Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 37 - 33: Is the Wife a Foodie?

Chapter 37: Chapter 33: Is the Wife a Foodie?

Outside the Liushan Division, the Ran Family’s carriage waited.

Ran Qingchen stepped out of the main gate and sat in the splendidly elegant carriage.

A maid clad in a red garment ignited a small sandalwood furnace and handed a cup of brewed warm tea to the young mistress.

This maid, named Jinxiu, was sold to the Ran Family by her parents at the age of seven. Seeing her cleverness and understanding, the old lady arranged for her to serve at the young lady’s side and so, ten years in a blink.

Ran Qingchen was also closely followed by Jinxiu during her discipleship, and she had long become attuned to her master’s joys, sorrows, and tempers.

Now, seeing her young mistress’s complexion, Jinxiu knew her master was in a bad mood and guessed why, recalling an unintended glimpse of that son-in-law of the Ran Family.

Regarding this son-in-law, Jinxiu actually had a fairly good impression.

Initially, she was certainly very disdainful.

She believed that someone as heavenly as her mistress deserved a husband, if not of a distinguished family with lofty ambitions, then certainly a noble, independent gentleman like a majestic mountain.

Someone like Jiang Mo, though not bad-looking, seemed destined to mingle in the marketplace as an aimless man, unfit for her mistress.

The man shamelessly brought a marriage proposal, clearly out of desire for wealth and lust for her mistress’s beauty.

She’d seen too many of that kind of man.

However, being just a maid, she couldn’t dare speak out against the old lady’s decision or advise her mistress, leaving her resentment piled up against that son-in-law.

Whenever she delivered silver coins, she never showed him a pleasant face.

However, as their interactions increased, Jinxiu felt that this son-in-law wasn’t as unpleasant as she thought; sometimes feeling sympathy for him living alone in his modest dwelling.

Last time he helped her move something, she mustered the courage to try arranging a meeting between the mistress and the son-in-law, hoping they could communicate and foster feelings, but unfortunately, the mistress wasn’t at home then.

Jinxiu quietly sighed, and not wanting to disturb her mistress further, quietly lifted the carriage curtain, bent over, and stepped out before gently guiding the carriage by taking up the reins.

The carriage moved slowly, emitting a slight creaking sound on the thinly spread snow that resembled delicate embroidery.

Ran Qingchen held her thin, translucent teacup, gazing absently at the wafting threads of smoke rising from the sandalwood furnace, her troubled thoughts as tangled as a web.

After a long while, she sighed softly.

Ran Qingchen put down the now-cold body-warming tea, lifted the curtain and glanced at the snow-fluttered street. After a moment of inner conflict and hesitation, she spoke softly, "Go to Changqiao Street."

...

Returning to his room, Jiang Shouzhong lit the fireplace and stood in front of the mirror to remove his bloodstained clothes, including his undergarments.

The polished brass mirror reflected the shocking rash on his body.

Unlike the usual purplish-red rash, the marks on Jiang Shouzhong were cherry red.

Similar to the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning death.

Jiang Shouzhong gently pressed the rash that appeared every time he voluntarily contacted spirits, and mockingly said, "So, am I dead or alive?"

The marks would take about a week to fade.

Fortunately, aside from the rash, there were no other abnormalities on his body. He only needed to keep his clothes tightly wrapped for a few days to conceal them from people like Lu Renjia.

Jiang Shouzhong quickly wiped down his body, changed into a new set of clothes, and began cooking.

After a busy day, having had only a piece of flatbread made by Zhao Di in the morning and a bowl of tea "invited" by Jia, coupled with the energy spent conversing with the deceased, he was extremely hungry.

Previously, when Ms. Zhang was hale, he would shamelessly go over to eat every day.

After Zhang Yunwu got married, he only occasionally ate there. Most of the time, he cooked himself or casually ate out.

"Jia was right; having a woman in the house who can cook really is wonderful," Jiang Shouzhong couldn’t help but remark.

Back in Anhe Village, his wife Hong’er couldn’t cook, but Ye’s culinary skills were deemed "master-level," turning simple ingredients into a table full of delicious dishes.

Hong’er, while annoyed at the prospect of gaining weight, nevertheless displayed an irresistibly amusing gluttonous demeanor, seemingly wishing she could devour even the plates.

Later, perhaps after reading books like The Women’s Analects and seeing passages like "A woman who excels in cooking is a good wife" and hearing villagers joke, "To catch a husband’s heart, one must first catch his stomach," she began to learn cooking from Ye.

But her first carefully prepared meal nearly sent Jiang Shouzhong to meet his great-grandmother.

Unwilling to give up, and after tormenting Jiang Shouzhong to the point he lacked the strength even to get into bed, Hong’er finally realized she didn’t possess the talent for captivating someone through their stomach and had to give up.

For a long time after, she was sullen.

Ultimately, only Jiang Shouzhong’s flattery, "Having a fairy-like wife by one’s side makes the finest feast pale in comparison," brightened her mood.

Jiang Shouzhong placed the dough on the chopping board, pressed it flat with his palm, then rolled it evenly thin with a rolling pin. As his thoughts fluttered with memories of bygone days, he suddenly heard a subtle knocking at the door.

"It can’t be Jia coming over to sponge a meal, can it?"

Jiang Shouzhong frowned, thinking to himself.

However, Lu Renjia’s usual knock was so coarse that he seemed to use all his strength, as if exerting the vigor from nursing—such gentleness was not his style.

Jiang Shouzhong wiped the flour off his hands.

When he opened the door, there stood an unexpected visitor.

A woman in a green dress stood at the doorway.

Behind her, heavy snow fell.

Her delicate and beautiful face resembled an orchid quietly blooming through the pristine snow, radiating an untainted brilliance.

Seeing that the man’s complexion was fairly normal, Ran Qingchen felt relieved, paused, and then made up an excuse, "I came out to take care of some matters, and Jinxiu mentioned it’s been several days since we last sent you silver coins, so I took the chance to check on you."

To avoid being seen by prying eyes, the maid Jinxiu and the carriage waited at a distant street corner.

She had also made sure no one was around before knocking on the door.

Jiang Shouzhong smiled and said, "Actually, there’s no need to send silver, I have a salary from the Liushan Division, it’s enough."

"Is there someone at home?"

Seeing that he did not invite her in, Ran Qingchen took the initiative to ask.

Jiang Shouzhong hesitated, then moved aside and smiled, "No."

Ran Qingchen stepped into the house.

She surveyed the modest, humble home and noticed the dough kneaded on the chopping board, somewhat surprised.

A man cooking for himself?

Gentlemen keep away from the kitchen ... aside from professional chefs at restaurants, ordinary men rarely engage in cooking, let alone those from prominent families like the Ran Family.

If relatives at home were to see this, they would inevitably be mocked behind their backs.

However, looking at this humble cottage and his plain, coarse clothing, it was clear he was living frugally, not affording to dine out every day.

"Uh ... There’s no tea, would hot water be okay?"

Jiang Shouzhong hadn’t had time to buy tea after Lu Renjia had taken it all, and he asked a bit embarrassed.

"No need, I’m not thirsty."

Looking at the man in front of her, who couldn’t even afford tea leaves, Ran Qingchen felt her initial stern facade soften, along with an increased sense of remorse.

If he had been more shameless, he could have stayed at the Ran Family without worrying about food or clothing.

Although he would face some disdain, it would be much better than his current predicament.

Initially, she was quite surprised to learn that the man in front of her had sought a covert position at the Liushan Division and moved out of the Ran Family.

Upon reflection, perhaps it was as Jinxiu had speculated ... seeing her so competent, he felt ashamed and wished to achieve something to be more worthy of her.

With such "ambition," Ran Qingchen’s resentment towards him lessened a bit, but her hope in him diminished even further.

One must first weigh one’s own abilities before striving for high aspirations.

An undercover operative ... could never really show his face publicly.

The two inside the house exchanged silent glances.

Half a year into their marriage, this was only their fourth meeting, hardly better than strangers who just met by chance.

"Are you hungry? How about I make some noodles for you?"

Jiang Shouzhong finally broke the awkward silence.

Ran Qingchen shook her head, "Not hungry."

"Gurgle ..."

A protesting sound came from the woman’s stomach.

She, who had also only had breakfast and been busy up to now without eating, met the eyes of the humble home’s owner.

"Might as well eat together."

Jiang Shouzhong smiled and turned to cook.

The woman, with a blush reaching her ears, now deeply regretted coming to this house, and watching the man’s back, she stiffly said, "I have a small appetite, a small bowl will do, don’t make too much."

Jiang Shouzhong turned around and smiled, "Okay."

Seeing his wife’s slender figure, he could tell she watched her diet closely.

However, when the young miss of the Ran Family very modestly finished the sixth large bowl of noodles, Jiang Shouzhong was utterly dumbfounded.

Who could afford to keep her up?