Huo Jingyuan first called his grandpa and grandma to let them know he was safe.
As he listened, his grandparents on the other end of the line asked him about the girl from the Jiang Family.
Huo Jingyuan paused for a moment, then said unhurriedly, "She's a little different from what I imagined. Her personality is quite lively, and she's very bold when she speaks."
The elderly couple on the other end of the call, hearing their grandson talk so openly about his wife, couldn't stop smiling.
Huo Jingyuan's disposition was on the cold side.
They had originally thought he would never marry and have children in his lifetime.
To fulfill his grandfather's last wish, he had married a woman he'd never even met, and the old couple had originally been worried that they wouldn't get along.
From the looks of it, Huo Jingyuan was very satisfied with this marriage.
When Wen Ci returned to the Huo family home, she saw Huo Jingyuan on the phone. She didn't disturb him, placing the enamel bowl in the kitchen and poking the dough with her finger.
"If you're hungry, I can make it for you now?"
"Let it proof."
Wen Ci also knew that dough was chewier after it had proofed.
"Who were you on the phone with just now?" Wen Ci asked.
"My grandpa and grandma."
Wen Ci said, "Oh," and a thought immediately struck her. 'As his wife, shouldn't I go and visit them?'
"Should I go with you to visit them?"
Huo Jingyuan shook his head. "It's a two-day train ride to get there. The return trip to the Northwest takes four or five days. There isn't enough time during the holiday."
As he finished speaking, the corners of Huo Jingyuan's lips curved into a smile. "We'll go see them during the New Year's holiday."
Wen Ci calculated in her head.
'The New Year is still half a year away, which gives me some time to prepare mentally. The old saying is true: sooner or later, a daughter-in-law has to meet the in-laws.'
After half an hour, the dough had proofed. Huo Jingyuan sprinkled some flour on the cutting board, put water on to boil, and began cutting the dough. The process was extremely simple.
In just a few moves, he had cut and stretched all the dough, setting it aside while he waited for the water to boil before adding the noodles.
Huo Jingyuan got two bowls and added some standard seasonings.
The water came to a boil, and the knife-cut noodles went into the pot. Huo Jingyuan ladled some of the boiling water into the bowls, pouring it over the lard and instantly releasing its fragrance.
Wen Ci swallowed.
She couldn't wait to taste this bowl of knife-cut noodles.
Huo Jingyuan used chopsticks to lift the cooked knife-cut noodles out. He added the dish he'd brought back from the cafeteria on top and stirred everything together. A fragrant aroma filled the entire room.
Huo Jingyuan, holding the two bowls of noodles, had just turned around when he saw Wen Ci leaning against the kitchen doorway. He smiled and said, "The knife-cut noodles are ready. Let's eat."
"Mhm!" Wen Ci nodded vigorously.
At the dinner table, Wen Ci held the bowl of knife-cut noodles, which were coated in stir-fried tomatoes and eggs, with both hands. Her eyes, fixed on Huo Jingyuan, were filled with admiration. She gave him a thumbs-up. "You're amazing. I can tell these noodles are delicious just by the smell."
'Hardly.'
Huo Jingyuan blushed a little at her words.
Wen Ci took a bite of the noodles. They were chewy, and the lard added a rich fragrance. She looked up and asked curiously, "Besides noodles, can you make anything else?"
"No."
Huo Jingyuan answered honestly.
Usually, in the Northwest, he was endlessly busy and had absolutely no time to learn how to cook. The reason he knew how to make noodle dishes was because they were simple and convenient—all he had to do was prepare the dough to proof in the morning.
"So you only eat noodles in the Northwest?"
Huo Jingyuan shook his head. "Not always. I go to the cafeteria sometimes."
"I see."
Wen Ci thought it was a bit of a shame. 'For a man like Huo Jingyuan, if his noodle dishes are this delicious, any other dishes he made would surely be incredible too.'
"This afternoon, are you planning to take a nap or...?"
At the Northwest Military Region, there was a two-hour midday break, so Huo Jingyuan had developed the habit of napping. But he wanted to see if Wen Ci had any plans.