First Night with the Army: The Stoic Big Shot Is Done Pretending Chapter 29: Northeastern Imperial Chef?

"You’re from the countryside too?"

Wen Ci: "Yes."

Hearing this, the won smiled, their impression of Wen Ci improving. In this era, most city dwellers looked down on people from the countryside.

A few city folk had moved into the military family compound before.

But after getting to know them, they decided they preferred to stick with people they could get along with. "Sister, your skin is so fair. Do you have any secrets?"

Wen Ci shook her head. "Maybe I was just born with it."

The calluses on her hands proved that Wen Ci was a capable worker.

"Which building do you live in?"

"Uh..." Wen Ci hesitated.

She honestly didn’t know which building she lived in. She tried hard to rember, vaguely recalling that it was written on the wall, but she still couldn’t bring it to mind. "I can’t rember which one it is."

"It’s fine if you can’t rember. Co hang out with us often from now on!"

The won introduced themselves. The big sister from the Northeast was nad Zhu Jing.

The woman sitting next to Zhu Jing was nad Hou Li, the one with the tan was Xiang Qin, and the quiet one was Miao Ling.

A gentle smile on her face, Wen Ci said, "My na is Wen Ci. From now on, would it be okay if I called you all Sister Jing, Sister Li, Sister Qin, and Sister Ling?"

The won had ntioned their ages during the introductions. Wen Ci was twenty-three, and they were all a few years older, which was why she addressed them as ’sisters’.

"Sister Wen Ci, co to my place for lunch!"

After just a few minutes together, Zhu Jing had taken a real liking to a girl with a personality like Wen Ci’s, so she spontaneously invited her over for lunch.

Wen Ci quickly waved her hands in refusal. "No, no, I couldn’t. I can just eat at the base cafeteria for lunch."

"The cafeteria is so expensive. It’s cheaper to cook for yourself."

Aside from the free breakfast, lunch and dinner cost money. Many people in the family compound bought their groceries for the week and kept them stocked at ho.

When you calculated it, cooking your own als was cheaper than eating at the cafeteria.

Wen Ci hesitated for a mont, then rembered that Huo Jingyuan might co back for lunch. Even if he didn’t, Xue Li would co and deliver food for her.

If she wasn’t at ho...

That would be bad.

Wen Ci said, "My husband might be coming ho for lunch."

"He won’t be back," Zhu Jing explained with a smile. "The n all went out for field training today. The earliest they’ll be back is tomorrow."

Zhu Jing was one of the first to move into the family compound. Her husband was from Li Family Village and had served as a soldier in the Northeast for years before being transferred back recently.

She knew the fixed monthly schedule for field training like the back of her hand.

Seeing Wen Ci’s hesitation, Zhu Jing pretended to be angry and said, "Wen Ci, are you looking down on ?"

"No, not at all," Wen Ci answered earnestly.

"Wen Ci, you should just agree. Ah Jing’s ancestors were Imperial Chefs from the Northeast! We’ve all tasted her cooking—her vegetables are even better than at."

An Imperial Chef!

Wen Ci’s eyes widened, and she couldn’t help but lick her lips. She considered that since Huo Jingyuan could buy vegetables and at from the cafeteria, why not pay for a al for everyone herself?

Wen Ci slowly began, "How about this, Sister Jing, Sister Li, Sister Qin, Sister Ling? Lunch is on today, and Sister Jing can do the cooking. How does that sound?"

Wen Ci made the final decision. "It’s settled. Otherwise, I’ll just assu you don’t like and don’t want to be my friend."

Hearing Wen Ci’s "threat," Zhu Jing and the others exchanged helpless smiles before finally saying, "You can treat today, but next ti, it’s my turn. We’ll each take a turn treating."

"Deal."

The won chatted for a while longer until Zhu Jing heard her child crying upstairs. "The kid’s awake," she said. "I have to take him to school."

In this era, won generally married and had children young.

Except for Sister Ling, the others all had children who were old enough for nursery school.

With that, Wen Ci left and headed toward the main gate of the family compound. ’Huo Jingyuan asked Xue Li to bring lunch,’ she thought. ’That ans Xue Li probably didn’t go on the field training. I’m not familiar with the cafeteria, so to buy at and vegetables, I’ll have to trouble Xue Li to help talk to the aunties in the kitchen.’

When she arrived at the guardhouse, the two young n Wen Ci had t the day before yesterday were on duty. Seeing her, they called out loudly, "Hello, Sister-in-law!"

"Hello," Wen Ci said, waving at them. "Do you know Xue Li?"

"We do."

Out of the corner of her eye, Wen Ci spotted a landline on the desk in the guardhouse. She suddenly rembered there was also a landline in her living room—she could call Xue Li directly.

The military compound had a single internal number. No matter who you were calling, the call first went to the main switchboard and was then transferred to the intended party.

"Do you want us to call Captain Xue for you?"

"Can you do that?" Wen Ci’s eyes lit up.

"Of course. We’re here to serve the sisters-in-law of the family compound."

A minute later, the call connected. "Sister-in-law, you can co in and take the call."

Wen Ci put the receiver to her ear, and Xue Li’s voice ca from the other end. "Sister-in-law, did you need sothing from ?"

Wen Ci said, "Xue Li, I have a small favor to ask you."

"Sister-in-law, just ask."

"I want to treat a few of the sisters from the family compound to a al. We’re planning to cook lunch ourselves, and I was hoping you could help buy so at and vegetables from the cafeteria kitchen."

"Of course."

Xue Li agreed without a second thought. He often went to Sea City on business and frequently brought back supplies for the kitchen, so he was on very good terms with the cafeteria staff.

Buying so at and vegetables from them would be a piece of cake.

"But..." Xue Li paused. "I still have so things to take care of here. I probably won’t be back for about an hour and a half."

"That’s fine. I’ll wait for you at ho."

"What I an, Sister-in-law, is you can tell how much at and vegetables you need, and I’ll deliver them directly to your door later."

Hearing this, Wen Ci pulled the receiver away from her ear, looked up at the young guard, and asked, "Do the children in the family compound co ho for lunch?"

She didn’t know if Sister Jing and the others’ children would be coming ho.

"No, they stay at school all day."

"Thanks." Wen Ci brought the receiver back to her ear and said, "It’s just for four people. I need ingredients for Northeast cuisine. It would be great if you could get sothing for a main dish. I’ll pay you back later."

"Alright, Sister-in-law."

After hanging up, Wen Ci gave a slight smile. She placed the receiver back in its cradle and thanked the two guards. "Thank you. What are your nas?"

"Zhang Cheng, Li Wei."

Wen Ci repeated their nas to herself, then suddenly rembered the case of instant noodles she had at ho. She could give so to them. "Do you guys like instant noodles?"

"Instant noodles? You an the kind that costs fifty cents a pack?"

Wen Ci nodded. "Yes. I’ll bring you a few packs later."

The instant noodles she had bought were the largest size available at the departnt store. A single case contained a full fifty packs, so giving away a few was no problem. Zhang Cheng and Li Wei were young; they would probably like them.

Zhang Cheng swallowed. "Really, Sister-in-law?"

Li Wei nudged him with his elbow and said with a laugh, "Sister-in-law, we have a rule against accepting things from the residents."