Chapter 191: The Successor Wife – 13

Ren Xin was rarely so industrious, yet she was being met with suspicion, which made her quite unhappy.

She had planned to make some stinky tofu to liven things up for everyone!

Unfortunately, she lacked the raw ingredients and had no choice but to give up on the idea.

Qiao Jiaojiao didn’t realize the gravity of the situation at all; she only knew that whatever her mother did was right.

A mountain of small snacks was prepared. Items she had mentioned before, like pork jerky and snowflake crisps, were all arranged. There were no marshmallows available, so she simply smuggled some out from her space—it was easy enough.

There was also crispy instant noodles, original flavor potato chips…

Book Spirit Number One asked, “Shen Shen, where did you steal these recipes from?”

“Don’t be a stranger. I recreated these from the internet; they’re what you’d call the ‘budget versions’!”

In addition to the snacks, there was a deluxe, top-tier Jianbing Guozi (savory crepes)! She even fried up some chicken strips! If this wasn’t love, what was?

Book Spirit Number One said, “Have you no respect for the people of Tianjin?”

“Yeah, I’m a culinary heretic, so what?”

“Respect!”

Jiaojiao nodded as she ate. “Mother’s cooking is too good. I love it, I want more!”

Ren Xin didn’t stop her. Once the child was full, she would naturally stop eating.

Seeing that there were still shrimp in the kitchen, she decided to whip up some wasabi shrimp balls—that was quick enough. She also prepared a giant cup of milk tea, packed to the brim with toppings (also smuggled). Finally, she added a “messy” Malaban¹ (spicy stir-fry). It felt as though she had moved an entire night market onto the dining table.

She and Jiaojiao were already full from the taste-testing phase. The leftovers were divided between the father and son. Then, Ren Xin took Jiaojiao by the hand and went for a slow stroll around the courtyard.

The servant who came to collect the food containers looked at the two heavy boxes in front of him and fell silent. Surely the master couldn’t finish all this!

Qiao Ce was actually just playing along. Every day in the palace, he dined with the Emperor. No matter who went hungry, it wouldn’t be him.

But because Ren Xin was sending food today, Qiao Ce politely declined the Emperor’s suggestion of a joint lunch. “My wife has prepared a meal for me. I plan to eat alone today!”

The Emperor: “…” The “eat alone” part was clearly the emphasis!

Qiao Ce’s smug behavior made the Emperor even more curious about Ren Xin.

When the food containers arrived, the officials remaining in the hall watched as the Duke of Zhenguo smiled broadly, his expression practically glowing, before opening the boxes.

The officials standing nearby caught a glimpse as if by accident, and their eyes widened. They had never seen these types of food before, but they looked delicious.

Curious, the Emperor walked over to Qiao Ce’s side. “Let me see? Surely the Duke doesn’t mind if I join him for a bit!”

Qiao Ce snapped back to reality, realizing he had been cornered. He said reluctantly, “It is my honor!”

The Emperor didn’t care whether he was happy or not; he was determined to share.

The Emperor ordered someone to cut the Jianbing Guozi in half, claiming under the guise of “trying a novel dish” that he had to have a taste.

Even the snacks Ren Xin made were swept clean by the Emperor. To be fair, after a constant diet of delicacies from land and sea, an occasional change of pace tasted quite good.

Qiao Ce only ate until he was half-full and was thoroughly displeased. That afternoon, he submitted a mountain of reports to the Emperor. Fine then—everything the Emperor ate had a hidden price tag!

Things were much livelier on Qiao Wuenci’s side. He was someone who loved to share, so he invited a group of his close friends to try Ren Xin’s cooking together.

The little sprouts were instantly shocked. This spicy latiao was too delicious!

“This crepe is good too! The stuff wrapped inside feels like fried food, but it’s so fragrant!”

“These yellow ones look like shrimp. They have a flavor I can’t describe, but they’re really tasty!”

“These thin, crispy things—are they called potato chips? They’re so good! Paired with the milk tea, it’s not greasy at all!”

“Yes, yes, and this milk-like drink is also delicious. The things inside are so rare…”

“Qiao Wuenci, your mother is truly wonderful. Did she really make all of this?”

Qiao Wuenci felt he had gained a lot of face. He nodded with practiced composure. “I mentioned that I liked spicy latiao, so Mother said she would send me lunch. I tried to refuse, but Mother loves me too much; I couldn’t stop her!”

Everyone: “…” We’ll just sit here quietly and watch you brag.

Translator’s Notes