Transmigrated into a fat wife, farming, raising children, and picking up husbands

I also made braised fish; the fish was flavorful and sprinkled with chopped green onions.

The braised pig's trotters, braised pork intestines, and braised chicken that I brought back were cut up and arranged on a plate.

I also stir-fried some greens and made a tofu soup. That's it.

Lin Xiuer plated the dishes, trying her best to arrange them nicely.

Before the food was even set out, Pei Zhao picked up the plate and headed out, saying, "There's no need to be so particular when eating out. It already smells delicious."

Lin Xiuer watched his retreating figure and smiled.

In the courtyard, a stone table was laden with various dishes.

Garlic-flavored spare ribs are golden and glistening, and braised fish is delicious.

Just then, Hu Yidao arrived.

He was carrying a large tray piled high with fragrant grilled meat skewers, like a small mountain.

The pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, sprinkled with cumin and chili powder, looks so delicious it makes your mouth water.

The shop was bustling with activity. Hu Yidao greeted them, put down the meat skewers, and left.

Wang had no appetite, so Lin Xiuer cooked her some light rice porridge and brought it to her room to eat.

Looking at the large table of dishes, Nangong Chen couldn't stop smiling; all of these were made by his daughter.

Lin Xiuer poured him a glass of wine and then diligently served him food: "Father, eat some food first, so you can have a little something to eat before you drink."

Nangong Chen smiled and nodded, then tasted a piece of pork rib first.

The ribs are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a rich garlic flavor.

He picked up another piece of braised fish with his chopsticks. The fish was tender and the broth was flavorful, even better than what the imperial chefs in the palace made.

Without Lin Xiuer's prompting, he tasted all the dishes on the table by himself.

The pig's trotters were soft and tender, the pig's stomach was chewy, and the braised chicken was savory and delicious. Everything was tasty.

In the end, he was won over by that plate of grilled meat skewers.

The meat skewers sizzled and dripped with oil, the aroma of cumin and chili mingling together. One bite, and the juices burst in your mouth, dominating your entire oral cavity.

Nangong Chen narrowed his eyes and took another bite.

He couldn't stop eating, and then he didn't care about his image anymore, he started eating heartily, his mouth dripping with oil.

Lin Xiuer was worried that he would get sick from eating too much meat and that he would harm his health from drinking too much alcohol, so she got up to brew a pot of fruit tea and poured him a cup.

"Father, have some of this to cut through the greasiness."

Nangong Chen took a sip; the sweet and sour taste perfectly balanced the greasiness of the roasted meat. His eyes lit up, and he took another big gulp.

Grilled meat skewers paired with sweet and sour plum tea are a match made in heaven.

Not only Nangong Chen liked it, but Xie Huai'an across the table was also completely won over by Lin Xiu'er's cooking skills.

He stopped putting on airs and sat down to the side, holding a meat skewer in one hand and a fruit tea in the other.

A skewer of meat, a sip of tea, and occasionally a bite of spare rib—it's a focused and satisfying meal.

Lin Xiuer looked at him, feeling a little curious.

Why does this person even wear a mask while eating?

She couldn't help but lean close to Pei Zhao's ear and whisper, "Who is this person? He doesn't seem ugly to me, so why is he always wearing a mask?"

Pei Zhao was serving food to Xiao Bao when he heard this. He glanced at her and smiled.

Why don't you take a guess?

Lin Xiuer pouted and thought for a moment.

She secretly sized up Xie Huai'an. "He seems indifferent to you. He probably isn't one of your Imperial Guards."

"Could it be my father's personal bodyguard?"

Pei Zhao nodded, then shook his head.

"He's definitely not from our Northern Garrison Command, but he's not a guard either. Guess again."

Lin Xiuer scratched her head, biting her chopsticks, and looked the man up and down.

"He's not a guard... but if you're going to call him a civil official, he's way too young. How can such a young civil official dine at the same table as the emperor?"

"I've never heard him call my father 'father' or 'uncle' or anything like that, so he's definitely not my brother or cousin."

Looking at Xie Huai'an's smooth chin and deep eyes, she figured the face under the mask must be decent-looking; it couldn't possibly be used to cover up something ugly.

Nangong Chen listened to her logical analysis, nodded without saying anything, and continued eating the meat skewers in his hand.

Xie Huai'an felt her gaze and glanced at her sideways.

His gaze was indifferent, as if he didn't care much, then he looked away and continued drinking his tea.

Lin Xiuer's gaze followed his tea-drinking movements and landed on his throat.

As the tea went down his throat, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, but no obvious Adam's apple was visible.

A thought suddenly popped into Lin Xiuer's mind.

She covered her mouth and blurted out, "Is he a eunuch?!"

Xie Huai'an, who was sitting opposite, suddenly trembled as he held his chopsticks. He looked up at Lin Xiu'er in disbelief.

His eyes looked as if he'd been struck by lightning, filled with shock, hurt, and a hint of helplessness...

He glared fiercely at Lin Xiuer.

Then, putting down his chopsticks, he took off his mask with a somewhat annoyed expression.

Beneath the mask was an extremely handsome face, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with fair skin, like the finest mutton fat jade, delicate yet not fragile.

His features were extremely refined, with sword-like eyebrows that slanted upwards towards his temples, a high and straight nose, and thin lips that were slightly pursed.

His eyes were deep and cold, and he was staring intently at Lin Xiuer.

"Your Highness is wise; I am willing to accept defeat in this bet."

His voice was clear and gentle, not the high-pitched, strained voice that Lin Xiuer had imagined.

Lin Xiuer blinked, and before she could react, a burst of laughter erupted beside her.

"Hahahaha." Nangong Chen pointed at Xie Huai'an, laughing so hard that tears were almost coming out.

"Huai'an, oh Huai'an, this is the first time I've ever seen you suffer such a huge setback!"

Xie Huai'an picked up his teacup expressionlessly, took a sip, and didn't want to say anything.

Lin Xiuer looked at this one, then at that one, her face blank: "What bet? You made a bet?"

Nangong Chen wiped away the tears of laughter and waved his hand: "Let him say it himself."

Xie Huai'an put down his teacup, glanced at Lin Xiu'er, and said calmly:

"Before we came, Pei Zhao made a bet with me. He bet that Your Highness could recognize my identity on our first day of meeting."

A "ding" sounded in Lin Xiuer's mind as she remembered the sentence she had just blurted out.

She covered her mouth, "So..."

Xie Huai'an nodded slightly: "Your subject has lost."

Nangong Chen laughed again, and Pei Zhao laughed too, rarely laughing so heartily.

Lin Xiuer looked at him, suddenly feeling a little guilty. Her words just now had indeed been a bit rash.

"Um... that's not what I meant. I was just really surprised. Don't take it to heart."

Xie Huai'an glanced at her, "Your Highness is right, I am indeed a eunuch."

Lin Xiuer opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.

She picked up her fruit tea and raised the cup to him, "Why don't you continue guessing, Your Highness?"

"Guess what?" Lin Xiuer asked, somewhat bewildered.

Xie Huai'an smiled, "Anything is fine. Just tell me, Your Highness, what did you see on my face?"

"Tsk." Lin Xiuer clicked her tongue and whispered to Pei Zhao beside her, "This guy is so arrogant, could he be from the Eastern Depot?"

Before Pei Zhao could even speak, Nangong Chen had already started clapping.

"Very good, very good. As expected of my daughter, she is indeed clever."

Xie Huai'an was completely convinced. "Your Highness is wise. I underestimated you before. I am now completely convinced."