Born in the 1980s, she was remarried and became a stepmother; a cold, rough man doted on her, pinchi

Chapter 48 Hugging him from behind
Jiang He was stunned when she heard this.

What do you mean by "If you like Qin Yishen, I'll take you to find Jiang Man and Qin Yishen"?

"Lin Yanqing, is that really who I am in your heart?!"

Lin Yanqing frowned as she looked at the angry Jiang He, feeling somewhat confused.

If she really likes Qin Yishen, wouldn't it be better for him to take her to Qin Yishen and explain things to Jiang Man?

Is it because she's pregnant that she's so angry?

"Honey, let me make you a boxed lunch."

Qin Yishen wiped his hands with a towel and walked into the yard.

Jiang Man blushed as soon as she heard the word "wife".

Ever since they got their marriage certificate, Qin Yishen has started calling his wife "wife," which makes him feel quite embarrassed.

"Make me a boxed lunch?"

Jiang Man looked at Qin Yishen with a mocking gaze.

Qin Yishen clearly recalled the experience of cooking food that even pigs wouldn't eat, and for a moment his face showed some embarrassment.

Jiang Man smiled and stepped forward to take Qin Yishen's hand.

"Come on, let me show you my shop."

Qin Yishen rode his bicycle with Jiang Man on the back to the small shop in town.

"It's just ahead, our boxed lunch shop!"

Not far away, a boxed lunch restaurant stood quietly on the side of the street.

The shop is small, with simple white walls, the marks of time faintly visible in the corners. A simple wooden sign, painted red, reads "Manxiu Boxed Rice Restaurant," swaying gently in the breeze, as if waving enthusiastically to passersby.

The shop entrance consists of two old wooden doors that open side by side, the verdigris on the doorknobs telling tales of the past.

Jiang Man eagerly pushed open the shop door, and a creaking sound broke the afternoon's tranquility, followed by the clear sound of wind chimes.

The shop is furnished with several wooden tables and chairs, which, though not luxurious, are spotless and have a faint sheen.

Several celebrity posters from that era are pasted on the wall, adding a touch of liveliness to the small shop.

The counter was a long wooden board, on which aluminum lunch boxes were neatly arranged, their lids polished to a shine.

On the small blackboard next to it, the menu for the day was written in chalk: Braised Pork Rice Box, Shredded Pork with Green Pepper Rice Box, Stir-fried Three Delicacies Rice Box...

The kitchen is at the back of the store, separated from the dining area only by a curtain.

At this moment, Wang Xiu was busy at the stove, wearing an apron. The vegetables in the pot sizzled in the hot oil, and the aroma filled the entire small shop.

Hearing the noise, Wang Xiu turned around and saw Jiang Man and Qin Yishen. Her face immediately lit up with a warm smile: "Oh! Big brother is here today too? Are you worried about your sister-in-law?"

Jiang Man blushed as Wang Xiu teased her: "Alright, alright, stop teasing us. Your older brother came here specifically to help."

Her cheeks were flushed red from the fire, and her bangs were a little messy, but that did nothing to diminish her simple charm.

Jiang Man pulled Qin Yishen into the kitchen, proudly introducing, "This is our little haven. Don't let its size fool you; we put a lot of thought into it." Qin Yishen looked around, her gaze falling on the tall pile of fresh ingredients: freshly bought vegetables and radishes from the market, vibrant pork, and lively fish. In the corner, several old earthenware jars held various seasonings.

Wang Xiu picked up a spoon, scooped a spoonful of braised pork from the pot, and handed it to Qin Yishen: "Try it, this is our signature dish."

Qin Yishen lowered his head slightly, gently sniffed the tempting aroma, then put it in his mouth and chewed slowly, a look of approval on his face: "The taste is great, the meat is tender and juicy, and not greasy at all."

Jiang Man grinned from ear to ear: "This is our exclusive recipe, made with special seasonings and cooking time."

Just then, a middle-aged man in a blue work uniform walked into the shop and shouted, "Boss lady, one braised pork rice box, please!"

Jiang Man quickly responded and deftly took out a lunchbox from under the counter, filled it with rice, and then topped it with a layer of bright red braised pork, emerald green vegetables, and golden fried eggs.

Wang Xiu put a pair of chopsticks and a packet of pickled vegetables in a small bag and handed it to Jiang Man. Jiang Man handed the lunchbox to the uncle and said with a smile, "Uncle, take care, come back when you've finished eating!"

"It's time to prepare the vegetarian dishes. Can you help me chop them?"

Jiang Man pulled Qin Yishen to the back kitchen and made him stand in front of the chopping block.

Qin Yishen frowned slightly, his eyes showing a hint of focus and seriousness. His hands clumsily picked up the kitchen knife, attempting to slice the carrots on the cutting board into even, thin slices.

The carrots, however, didn't behave as well under his knife as they did in Jiang Man's hands. The slices he cut were of varying sizes, some thicker, some so thin they were almost transparent.

He couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. He secretly glanced at Jiang Man beside him and saw that she had a faint smile on her lips, but her hands did not stop moving at all. She skillfully threw the chopped vegetables into the pot and stir-fried them, making a "sizzling" sound, which was like a symphony in the kitchen.

Jiang Man seemed to sense Qin Yishen's embarrassment. She walked over quietly, stood behind him, and reached out to take his hand holding the knife. Qin Yishen felt a warm, soft touch, which made his heart tremble.

Jiang Man's voice rang softly in his ear, tinged with a hint of teasing: "Like this, apply force evenly and keep the knife steady."

Her breath brushed gently against his ear, carrying a faint scent of shampoo. Qin Yishen felt his mind go blank, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red.

Under Jiang Man's guidance, he finally managed to cut a few relatively satisfactory carrot slices, and a small sense of accomplishment welled up in his heart.

Next came the fried eggs. Qin Yishen watched as the oil in the pan slowly heated up, then carefully cracked the eggs into the pan.

With a sizzle, the egg mixture quickly solidified under the heat of the oil, with a ring of golden bubbles appearing around the edges.

He watched the eggs intently in the pan, gently stirring them with a spatula to ensure they were heated evenly.

However, perhaps due to nervousness, his movements were a little stiff, and he accidentally broke the yolk, causing the golden egg liquid to flow out, which made the originally beautiful fried egg a little flawed.

He sighed helplessly, turned to look at Jiang Man, and looked at her with a hint of pleading in his eyes.

Jiang Man simply smiled gently, took the spatula from his hand, and skillfully flipped the fried egg over, her movements as natural and fluid as flowing water.

"It's okay, it's already pretty good for the first time."

Her words of comfort warmed Qin Yishen's heart. With Jiang Man's help, several fried eggs were quickly made, emitting an enticing aroma. Afterward, they began preparing the main course.

Qin Yishen volunteered to wash and cook the rice. He carefully washed the rice, put it in the rice cooker, added the appropriate amount of water according to the ratio Jiang Man had given him, and pressed the cook button.

While waiting for the rice to cook, the two began preparing other side dishes. Qin Yishen was in charge of washing the vegetables. He broke off the leaves one by one and washed them carefully, not letting any dirt or sand escape from any of the leaves.

After washing the vegetables, Jiang Man blanched them in boiling water, then rinsed them in cold water. She then added minced garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and other seasonings, mixing well to create a refreshing cold vegetable salad. Qin Yishen watched Jiang Man's busy figure, her heart filled with emotion.

He suddenly realized that these seemingly ordinary daily trifles had become so beautiful and precious because of Jiang Man's companionship. He wanted to do more for her, to leave more of his own mark on her life.