69novels Chapter 1049 He Yuzhu Starts Cooking
Chapter 1049 He Yuzhu Starts Cooking
He Yuzhu knew that Lu Jia was pregnant and her morning sickness was severe and sudden, her appetite was inconsistent, and a while ago she even felt nauseous after drinking a bowl of porridge. These days, he made a lot of adjustments to her diet - he cooked less greasy braised pork and twice-cooked pork, and avoided spicy chili peppers and ginger. Instead, he focused on making some light and refreshing dishes, hoping that she would eat more and provide some nutrition for the baby in her belly.
He stood in front of the stove, wearing his faded blue apron, spatula in hand, and glanced back at Lu Jia, who was leaning against the doorframe. Her face was still a little pale, with faint dark circles under her eyes, but she still forced a smile. He Yuzhu felt a pang of pity for her: "You should just go back inside and rest. You don't need to come out and help. The floor is slippery, be careful not to fall. I'll show you something special today, I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
Lu Jia smiled and nodded, gently placing her hand on her lower abdomen, her fingertips softly caressing it: "Okay, Brother Zhu, then I'll wait patiently today to try your new tricks." She knew He Yuzhu's personality all too well; he cared for her in a truly genuine way. Ever since he found out she was pregnant, he had hardly let her lift a finger around the house, even going to the far-away market every day to buy groceries, making sure to pick out the freshest produce, just so she wouldn't get tired or suffer any injustice.
He Yuzhu felt a sweet warmth in his heart, like he had a piece of candy in his pocket. He turned around and busied himself quickly. His knife skills were more meticulous than usual. The snow peas were cut evenly and translucent, and the diced tomatoes were the perfect size. He also controlled the heat with exceptional precision; too much heat and they would be overcooked, too little and they would be raw. As he tossed the wok, he mentally planned for the future: Lu Jia had a stable and respectable job at a textile factory, with a guaranteed food ration; although he was currently just a cook in the canteen of the steel rolling mill, as long as Deputy Director Li could successfully become the factory director, the canteen manager position he had been promised would be his. With power in his hands, he could manage the canteen's purchasing and scheduling, and his salary would increase significantly. Even if Lu Jia wanted to take a break, the family could live comfortably, no longer having to carefully consider buying a piece of meat and living frugally like before.
Before long, several dishes were served: stir-fried vegetables, glistening with a thin layer of oil, were crisp, tender, and refreshing, with a hint of sweetness; braised beef brisket with tomatoes was tender and juicy, the broth thick and flavorful, its sweet and sour aroma tantalizing the senses and whetting the appetite; and there was a plate of steamed sea bass, its snow-white flesh sprinkled with vibrant green scallions and drizzled with a touch of light soy sauce, looking refreshing and not greasy at all. He Yuzhu took off his apron, scooped some water into a basin to wipe his hands, and looked at Lu Jia with a delighted expression, his eyes and brows beaming with smiles: "These are all new dishes I came up with, I made them intentionally light, without much oil or salt. Try them and see if they suit your taste?" His eyes sparkled with anticipation, hoping to earn a word of praise from her, even just a satisfied look would make him happy for half a day.
Lu Jia picked up the white porcelain spoon, scooped up a small spoonful of soup and sipped it slowly. The delicious taste spread on her tongue, and she nodded repeatedly, her eyes filled with genuine praise: "This shepherd's purse, bamboo shoot and tofu soup is really delicious. The slight bitterness of the shepherd's purse just cuts through the greasiness of the meat soup, the bamboo shoots are crisp and chewy, and the tofu is so tender it feels like it's melting in your mouth. Your cooking skills are truly impeccable."
He Yuzhu beamed with joy at the praise, his eyes crinkling with wrinkles. He picked up a soup spoon and ladled another spoonful into her bowl, his tone full of pride: "If you think it's delicious, that's all that matters. Just tell me what you want to eat in the future, and I'll make you something different every day. Not to mention this little soup, I can even come up with the most exquisite dishes for you."
Watching him bustle around the stove in his apron—a few flour smudges on his forehead, his ladle gleaming—Lu Jia felt a complex warmth welling up inside her. She had married him with a clear purpose: to use He Yuzhu's connections at the factory to slowly get close to Gu Nan, find out the cause of her brother's death, and avenge him. But in the time they'd spent together, He Yuzhu had been genuinely good to her. Knowing she suffered from severe morning sickness and couldn't eat greasy food, he'd prepare light meals for her every day; when she got up at night, he'd always groggily get up beside her, either to hand her a glass of warm water or to support her waist, muttering, "Slow down, don't fall." This clumsy yet sincere kindness made her own calculations seem heavy, like a stone weighing on her heart.
“Brother Zhu,” she put down her spoon, her fingertips gently tracing the warm rim of the bowl, and said softly, “You’re so good to me. Don’t always think about doing this and that for me in the future, tiring yourself out. I can eat and sleep well now, so you really don’t need to go to so much trouble.”
He Yuzhu chuckled, revealing two rows of white teeth: "You're a great contributor to our He family, carrying our child. If we don't treat you well, who else should we treat well? What's a little hard work? I'm happy to do it."
Lu Jia's cheeks flushed slightly at his words, like a blush of peach blossoms. She hesitated for a moment, her hands on her knees clenching quietly, before finally speaking, "Zhu Zi, there's something I want to tell you."
"You said it, I'll take on any task, no matter how big. As long as it's within my power, I'll do it without hesitation," He Yuzhu said, patting his chest loudly.
Lu Jia had originally wanted to bring up her old grudge with Gu Nan, wanting to ask him if he knew the details of her brother's accident back then, but she swallowed the words back. Looking at the sincerity in He Yuzhu's eyes, like clear well water, she couldn't bear to drag him into her mess, and even less did she want him to get into trouble at the factory because of her hatred. So she changed the subject, her tone serious: "I want to advise you to keep a low profile at the factory these days. Although Deputy Factory Director Li is currently very powerful, Gu Nan has deep roots in the factory; many veteran workers respect his skills and character. It's uncertain who will become the factory director in the future. Don't choose sides too early, lest you suffer later."
He Yuzhu was taken aback, but he still retorted, "Gu Nan? He only knows a little about technology. In terms of skills and connections, how can he compare to Deputy Factory Director Li? Besides, I'm close to Deputy Factory Director Li so that I can secure a good future for you and the child. We can't spend our whole lives stuck in the canteen, can we?" Although he said this, he secretly remembered Lu Jia's words—she was always more thoughtful than him, and what she said probably made sense.
“I know you did this for the family,” Lu Jia smiled, the worry in her eyes lessening. “By the way, you asked me about my relationship with Ran Qiuye the other day. We’re doing great. She’s a primary school teacher, and she speaks very gently. I just got married and there are so many things I don’t understand, so I ask her for help. She’s happy to teach me, and she even said she’d give me some parenting books sometime.”
He Yuzhu nodded: "Ran Qiuye is a good person, simple-minded and not scheming. But you have to be careful of her man, Gu Nan. He seems easygoing and always has a smile on his face, but he is actually very cunning. Many people in the factory who tried to trip him up ended up falling into his trap and none of them got away with it."