Chapter 62: Cooking?
Julong couldn't believe what he was watching. Qingchan had stepped out of her robes and put on some more - not comfortable clothes, but disposable clothes. She then had an apron tied around her thin waistline, accentuating her curves; her beautiful silky hair now in a high ponytail to keep it on her back. She looked incredible, but what stumped him, even more, was: She actually meant what she said.
Now, let's go make some food!
For some reason, he thought she was kidding and was just going to pull out some premade food that had been preserved with Genesis Qi, but he was proven wrong almost immediately.
Despite her gracious and almost royal-looking figure, she seemed to know how to do more house-oriented work. While he in no way read a book by its cover, having known her for two months and having had rather mundane talks that disproved her almost queenly status, he didn't expect her to be able to cook for herself. Perhaps it was a hobby?
Wearing his disposable clothes and apron, he walked up behind her. She had started a woodfired stove inside of the kitchen that had been built into the airship. Unlike others who would use Genesis Qi for cooking, she used more traditional ways. It really made him wonder.
Looking inside of the pantry that had been filled to the brim with ingredients, she was holding a hand to her chin, wondering what to make. It sort of made Julong embarrassed, as she would soon find out that he had zero clue how to even use cooking utensils. He had been housed by incredible wealth his entire life - everything had always been done for him, leaving him to focus on Cultivation.
Almost as if noticing his immediate presence, something more than likely - she spoke.
"What do you think we should make?"
"I-I don't know. You decide, what's your favourite dish?"
In all honesty, Julong didn't really even know the name of any dishes. He honestly knew more about alcohol. Food would be given to him and he would eat it, that was his main interaction with food. He never really cared for it too much. Perhaps he should take a page out of Tuntuns book. He had been told that he was a monster when it came to eating food, eating amounts upwards of four times his physical size.
She gave him a very skeptical look, almost bearing her eyes into his soul. A smirk came to her face afterward.
"Let's make a hotpot then."
He could have sworn that look could only ensue before something evil, but the dish she had suggested was actually rather simple - rather it was simple looking, he still wasn't sure about how difficult it would actually be to make.
"That's it..?"
"Hmm~"
She tilted her head at him in a questioning manner.
"What were you expecting, some Michelin Star dish?"
"Well, no, but... I don't know." He looked away for a split second, a little flustered. "Let's just get to making it, okay?"
She nodded, her evil grin returning.
"Then go on, get started."
Julong shot his head back at her with a quizzical expression. She had been the one to suggest cooking, so why was she making him do it? Then it hit him, that grin did come before the evil, only this time it was openly embarrassing him with his lack of cooking knowledge.
She figured that out fast, didn't she? No wonder she chose something so simple! It would only serve to make this embarrassment even worse!
Taking a deep breath, he turned away, only looking at her out of the corner of his eyes.
"Well, I don't... actually know how to use any of these things, nor what goes in a hot bowl."
With a small reference to the utensils in front of him, he once again avoided eye contact, a small scratch of his chin in the wake of the awkward situation Qingchan seemed to be basking in.
After a few moments of silence, Qingchans' mesmerising giggle resounded throughout the kitchen.
"I figured as much. Seeing the face you made while looking at the tongs was enough to figure that out."
"Oh." He grimaced momentarily. "Well, unless you have any qualms, could you stop making fun of me and show me how to cook?"
A gorgeous smile overtook her features.
"Of course."
She immediately turned away from him and walked into the pantry, grabbing a bunch of spices and pre-preserved products before summoning some meats and vegetables sealed airtight with a layer of her Genesis Qi.
All of a sudden, out in front of Julong on the bench that they were going to be preparing the food on, there was an array of ingredients and now utensils. In the center of it all was a large pot with a divide down the middle, presenting two different sides to the capacity of the pot.
"Let's get started then, shall we?"
She didn't wait for his answer and got to work, explaining each step to him. From how to create the desired broth of the water in the pot; when to add each different ingredient to make sure they were all cooked equally, and everything else in between.
It ended with them both sitting at a table with the pot in the middle. There was a jar of wine off to the side and a bowl and chopsticks on each side.
In all honesty, Julong had not learned much from the experience, he was more focused on how much Qingchan was enjoying herself, but that also brought up a question he had long been meaning to ask.
"How did you get into cooking?"
Surprisingly a startled look came across her features. Was she surprised he had asked?
"What do you mean?"
Julong blinked slowly, trying to find the words to say.
"Well, it seems as though you prefer traditional methods of cooking, rather, it seems like it is more familiar to you, leading me to believe that you learned how to cook before you were able to Cultivate Genesis Qi."
She seemed taken aback. It seems as though he had hit the nail on the head.
"I know I say this a lot, but you are very discerning, Julong. You are correct. I learned how to cook when I was very young."
"A hobby?"
"Right now, yes, but back then, no." Her mood darkened into one filled with sadness. "When I was younger, my parents were healthy, we were poor but happy and healthy. One day, despite our status someone of a more noble status noticed me, the son of an almost royal family, it had something to do with how I looked. He wanted me, like some sort of object. I of course rejected every attempt of his."
She seemed to struggle to swallow the silva in her mouth, like just thinking about it was far too difficult.
"It was a few days later that they took my father away on the charge of assault of one of the sisters of one trying to court me. I can only assume this was because he was unhappy with my denial of his advances."
Julong wore a solemn look, the world wasn't so kind that they would just take him away as a hostage of sorts to blackmail her into the noble man's grasp. It was a message telling her that if she didn't comply, much worse would happen. Her father had no doubt been killed.
"A-After that, it was just my mother and I. And in an unfair turn of events, my mother soon became starkly sick, leaving me to look after the both of us. It was then that I used the knowledge that my mother had already taught me about cooking to properly teach myself."
Julong could only assume the worst of what happened to her mother. If his guess was correct they were both dead.
"So you do it because it makes you feel connected to your mother?"
She only nodded before continuing with her story.
"After they found out about my mother, they offered to take her into treatment, on the proviso that I would marry in the coming years. Stupidly I agreed. I value my mother's life so highly that I even gave away my own liberties. They barely keep her alive in a limbo of sorts, to make sure that I will come back. It is only thanks to the Cangxuan Sect that I have not had to go back yet."
Julong was a little relieved at the words, thanks to her mother not having also died, but he would not deny that he was seething beneath the surface. He could even feel his Spirit stirring at the story, something very uncommon. It generally did not care for anything or anyone below the Saint demographic, so it was interesting that it was attuned to Qingchan's story.
It only served to increase Julong's agitation toward the tale.
"Qingchan, where ever I can help you in this situation, I will."
His face wore an unchangeable amount of determination. Even if Qingchan decided to dissuade him, it would be to no effect.
She smiled bitterly knowing this. Her red lips momentarily pursed before she spoke. It was a soft croak, one proving she was at the boiling point before her emotions would spill.
"Thank you."
At this, he moved over to her side of the table, sitting next to her. Qingchan took her opportunity and leaned into him.
Silence took over as the smell of the food they had made wafted over them. After a few minutes, he gently rubbed her back.
"Come on, let's eat. Otherwise, all this will go to waste."
She agreed with a small hum and nod.
"Let's."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone