The room was filled with laughter. Qi Zhenzhen even called Hu Zi over and seriously explained the matter of becoming sworn siblings.
"So, I have to call you Sister Zhenzhen from now on? And Brother Qi Yi?" Hu Zi immediately understood.
Qi Zhenzhen patted his head. "Hu Zi is smart. From now on, we are one family, and you and Brother Yi will be proper brothers."
Li Hu grinned, clearly showing no aversion to the arrangement.
As the family was gathered and talking, Qi Yi and Zhang Xiao Niu's voices were heard from outside.
Qi Zhenzhen beckoned Qi Yi inside and let Yun Shi and the others discuss the sworn sibling matter, while she herself hurried into the kitchen.
Zhang Xiao Niu greeted Qi Zhenzhen and then went to the backyard to feed the horses. Gu Sinian, meanwhile, slowly washed his hands with warm water, taking his time with elegant, pleasing movements.
Qi Zhenzhen glanced at him and immediately recalled her awkwardness that morning. She quickly averted her gaze, pressed the dough onto a bamboo board, supporting one end with her left hand on her shoulder, and rapidly shaved off noodles with a bamboo knife in her right hand. The noodles, thin at both ends and slightly thicker in the middle, quickly tumbled into the water. Making dao xiao mian required quick hand speed to ensure the noodles cooked at roughly the same time.
Gu Sinian, holding a towel to dry his hands, was captivated by Qi Zhenzhen's actions.
She wielded the bamboo knife with incredible speed. As a martial artist, he could barely make out her movements. Anyone else would likely be dazzled. This girl, though she didn't show it, must have some skill in her hands. Just as Qi Yi had said, his eldest sister was very capable with her fists and feet, though she likely hadn't cultivated internal martial arts.
He found himself increasingly curious.
With the two of them in the same room, and Gu Sinian's intense gaze fixed on her, Qi Zhenzhen couldn't help but feel it. Her steady hand movements faltered slightly as her heart skipped a beat.
"Let me," Gu Sinian said softly.
He stood beside Qi Zhenzhen and naturally took the dough and bamboo knife from her. Instead of using his shoulder, he held the bamboo board with his upper left arm and the bamboo knife in his right hand.
After positioning himself, Gu Sinian turned to ask, his voice gentle, "Zhenzhen, is my posture correct?"
Qi Zhenzhen was somewhat dazed, as if under a spell. Seeing her silence, Gu Sinian didn't press the issue and began shaving noodles, mimicking Qi Zhenzhen's movements.
His posture was standard, his force considerable, and having carefully observed Qi Zhenzhen's actions earlier, Gu Sinian's noodle-shaving was quite skillful.
After finishing feeding the horses, Zhang Xiao Niu entered the kitchen. Seeing Gu Sinian shaving noodles, he didn't find it odd; rather, he thought it was fun and eagerly wanted to try.
Zhang Xiao Niu's voice brought Qi Zhenzhen back to her senses. She steadied herself and then saw Gu Sinian shaving noodles, and the word that came to mind was again, pleasing to the eye.
He was handsome, and no matter what he did, it was a sight to behold.
Moreover, Gu Sinian's movements were very precise, and the noodles he shaved into the water were no worse than hers. This was perhaps the legendary talent? Talented people learned everything quickly?
Seeing that she had regained her composure, Gu Sinian continued his movements, tilting his head slightly and asking gently, "Zhenzhen, how am I doing?"
Qi Zhenzhen nodded sincerely. "Very good. Much better than my first time shaving noodles. It took me a long time to get to this point, Your Highness."
Zhang Xiao Niu, standing nearby, pleaded, "Your Highness, you've shaved so much, can I try too?"
Gu Sinian handed the bamboo board to Zhang Xiao Niu. Only a small piece of dough remained.
Zhang Xiao Niu imitated the movements, striking a confident pose, ready to start shaving.
Qi Zhenzhen pulled him back. "You can shave later. There are quite a lot of noodles in the pot already. I'll cook them and serve them, then you can continue shaving. Whether you do it well or not, you'll eat it yourself. This piece of dough is enough for you."
With that, she stirred the fire in the stove, and the flames leaped up, making the pot boil even more vigorously.
Qi Zhenzhen lined up the large noodle bowls with a clear sky background. She placed cilantro and finely chopped garlic sprouts at the bottom of the bowls, then a pinch of dried scallop powder. Each bowl was filled with half a bowl of milky white bone broth. She then scooped the noodles into the bowls one by one. The milky white broth, green garlic sprouts, and cilantro leaves, topped with a few thin slices of braised meat and a sprinkle of chopped scallions, were a feast for the eyes and nose, making one's mouth water.
Gu Sinian watched Qi Zhenzhen busy herself with a gentle expression. A strange feeling arose in his heart. If Zhenzhen prepared all the meals from now on, and he quietly watched from the side, wouldn't that be a beautiful thing?
Qi Zhenzhen set the table, sent two bowls of noodles to Lin Ruixue's room, and then invited everyone to sit down and eat.
On such a cold day, eating hot soup noodles made one feel utterly comfortable.
The poor Zhang Xiao Niu awkwardly shaved noodles, occasionally swallowing his saliva. He had just watched the Duke shave noodles so easily, but why was it so different for him? The bamboo knife was disobedient, and the noodles he shaved were very uneven. He was so frustrated he didn't want to shave anymore, but he felt that giving up would make him look bad. He persevered and finally finished. He made his own soup, scooped a large piece of braised meat into the bowl. It was called dao xiao mian, but it was more like a broken noodle soup.
After finishing his noodle soup, Zhang Xiao Niu looked pitifully at Qi Zhenzhen. Qi Zhenzhen couldn't bear his aggrieved gaze. She took out the noodles that had been rinsed in cold boiled water and made a cold-tossed dao xiao mian for Zhang Xiao Niu, adding plenty of chili oil. Zhang Xiao Niu ate until he was sweating profusely, exclaiming how satisfying it was.
"Zhenzhen treats me the best," said Zhang Xiao Niu with a smile after he had eaten his fill.
Qi Zhenzhen gave him a glare. "Don't get any ideas. If I truly ignored you when you looked like that pitiful little wife, and others saw it, they might think I was mistreating you. I can't have such misunderstandings!"
Zhang Xiao Niu chuckled. He had come to terms with it now; being good friends was also not bad.
"Your Highness, are you going out this afternoon? Can you take Hu Zi with you? This is my younger brother, and we are family from now on," Qi Yi asked Gu Sinian in a pleading tone after they had finished clearing the bowls and chopsticks.
Gu Sinian glanced at the slightly nervous Li Hu and nodded slightly, agreeing.
Before leaving, Gu Sinian mentioned what he wanted for dinner, and then led the group out.
Once they were gone, Qi Zhenzhen breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking about Gu Sinian's actions today and her own, she felt he was acting strangely, which in turn made her feel a bit abnormal. She didn't know how long his official business would take. She hoped he would leave quickly once it was done, so that such a handsome man wouldn't be lingering around, causing her to lose control and do embarrassing things.
Indeed, beauty can mislead. It's not just women's beauty; men's beauty is even more destructive.