Yuna was a little surprised. She didn't expect this young man to be so clever. Seeing her face covered in ink, he smiled and shook his head. "Go wash your face first."
But she just wiped the corner of her mouth and smiled, smearing her whole face even more. "I'll just wash up in the kitchen. It's almost mealtime. What would you like to eat for lunch, Sir Yan?"
"Anything is fine." He never had strong preferences when it came to food. But this young one was so lively and clever, it made him feel fond of her. Since arriving in Donglin City, the people around him were always respectful and distant. Rarely did anyone treat him so casually. It actually made his mood better.
Yuna sometimes acted silly just to make him laugh. She thought he looked incredibly beautiful when he smiled—so dazzling it could blind someone. Everyone likes beautiful things, and she was no exception. Maybe it was her way of returning a favor. Without him, she might've frozen to death in that broken temple last winter.
The weather was getting colder, so she thought she should cook something spicy to help stay warm. Since coming here, she hadn't had the chance to try other people's cooking, but after arriving at Yan's estate, she noticed all the food here was light and bland. Everything looked unappetizing.
But Donglin City had chili peppers. She found a small pot lying idle and used leftovers to make a dish of boiled sliced pork. Don't underestimate a girl who was just about to start living in a dorm—before leaving, her mom taught her a few signature dishes. They were easy and delicious, made with a small electric pot.
She never thought that dish would come in handy here. Yuna chuckled to herself, slapped her own cheeks to stop the tears from falling, and carried the dish over with a red face. Seeing the weird looks from Enhua and the others, she gave them a sheepish grin and said, "I made a new dish. Want to let the young master try it?"
"What is this? Smells really spicy… But since you made it, let him taste it. Just leave some for us too—it smells good." Enhua gave a knowing look to the others. She even slapped herself—this dish must be important. Maybe she's hoping the young master will take her as an apprentice!
A man who didn't have a solid skill couldn't expect to be chosen by a woman. That's why they supported him. After all, one already had a wife, and the other two were disabled—they had no future.
Yuna had no idea what they were thinking. She carried the dish to where the young master was eating. This time, she was very careful. Once she set the dish down, she stood off to the side, grinning and staring at Yan.
He noticed and asked, "What is it?"
Yuna beamed. "I made this dish. Please try it."
She had tasted it just now—it was edible. But she wasn't sure if he would like it.
The young master gave a light laugh. His silver-white hair shimmered in the midday sunlight. He sat down and, giving her face, picked up a piece of the spicy pork to try.
The first bite hit him with a numbing, spicy kick. He was stunned but didn't spit it out. He forced it down. Then he noticed the flavor lingering on his tongue—chili and meat, rich and fragrant. He picked up another piece and finally started to taste its depth.
"This is... really satisfying." It looked ordinary, but the flavor hit much harder than typical spicy food. Surprisingly, it suited his taste. Especially with rice—it was the best meal he'd had in a long time.
After eating, he gracefully wiped his mouth. "Where did you learn such good cooking?"
"Oh, from my ma—my mother," Yuna said without thinking, seeing he was happy.
He froze. Even the mute servant beside him looked stunned. They both stared at her like she was something rare.
"Did I say something wrong?" Yuna thought for a moment but didn't see anything wrong.
The mute couldn't speak, so Yan had to clear his throat and explain, "You didn't say anything wrong. It's just that women here are delicate. They rarely go into the kitchen. So it's quite unusual."
Wait, women don't cook here? But still, was that really so shocking? She was right in front of them, always running to the kitchen. But she couldn't say that, so she just muttered, "My mother was a bit weird."
Dear mom, please don't blame me. In their eyes, women from our time probably all seem weird.
Maybe because he was happy after eating, that afternoon, Yan taught her a few more characters and even gave her a beginner's book to read slowly. Yuna wanted to cry—how old was she now, still reading a child's book? Enhua laughed at her too. "Never seen anyone look so tortured reading. Look at those frowning brows." He reached out with a cold finger and gently tapped her head, surprised at how soft and smooth it was, unlike others.
Yuna thought of him as just a twelve-year-old kid and didn't think much. She swatted his hand away with the book. "Don't block the moonlight. I have to memorize this tomorrow!" She wasn't used to traditional characters, but writing them in simplified form made it seem like she'd never learn. Memorizing was easier.
The first snowfall finally arrived on Yuna's tenth morning at the Yan estate. She opened the door to sweep the thin layer of snow in the courtyard. The steward had assigned each servant their own section. Yuna rubbed her hands while sweeping.
From afar, she saw Yan standing silently in the snow, staring at a pine tree. He looked cold and distant. He was only twenty-two or twenty-three, but his expression carried the weight of heartbreak.
You couldn't blame him. In this world, a man who was divorced might never be taken as a proper husband again. Sometimes, not even as a concubine.
With his pride, he would never settle for being someone's side husband. In his eyes and everyone else's, his life was probably already ruined.
In the modern world, people might think, "So what if I never marry? I'll just live on my own, do work I like, eat well, and sleep peacefully." But this was ancient times. Being cast out meant his future was gone. How could he not be sad?
Should she go comfort him? But she was terrible at comforting people. While hesitating, she sneezed loudly.
"Achoo…" So embarrassing. Why did she always make a fool of herself in front of him? She sniffed and gave him a sheepish grin. "Good morning, Sir."
"If it's cold, wear more. Didn't they give you warm clothes?" he asked, snapping out of his thoughts, though his eyes still looked empty—like nothing in the world could reach his heart.
"They did. I just think someone must be thinking of me, that's why I sneezed. Haha…" She scratched her head awkwardly. Why was she always this dumb?
"Thinking of you?" He didn't seem to understand.
Right, this world was different. Maybe they didn't know the idea that a sneeze meant someone was talking about you. So she explained, "In my hometown, they say when someone really misses you, you can feel it no matter where you are. That feeling makes you sneeze. Achoo…"