Chapter 24: Xu An's Prayer

In the kitchen, Xu An was busy in an orderly fashion. He had blanched the pork ribs and divided them into two piles: one for making soup, and the other for spicy braised ribs. The iron spatula flipped rhythmically in his hand as the vibrant ribs sizzled and rendered their fat in the pan. A rich, savory aroma filled the air.

Xu Panpan, stepping into the kitchen, nearly popped her eyes out in surprise to see Xu An at the stove, his culinary skills so remarkably refined. Since when had her younger brother become such a good cook? She had always felt she understood him quite well; he couldn't even light a fire, let alone prepare a meal. Since their parents had passed away, she had worried constantly about this only brother, terrified he would starve and let the family line die out. Whenever he was home, she would either come over to cook for him or insist he come to her house to eat.

However, the original Xu An had been utterly incompetent yet extremely haughty. After a few snide remarks from his young nephew, he had refused to dine at Zhao Hong’s house again and would no longer allow Xu Panpan to cook for him. Aside from money, he accepted almost nothing from her. Xu Panpan had no choice but to give him silver. Fortunately, he was a scholar and spent most of his time studying and eating at the academy in town, which provided her some relief.

"Sigh, it seems I haven't cared for him enough, forcing poor Xiao An to learn to cook all by himself," she thought, a wave of guilt washing over her as her eyes turned red. She could tell that Xu An’s skillful movements were not something learned in a day or two; they required years of practice. "Xiao An... I am so sorry..." she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears.

Xu An, busy at his task, hadn't noticed her at the doorway and was startled by her sudden voice. Su Yan’er, who had been watching her husband cook with pure admiration, hadn't noticed her either. Upon seeing Xu Panpan, she quickly crouched down to find work, helping wash sweet potatoes. Though her husband was kind to her, Xu Panpan was his sister, and she needed to make a good impression.

Xu An turned around and saw Xu Panpan looking at him with such remorse that he laughed. "Sister, why are you here? Is the room finished being cleaned?" He gestured toward the stove. "I’ll be done here in a moment. You and Brother-in-law should sit for a while; let me treat you to my cooking."

"We aren't finished yet; your brother-in-law is still working on it. I just came to check on you." Xu Panpan hesitated before stepping forward. "Xiao An, stop cooking, let me do it. You've had a hard life all these years; it’s my fault for not looking after you better."

Xu An realized what was happening and rolled his eyes internally. Xu Panpan had given the original owner almost everything she had; if that wasn't "looking after him," he didn't know what was. Still, now that he occupied this body, he had to offer an explanation. "Sister, you’re overthinking it. It was my fault for being immature and causing you worry, but that won't happen again. I will take good care of myself, and I will take care of both of you, too."

With his gentle smile and refined demeanor, Xu Panpan felt a sense of vertigo. Was this really her brother? The boy who usually spoke to her with such arrogance? Yet, his mannerisms and temperament were identical; there was no faking that. She broke into a heartfelt smile, wondering if he had truly changed after his brush with death, or if the responsibilities of marriage had helped him grow. He had truly become sensible.

"Sister, go on out. I’ve got this. You’ll get to taste my cooking soon—you’ve never tried it before!" Xu An said with a smile.

"Alright, alright, I’ll go. I’m certainly in for a treat today." Xu Panpan wiped her tears, no longer insisting on helping. It was true; she had never eaten a single meal he had prepared—not even a bowl he had served.

About an hour later, the table was filled with four dishes and a soup: pork rib soup, chives with scrambled eggs, spicy pork ribs, pork cracklings, and stir-fried sweet potatoes. The intoxicating aroma wafted through the courtyard, making Xu Panpan and her husband stare in disbelief. How could he afford such a feast? It was better than a New Year’s dinner.

As they sat around the table, Xu An served rice. "Sister, Brother-in-law, thank you for helping me clean the house. We don't have much, so please, just eat whatever you'd like. I hope you don't mind the simple meal."

Zhao Hong glanced at his wife, thinking, *This is what you’re always nagging me about—that your brother can't take care of himself and needs our help? He’s eating better than I am!* He then looked at Xu An and thought, *Brother-in-law, if this is what you call 'simple,' then what I eat every day must be pig swill to you.*

Having shared a bed for years, Xu Panpan knew exactly what her husband was thinking and gave him a sharp glare before turning back to Xu An. "Xiao An, I know you wanted me to try your cooking, and I’m very happy you did, but we are common folk. We can't compare ourselves to the wealthy, and we should be thrifty. Making so much food is a waste. Besides, you still need to study, which costs a lot—you should save your money!"

"Sister, don't worry. I’ve found a way to make money; we won't be short on funds again, trust me! Also, I don't want to study anymore. I’ve found something more meaningful to do. I’ve thought about this carefully, and I truly hope to have your support."

"Not... not study? Didn't you always want to be an official? How can you become an official if you don't study? How will you bring honor to our ancestors?" Xu Panpan panicked, losing her appetite entirely, worried her brother had suffered some sort of mental shock. Su Yan’er looked at her husband in astonishment. He was a scholar—why would he suddenly give up?

The most composed person there was Zhao Hong. After all these years, he had long realized Xu An wasn't cut out for scholarship, and becoming an official was a pipe dream. He hadn't dared say anything because his wife insisted on it, but if Xu An gave up his studies, they would save a fortune—after all, the money for Xu An's schooling had always come from his pocket.

"Sister, I was wrong before. Honestly, there isn't much glory in being a scholar. Even if you become an official, if you don't have powerful backing, you’ll be ostracized or framed. Being stripped of your assets or executed is common. So, I’m done with books. I want to go into business and earn a lot of money. I want to make our entire Qinghe Village prosperous so we can finally leave behind this life of struggling for every meal."

Xu An didn't mention his plan to become the wealthiest person in the world, the kind of man even the Emperor would have to flatter. If he said that now, Xu Panpan and Zhao Hong would only think he was bragging and losing his mind.