Ming Yue was intelligent from a young age, with a strong learning ability, capable of excelling in everything.
Except for one thing, which was her black hole: cooking.
She had diligently tried to learn, with great enthusiasm, but the food she earnestly prepared received this critique from Master Qing Lan: "Stay away from the kitchen, don't come out to harm people."
There was an even more direct comment: "Even dogs wouldn't eat it."
Ji Shiyou persistently pestered Ming Yue to cook for him, which touched her deeply.
In truth, Ming Yue was quite interested in cooking, but Master Qing Lan had strictly forbidden it.
Seeing Ji Shiyou's strong desire to taste her cooking, she felt she had found someone who understood her.
She began to think that perhaps her master didn't appreciate her skills, or that her cooking didn't suit her master's palate.
Maybe Ji Shiyou would like the dishes she made. She decided to showcase her talents and vindicate her culinary abilities.
She opened the refrigerator, intending to see what ingredients she had. Recalling that Ji Shiyou had just recovered from a high fever, she decided to make him congee.
She took lean meat, green vegetables, and fresh shrimp, planning to make a nutritious and easily digestible congee for him.
"I truly have the talent to be a great chef," Ming Yue thought gleefully.
It had been about ten years since she last entered a kitchen, Ming Yue mused, trying to recall how to make congee.
Upon hearing Ming Yue agree to cook for him and seeing her enter the kitchen, Ji Shiyou's excited mood was tinged with anticipation.
He quietly slipped out of bed and hid by the kitchen door to peek. What a warm and happy scene it was!
His wife, preparing a meal for him—this was love, this was happiness!
Watching Ming Yue calmly select ingredients from the refrigerator and skillfully prepare them on the counter, Ji Shiyou felt Ming Yue was perfect. Not only was her medical skill superb, her combat ability high, and her appearance beautiful, but she could also cook.
She was truly a woman who could manage the household, entertain guests, be a virtuous wife, and a formidable fighter.
He inwardly thanked his grandmother for arranging such a good marriage for him and finding such an excellent woman as Ming Yue to be his wife.
He watched as Ming Yue picked up the cleaver and, with clean, swift movements, chopped the fresh shrimp, green vegetables, and lean meat, throwing them all into the pot.
Ji Shiyou was a little confused. What kind of cooking method was this? He then understood.
This must be Ming Yue's unique recipe. Ming Yue was so outstanding; she must have developed many exclusive private dishes.
Fearing Ming Yue might discover him, Ji Shiyou took a few more glances and then secretly returned to bed.
He was filled with anticipation for the lovingly prepared meal he was about to taste, completely overlooking the fact that Ming Yue hadn't even washed the ingredients earlier.
Moreover, she hadn't removed the shrimp beards or deveined the shrimp; she had simply chopped them whole, shell and all, and thrown them into the pot.
Ten minutes later, the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen. It smelled quite good, and Ji Shiyou's stomach rumbled.
Smelling the fragrance, the ravenous Ji Shiyou became even more eager.
"You must be hungry. You just had a fever, so I made you a bowl of shrimp, lean meat, and vegetable congee. It's easy to digest and will boost your strength. Come and eat quickly."
Ming Yue emerged from the kitchen, holding the bowl of congee in her right hand and a spoon in her left.
Her face was beaming with excitement. The congee looked exceptionally good today.
The red shrimp, green vegetables, and the thick, white congee, dotted with bits of minced meat, were a feast for the eyes.
The aroma was enticing, far better than her previous dark and unappetizing creations.
If it weren't for Ji Shiyou being ill, she would have had a bowl herself in the kitchen.
"It looks really good. Thank you for your hard work. I'll definitely finish it all."
Ji Shiyou also smelled the aroma and hurried out of bed, sitting at the dining table.
He impatiently scooped a spoonful of congee into his mouth, then suddenly began to cough violently.
He wanted to spit it out, but he had swallowed too quickly and realized the taste was wrong only after it had gone down.
He clutched his throat, gagging repeatedly. The taste in his mouth was a torment he wouldn't wish on anyone.
"Eat slowly, you choked, didn't you? No one's going to snatch it from you. There's a whole pot of it in the kitchen, all for you."
Ming Yue quickly handed him a glass of water. She was very pleased with Ji Shiyou's enthusiastic reaction.
This reaction was a testament to her cooking skills. She knew that, as Master Qing Lan had said, even dogs wouldn't eat her previous dishes.
Even if she managed to force someone to eat a little, they would eat it in tiny bites.
Ji Shiyou, on the other hand, was devouring it so quickly. She was happy watching him.
"Cough, cough, cough. This congee tastes so… special! What seasonings did you put in?"
Ji Shiyou drank an entire glass of water, and his throat felt a little better. He asked tactfully.
This was the most unique congee he had ever tasted in his life. It looked excellent, but the rice was undercooked, not done at all. The shrimp, with their shells still on, were even sharp and poked his mouth.
If it were only these issues, he could have tolerated it, considering Ming Yue had made it herself.
What he couldn't bear was the taste—an indescribable flavor.
It wasn't salty, nor was it sweet; it was incredibly bitter, and after swallowing, his throat felt like it was burning.
He didn't want to take another bite, so he changed the subject and asked Ming Yue.
"I put in everything from the kitchen. But I know you just had a fever, so you need to eat light food. That's why I didn't add spicy things like chili powder. Maybe the taste isn't great. When you're better, I'll make you the full version. Don't just stand there, drink it while it's hot. It'll get cold soon. Weren't you hungry? Drink up."
Someone appreciating her cooking made Ming Yue's voice sound even warmer as she urged him on.
"This congee is so thick and creamy. Is there a secret recipe?"
This was the first time he had heard of someone putting all the kitchen seasonings into congee.
No wonder the taste was so distinctive. Sweat beaded on Ji Shiyou's forehead.
He kept stirring the spoon in the bowl, but didn't bring it to his mouth.
He was curious how the congee had become so thick when the rice was clearly undercooked.
To stall for time, he pretended to be a humble student, asking Ming Yue for advice.
"Ah, there's a trick to that. I heard someone say that adding an appropriate amount of alkaline powder when making congee makes it sticky. I saw a bag in the kitchen and thought one bag would be the right amount, so I poured it all in. It seems to have worked well."
Ming Yue hadn't expected anyone to ask her about her cooking skills one day, so she put on a knowing air and began to answer Ji Shiyou's questions.
"A whole bag?"
Ji Shiyou's complexion turned grim. He had seen the bag of alkaline powder in the kitchen; it was a one-jin bag.
No wonder the spoonful of congee he had just tasted was so bitter, and after swallowing, his throat felt scalded.
"Why aren't you eating? Does it taste bad? When I used to cook, people always complained. They'd say I shouldn't cook and harm people, and that I was a culinary black hole. If you also dislike it, just stop eating. I'll order takeout for you."
Seeing that Ji Shiyou had only taken one sip and was now just talking instead of continuing to eat, Ming Yue's expression quickly shifted from joy to dejection.
She had thought Ji Shiyou would approve of her cooking, but it turned out he was like her master, disliking it. It seemed the problem was with her. She vowed never to enter the kitchen again.
"They're talking nonsense. Your cooking is delicious."
Seeing Ming Yue's dejected look, Ji Shiyou felt an inexplicable pang of sympathy. He picked up the spoon and, with a whirlwind of speed, finished the congee in the bowl.
"I'm going out for a bit."
Ji Shiyou put down the bowl, uttered these words, and rushed out the door.