Soon, Pan Lei's mother came out of the kitchen. "Jiang Ming, can you cook fish?"

Jiang Ming said reluctantly, "I'm okay at it."

"Then you can cook the fish later. I don't know how."

They weren't usually fussy about fish, but with guests over, it had to be prepared well.

Seeing the situation, Lin Feng stood up. "Auntie, let me do the cooking."

Pan Lei's mother was stunned for a moment. "How can we let you cook? You're a guest. Just sit back and relax."

Lin Feng smiled. "I'm a good cook. Let me do it."

In the end, Pan Lei's mother couldn't win the argument and had to relent. "Well, then I'll have to trouble you."

"We country folks don't have very refined cooking skills. Pardon our simple ways."

At that moment, the neighboring couple returned, carrying hoes.

"Oh, Mrs. Pan, has your son-in-law returned?"

Pan Lei's mother replied, "Yes, you're back?"

"And you've brought guests?"

"Yes, a friend of Jiang Ming's."

"Then you must treat your guest to a good meal tonight! Chicken, duck, and fish on the table!"

"Of course!"

As they spoke, the couple went into their house.

Pan Lei's mother led Lin Feng to the kitchen. It was much like any other rural kitchen, but one side was dominated by a traditional earthen stove. It had two main cooking pits—one with a large stir-fry pan and another with a small pot—and an even smaller pot on the very end, likely for keeping things warm, heating water, or holding leftovers. On the wall above it was a poster of the Kitchen God.

"Which one do you want to use?" Pan Lei's mother asked.

"I'll use the earthen stove," Lin Feng said, wanting to try cooking on one.

Pan Lei's mother asked if they wanted rice or porridge.

"Rice, please, but the children should have porridge."

She said that was no problem and very convenient. They could steam the rice in the electric rice cooker and simmer the porridge in the other pot on the stove.

"Let me tell you, the porridge made on this stove is incredibly fragrant," she said.

Lin Feng nodded with a smile. "I'm sure it is."

"The children can't have plain porridge, though," she continued. "How about we add some sweet potato shoots?"

"You mean the tips of the sweet potato vines?" Lin Feng asked.

"Exactly! They make the porridge delicious."

"That sounds great!"

So Pan Lei's mother tended the fire while Lin Feng cooked. The mother and daughter had completely different personalities; Pan Lei's mother was very chatty.

"Young man, I can tell at a glance you're a skilled cook."

"Your wife is so beautiful, just like a movie star. So pretty."

"Are all four of those children yours? That's amazing, having four at once!"

Lin Feng laughed. "It was quite a surprise for me, too."

"They say having twins is hereditary. Are there twins in your family?"

Lin Feng shook his head. "Not that I know of!"

Most of tonight's dinner was being prepared with the ingredients Lin Feng and Jiang Ming had bought.

"Auntie, can you and your husband eat spicy food?"

"Yes, we can. My husband and I both have hearty appetites."

Inside, Lin Feng was cooking up a storm. Outside, Zhang Yuxi was busy playing with the children, enjoying the fresh country air. After a while, a delicious aroma began to waft from the house.

The neighbor from next door came out to sit in his yard and eat noodles.

"Oh, that smells wonderful! Jiang Ming, your mother-in-law is a great cook!" he called over. "Just the smell is making us hungry!"

Jiang Ming smiled. "Uncle Pan, would you like to come over for a drink later?"

"I'd better not. You have guests, so I won'won't intrude."

The neighbors and the Pan family were both from Pan Village and had a good relationship, which was why their houses were built right next to each other.

Jiang Ming said no more and went back to playing with his son. There were garlic sprouts growing outside the yard. His mother-in-law's voice came from the kitchen, "Jiang Ming, get some garlic sprouts, peel them, and bring them over."

"Okay, Mom!"

Just as he said that, a middle-aged man approached.

Jiang Ming, in the middle of peeling the garlic sprouts, called out, "Dad, you're back."

Pan Lei's father looked surprised. "You're back! And who are they?"

Jiang Ming quickly made the introductions. "This is my friend's wife and their children."

Pan Lei's father was astounded. "Quadruplets? How adorable! What a blessing."

Zhang Yuxi greeted him, then took the children to the kitchen to wash their hands.

The children were mesmerized by the sight of the earthen stove and gathered around to watch with curiosity. Jiang Chenchen went over and sat down next to Pan Lei's mother. "It's so warm here."

By this point, all the dishes were stir-fried, with only the soup left to finish. It just needed one last bundle of firewood, and since the flames were contained within the stove, it was perfectly safe.

The Fourth Baby, being the bravest, scooted over to the corner of a small bench. "Wow, it's not cold at all!"

The Second Baby walked over and stretched his small hands out toward the warmth.

The other children all gathered around, making Zhang Yuxi curious enough to come over for a look herself. Both cooking pits were lit, but the one for the porridge was a gentle, slow-burning fire. It was true, sitting by the fire was wonderfully warm. It must serve as a great heater in the winter, though she couldn't imagine doing this in the summer.

Pan Lei's father put his tools away in the yard, rinsed his rain boots, and came inside wearing a pair of slippers. When he saw that a guest was cooking, he immediately scolded his wife. "How could you let a guest cook? Honestly."

Pan Lei's mother shot her husband an aggrieved look. "Young people cook better food. I'll make the next meal."

What she really wanted to say was: He insisted on cooking, so what could I do? But she couldn't say that in front of Lin Feng.

Just then, she stood up to set the table and serve the rice. Driven by curiosity, Zhang Yuxi slipped into her vacant spot by the fire.

"Auntie, does this need more wood?"

Pan Lei's mother smiled. "No, that's enough. After the soup is done, I'll put a pot of water on to heat up for washing the dishes."

The Fourth Baby asked wistfully, "Mom, why don't we have one of these at home?"

The Second Baby stood up, gesturing to the stove. "Mommy, can we get one of these? It's so much fun!"

Zhang Yuxi wondered if they could build a fireplace in their villa.

Lin Feng finished the soup and brought it out of the kitchen, only to find all the children sitting on a long bench like little angels, staring at the flames and warming themselves by the fire.

"Wash your hands, time for dinner."

Zhang Yuxi called out, "Let's go, everyone! Time to wash our hands and eat our Fan Fan!"

She was sitting on the innermost part of the bench, so the little ones had to file out before she could get up.

Pan Lei's mother ladled warm water from the small pot on the stove. "Use this warm water for the children's hands. It's nicer."

"Thank you, Auntie."

"You're too kind."

After they had washed and dried all the children's little hands in the basin, they headed to the dining room, which was just past the kitchen.

The dining table was a large, square one with no room for the children, so they ate in the living room, which had sofas and a TV. They had the fragrant, green sweet potato shoot porridge, which was thick and delicious because it was made with new rice. Lin Feng had also made them scrambled eggs, which he had chopped up finely so they could easily eat them with their spoons. Pan Lei's mother found some new spoons, washed them, scalded them with boiling water, and then gave them to the children. From the dining table, the adults could watch them happily eating.

Jiang Chenchen whispered to the others, "Let's go catch fish later, okay?"

The other children were thrilled by the idea.

At the main table, Pan Lei's father said to Lin Feng apologetically, "I'm so sorry we let a guest do the cooking today, young man."

"I insisted, really. Here, Uncle, this wine is for you," Lin Feng said, offering him a bottle.

Pan Lei's father saw the packaging and knew it was expensive. "Oh, you shouldn't have. This is too much."

"Please, Uncle, just accept it."

"Alright then, thank you." Pan Lei's father accepted the gift but put it away in a cabinet instead of opening it.

After trying Lin Feng's cooking, Pan Lei's mother couldn't stop praising how delicious everything was.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.