Chapter Twenty: The Gift (Part One)

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Yang Yaozong stepped out, holding a silk undershirt in one hand and, with the other, grasping the long hair he had hastily gathered to tie atop his head. He saw Yin Ruxin already waiting outside with an umbrella. She stood there, her features delicate as if painted, dressed in a flowing white dress—like a lotus emerging from water.

Yang Yaozong, with his jade-like features and dressed in a white long robe, had not fastened his belt, making him appear even more ethereal and refined. Yin Ruxin noticed his struggle with his hair, understood the style he was aiming for, and walked over to him under her umbrella. Her cheeks tinged with a gentle blush, she said naturally, “Come with me, I’ll help you with your hair.”

Yang Yaozong nodded, embarrassed and blushing.

Yin Ruxin saw his shyness and teased, “I didn’t expect you to be so easily embarrassed.”

Yang Yaozong, awkward under her teasing, replied, “Uh… it’s because it’s hot.”

“Excuses,” Yin Ruxin muttered with a smile.

She led him to the embroidered tower where she lived. Upon entering, they found a small reception hall. A scroll painting of distant mountains and rivers in ink hung on the central wall. Below it stood a square table, with two chairs on either side. Along the passageway to the table, there were also two chairs on each side with a low table between them. To the left was a staircase leading upstairs; at the back right was a small door connecting to another room.

In the Great Zhou, tradition holds the left in higher esteem. Yin Ruxin invited Yang Yaozong to sit on the left side of the table. Yang Yaozong knew this custom and, smiling shyly, said, “This isn’t proper, I should sit on the other side.” As he moved to sit on the right, Yin Ruxin pulled him back and pressed him into the left seat, her cheeks flushed as she feigned annoyance, “Sit where I say.”

Seeing her display a bit of temper, Yang Yaozong smiled, “Alright. But… I’m not used to wearing this.” He lifted the white silk undershirt in his hand.

Noticing it was a man’s undergarment, Yin Ruxin guessed that Ruyi had bought it at her instruction. She had specifically told Ruyi to buy innerwear as well. Now, seeing Yang Yaozong hand it back to her, and recalling her boldness in seating him earlier, she could hardly contain her embarrassment. Her face flushed, she scolded, “You… If you’re not used to wearing it, why give it to me? What use do I have for it? Just keep it yourself!”

Yang Yaozong, startled by her embarrassment and annoyance, quickly replied, “Forgive my rudeness,” and hurriedly stuffed the garment into the inner pocket of his robe.

Yin Ruxin noted how carelessly he crammed the garment, making a bulge in his robe, and couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation, “You could at least fold it neatly. I’ll fetch a comb to do your hair; you can tidy up in the meantime.”

As Yin Ruxin entered the inner room, Yang Yaozong quickly took out the undergarment, folded it carefully, and tucked it back in neatly. He let out a long breath and shook his head with a smile. Ah! Another mistake.

Soon, Yin Ruxin returned with a wooden comb and a tea tray. She saw that Yang Yaozong’s attire was now neat. Placing the tray down, she set the comb aside and poured him a cup of tea. “Please turn a little, Master Yang, and let me do your hair.”

Yang Yaozong nodded and turned, “I trouble you, Miss Yin.”

Blushing, Yin Ruxin nodded and moved behind him, gently combing his hair.

In the Great Zhou, only those close would tend each other’s hair. When Yin Ruxin boldly offered to do Yang Yaozong’s hair, her heart pounded like a rabbit. She hadn’t expected him to accept so readily. Now, standing behind him, her fingers brushing through his smooth hair, she still felt a tinge of shyness and nervousness. Yet, perhaps because of Yang Yaozong’s calm and unruffled demeanor, she gradually relaxed. She coiled and fastened his hair with gentle, deft movements, finally securing it with a jade hairpin—everything seemed so natural.

When she finished, Yin Ruxin walked around to face Yang Yaozong and joked, “Master Yang truly is as graceful as a pine in the wind.”

Yang Yaozong replied playfully, “That’s all thanks to your skill, Miss Yin. Are you praising your own handiwork?”

Yin Ruxin laughed, her cheeks glowing, “I dare not boast. I’ll fetch a mirror so you can see for yourself.”

Yang Yaozong chuckled, “No need. If Miss Yin says it looks good, then it surely does.”

Yin Ruxin’s smile grew sweeter. “Master Yang, are you always this good at sweet-talking people?”

Yang Yaozong shook his head, smiling, “I always speak honestly.”

A gentle warmth blossomed in Yin Ruxin’s heart.

Suddenly, Yang Yaozong remembered the true purpose of his visit. He smacked his forehead and said, “Miss Yin, I came today to bring you a gift. I had Ruyi leave it in the kitchen earlier. The basket is filled with ingredients. I actually skipped lunch today, planning to come here and cook for you—so you could try some new dishes.”

Yin Ruxin also recalled that Yang Yaozong had come with a gift. Hearing that he intended to cook for her himself, she shot him a glance and said softly, “Master Yang, a gentleman stays out of the kitchen. Just tell Ruyi what to do. Her cooking is quite good. The little dishes you enjoyed last time were all prepared by her. The gift you brought must be the harvest from those foreign plants you and Bruno grew—like the chili peppers?”

Yang Yaozong nodded approvingly, “Indeed, Miss Yin is truly perceptive. We just harvested a batch this morning, so I brought some. I really haven’t eaten yet—so much for gentlemen avoiding the kitchen! I’m no gentleman; just treat me as your chef. Take me to the kitchen. Besides, Ruyi wouldn’t know how to cook these without my teaching. Otherwise, the ingredients would go to waste. These are my first, hard-won harvests—very precious.”

Yin Ruxin, seeing his earnestness, realized he had a point. She didn’t want to waste such rare ingredients, and since she couldn’t dissuade him, she agreed and led him to the kitchen. Ruyi, seeing her mistress enter the kitchen with Yang Yaozong, promptly followed.

In the kitchen, Yang Yaozong removed the red cloth covering the basket and placed each ingredient onto the counter, explaining as he went, “Look, this long green one is a chili pepper—you recognize it? It’s spicy. I’ll cook it for you in a dish, and you’ll see. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Right now it’s green, but if you leave it on the plant, it turns red. Then you pick them, string them up, and hang them in a breezy place to dry—then you have dried chili, which can be ground into spice. Fresh chilies can also be pickled, which is delicious too. But this harvest isn’t large; most of it I need to save for seeds. Next time, I’ll pickle some for you to try.”

Yin Ruxin listened intently to every word. When she heard that he’d pickle some for her next time, she nodded enthusiastically, even happier.

Yang Yaozong selected a few chilies, washed them, then cut them into diamond-shaped pieces and placed them on a plate Ruyi handed him. Ruyi listened closely and assisted where she could, but Yang Yaozong told her to focus on learning so she’d know how to make these dishes in the future. Ruyi looked uncertainly at Yin Ruxin, who nodded her approval, so she obediently stood aside.

Yang Yaozong picked up a chili piece, took a bite, and, eyes wide, tongue out, feigned an exaggerated expression, “Spicy! Really spicy!” He then picked a small piece and brought it to Yin Ruxin’s lips. “Here, try it—just a lick, so you get a taste.”

Somehow, everything felt so natural when she was with Yang Yaozong, as if anything they did together was perfectly proper. Though a little shy, she stuck out her tongue and lightly touched the chili, then quickly pulled back, her face flushed. She frowned, feeling the heat on her tongue, and shot Yang Yaozong a reproachful glare. He laughed heartily, delighted by his little mischief. Ruyi, meanwhile, blushed furiously, amazed by her mistress’s boldness.

Yang Yaozong, thinking Ruyi’s reaction was sympathy for Yin Ruxin, asked, “Ruyi, do you want to try?” She quickly shook her head. Yin Ruxin, now recovered, asked with a smile, “How can something so fiery make a good dish?” Yang Yaozong replied, “So many delicious things! I’ll make you stir-fried beef with chili today. You can also make hotpot—just thinking about hotpot makes my mouth water. Or spicy tofu, fish stew, and so on. There’s almost nothing it can’t make. Those who love it can’t get enough; even those who don’t, find it tempting. Once I have more chilies, I’ll cook more dishes for you. You’re sure to fall in love with spicy food.” Inwardly, he thought, you are a true girl from Hunan. He couldn’t help humming a folk song: “Spicy girl, not afraid of spice since childhood; spicy girl, grown up, still unafraid; spicy girl, marries, only fears there’s no spice; hangs a string of chilies to her lips…”

Yin Ruxin, seeing him so cheerful and hearing his playful tune, felt as if she were back in her hometown. She, too, was filled with joy, her expression radiant with happiness. Looking at Yang Yaozong, her eyes shone with tender affection.

Then Yang Yaozong picked up a tomato and, with a mysterious air, said, “This is called a tomato—round and red, and very tasty. You can make all sorts of dishes with it.” He broke a washed tomato in half, giving one piece to Yin Ruxin and the other to Ruyi. “Try it.” Yin Ruxin, her cheeks rosy, took a small bite. Yang Yaozong encouraged, “Suck out the juice.” Yin Ruxin shot him a playful glare, turned aside, and sipped the juice. The sweet and sour flavor danced on her palate, delighting her. She looked at Yang Yaozong in surprise and, seeing his smug expression, couldn’t help but think, “He knows exactly how I feel. What a vexing fellow.”

Yang Yaozong washed some potatoes and sweet potatoes, placed them in the steamer, and explained to Yin Ruxin, “They may look similar but taste different. Their skins aren’t edible; you need to peel them first. You can eat them raw, but usually they’re cooked—either steamed or made into dishes.”

He then began preparing the stir-fried dishes, asking Ruyi to help chop scallions, ginger, and garlic, and fetched some eggs. Once all the ingredients were ready, Yang Yaozong smiled at Yin Ruxin, “Miss Yin, why don’t you wait in the other room? It won’t take long. Let me show you my culinary skills.”

Yin Ruxin gave him a playful glare, “I’ll stay and watch. I want to see what you, Chef Yang, can do.”

Yang Yaozong didn’t press her further and, laughing, started to cook. Before long, several dishes were ready: scrambled eggs with tomato, stir-fried beef with chili, shredded potatoes with green pepper, candied sweet potatoes, and tomato egg soup. The potatoes and sweet potatoes were also steamed to perfection. He brought all the dishes to the small hall on the first floor of Yin Ruxin’s embroidered tower. Yang Yaozong invited Ruyi to join them, but she politely declined, so he did not insist.