"Go on, eat!"
Seeing Leng Yuan hadn't touched his chopsticks, Gu Jiaojiao urged him again.
Leng Yuan looked up and met Gu Jiaojiao's expectant gaze. After a moment's hesitation, he picked up the cold dish she had placed in his bowl and brought it to his lips.
Instantly, a delicious flavor flooded his taste buds.
The fresh fragrance of the greens, the crispiness of the peanuts, and the fruity aroma of the raisins all mingled together, creating a wonderful sensory experience.
He then took a sip of the congee. The flavor of the chicken was infused into every grain of rice, and the broth carried the fresh scent of wild vegetables. He had no idea how she'd made it, but it was absolutely delicious.
The vegetable pancake was also part of the meal—savory and crisp with a golden-brown exterior. It smelled wonderful, but tasted even better.
Leng Yuan was thoroughly impressed. For once, a rare glimmer of light appeared in his normally placid eyes.
From his reaction, Gu Jiaojiao knew he liked it, but she asked anyway.
"How is it?"
"Good."
The man replied without looking up, but his chopsticks started moving noticeably faster.
Gu Jiaojiao was incredibly satisfied. 'A successful feeding,' she thought happily.
When her cousin had asked what she wanted in a partner, Gu Jiaojiao had mentioned she hoped he would be a fellow foodie. She never expected her cousin to actually find one for her.
Gu Jiaojiao was overjoyed. 'I've finally found someone to share good food with!'
By the time the meal was over, Leng Yuan's mood had clearly improved. Gu Jiaojiao could tell because the tension in his expression had eased, and even the aura around him seemed to soften.
After the meal, Leng Yuan took the initiative to clear the table, and Gu Jiaojiao didn't stop him.
As much as she loved cooking, she absolutely hated washing dishes.
She was more than happy to let someone else do them.
Once he was done, Gu Jiaojiao watched the tall man emerge from the kitchen. She approached him and said softly, "My things are still at the Educated Youth Point. Could you come with me to get them?"
"Let's go."
Leng Yuan agreed, and they headed to the Educated Youth Point together. Along the way, they ran into a few villagers who smiled and greeted Leng Yuan, but as they passed, they couldn't help but sneak extra glances at Gu Jiaojiao.
The women envied Gu Jiaojiao for marrying such a good catch.
The men envied Leng Yuan for landing such a beautiful wife.
While the onlookers' expressions were a mix of emotions, the pair remained perfectly calm, clearly long accustomed to being the center of attention.
They walked the rest of the way to the Educated Youth Point in silence.
No one at the Educated Youth Point was particularly surprised to see Gu Jiaojiao. However, a sudden silence fell over the group, as she had managed to offend nearly everyone there in the past.
"Gu Jiaojiao, you're back!"
Chen Ruoyu called out as she emerged and saw Gu Jiaojiao.
Chen Ruoyu was one of the few people at the point whom Gu Jiaojiao hadn't alienated.
Gu Jiaojiao smiled back. "I'm just here to pick up my things."
Hearing the commotion, Li Hongmei rushed out from her room. She saw that Gu Jiaojiao was still wearing the same white blouse and floral skirt from earlier—an absolutely stunning outfit. As she got closer, she noticed the fabric was Dacron, and a bitter pang of jealousy shot through her.
'She knew for a fact that Gu Jiaojiao didn't own those clothes. Leng Yuan must have bought them for her today.'
At that thought, the jealousy in Li Hongmei's eyes threatened to spill out.
Gu Jiaojiao saw it and knew exactly what Li Hongmei was thinking, but she put on an innocent face and asked, "Hong Mei, why are you staring at me like that?"
As soon as Gu Jiaojiao spoke, everyone's gaze shifted from her to Li Hongmei. Li Hongmei's expression changed in a flash as she stepped forward, her face a mask of concern. "Jiaojiao, I was just so worried about you."
"Worried about what?" Gu Jiaojiao asked, feigning confusion.
"It's about you and Leng Yuan, of course! What on earth is going on? How did you end up marrying him?" Li Hongmei shot Gu Jiaojiao an anxious glance, then leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I saw Yun Hao today. When he heard you got married, he seemed really upset."
Having said her piece, Li Hongmei waited for Gu Jiaojiao's reaction.
In the past, hearing this would have sent Gu Jiaojiao into a panic, desperately asking for every detail of Yun Hao's reaction. But now, she couldn't care less about some guy named Yun Hao.
'Besides, Leng Yuan was much more her type.'