I Woke Up and Found Myself Married to the Dean - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Stay the Night

The first thing Si Nanyu did after entering the house was to inform Qin Hua that she wouldn’t be drinking. Qin Hua froze for a moment, then nodded. “Fine, no drinking then.” She then gestured toward the door. “Go pick some bok choy. It’s right at the edge of the vegetable patch.”

Relieved, Si Nanyu agreed and stepped over the threshold toward the area her mother had indicated.

The house where Qin Hua lived alone was a single-story bungalow with a garden. The “vegetable patch” was actually the garden converted for produce. The area for the bok choy was covered with a greenhouse film to keep it warm, allowing them to harvest for a longer season.

Aside from the bok choy, the patch was filled with various fresh fruits and vegetables, all lush, green, and meticulously maintained.

After focusing on picking the greens, Si Nanyu looked around with a hint of suspicion. Based on her past knowledge of Qin Hua, as well as the things Wen Qingyan and Qin Hua had said, her mother was still very busy. It seemed unlikely she would have the time or energy to maintain such a tidy and organized garden.

She gave the bok choy a quick rinse and walked to the edge of the kitchen, asking casually, “Mom, do you actually have time to tend to the garden these days?”

Si Nanyu’s personality hadn’t changed much; when she was confused, she asked directly. However, this question seemed to startle Qin Hua.

The cooking ladle clanked loudly against the rim of the pot. The Sliced Meat in Chili Oil was momentarily forgotten as Qin Hua stared at Si Nanyu, seemingly at a loss for words.

Qin Hua and Si Nanyu’s father, Si Xueyi, were childhood sweethearts. However, Si Xueyi had tested into a university in Xijing while Qin Hua had stayed in their hometown to attend a vocational college for accounting.

They were a year apart. When Si Xueyi started his business, Qin Hua assisted him. Once the company gained scale, she handled the finances. Having ventured out into the world early and possessing a decisive nature, she had always been a woman of action.

Rarely was she ever like this. At least, in the eighteen years of memory Si Nanyu held, she had never seen Qin Hua unable to speak in front of her.

Their eyes met, and a palpable sense of awkwardness emanated from Qin Hua.

After a few breaths of tension, Wen Qingyan quietly stepped up beside them. Looking at the fresh bok choy, she asked Qin Hua, “Mom, are we making the Mala Xiang Guo (Spicy Stir-fry Pot) that Nanyu likes?”

“We’ll need to add cilantro then; Nanyu loves cilantro.”

Wen Qingyan was like a timely rain, rescuing the frozen Qin Hua. The mother snapped back to reality and nodded vigorously, smiling. “Of course. You can’t make Mala Xiang Guo without cilantro.”

Si Nanyu did indeed love Mala Xiang Guo and cilantro. Hearing these two sentences—filled with such specific favoritism she couldn’t help but fix her gaze on Wen Qingyan.

There was no helping it; Wen Qingyan’s intimate knowledge of her preferences was enough to make her face flush. Whatever defiance she had felt earlier vanished, replaced by a bashful glance at her wife. She felt a wave of regret for her earlier moodiness.

However, Wen Qingyan didn’t have time to pay her any mind. She was busy talking to Qin Hua and pulled her back toward the stove.

Si Nanyu could only watch their retreating backs. Although she was momentarily dazed by Wen Qingyan’s intervention, she hadn’t forgotten Qin Hua’s strange reaction. But since she remembered nothing, she didn’t dare ask more, fearing she might spark a conflict or uncover a consequence she couldn’t handle.

It was obvious Wen Qingyan knew everything. Her attempt to smooth things over made Si Nanyu blush, but her protective attitude toward Qin Hua was also genuine.

Like right now—the two of them were “hiding” in the kitchen, whispering as if they shared a secret.

Si Nanyu felt a twinge of discomfort. Clearly, these two were connected because of her, yet they were keeping secrets behind her back. She pouted, reminding herself that she had no memories and couldn’t afford to be reckless.

“I’ll go pick some cilantro,” she called out to the kitchen. Wen Qingyan looked back first, followed by Qin Hua, who waved her away somewhat urgently. “Go ahead! Pick plenty if you like it so much!”

Only after watching Si Nanyu disappear back into the garden did Qin Hua let out a long sigh of relief. “Phew! I really didn’t know how to explain it to her just now…”

“Then don’t say anything. After all…” Wen Qingyan paused. “It’s been over for a long time anyway.”

As Wen Qingyan spoke, her eyes remained fixed on Si Nanyu, her expression unreadable. Qin Hua opened her mouth but didn’t say anything in response. Instead, she remarked with a sigh, “I really don’t know if Nanyu’s amnesia is a blessing or a curse.”

“It’s not a blessing, and it’s not a curse.” Wen Qingyan’s gaze was still on Si Nanyu, but her eyes now held a flicker of emotion—annoyance and helplessness. The bok choy in her hands was being snapped into pieces so small they were almost inedible.

Qin Hua reached over to take them from her, smiling to change the subject. “If you keep snapping those, there won’t be any greens left for the Sliced Meat in Chili Oil you love.”

“It’s beef today—sliced thin and tender.”

“Mom, your cooking has always been the best. I can rarely stomach anyone else’s food.”

Wen Qingyan rarely complimented people, so she was telling the truth. She was usually indifferent to food, but Qin Hua’s cooking was truly exceptional. Over time, she had grown to love Sliced Meat in Chili Oil, provided it wasn’t too spicy. Qin Hua knew her palate not too much heat, but plenty of aroma.

Both Si Nanyu and Qin Hua were top-tier cooks, so these family gatherings had always been something that made Wen Qingyan happy in the past.

“A-Yu, come help bring out the dishes!” Qin Hua’s shout summoned Si Nanyu, who was currently wrestling with the cilantro.

The Sliced Meat in Chili Oil, boneless chicken feet, braised eggplant, and shredded pork with bean sauce were all ready. Only the Mala Xiang Guo and the tender ribs were left to be finished.

Qin Hua pointed to the ribs. “These are stewed exactly to the texture you like. Come and mix the sweet and sour sauce!”

Si Nanyu had learned to make sweet and sour sauce from Qin Hua, but the student had surpassed the master; Si Nanyu’s version was widely considered the best. This “consensus” included Wen Qingyan, Qin Hua, and Si Nanyu herself.

Hearing this, Si Nanyu got excited. She glanced at Wen Qingyan, who was already carrying dishes to the table, and rolled up her sleeves, eager to show off.

Although she had cooked at home a few days prior, she put in extra effort to perform today. She helped set the table first. Finally, the Mala Xiang Guo and the sweet and sour ribs were served together.

The table was full of dishes all three of them enjoyed, but the sweet and sour ribs disappeared the fastest. Not just because there was less of them, but because the taste was exquisite, and the sesame garnish made them even more appetizing.

Knowing Wen Qingyan liked them, Si Nanyu kept urging her to eat. “Teacher We—er—”

“Teacher Er?”

“Si Nanyu, what kind of strange title is that!” Qin Hua couldn’t stand it. She put down her chopsticks and scolded her daughter.

Across the table, Wen Qingyan had no reaction. She was used to it; over the past few days, Si Nanyu had been switching back and forth between titles, but she never managed to say the one Wen Qingyan actually wanted to hear.

“I didn’t! I just… I…” Si Nanyu, feeling guilty, stole a glance at the expressionless Wen Qingyan, who was slowly chewing a slice of beef. Unable to explain herself, she abruptly changed the subject. “Just now… I thought I saw Si Jiamu at the entrance.”

“Does she live here?”

She was asking Qin Hua, but her eyes hadn’t moved away from Wen Qingyan in time, so she missed the flash of panic that crossed Qin Hua’s face.

This time, Qin Hua didn’t nitpick at her. Instead, she looked left and right, turning to Wen Qingyan for help. “Xiao Wen, why don’t you and Nanyu stay the night?”

Wen Qingyan, who had been acting like an outsider, finally showed some emotion. She frowned, looking at the pleading Qin Hua and then at the once-again blushing Si Nanyu.

She lowered her head and propped her forehead in her hand…

How are these two mother and daughter exactly the same? Whenever they hit a problem, they just change the subject!

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