Cannon Fodder in an Era Drama — I Survive with Acting-Chapter 31: Exclusive Secret Recipe

The plot on the left would be for everyday herbs and spices, like scallions, garlic, cilantro, and chili peppers.

As for the vast, empty plot in the middle, she would plant it all with napa cabbage.

After all, it was the easiest vegetable to grow and had a high yield.

The plot on the right could be used for crops like potatoes, green beans, and loofah.

She could even build a trellis there to maximize the use of space.

Just as Song Qingya was lost in her wonderful vision for the small vegetable garden,

her gaze was drawn in a particular direction.

She saw Fei Jun, holding a pile of packages, being hustled onto a donkey cart by Zhou Huaihua.

From the look on his face, it was clear he had no choice in the matter.

"Auntie, where are you two going?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Seeing this, she couldn’t resist going over to ask.

She didn’t expect Zhou Huaihua to react so strongly upon seeing her.

She immediately began urging the old man driving the cart to hurry up and leave.

With a cry from the old man,

the donkey cart finally started moving down the muddy path,

kicking up clouds of dust in its wake.

As the donkey cart gradually receded into the distance and finally vanished from sight,

Zhou Huaihua finally let out a sigh of relief.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

Because, for now at least, his older brother wouldn’t find out about Fei Jun’s situation so quickly.

"Ah, perfect. Ajin’s wife, wait a moment. I have something to say to you."

Hearing this, Song Qingya stopped in her tracks and asked, "Is something wrong, Auntie?"

"Well, I’m sick. I’m afraid I won’t be able to cook tomorrow, so I’ll have to leave the meal to you. It just so happens that your uncle has been wanting to try your cooking lately. By the way, some people sleep in so late they don’t even get up to cook. It’s such a headache!"

Zhou Huaihua’s tone was laced with dissatisfaction.

Despite hearing this, Song Qingya chose to ignore it.

She was more concerned about Zhou Huaihua’s supposed illness.

"Auntie, when did you get sick?"

she asked, observing the woman’s complexion.

Zhou Huaihua’s voice was still loud and clear, and her face was rosy.

As if to prove she wasn’t lying,

Zhou Huaihua let out a few forced coughs. "COUGH, COUGH, COUGH, COUGH... See? It started last night. You don’t think I’m lying, do you? To be honest, it’s Wen Xiuxiu who got me so angry. Or are you suggesting I’m faking it?"

Faced with such an accusation, Song Qingya could only respond blandly, "I wouldn’t dare."

Then she added,

"But I rarely get to cook. What if it doesn’t turn out well?"

"Look, I’m sick right now! Don’t come to me unless it’s something important!"

"But, Auntie..."

"That’s enough."

Zhou Huaihua cut her off, her tone resolute. "It’s not some impossible task. You can’t even handle making one meal?"

Zhou Huaihua was inwardly gloating at the sight of Song Qingya’s crestfallen expression.

She knew her words had left Song Qingya with no room to argue.

Though she acted as if she didn’t care about the matter,

it was actually a big deal to Zhou Huaihua.

Tomorrow, she and Fei Zhenwu were having quite a few guests over—all people their family was close with.

If Song Qingya messed up the meal, her reputation as the "lazy daughter-in-law" would certainly be solidified.

’Then, wouldn’t everyone have to persuade her to take back control of the household chores?’

She was long since tired of spending her days tied to the stove.

’This is the perfect chance to escape those tedious chores.’

Zhou Huaihua plotted.

’She would pretend to refuse a few times before reluctantly taking the reins again, just to put that lazy daughter-in-law in her place.’

That way, she would seem virtuous while also taking Song Qingya down a peg.

Feeling smug, Zhou Huaihua hummed a tune as she returned to her room to continue her act, lying down in bed.

Meanwhile, Song Qingya was calmly planning her little yard, a tranquil expression on her face.

She knew exactly what was going on and wasn’t worried about Zhou Huaihua’s scheming.

After all, she had just spent tens of thousands of points to acquire a permanent Chef Buff, right when this whole situation came up.

’The timing couldn’t be more perfect.’

She wasn’t just Song Qingya anymore; she was also the master chef who had once made a name for herself in Beijing, great cleaver in hand.

In her past life, she could create "flower banquets" so fragrant they filled the air.

But in this era of relative scarcity, she had even more room to showcase her talents.

Full of excitement, Song Qingya got to work.

First, she took fresh pork and beef out of her storage space.

She knew that finely minced pork was perfect for making a savory meat sauce.

It could be used for fragrant zhajiangmian or stir-fried with all sorts of vegetables to create delectable dishes.

She had a whole method for the beef, too. It could be slowly braised with seasonings, along with star anise, cassia bark, and bay leaves.

Once in the pot, she would let it simmer over a low flame, allowing the spices to fully permeate the meat.

Letting it sit overnight would make it even more flavorful.

The next day, it could be used directly as the main ingredient in a dish.

The leftover beef bone broth would be incredibly delicious, whether used as a soup base or for cooking noodles.

With the Chef Buff activated, countless recipes flooded Song Qingya’s mind.

All kinds of dishes materialized in her thoughts.

Fei Jin saw her bustling about in the kitchen.

From washing vegetables to chopping them to working the wok, her every move was incredibly proficient.

He wanted to step forward and help, but Song Qingya smilingly pushed him away.

"These are my trade secrets. No peeking,"

she said mysteriously, a smug grin on her face.

"Alright."

His eyes filled with affection, Fei Jin could only do as she said and leave the kitchen.

It was only then that he realized his wife became a completely different person the moment she stepped into the kitchen.

’So it wasn’t that she refused to cook, but that she had been too weak and lacked the energy.’

At this thought, Fei Jin’s heart filled with even more guilt.

’Have I been too neglectful?’

’Have I been demanding too much of my wife while ignoring her true condition?’

Just then, as Song Qingya was in the kitchen concentrating on making meatballs, she suddenly saw a system notification.

[Beep. The male protagonist’s affection has increased by 20%. Congratulations, Host!]

The sudden message left Song Qingya stunned.

In less than three hours, Song Qingya had finished all the food prep.

’This permanent Chef Buff is amazing.’

’I don’t have to worry about a time limit, and I can be efficient without sacrificing flavor.’

She had just finished frying a batch of meatballs, and the little golden spheres were tumbling in the wok.

Just then, a book appeared before Song Qingya’s eyes.

[Wei Family’s Private Recipes?]

These words rested quietly on the book’s cover.

When she reached out to touch it, she was shocked to find that what should have been a virtual item was a solid, physical book.

The pages were thick and the cover was worn.

Opening the slightly yellowed cover, she found the inside densely packed with archaic script.

[Congratulations, Host. You have unlocked Cooking, Level 2, and obtained one cookbook.]

A notification suddenly popped up on the screen.

She had a particular, almost indescribable love for all things related to food.