PSW - Chapter 119

Chapter 119

Zheng Yi could guess how flustered Yu Yinan must feel, but she found the situation rather amusing. After all, the women were all very friendly. Even though Yu Yinan was still a little reserved, she managed to exchange a few words with them when Zheng Yi left her on her own.

[These people are very devout. Even if you told them you were the Saint from that day, as long as you forbade them from speaking of it, they would never let the news reach the higher-ups at Humanity's Light.] As Zheng Yi walked into the kitchen, Zero One couldn't help but glance back at the young women on the sofa. Although it was just a system, it felt an inexplicable sense of pity for these women. [Their… faith value must be very high. And even though they know nothing about you, they express their faith in you every week.] Three times a month, even with a small number of people, it was still a decent income of Saint Points.

Although… it wasn't as if Zheng Yi was short on Saint Points these days.

‘There's no need.’ Zheng Yi used her ability to wash the already-portioned pork ribs and lotus root. She didn't even need a knife; a current of water solidified into a blade, instantly dicing the lotus root. She then quickly blanched the ribs, scooped them out, rinsed them under cold water, and placed them in a pot with the lotus root. After adding two slices of ginger, she plugged in the pressure cooker and let the soup stew.

While the pork rib and lotus root soup simmered, Zheng Yi glanced at the dishes Zhu Lanyuan and the others had prepared. After a moment's thought, she went out and called Yu Yinan in to keep the food warm.

It was still a while before dinner, so time wasn't an issue. The pressure cooker would have the soup ready in no time.

Zheng Yi decided on a few simple dishes and casually materialized a live fish. Zhu Lanyuan had already shooed her squad members out of the kitchen to assist Zheng Yi, but she was astonished to find there was absolutely nothing for her to do. Yu Yinan could at least use her fire ability to keep the finished dishes warm, maintaining the perfect just-cooked temperature and texture, but what about her? Was she just supposed to stand there?

Zhu Lanyuan stared blankly at Zheng Yi, unable to comprehend how she was producing so many things out of thin air. There were all kinds of seasonings and ingredients! The fish that had appeared in Zheng Yi's hands was even struggling—it was alive!

Zheng Yi didn't need a cutting board. She simply enveloped the fish in water, and within seconds, it was scaled, gutted, and cleaned perfectly before landing on a long platter she had also conjured.

She seasoned it with cooking wine, salt, and a dash of white vinegar, then tucked a few slices of ginger into its belly.

Just as Zhu Lanyuan was wondering what kind of fish dish Zheng Yi was preparing, Zheng Yi produced a jar of bright red chopped chilies and spread them evenly over the fish.

“It's the New Year, after all. ‘May you have a surplus every year.’ How could we not eat fish?”

Yu Yinan, who was concentrating on keeping the food warm, froze for a second. She glanced at Zheng Yi, but Zheng Yi wasn't looking at her; it seemed like a casual remark. A little embarrassed, Yu Yinan pretended not to have noticed anything and silently looked away, but the tips of her ears instantly flushed red.

[? Are you talking about the fish?] Zero One also sensed an inexplicable double meaning.

Zhu Lanyuan, however, didn't catch the hidden meaning. Feeling like she was just standing in the kitchen like a fool, she said, “…You seem to know how to do everything.” After all, even if she had been the one to prepare the fish, she could never have been as efficient as Zheng Yi.

“If you learn a little something new every day, you'll naturally know a little bit of everything,” Zheng Yi said with a smile as she placed the prepared fish into a steamer. While it cooked, she heated some oil. Ten minutes later, she turned off the flame, lifted the lid, sprinkled a layer of chopped scallions over the fish, and finished by pouring a ladle of hot oil on top. A sizzling sound erupted, and the dish was complete—a fragrant, spicy chopped chili fish. The layer of chilies on top was enough to make one's eyes water, to say nothing of the pungent aroma that filled the air.

“That should do it. I'll just stir-fry a simple vegetable dish.” A large bunch of red choy sum, so tender it looked like it would burst with water, appeared in her hand. The vegetables from the system store were exceptionally fresh. A simple stir-fry with a pinch of salt was enough to bring out their incredible flavor. In the Wasteland, there was no need for heavy oil or salt; everyone dreamed of that pure, sweet, and crisp taste of fresh vegetables. Zheng Yi used her water blade to cut the stalks into even pieces, then turned to Zhu Lanyuan. “Did you steam the rice?”

“We did. I bought plenty of rice, more than enough for everyone.”

“Good. Then I'll stir-fry these with some scallions.” Zheng Yi produced two bags of pre-cooked braised food—one with beef and the other with beef tripe. Each bag contained a generous amount. With so many people for New Year's Eve dinner, having enough rice wasn't enough; they needed plenty of dishes to go with it.

Her water blade sliced the beef into thin, perfectly-sized pieces and diced the tripe. Since the meats were already cooked, a quick stir-fry with scallions to release their aroma was all it took to make a delicious dish.

As for the cost in Saint Points, Zheng Yi, now flush with a fortune, wasn't particularly concerned. Besides, these women had contributed so many Saint Points to her over time. It was a case of the wool coming from the sheep's back; if one were to get technical, she wasn't losing out at all.

“By the way, do you all drink?” Zheng Yi cleaned her hands with her ability. Several beautiful, aromatic, and delicious dishes were now neatly arranged on the counter, with Yu Yinan carefully keeping them warm.

“You don't have to go to such expense for us. We're not picky at all,” Zhu Lanyuan said. Looking at Zheng Yi's youthful face, she felt the girl had only just come of age and had no intention of encouraging her to drink. “But if you'd like to, I can have a drink with you.”

“Hmm, can Jiejie drink?” Zheng Yi mused, turning to Yu Yinan. “What's your alcohol tolerance like?”

“I can drink a little,” Yu Yinan replied after a moment of thought. Before the apocalypse, she had rarely attended social gatherings, and with motorcycling as her hobby, she generally didn't drink.

“Alright, a bottle of red wine it is, and some juice too.” Everyone could drink what they liked; there was no pressure. It was New Year's, after all. While alcohol wasn't necessarily a good thing, it was a luxury in the Wasteland. What if the other women wanted a taste but were too shy to say so?

Once the lotus root soup was done, Zheng Yi released the pressure from the cooker and seasoned it with a bit of salt. It was ready to be served. With ingredients of such high quality, the soup needed no other seasonings; a pinch of salt was enough to create a perfect culinary delight.

“Come on, everyone, take a seat! Dinner is served!” Zhu Lanyuan helped bring the platters to the table, smiling as she ushered everyone to their seats, where full sets of tableware were already laid out.

“Please try my cooking, ladies. Even if you don't like it, you have to humor me and have a few bites,” Zheng Yi said as she brought out the chopped chili fish. Yu Yinan followed with the last two dishes, stir-fried pork with green peppers and braised pork belly.

The table was soon laden with all the dishes. Zhu Lanyuan returned from the kitchen with the steamed rice, placing the large pot on a nearby chair.

“This is such a feast! Zhu Jie, you've… this is far too extravagant.”

“Don't thank me. Zheng Yi brought most of this,” Zhu Lanyuan said with a smile and a wave of her hand. “She's the one you should be thanking.”

“It's New Year's Eve dinner. The most important thing is for everyone to enjoy themselves, so please, don't stand on ceremony,” Zheng Yi said, smiling as she opened the wine and juice. “Come now, what would you all like? I'll pour.”

Everyone quickly took their seats, but they just looked at one another, no one daring to be the first to pick up their chopsticks. Zhu Lanyuan gave a slightly helpless laugh, then stood and raised her glass. “Alright, everyone, no need to be so formal. It's a kind of fate that we've all met in this Wasteland, helping one another and gathering here today. How about this? We'll start with a toast, and then we can eat. Let's not just sit here staring.”

“To the New Year! Happy New Year!”

With Zhu Lanyuan leading the way, everyone else immediately stood up, their glasses meeting hers in a spontaneous toast. The red and orange liquids swirled, catching the light from the single bulb hanging from the ceiling and refracting it into a brilliant, multicolored sparkle.

“Happy New Year!”

Amid the chorus of good wishes, the rim of Yu Yinan's glass briefly touched Zheng Yi's. She stole a quick glance at Zheng Yi, only to be caught in the act. Yu Yinan didn't know what came over her. She was right beside Zheng Yi, surrounded by people, but in that instant, she pulled her glass back almost defensively, lowered her gaze, and drained her wine in a single gulp.

The taste made her frown, but the thought of how much it must have cost made her force it all down.

That one glass was enough to make her feel a little tipsy. Almost instinctively, she looked up at Zheng Yi, only to find her taking a small, elegant sip. Before Yu Yinan could say anything, Zheng Yi pulled her back into her seat and refilled her glass. “Jiejie, you shouldn't drink wine so fast.”

Yu Yinan smiled, her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes glistening. She swirled the wine in her glass and mimicked Zheng Yi, taking a tiny sip. Then, she leaned against Zheng Yi's shoulder and whispered in her ear, “Happy New Year~”

“Mm, Happy New Year.” So this is what she calls ‘drinking a little,’ Zheng Yi thought.

Yu Yinan wasn't completely drunk, just a little dazed. She was naturally quiet anyway, so the others didn't really notice her state, aside from how easily she flushed. Her cheeks and even her ears were a soft, tempting pink that made one want to reach out and touch them.

After her whispered “Happy New Year,” Yu Yinan began to eat with the others. She didn't join the conversation, listening quietly and occasionally stealing glances at Zheng Yi. Whenever she was caught, she would just give a slightly goofy smile.

[If nothing else, Yu Yinan is a pretty good drunk, wouldn't you say?]

Zheng Yi found Yu Yinan's behavior amusing. She ladled a bowl of the lotus root soup for her, telling her to drink it to sober up.

Yu Yinan obediently took the bowl and stopped eating the other dishes, focusing only on finishing the soup, one small spoonful at a time.

“The next time it rains, I'm definitely… definitely going to awaken an ability.”

“There will be more field missions after the New Year. We should form a team and take some on together. Zhu Jie, we won't need to trouble you to guide us anymore. We've been on a few missions now, so we have a good handle on things.”

“Even though it's the apocalypse… I really hope good is rewarded and evil is punished. I hope our benefactor has a safe and peaceful New Year.”

“I wish we could all stay together like this forever…”

As they ate and drank, the atmosphere grew lively. The women shared their wishes and plans for the new year, and with the warm steam rising from the food, the room was filled with a dreamlike sense of happiness.

“The soup! It's the last pork rib! Who wants it?” A clearly drunk Wu Dailing excitedly held the last rib aloft with her chopsticks. Zhu Lanyuan's eyebrow twitched, and she started to get up to stop her, but before she could, Wu Dailing shoved the rib right in front of her mouth. “Captain, you want it? Then you eat it! For the coming year, you… will have great fortune! Eat!”

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