to ask everyone.”

    “A favor?” Xiao Long was particularly interested in the favor, eager to please this sister-in-law. He wanted to assist her more.

    Everyone knew from their eldest brother that they had taken advantage of their sister-in-law for a hundred taels of silver, which was a great insult to her. However, those hundred taels were also significant for them. Therefore, the eldest brother had instructed them to help and treat the sister-in-law well, befitting the large amount of money exchanged for her dishonor.

    Since yesterday, he and Huan’er wanted to assist and be kind to their sister-in-law, but since she had been drugged and carried into the house, they hadn’t had the chance to do anything substantial; they had only helped with small tasks, which hardly counted as help.

    “Hmm, you see, I have a lot of buns that I haven’t eaten. They'll spoil within this week, so I would like to ask you two to help me sell them. Being new here, I’m not familiar with the customs of this place.”

    Yueqian found a way to give them something to do. This also gave her a chance to understand the village’s situation better, killing two birds with one stone.

    “If it’s that matter, Xiao Long and Huan'er can handle it. It’s not a big deal at all,” Mu Heng still resisted. He too had his pride to maintain.

    “Hmm, but I don’t like to burden anyone for nothing. Maybe I could give a portion of the sales in return?” Yueqian was not ready to give up. If they refused to eat her food, she could at least share the money with them.

    Certainly, Yueqian knew which option he would choose.

    The tall man sighed deeply. Although he appeared reluctant, his eyes softened significantly. Mu Heng wasn’t foolish. He knew she was generous enough to share her food. The task of selling the buns wasn’t a big deal at all. In fact, if she said she wanted to repay their help.

    Even a single brass coin would still be considered too much.

    The food she had carefully prepared used ingredients worth dozens of taels, far exceeding any compensation.

    Deep down, he wanted her and all three of them to open their hearts to each other and collaborate like any other family. But he was well aware that there was still a large barrier between him and this beautiful woman. After all, she had only been here for a day. How could she trust them so quickly?

    He himself wasn’t fully trusting of her either. Although he said she was like a benefactor, he had to remember that before this, her nickname had been The Young Villainess Qin, a woman capable of causing great harm according to rumors. How could he not be wary?

    However, after meeting her for the first time, comparing last night and this morning, he wondered how he could have become so vulnerable. But he felt that he truly wanted her to become part of his family, not just fulfilling a role that had been arranged by entering a marriage.

    Well, Mu Heng knew that such matters took time. He himself wasn’t ready to truly take care of her yet. He would wait until he was fully prepared to become her husband. Until then, it was still timely. After all, she was already his wife, a status that would remain forever.

    “Let the children help from here on then. You should sit and rest. There's a lot of smoke here; it’s not good for you,” Mu Heng advised. He gave in one step but still wouldn’t allow her to do everything by herself.

    Yueqian smiled faintly. Going to help the little ones serve the food would only add to the awkwardness. She knew when to be stubborn and when to nod in agreement.

    As the beautiful figure walked away, the three siblings exchanged glances. Even though the food in front of them was very tempting, they still felt like they were taking advantage of the new family member.

    “Elder brother, the sister-in-law is being so kind to us...” Xiao Long didn’t know what else to say.

    It felt like all their plans made at the table before picking up the sister-in-law were completely wrong. Initially, they discussed what they would do in various unexpected scenarios, simulating numerous unforeseen events. But the current behavior of the sister-in-law wasn’t included in any of those hypothetical situations, leaving them unsure of how to proceed.