Chapter 139: A Splendid Feast

Zeng Xiaofan couldn't help but chuckle as well. Feeling a gentle pressure against his elbow, his face flushed crimson in an instant.

"Aunt Yuru, stop messing around..."

Seeing Zeng Xiaofan's embarrassment, Lin Yuhan covered her mouth with a hand and chided playfully,

"Alright now, Sister, his face is all red..."

"Stop teasing him like that."

"Oh, my, oh, my~ What is going on here?"

"You're actually taking his side now? Have you fallen for him or something?"

"Taking outsiders' sides already?" Lin Yuru wrapped her arms even tighter around Zeng Xiaofan's arm and said with a meaningful smile,

"Or could it be that you want to call him husband too?"

"Why don't you go hug his other arm then?"

"Hmph~" Lin Yuhan let out a spoiled, dainty huff, turned around with a blushing face, and walked away.

"Can't be bothered with you... I'm going to go cook~"

Seizing the opportunity to back down, Zeng Xiaofan quickly pushed Lin Yuru away and urged,

"That's right, that's right. You go help with the cooking too, I'm starving!"

"You got it, husband! I'm going to cook for you right now!"

Saying this, Lin Yuru leaned in close to Zeng Xiaofan's ear and whispered,

"Want some steamed buns?"

"If you want them, I'll cook up something special just for you~"

"Pfft~" Zeng Xiaofan spat out a mouthful of saliva, his face glowing even redder, while Lin Yuru giggled and went off to cook.

Although the Lin family's lunch came rather late and wasn't ready until past two o'clock, the dishes were exceptionally lavish. Lin Ade had practically pulled out every good ingredient the family had.

A free-range goose from the riverside was slaughtered, stir-fried until sizzling with oil, and then braised with young ginger.

A countryside pullet was steamed whole, then chopped and served with dipping sauces. The dipping sauces alone numbered four or five varieties: tangerine peel tea oil, shallot oil, minced ginger, ginger scallion, and Puning soybean paste.

A high-mountain stream green-headed duck was prepared and split in half—half braised with perilla, and half braised with minced garlic and fragrant dust...

Freshly sprouted, pesticide-free pumpkin vine tips in supreme broth, alongside tender, crisp, and refreshing bitter melon with scrambled eggs...

The Lin family was truly full of resourceful and nimble-handed people, especially the two sisters Lin Yuru and Lin Yuhan, who were not only breathtakingly beautiful and graceful in society, but also exceptionally capable in the kitchen.

Not to mention how fast they worked, every single dish was a masterpiece of color, aroma, and taste. Absolutely delicious!

Before the dishes were fully finished, Lin Yuru would pick up various bits with her fingers and pop them straight into Xiaofan's mouth for him to taste. Every time Xiaofan gave a hearty thumbs-up.

Lin Yuhan opened the large iron pot as billowing steam rushed forward. She too used her slender, delicate fingers to pinch a small piece of braised goose with young ginger and brought it over.

"Xiaofan... see if this goose meat has enough flavor?"

Zeng Xiaofan raised his head and opened his mouth to receive it. As Lin Yuhan lowered her fingers, Zeng Xiaofan closed his mouth, and his lips accidentally brushed against Lin Yuhan's finger.

Lin Yuhan's face instantly turned as red as a tomato...

Noticing this, Zeng Xiaofan felt somewhat awkward as well.

With a slight shift of his thoughts, Lin Yuhan looked thoroughly shy...

"Is... is it good?"

"Is the flavor right... is it too salty..." Lin Yuhan asked instinctively, keeping her head down.

Zeng Xiaofan swallowed hard and stammered,

"Well... it went down before I even realized... didn't quite catch the taste..."

"Aunt Yuru, you try some too..." Uncomfortable meeting Lin Yuhan's gaze, Zeng Xiaofan quickly pinched a piece of hot goose meat and handed it to Lin Yuru.

Lin Yuru gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, tilted her head back slightly, and opened her mouth to receive it. The moment Zeng Xiaofan pulled his hand away, Lin Yuru closed her lips.

As fate would have it, her cherry lips accidentally brushed against Zeng Xiaofan's finger.

What went around came around, and fortune played its tricks. Just a few seconds ago, Zeng Xiaofan had touched younger sister Lin Yuhan's finger, and now, mere seconds later, his own finger had been brushed by the elder sister Lin Yuru...

The goose meat was piping hot, scalding Lin Yuru's tongue so that she kept rolling it around:

"Ow, ow, ow... hot, hot, hot..."

"Hoo~"

"Sss..." Lin Yuru fanned the air with her hand and said,

"The flavor is spot on! The taste of the young ginger and the richness of the goose meat are completely fused, complementing each other perfectly. The aroma is rich yet clean, delicious, truly delicious!"

"The texture is just right too, bursting with juices at the slightest nudge of the tongue! In one word: top-notch!"

Lin Yuru gave a thumbs-up as she spoke.

Finally, all the dishes were done, and Zeng Xiaofan enjoyed a hearty meal with Lin Yuru, Lin Yuhan, and the rest of the family.

This wonderful feast left Zeng Xiaofan feeling wonderfully dizzy. Combined with the mental exhaustion from casting the substitution technique for the very first time earlier, a wave of drowsiness naturally crept over him.

Seeing this, Lin Yuru told him to sleep in her room for a while, while she went to share a bed with her sister Lin Yuhan.

Resting his head on a pillow that still retained Lin Yuru's faint body fragrance, Zeng Xiaofan slept straight through until afternoon, waking up feeling fully refreshed and vigorous once again.

After reminding the Lin family to take good care of the substitution chicken, Zeng Xiaofan drove his T-Rex pickup truck back toward his own village.

With the windows rolled up, the small cabin instantly grew quiet. Zeng Xiaofan noticed that Lin Yuru had changed into a fresh outfit, her hair looked freshly blow-dried, and she carried the very pleasant scent of shower gel.

"Huh? Aunt Yuru, did you take another bath just now?"

Lin Yuru pulled down the rearview mirror and reapplied a touch of lipstick to her alluring lips. As her lips parted and closed, it sent a ripple through Zeng Xiaofan's heart.

"Yeah... after being busy all morning, I was all sweaty and felt quite uncomfortable..."

"Plus my makeup was ruined... taking a bath just feels so much better~"

"So, does Sister smell nice?"

Saying this, Lin Yuru turned her head and shot Zeng Xiaofan a bewitching glance. Her raven-black hair tumbled over her shoulders, and her chest rose and fell gently with her breath. That captivating gaze made Zeng Xiaofan's heart heat up all over again.

Not daring to look too long, Zeng Xiaofan quickly turned his eyes back to the road and smiled,

"Aunt Yuru, you're quite trendy, learning how to put on makeup like city folks..."

"Country girls work in the fields every day, their faces tanned and gleaming from the sun. Look at you—fair, tender, and even wearing lipstick~"

Lin Yuru let out a playful, indignant laugh. "You think I'm like this every day?"

"Keep dreaming... I'm usually too busy working to bother with all that. Today... well, it's because you're here~"

"Haven't you ever heard that a woman paints her face for those who please her?"

"Uh... haha..." Hearing where the conversation was heading, Zeng Xiaofan let out a few dry laughs and didn't pick up the thread.

With a mischievous roll of her eyes, Lin Yuru chided,

"Xiaofan, don't drive straight back to the village yet. Take me to the small grove; I need to properly thank you..."