My Wife Came From A Thousand Years Ago

Chapter 41: Coach, I want to learn how to cook

At the beginning of November, the weather was cooling down.

With Xu Qing's help, Jiang He finally managed to save up 100 yuan through grinding daily missions as a game proxy. She promptly returned the money to Xu Qing.

"Work hard, and you’ll earn more and more," Xu Qing said, feeling a bit awkward under her hopeful gaze.

Why do you have to look at me like that? It’s not like I forced you to repay me.

"By the way, can you cook?" Xu Qing changed the topic, noticing Jiang He’s regretful glance at her diminished WeChat balance. He wanted to find something else for her to do.

People are inherently greedy. At first, having someone to chat with felt great, but now he was starting to hope for someone to help cook…

He justified himself by thinking he was helping Jiang He explore her talents, trying to find out what she was suited for.

Apart from her ridiculously high combat skills—which were practically useless in modern society—Jiang He was otherwise completely unskilled. She had to pick up something. As the saying goes, mastering one skill can feed you anywhere. Another saying goes, the more skills you have, the better prepared you are.

Whether it’s just one skill or many, Jiang He had none. It’s not like she could perform street stunts like sword-swallowing or breaking bricks with her chest. And becoming a bodyguard wasn’t practical for a young woman… not to mention, Xu Qing had no connections to find her such a job.

"I can make congee," Jiang He said after some thought, "and reheat leftovers."

"You can learn," Xu Qing replied.

"Of course, I can learn."

Jiang He’s face lit up with anticipation. "Should I learn to cook?"

Playing games didn’t feel reliable to her—after all, who stays home playing games every day? But cooking was different. Being a chef was always a proper skill.

"Uh… I’m asking if you want to learn."

"I do."

"Then wash the pot. I’ll teach you how to stir-fry potatoes."

Xu Qing glanced at the time and led Jiang He to the kitchen, which hadn’t been used in ages. After showing her how to use dish soap and a scouring pad, he left her to clean while he grabbed his keys to go buy groceries, rice, and condiments.

Girls should have no trouble learning to cook. Once Jiang He mastered the art of cooking…

The idea was a bit optimistic, even Xu Qing had to admit. He himself could only manage simple dishes like shredded potatoes and scrambled eggs with tomatoes. She’d have to pick up the rest on her own through practice.

The Tang Dynasty didn’t have stir-frying, relying mostly on steaming, boiling, and roasting. Most modern seasonings didn’t exist back then either. While Jiang He enjoyed the food, she had no idea how these dishes were made. Now that she had the chance to learn, she was filled with determination.

"What did you buy?" she asked, trying to suppress her excitement when Xu Qing returned. She dried her hands and rushed to help.

"Potatoes… oh, you probably don’t recognize them. Here, take the rice; I’m exhausted."

Xu Qing rubbed his shoulders, regretting not bringing Jiang He along for the heavy lifting. The potatoes, green peppers, rice, and various condiments weighed dozens of pounds. He had to keep switching hands on the way back.

She’s so much stronger than me…

"So these are potatoes?" Jiang He curiously examined the dark, knobby vegetables. "Are they tasty?"

"They’re delicious! And their yield per acre is… uh… super high," Xu Qing said, giving up on remembering the exact number. Too tired to check Baidu, he added, "Anyway, they’re versatile, cheap, and nutritious. If you had these back in your time, famines would’ve been much less common. A real blessing."

He pointed to a peeler in the bag. "Here, wash them clean and peel them."

"Okay."

Jiang He obediently brought the potatoes to the sink. Xu Qing continued, "Once you learn to cook and handle the dishes, I’ll pay you for your work. How about 5 yuan per meal?"

"Really?!" Jiang He’s joy was short-lived as she quickly shook her head. "I’m already eating your food and staying in your house. How could I charge you for helping out?"

Besides, she would be cooking for herself too—it didn’t feel right to take money for that.

"Then think of it as a reward or motivation. Eating at home is healthier, so hurry and get started."

"…Okay."

Jiang He pursed her lips. For some reason, hearing him say "eating at home" gave her a strange feeling. It sounded slightly off, but she couldn’t pinpoint why.

While Jiang He washed the potatoes, Xu Qing started the rice cooker. The wok and rice cooker, though old, were still functional. Jiang He, whether because of her strength or her thoroughness, had scrubbed the cookware clean, surpassing Xu Qing’s expectations.

"Now, slice them into strips, like this…" Xu Qing picked up a knife to demonstrate, but then froze.

Right, she’s a martial artist who can scale walls. Does she really need me to teach her how to cut potatoes?

"You do it," he said decisively, setting the knife down. "Slice them into strips, about… wait, let me find a picture."

After pulling up a photo of shredded potatoes on his phone, Xu Qing waited for Jiang He’s performance.

Jiang He swung the knife a couple of times experimentally. "It feels a little awkward. Like this?"

"Yeah, slice them first, then cut into strips."

Xu Qing felt let down—there was no rapid-fire chopping. Jiang He was quick and methodical, but not spectacular.

"After cutting, soak them in water. Use this basin to catch the water… I’ll take this call. Let them soak for a bit, and I’ll show you the next step when I’m back."

Hearing his phone ring, Xu Qing stepped out of the kitchen to answer.

"Haozi? What’s up?"

"Nothing much, just bored. If I were busy, I wouldn’t be calling you."

"…"

Xu Qing almost got sidetracked. "So why are you calling?"

"Like I said, no reason. Just bored." Qin Hao lounged on his couch, petting his dog while watching TV. "Wanna grab some skewers tonight?"

"Skewers? It’s almost winter. How about hotpot tomorrow?"

"Meh, I’ve got work tomorrow…"

"Then next time. Let me know in advance when you’re free. I’ve already started cooking tonight." Xu Qing declined. Leftovers could be used for fried rice, but wasting the already-prepped potatoes was unacceptable.

And then there’s Jiang He… For now, Xu Qing preferred to avoid introducing her to Qin Hao.

"You cook? Since when?" Qin Hao was surprised. Since when did this guy become so diligent?

"Anyway, I’m busy frying vegetables now. Don’t come over, I didn’t buy enough food to share."

Xu Qing hung up decisively. Without that warning, Qin Hao might’ve shown up with his bowl and chopsticks—he’d done it before.

Jiang He was fiddling with her phone in the kitchen while keeping an ear out for Xu Qing, ready to hide her screen if he came back unexpectedly.

"Is it normal for a man and a woman to cook together at home?"

Baidu search.

Looking at the results, Jiang He fell into deep thought.

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