Chapter 1038: Life After the Festival

The two maids were instantly dumbfounded.

Xia Ruqing coughed lightly to cover her embarrassment and thought for a long time.

She ordered a few dishes that Zhao Junyao liked and also ordered a bowl of her own sour-spicy rice noodles for him.

Everything else could be shared, so she didn’t order more.

She just instructed the small kitchen to increase the portions a bit.

Zi Su smiled and left.

After Xia Ruqing washed up and got dressed,

Just as she was about to go next door to find Yue Er, she almost bumped into Zhao Junyao when she opened the door.

"Emperor!"

She clutched her chest, her face pale with fright.

Zhao Junyao smiled and pulled her back into the room.

"What’s the matter?"

"It’s cold outside, you better not go out!"

Xia Ruqing let him hold her hand and smiled gently.

"It’s nothing. You haven’t had breakfast yet, have you? I was just going out to find you!"

Zhao Junyao nodded.

He pulled her to sit by the window on the kang in the inner room and said,

"No need to go now!"

"What’s delicious today?"

Under her influence, Zhao Junyao also started to care about food.

Xia Ruqing got up, turned around with a smile, and said,

"I won’t tell you now, you’ll know in a while!"

Zhao Junyao smiled and didn’t ask further.

After about the time it took to burn an incense stick, the food gradually arrived.

The aroma of small steamed buns and scallion pancakes instantly filled the entire room.

There were also crystal fried dumplings, shrimp balls, and others that Zhao Junyao usually liked.

In his words, these things were light and tasty, and he liked them very much.

After waiting for a while longer,

two bowls of sour and fragrant rice noodles arrived.

This sour fragrance was quite penetrating, quickly overshadowing the previous aroma.

The whole room was filled with a scent that made one salivate.

"What is this?"

Zhao Junyao hadn’t really seen this before.

He was puzzled in his heart.

They had been living together for more than ten years, yet this girl still had things he didn’t know about?

What a failure!

While sighing, he was also very curious, would this sour taste really be delicious?

He hadn’t had much of an appetite after eating so many banquets and feasts these days.

He could barely swallow something light, but this...

"Emperor, this is sour-spicy rice noodles, very appetizing!" Xia Ruqing introduced.

Looking at the appetizing appearance of the rice noodles, she could hardly resist.

She never expected Chef Jiang to master the essence the first time she made this.

No wonder modern people call the Chuan Region the Land of Abundance.

Turns out they were foodies since ancient times, something most people couldn’t learn even if they tried!

Heh heh, since they can’t learn it, they might as well enjoy what they can!

"Emperor, I can’t hold back any longer, I’m starting!"

With that, she picked up the plump, round rice noodles eagerly with her chopsticks.

Taking a bite, the sour fragrance hit her nose, with a bouncy and smooth taste.

A gentle chew and swallow,

and the rice’s fragrance gradually lingered, leaving a spicy and sour taste on the lips and tongue.

"Delicious, so delicious!"

She was excited enough to jump up.

"I’ve never eaten such delicious rice noodles in my previous life!"

Zhao Junyao was left dumbfounded the whole time.

"Previous life?"

In her delight, Xia Ruqing finally realized, stuttering as she explained.

"Well..."

"Emperor, I just meant it’s really delicious!"

"You should try it!"

With that, she pushed the rice noodles towards him vigorously.

Zhao Junyao picked up a noodle with chopsticks, skeptically putting it into his mouth.

For a moment, his expression was complex and indescribable.

Like a frowned smile, satisfied yet unsure.

Xia Ruqing leaned in, eagerly asking.

"How is it? Emperor!"

"Do you like the taste?"

Zhao Junyao didn’t answer but continued eating instead.

Xia Ruqing watched as he ate until he was sweating and even drank the soup.

She secretly felt delighted.

Indeed, no one can escape the true fragrance, not even the emperor.

"Emperor, do you still want buns? You used to love them..."

"No more!"

Before she could finish, Zhao Junyao waved his large hand.

"What about the fried dumplings?"

"I’m already full!" Zhao Junyao protested secretly.

Watching Qingqing’s subtle pride and hints, he felt... a bit embarrassed.

In hindsight, he really should have held back from eating it.

However, the sour-spicy taste was truly invigorating, and his appetite wasn’t very good earlier.

But after one bite, it was instantly better, miraculously so.

After the servants cleaned up the dishes and left,

Xia Ruqing personally poured him a cup of floral brew.

"Emperor, this was brewed by me last year following an ancient recipe. It’s being opened for the first time today."

"I’m not sure if it turned out well, why don’t you taste it for me?"

Zhao Junyao had already grown accustomed to her offering of strange fares.

Thinking this time would be no different, he accepted it.

Before drinking, he caught a whiff of a strange scent, somewhat bitter.

He frowned immediately.

But seeing her hopeful and expectant face, he had no choice but to drain it in one go.

However...

Zhao Junyao had underestimated her ability.

The so-called wine had a peculiar taste the moment it touched his mouth.

It lacked any wine fragrance, not to mention it was bitter and astringent, impossible to swallow.

Unable to bear it, he turned and spat it out.

Xia Ruqing was a bit worried, but watching his graceful and extraordinary demeanor,

she couldn’t help but be amazed.

’After all, he is the Emperor; even something as unseemly as vomiting can be done so elegantly!’ she thought.

She watched for a long time before snapping out of it.

’Oh dear! I was so focused on admiring that I forgot to show concern!’

’Damn, damn it!’

She hurried forward.

"Emperor, are you all right?"

Then she was a bit hurt.

"Was it really that bad?"

Zhao Junyao elegantly wiped his mouth with a silk handkerchief, sat back down, and after thinking for a while, he consoled her.

"It’s okay, Qingqing. If it went wrong this time, you can try again next time. I don’t mind!"

Xia Ruqing: "..."

Is this how you comfort people?

She took a doubtful sip herself.

"No, it tastes like beer, and it’s a little sweet, not bad?"

Saying so, she took a few more sips.

While grimacing and exhaling, she wore a look of enjoyment.

Zhao Junyao couldn’t quite tell if she was enjoying it or in pain.

"Qingqing!"

"It’s really okay!"

"If it went wrong, it went wrong. If you really want to learn, I can find someone to teach you personally, alright?"

Xia Ruqing was even more amused.

"Emperor, beer just tastes like this, bitter first, then sweet. Why don’t you try it again?"

Saying that, she handed the cup over again.

Zhao Junyao was even more confused.

"What is beer? What flower is it brewed from? Why have I never heard of it?"

Xia Ruqing felt slightly smug inside.

’Hehe, of course, you haven’t heard of it.’

’It’s something modern; there’s no such thing in ancient times!’

’But to help you get used to modern life in advance, you’ll just have to try it!’

’If you really manage to go back one day, you’ll be able to adapt well!’

Saying that, she wove together a story, blending history as she explained the origins of beer.

Zhao Junyao was left utterly bewildered.