Chapter 4, The Heart of a Blade of Grass
Chopping radishes and slicing onions, with a flash of the knife, the radishes are already diced, and with a flick of the knife, the onions are already shredded. Shiya, who had secretly come to take a look, saw Ningyue's exquisite knife skills and felt reassured to leave. With such superb knife skills as a foundation, her culinary skills are surely not lacking.
"Drink? The last sentence is the key point, isn't it?" Ning Yue secretly complained in her heart, but her face wore a calm and slightly confident smile. "I have never considered myself a gentleman, merely a commoner. As for the culinary arts... I have quite a bit of research in this area."
Seeing Qian Muxue lost in thought, Ning Yue clenched her fists nervously, "Come on, feel something! I've been so sincere and considerate for you, can't you be moved at all?"
Young Master Ning added onions to the heartfelt dish, so you all should hurry and eat it, lest you disappoint Young Master Ning's intentions
Looking at the three recipes in the system, Ning Yue naturally would not choose the steamed buns. No matter how delicious they are, she cannot afford to lose face. Between the grass heart and the blood tofu, Ning Yue found herself in a dilemma. Blood tofu nourishes the blood and enhances beauty, making it quite suitable for women. However, the grass heart gave Ning Yue a strong premonition, as if a voice deep within her was urging her to choose the grass heart.
"The orders of parents and the words of matchmakers? That is not without merit. However, marriage is ultimately a matter between the two of us, and it requires mutual affection. If you are unwilling or fear breaking your vow, I can write a document to voluntarily dissolve our engagement," Ning Yue said sincerely, causing Qian Mu Xue across from her to reassess her understanding of Ning Yue.
The preparation speed of the dish was very quick; in just a quarter of an hour, Ning Yue had already completed it. Looking at the four bowls of golden fried rice on the tray, Ning Yue revealed a serious expression, "Success or failure hinges on this one moment; do not let me down!"
Let us return!" Qian Muxue said softly as she was about to leave, but Ning Yue had not yet completed the task she had taken on, so she gritted her teeth and called out loudly to keep her.
Having spent the last ten taels of silver to exchange for the recipe of "Cun Cao Xin," Ning Yue immediately went to the kitchen to get busy. Fortunately, in recent days, Shi Ya had been cooking in the kitchen every day, and the ingredients were relatively complete.
Is this considered a confession? Ning Yue did not know why, but deep down she just felt a bit like crying, not out of being moved, but out of grievance... You do not dislike me, but I may become a thorn in the eyes of millions and a splinter in their flesh
With a few gusts of wind, the four young girls had already completed their lightness skill training and returned to Qian Muxue's side. For a full hour, they had been darting and maneuvering over the water's surface without allowing a single drop of water to touch their shoes. If this were to be told, no one would believe that such remarkable lightness skills could exist in the world
The most important point is that the success rate for the first time producing food purchased from the system is one hundred percent. Therefore, Ning Yue is not at all worried about failing to make the grass heart; her only concern is that even if she successfully makes the grass heart, she may not be able to complete the task
Ning Yue smiled gently, and these four bowls of grass-like affection were completed with the assistance of the system. Having tasted the flavor himself, he naturally had no complaints. What he was more concerned about was whether it would move Qian Mu Xue to shed a tear of emotion.
After learning about Qian Muxue's identity, Ning Yue no longer took the engagement to heart. He liked beautiful women, but he was also self-aware. The gap between him and Qian Muxue was not a chasm, but a vast ocean. Rather than yearning for an impossible dream, it was better to seek some practical benefits. The grand martial arts system in his mind was his foundation for survival.
It is only natural for me to save you, and you need not take it to heart
"Ning Yue, why is it called 'Cun Cao Xin'?" Qian Mu Xue asked lightly after finishing the fried rice in her bowl
Marriage vows belong to marriage vows, gratitude belongs to gratitude. The two should not be confused, but I also know that I have nothing and no skills to repay your kindness. Let me express my gratitude by cooking a meal for everyone! Ning Yue really has no other choice but to rely on the newly acquired life skill of cooking. Besides, treating you to a meal seems like a very appropriate way to express gratitude.
However, it now seems that what I just said was a blunder. Nevertheless, Ning Yue is not ready to give up; he does not believe that such a stark disparity could be overlooked by Qian Muxue unless she is blind, nor could she possibly be indifferent to it
Why do you ask? Our engagement was set 18 years ago by our parents and matchmaker, it was a matter of course. What? Do you doubt the credibility of the Qian family or do you think I have ulterior motives towards you?Qian Muxue's tone suddenly turned cold, and the warm sunshine above her head not only did not bring any warmth to Ning Yue, but instead brought a bone-chilling coldness.
Wait! There are still several other young ladies. Please save my life, and I will be forever grateful for your kindness...
Inch of grass, heart!
The aroma of the kitchen is like a gentle breeze that sneaks into the night, playfully entering the nostrils of a few individuals
No matter how much Ning Yue roars in her heart, the task interface is still those few cold words. Looking at Ning Yue's changing expression, Qian Muxue suddenly felt a little happy for some reason, and even her unfriendly face became a bit softer.
However, there is one thing you don't need to feel inferior about. Although you are just an ordinary person and don't understand martial arts... you don't make me dislike you!
When Ningyue revealed her inch-long grass heart, several girls were captivated by its beauty. In this world, there is no such thing as egg fried rice. What is common in Ningyue's eyes may be unique in the eyes of the peonies.
As a man, why do you act so pretentiously? As my fiancé, you should not only have an extraordinary love that covers the world, but also be resolute and determined! Qian Muxue frowned, obviously misunderstanding Ning Yue's thoughts. Of course, Ning Yue wouldn't be foolish enough to correct her.
"Oh, Sister Shiya, why are you crying?" Yingying asked in surprise as if she had discovered a new world, for she had not noticed that a tear had slipped from the corner of Shiya's eye.
Looking at the task interface that had not provided any prompts for a long time, Ning Yue let out a silent sigh of disappointment. How difficult it is to move Qian Mu Xue, not to mention shedding tears of emotion? Unless I use a tear gas shell
From childhood to adulthood, my mother taught me only one principle apart from reading and writing: a promise made in the depths of winter is one that one will never regret, even in life or death. If you dare to utter a word about breaking the engagement, I will kill you
Qian Muxue slowly turned around and watched the four maids still struggling on the surface of the pond. "Eighteen years ago, on the night of the massacre, my master saved me and my mother. Since then, I have slept with a sword every night, practiced at the age of four, trained with a sword at the age of seven, and reached the realm of unity of man and sword after seven years, thus embarking on the supreme path of swordsmanship. As you said, young talents are as numerous as crucian carp crossing the river. But do you know that in my eyes, these so-called young talents are nothing but mediocre people? Since we are all ordinary people, what's wrong with us getting married? What's unreasonable about it?"
After mastering the culinary arts, Ning Yue's basic cooking skills have naturally reached the maximum level, and the only thing lacking is a menu recipe. As long as there is a recipe, Ning Yue can immediately prepare the dish.
Since we've come to this point, there's a question I've been wanting to ask you these past few days. Do you really want to marry me? Ning Yue suddenly asked with an unusually serious tone, staring directly at Qian Muxue's beautiful face without any avoidance in her gaze.
What if I don't say anything?" The expression on Qian Muxue's face softened once again, and there was a hint of cunning in her gaze as she looked at Ning Yue.
Why is it called a "heart of a blade of grass"? This is just a bowl of fried rice! Isn't that a bit insincere? Ning Yue felt very sad. In her previous life, even a natural-born culinary disaster could make fried rice, fried eggs, and instant noodles.
Ning Yue let out a long sigh, gazing at the white clouds on the horizon, and declared with a sense of heroism: "Then... I vow to never submit!"
"The golden color is truly beautiful!" Peony smiled as she took the tray and leaned in to smell it. "Ningyue, I didn't expect you to be truly skilled in the art of easy cooking? It looks delicious. Sister Shiya, would you like to give it a try?"
Ning Yue kept her gaze fixed on Qian Mu Xue, and apart from a brief moment of surprise at the beginning, her face showed not a trace of emotion. Even though several of her maidservants were in tears, Qian Mu Xue remained completely unresponsive
What a wonderful aroma! As soon as Yingying caught a whiff of this fragrance, her eyes instantly lit up, and a look only a true foodie would understand appeared on her face
Ning Yue's eager expression was instantly frozen in place, "So it turns out I was off by ?"
"Cooking?" the four girls asked in unison, their faces filled with shock, while the other three occasionally glanced curiously at Shiya, the girl responsible for their three meals a day
Miss Qian, you are a stunning sword fairy under the moonlight. Who am I? A mere mortal in the mundane world, unable to wield a sword or compose a text. To put it more aptly, I am just someone who lives off others and waits for death. Do you think we could marry? Even if there are parental orders and matchmaking, it cannot bridge the gap between our statuses. In this world, there are countless men who are more outstanding than I am. As long as Miss Qian is willing, those who would kneel at your pomegranate skirt could line up from here to the capital. I truly do not understand, nor do I believe that you would be someone so inflexible. I hope you can enlighten me!
In a moment of hesitation, Ning Yue came across the detailed explanation of the "Cun Cao Xin" recipe, an introduction she had completely overlooked before, which excited her. The food imbued with maternal love and care instantly brought a smile to Ning Yue's face.
With grace and elegance, she scooped a spoonful and brought it to her mouth. Suddenly taken aback, she slowly exhaled a breath of warm air, "It’s delicious. I didn’t expect Master Ning to be such a skilled cook. What is this dish called... uh... Master Ning, what is this called?"
"Wait a minute? Tears of emotion?" The moment of joy triggered by the task was extinguished by a few words of the task's requirements. "Just repay the kindness, right? A simple gesture is enough? Tears of emotion? Even if I pour out my heart and soul, it may not move her? System, come out, are you sure it is her who is moved and not me?"
Indeed, is it not permissible? Ning Yue found it somewhat strange; after all, it is merely cooking. Is such a strong reaction really necessary
A few words left Ning Yue utterly speechless. Although he had inferred from Xie Yun's tone that Qian Mu Xue was quite stunning, he had never imagined that her beauty was such that it overshadowed all the men in the world.
Oh, just based on this small token of gratitude, Master Ning's culinary skills far surpass my own. Miss, this is Master Ning's intention, so it is best to enjoy it while it's hot. " Shiya gently placed a bowl in front of Qian Muxue, and Ning Yue couldn't help but feel a surge of nervousness.
A gentleman should stay away from the kitchen. How can you, being Mr. Ning's son, cook? Moreover, do you even know how to cook?