Genshin Impact: The Sharpshooter of Teyvat

Chapter 1228 Ningguang Preparing Dinner

It was soon evening, inside Shao Yun's ranch residence.

The kitchen was filled with the aroma of food, giving it a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Ningguang, whose body has almost fully recovered, offered to help with housework today and even helped Shenhe prepare dinner.

Although she wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she worked her way up from the bottom in her early years, so doing some housework wasn't difficult for her.

But who would have thought that the former Tianquan Star, who once held the reins of Liyue's business and was high and mighty, would now be wearing an apron, helping to chop and prepare vegetables in the kitchen, personally participating in the preparation of a home-cooked dinner?

Such a scene would have been unimaginable in the past, but now it appears exceptionally peaceful and has a unique atmosphere of everyday life.

Shen He originally wanted to prepare dinner by herself, since Ning Guang had only recently recovered and she didn't want Ning Guang to be too tired.

But unable to resist Ningguang's repeated requests, Shenhe finally agreed to her request to help in the kitchen.

At this moment, Shen He is standing by the counter in the center of the kitchen, focused on preparing the ingredients.

She held a gleaming kitchen knife in her hand, the blade making a crisp "shh" sound as it sliced ​​through the potatoes, and quickly cut several potatoes into evenly sized pieces.

Meanwhile, Ningguang was particularly attentive in front of the phytogas stove next to the cooking counter.

Her usual composure and dignity when she was in charge of Liyue's business was completely replaced by an almost obsequious attentiveness.

To make cooking easier, she changed out of her signature gold cheongsam and put on a light gray apron borrowed from Shen He, paired with dark jeans and a white undershirt that Shen He was wearing. She also had a headscarf wrapped around her head, making her look like a virtuous housewife, completely different from the high and mighty Tianquan Star she once was.

She was holding the edge of the pot with one hand and a spatula with the other, intently stirring the vegetables in the pot. Although her movements were not very skilled, she was working very hard.

"Sister Shenhe, how do you think the heat is? Is it too high?" Ningguang turned her head to look at Shenhe, who was chopping vegetables, while stirring the food, and took the initiative to change her address to the more intimate "Sister Shenhe".

Although she might be a few years older than Shen He, it's always good to be more polite and friendly when she's living under someone else's roof.

She also wanted to perform well so that Shao Yun's family would accept her.

Moreover, she knew in her heart that Shen He was Shao Yun's daughter's godmother, and his status in this family was far beyond her own. It was always right to show him more respect.

However, since Shen He was chopping mushrooms and didn't have time to watch, he said, "Let me watch after you're done. I'm a bit busy right now..."

Hearing this, Ningguang took another deep breath and, mimicking how she had seen the chef cook a long time ago, gently tossed the food in the pot with a slight flick of her wrist.

The vegetables flipped in the air and landed back in the pot without spilling a drop...perfect.

When the dish was almost cooked, she quickly brought the pan to Shen He's face, anxiously awaiting his evaluation.

Shen He had just finished chopping the vegetables. He put down his knife, wiped his hands, glanced at the vegetables Ning Guang had cooked, nodded slightly, and praised, "The heat is just right, no need to adjust it."

"I'll go check on the steamed buns in the steamer. You take a look at the stewed tomato and beef brisket soup; it should be ready soon."

Hearing this, Ningguang breathed a sigh of relief and a happy smile appeared on her face. She quickly replied, "Okay! Don't worry, Sister Shenhe!"

Ningguang walked quickly to the stew pot, held the edge of the lid with both hands, and carefully lifted it, afraid of burning her hands with the steam.

The moment Ningguang lifted the lid, a rich, sweet and sour aroma wafted out.

The bright red tomatoes in the pot had already been stewed until soft and tender, turning into a thick broth that coated every large piece of beef brisket. The beef brisket was a deep reddish-brown color, and its texture was full of the sweet and sour flavor of the tomatoes. A thin layer of golden oil floated on the surface of the broth, making the whole pot of soup look even more tempting.

Then he picked up a long-handled spoon and gently stirred the beef brisket in the pot.

"Sister Shenhe, please taste it and see how it is cooked. I think it's about right."

As Ningguang spoke, she scooped out a small piece of stewed beef brisket with a spoon, and even poured a spoonful of broth on top to make the beef brisket more flavorful.

She held the bowl out to Shen He, her eyes full of expectation.

"Try it and see. If it's not soft enough, I'll put it back on the stove and stew it for a while longer. I guarantee it will be tender enough to melt in your mouth."

Shen He took the bowl and gently took a bite of the beef brisket.

The beef brisket is tender yet not dry; it can be easily chewed with a gentle bite. The sweet and sour flavor of the tomatoes has fully permeated the meat, along with a subtle meaty aroma, and the broth is incredibly delicious and rich.

After tasting it carefully, she nodded slightly and said with great satisfaction, "It tastes good, it's stewed just right, no need to stew it any longer, otherwise it will fall apart."

Upon hearing this, Ningguang's face instantly lit up with a smile, and she quickly replied, "Okay!"

He quickly put the lid on the pot, held the handles on both sides of the stew pot with both hands, and carefully moved the stew pot off the stove and placed it on the wooden board next to it, afraid that reheating it would turn the beef brisket into mincemeat.

After settling the stew pot, Ningguang immediately turned around to prepare other dishes.

Shen He stood aside and observed from time to time. She originally thought that Ning Guang, as the star of Tianquan, should be a woman who never lifted a finger to cook, but she did not expect that her cooking skills were so good.

Not only is she an expert at making delicious soups, but she is also adept at grilling ribs and cooking everyday dishes.

At this moment, the steamed buns in the steamer also emitted a unique aroma. Shen He walked to the steamer, lifted the lid, and took a look.

The snow-white steamed buns had risen fully and rounded; they even bounced back when gently pressed. She pointed to the neatly stacked white porcelain plates beside her and reminded them:

"The steamed buns are almost ready. Let's get the vegetables plated so they don't get cold."

"Alright!" Ningguang replied crisply and began plating.

Just as dinner was about to be prepared, Shao Yun returned from outside.

He pushed open the door, and a rich aroma of food immediately wafted over him, filling him with happiness!

He looked up and saw Ying sitting on the sofa in the living room, holding a beautiful baby in her arms. It was his and Ying's daughter, "Xi".

The baby was lying on Ying's shoulder, blinking its round eyes and looking curiously in the direction of the door.

"I'm back." Shao Yun changed her shoes, walked quickly to the sofa, and gently pinched her daughter's cheek.

"Did something happen at home today? Was Xi being good?"

Ying looked down at her daughter in her arms, then looked up at Shao Yun and smiled gently, saying:

"I'm back. Nothing special happened today, just a normal day. Xi was very well-behaved, she took several naps during the day and didn't fuss when she was awake."

As she spoke, she gently shook the baby in her arms. The little one saw his father, reached out his little hand and grabbed Shao Yun's finger, giggling.

Shao Yun teased his daughter for a moment, then was drawn in by the fragrance in the air.

He sniffed, licked his lips, and asked curiously, "What delicious food did you make tonight? It smells so good, even better than usual."

Ying smiled helplessly and shook her head: "I don't know exactly what I did. I just held Xi in the living room and didn't go to the kitchen to help. I was just waiting to eat."

"However, I heard Shen He and Ning Guang busy in the kitchen for quite a while, so they must have prepared a lot of dishes."

No sooner had he finished speaking than footsteps came from the direction of the kitchen.

Soon, Shen He and Ning Guang came out of the kitchen carrying dishes.

Shen He carried a large pot of tomato and beef brisket soup, while Ning Guang carried two plates of vegetables. Behind them followed Pai Meng, who was helping to carry steamed buns. The small figure held up a large plate full of steamed buns and floated behind.

"time to eat!"

……

At the dining table, Beidou, Yelan, Ying, Paimeng, Shenhe, and Shaoyun were all eating quietly, while the baby was left to be coaxed by Yuanshang.

Tonight's dinner was more lavish than usual, thanks to Ningguang's help.

Everyone picked up their utensils and began to eat quietly.

As Beidou chewed on his steak, he secretly glanced at Ningguang sitting opposite him, and couldn't help but feel melancholy.

Back in Liyue, Ningguang was known for her "rich person's disease," always having someone wait on her hand and foot for meals. But now she has to cook for herself... sigh...

Ye Lan witnessed everything that happened that night, from Ning Guang's earnest appearance while busy in the kitchen to her slightly reserved yet trying-to-fitting posture as she sat at the dining table.

She already knew in her heart that Ningguang was determined to settle down in Shaoyun's family. This initiative to show goodwill and make efforts to adapt should be her pledge of allegiance.

Ying and Paimon were completely absorbed in the delicious food; once they were full, they had nothing to worry about.

Hearing the praise, Ningguang smiled shyly and quickly said, "You're welcome. I didn't do anything, I just lent a hand."

Looking at the heartwarming scene before him and then at Ningguang's noticeably improved complexion, Shao Yun knew it was time to get down to business with her.

He put down the half-eaten steamed bun in his hand, cleared his throat, and broke the silence at the table.

"Um, I wanted to say something about Ningguang."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone at the table stopped what they were doing and looked at Shao Yun.

Ningguang's heart skipped a beat. Holding her bowl and chopsticks, she looked nervously at Shao Yun, wondering what he was going to say.