The Eldest Princess' Substitute Husband (Transmigration) - Chapter 4

“It’s better to be a bit plump.”

*****

At the hai shi—the hour of the pig, from 9 to 11 PM—the streets of the capital were empty. The only sounds were the watchmen’s patrols, their gongs ringing out in the night as they called, “Lock your doors, bolt your windows, and get to bed!”

“Lock your doors, bolt your windows, and get to bed!…”

By this time, most common folk were already fast asleep, dreaming. But at the same time, an odd scene unfolded in the east kitchen of the Consort’s Residence. Plumes of smoke billowed from the chimney, an uninterrupted wisp rising into the air.

The maid who had led Song Jinsheng to the kitchen was now regretting it. She had thought her master just wanted to see if there were any leftovers, but she never imagined he would start a fire and cook. Such menial tasks were unheard of for a person of his status. But Song Jinsheng insisted on not using a cook, which made her so anxious that she sent someone to get Guzi, but to no avail. No one could talk Song Jinsheng out of it.

So, several servants, including Guzi, stood there, exchanging nervous glances. All they could do was watch from a distance to make sure he didn’t accidentally set the entire kitchen on fire.

Song Jinsheng’s reasons for not wanting a cook were simple. First, she wasn’t from this era, and she didn’t have all those rigid notions of master and servant. She preferred not to trouble others if she didn’t have to. Second, she was actually a good cook. Ever since she entered middle school, she had always cooked for herself. Plus, the food here was so bland, she couldn’t stand it.

But this ancient era was not like the modern world; there was no refrigeration. However, they had preserved some meat by air-drying it into cured bacon, and there were also some vegetable sprouts, eggs, and potatoes left… Song Jinsheng wasn’t picky, so she grabbed a couple of things. Just as she was about to pick up a knife to peel a potato, she startled the group of people behind her.

Guzi immediately rushed forward and firmly grabbed Song Jinsheng’s hand, his face full of panic as he cried out, “No! My master, please don’t do anything foolish!”

Startled, Song Jinsheng stared at him with wide eyes. “What are you thinking? I’m just peeling the potato with the knife. How am I supposed to eat it without peeling it?”

Guzi’s face turned blank. He looked at Song Jinsheng and then at the potato in his hand. He awkwardly let go of her hand, bowed his head respectfully, and whispered, “Then… master, please be careful. The blade is very sharp…” With that, he quietly retreated, not daring to bother Song Jinsheng again.

But he didn’t realize that his shout had startled Chunyue, who was watching from a distance. She ran to find Wei Luoyi in a panic, only to run into her halfway there.

Chunyue screeched to a halt in front of Wei Luoyi and Dongyang. She bent over, hands on her knees, panting. “Your… Your Highness, something’s wrong!”

Seeing her out of breath and lacking her usual composure, Wei Luoyi frowned. “Slow down and tell me. What’s the rush?”

“Your Highness, it’s the consort… This servant just saw him in the east kitchen with a knife, as if he was going to slit his wrists! Guzi was there, begging him not to do anything foolish!”

“Slit his wrists?” Wei Luoyi’s expression instantly changed. Her usually languid eyes widened in shock.

Even Dongyang, who was behind her, gasped in horror, covering her mouth. She went over to Chunyue and grabbed her arm. “Are you sure you saw correctly?”

Chunyue nodded frantically. “Absolutely! But Guzi stopped him, and I thought I had to come find Your Highness right away…”

“Your Highness!”

Chunyue’s words were cut short as Wei Luoyi walked away. The white silk ribbons of her dress fluttered behind her as she hurried. Chunyue and Dongyang quickly followed, carrying a lantern and afraid that Wei Luoyi might stumble in the dark.

“Your Highness… please be careful, don’t walk so fast…” Dongyang hurried beside her, the lantern in her hand swaying back and forth. But no matter how much she pleaded, Wei Luoyi didn’t seem to hear her, nor did she slow down.

She was in a hurry, but not for Song Jinsheng’s sake. She had been married to him for over a year. Though she felt no love for him, Song Jinsheng still held a certain significance for her. Now that he was alive, she couldn’t just stand by and watch him get hurt again.

The three of them rushed to the east kitchen without stopping. But as they got closer, they were stunned by what they saw. Song Jinsheng was standing in front of the stove, his wide sleeves rolled up to reveal his fair and slender forearms. He was wielding a large spatula, flipping the contents of a big pot with great gusto.

Not just Wei Luoyi, but the group of people behind Song Jinsheng were also staring in a daze, so much so that they didn’t even notice Wei Luoyi walk up beside them.

Fortunately, Guzi was the first to snap out of it. He was about to bow and greet her, but Wei Luoyi stopped him. She raised her hand to signal to them all to stay quiet, then she shot a sidelong glance at Chunyue. Chunyue flinched and ducked her head, not daring to make a sound.

Wei Luoyi returned her gaze to Song Jinsheng. She watched his skillful motions and then looked at the strange dishes on the wooden counter beside him. Her expression shifted repeatedly, but the frown on her face remained.

With such a crowd watching him, Song Jinsheng was completely oblivious. He was in his element as a chef, even humming a tune in his terrible Cantonese.

“Oh, gong hei lei faa choi, oh, gong hei lei jing choi, zui hou dak sing guo lai, bat hou dak sing zou hoi~”

Everyone: “…”

The cured bacon was stir-fried over a high flame, released a unique fragrance. The savory aroma filled every corner of the kitchen, making the mouth water. Wei Luoyi’s face remained cold, but Chunyue and Dongyang on either side of her couldn’t help but swallow, their eyes fixed on Song Jinsheng as he scooped the finished bacon onto a plate.

After serving it, Song Jinsheng picked up the plate and took a deep sniff, then sighed with deep satisfaction. “Wow, that smells so good!”

“Where is the consort going now?” Wei Luoyi stepped forward, her voice low and muffled, the atmosphere suddenly growing frigid.

“?”

Song Jinsheng’s heart skipped a beat. She turned around and was so startled that she nearly dropped the plate.

“Oh my God…” Song Jinsheng blurted out instinctively.

Wait, when did she get here?!

“Where are you going?” Wei Luoyi asked, one word at a time, her eyebrows raised. Her tone was steady, but her eyes were as sharp as an icy blade. Everyone there, except for Song Jinsheng, could feel the princess’s rising anger. They bowed their heads as low as they could, afraid of being a distraction.

Wei Luoyi was normally aloof, showing indifference to everyone and everything, as if she were a woman with no emotions. Her sudden burst of anger now was frightening. But there was one person who was not afraid of “death.”

“Nowhere, I’m just… making some food…” Song Jinsheng explained softly, but Wei Luoyi gave no sign that she had heard her.

After a long moment of staring, Wei Luoyi’s gaze made her skin crawl. Her heart pounded, and she had to look away. Her eyes landed on the steaming hot plate of bacon in her hands. Hesitantly, she held it out to Wei Luoyi. “…Your Highness, do you want to try some?”

Upon hearing this, Wei Luoyi’s face grew even colder. Her icy eyes narrowed, and her jaw tightened. Chunyue and Dongyang, who were still bowed low, exchanged a silent glance, already praying for Song Jinsheng in their hearts.

Seeing that Wei Luoyi still hadn’t said anything and was just staring at the dish, Song Jinsheng stepped forward to explain. “I’m a really good cook. The presentation might not be the best, but the taste is guaranteed to be good.”

“…”

Her childlike innocence made Wei Luoyi fall silent. The anger she was holding in still didn’t erupt; she could only sigh inwardly.

Wei Luoyi looked down and spoke softly, “I don’t eat at night.” Then, she glanced back at Guzi. Guzi immediately understood and, after tidying up the stove, led the other servants away.

It was still early spring, and the night wind was cold. Wei Luoyi was sensitive to the cold, and a gust of wind made her shiver. She pulled the large, velvety cloak tighter around herself.

When Wei Luoyi lowered her eyes, the coldness vanished, and she looked gentle, like a precious cat. She was stunningly beautiful in the darkness, and the sight made Song Jinsheng’s heart flutter for no reason.

“What are you doing here… at this hour?”

Shouldn’t she be in bed by now?

Wei Luoyi looked up at her, answering her question with a question. “Yes, and at this hour, why are you here?”

“Well, I was hungry. There was nothing to eat in the manor, so I came to cook for myself…”

“Your Highness… can I sit down and eat now?” Song Jinsheng asked tentatively, her eyes on Wei Luoyi’s face. Before Wei Luoyi arrived, she felt completely at ease, but now that the princess had “graced” her with her presence, she felt awkward all over. She didn’t dare move without Wei Luoyi’s permission.

Wei Luoyi was silent again.

So it was just for that simple reason? But she really couldn’t think of any other purpose for Song Jinsheng to be in the kitchen in the middle of the night. Wei Luoyi nodded wordlessly, which was enough of a response for Song Jinsheng.

Song Jinsheng immediately sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and shoved a piece of meat into her mouth, eating with gusto.

Wei Luoyi watched her devour the food, a frown on her face. Seeing her mouth smeared with oil and a complete lack of table manners, she couldn’t take it anymore. She pulled out her silk handkerchief and handed it to her. “No one is going to steal your food, Consort. You don’t need to eat like that.”

Song Jinsheng was a little flustered, unsure of what to do. But seeing that Wei Luoyi wasn’t taking her hand back, she had no choice but to accept the handkerchief. Song Jinsheng carefully folded it, glancing at Wei Luoyi as she wiped her mouth. “Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll wash it and return it to you.”

“No need.”

“Oh…” Song Jinsheng nodded and still folded the handkerchief neatly, tucking it into her collar. She then continued to enjoy her late-night meal, completely oblivious to the person watching her.

Wei Luoyi suddenly felt that she had meddled in something she shouldn’t have. She knew that the current Song Jinsheng had a different personality and it was only natural for him to do something out of character. But there were still some things that puzzled her.

Wei Luoyi watched the top of Song Jinsheng’s dark head, remembering how he had wielded the large spatula. “When did you learn to cook, Consort? Why don’t I know about this?”

Song Jinsheng, who was eating happily, froze at Wei Luoyi’s question. She chewed a couple of times, swallowed her food, and then said, “I… I’ve been reading a lot these past few days. I found some books about cooking and just taught myself from them.”

Wei Luoyi was half-convinced. She had read many books herself, but she had never seen a book on how to cook. And… Wei Luoyi looked at the table of strange-looking dishes with a confused expression. “Then, Consort, can you tell me what these dishes are?”

“Oh… I just stir-fried them casually. This is stir-fried vegetable sprouts with cured bacon… and that’s scrambled eggs, and french fries…”

When Song Jinsheng was done, she saw that Wei Luoyi was still confused, so she explained, “These… are my own creations. It’s not strange that Your Highness hasn’t heard of them.”

Wei Luoyi’s brow relaxed slightly, but her expression remained serious. Her gaze on Song Jinsheng was one of examination. “Consort, you used to dislike meat, especially greasy things like this.”

And yet, he was nearly done with the entire plate of cured bacon.

Song Jinsheng had anticipated this question and was prepared. “The past is the past, and now is now. Besides, I’m still recovering. Eating only vegetables isn’t nutritious, and I get hungry quickly. I need to eat more meat to get some nourishment. A diet should have a balance of both.”

Song Jinsheng spoke so smoothly that she forgot that the person in front of her couldn’t understand modern terms. Wei Luoyi listened, half-understanding, half-confused. After a long moment of contemplation, she asked, “What does… nourishment mean?”

Song Jinsheng was stumped, unsure of how to explain it. “It’s… oh, you know how people say that certain herbal medicines can nourish the body? It’s like that.”

Song Jinsheng was full and in a good mood, so she was more willing to chat with Wei Luoyi. She looked at Wei Luoyi’s figure and, out of a kind heart, advised her, “Your Highness, you’re too thin. You should also get some more nourishment. It’s better to be a bit plump.”

Wei Luoyi: “…”

Song Jinsheng was looking at her waist, but Wei Luoyi didn’t know that. She looked down in confusion, her face first blank, then a blush crept over it.

Plump, you say?

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