CHAPTER 81: CHAPTER 29 HUNDRED BIRDS PAYING HOMAGE TO THE PHOENIX_3

She took a glance at the door, where there seemed to be nothing unusual. Strange, why did it feel like some hard metal was smashed against the door?

Du Xixi: So strange...

2569: Ughhh X﹏X, my light screen was smashed and flew away by the Marshal...

Ke Lian, who was innocently holding the light screen to reattach it to 2569: ...Huh? Did something happen? I don’t know anything!

*

Although there were quite a few twists and turns along the way, Du Xixi was still able to successfully make the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, and stir-fried a few small dishes. Together, they made up today’s lunch.

Du Xixi and Ke Lian sat face-to-face at the dining table, with 2569 helping to bring the heavy small pot to the table — this contained the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, which had been stewing until now. The essence of the dish reveals itself while stewing.

"Can we start eating?" Ke Lian now habitually listened to Du Xixi at home, showing none of the majestic, commanding presence he had at the Military Department and battlefield.

On the contrary, Ke Lian, who was holding the rice bowl and asking politely, made Du Xixi feel an urge to pat him on the head... cough, his human head.

Du Xixi had already returned to her usual gentle and serene self. After nodding, she stood up and used a cloth to lift the lid off the pot of Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.

Steam spread out like a mist, and the dish within seemed as if it were in a fairyland, with an air of grandeur reminiscent of the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.

Ke Lian blinked, watching intently. Seeing a circle of bird-shaped dumplings surrounding the proud and lofty young chicken in the middle, he couldn’t help but laugh: "If it had feathers, it really would be a phoenix."

Ke Lian had never seen a phoenix, but he could imagine its majestic image from Du Xixi’s description. Long tail feathers, rainbow-colored brilliance, and that high-raised head, accepting the homage of all the birds.

Ke Lian really wished he could witness it himself.

Du Xixi smiled but only scooped a bowl of soup with dumplings and a chicken head for him, saying softly, "Try the taste."

After speaking, Du Xixi also scooped a bowl for herself, lowered her head to take a small taste, but accidentally furrowed her delicate brows.

Although at first taste it seemed no different from what she made during Blue Star time, Du Xixi’s taste buds were extremely sensitive, and she immediately discerned the difference.

The same spoonful of salt, but with a different brand and from a different sea region, Du Xixi could tell — this was experience honed from years of cooking.

Not to mention such a large pot of Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix. As soon as Du Xixi tasted it, she knew her culinary skills had regressed a bit. Or rather, due to the limitation of ingredients, Du Xixi couldn’t fully bring out her culinary skills.

This was not a good sign, nor was it a fact Du Xixi could accept.

A truly great cook never creates a table full of delicacies from a well-stocked pantry, but rather makes delicious food using their abilities where ingredients are scarce.

This time, Du Xixi knew she was not up to par.

Ke Lian, however, was eating joyfully. After finishing a bowl, he smiled at Du Xixi and said, "This is so delicious, even better than the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall we had at the Imperial Palace that day."

Du Xixi slightly restrained her expression and smiled nonchalantly.

On the day at the Imperial Palace, Du Xixi’s body was as weak as could be, and all the heavy lifting was done by Rob, so there wasn’t much she could take charge of. Therefore, the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall from that day wasn’t truly her creation.

But today’s Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix was different. Although Ke Lian helped, Du Xixi mainly handled it herself; from the soup to the stewing, she put her heart into it, so naturally, it was better than the previous Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

Du Xixi scooped another bowl of soup for Ke Lian and smiled gently, "If you like it, we can make it often. I’m just afraid you’ll get tired of it and beg me to make something else later."

"How could that be! I could eat it every day for a lifetime," Ke Lian muttered before looking up and holding Du Xixi’s hand. "But don’t overwork yourself. Just have 2569 help out when you want something in particular. You just supervise and don’t tire yourself out, okay?"

Du Xixi felt both helpless and touched by Ke Lian’s careful caretaking, and she returned his hand squeeze, her gaze serious, "Got it, I will take good care of myself."

An ordinary meal, made unusually warm due to Ke Lian and Du Xixi’s sudden sentimentality. 2569, obviously used to his two masters’ tendency to display affection at any moment, moved deftly to crouch in the corner, out of sight and out of mind.

The Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix was polished off completely by Ke Lian. Du Xixi, with her naturally small appetite, spent most of her time quietly watching Ke Lian eat heartily.

Du Xixi noticed that Ke Lian ate with surprising vigor, yet didn’t appear rude in any way, maintaining elegance and a touch of calm composure.

Still... watching him made her heart flutter.