C5

Ann Yan had no interest in meddling with the romance between the lead characters, nor did she covet the coveted position of a general's wife that the female lead held in high regard. Vanity and the pursuit of wealth and status through a man's influence were not in her nature. She believed in earning a good life through her own hard work and determination.

While musing on this, a sudden 'ding' echoed in Ann Yan's mind.

"Congratulations, host. Your admirable qualities of self-reliance and lack of vanity align with the system's criteria for selecting a master. The Interplanar Trading System is now successfully bound to you!"

Following the mechanical announcement, Ann Yan's mind was filled with the sound of fireworks, and an interface materialized before her.

Blinking in surprise, Ann Yan couldn't help but feel that happiness shouldn't arrive so abruptly. Yet, it seemed her good character had paid off. She recalled the toy her nephew had once desired—the very same Interplanar Trading System. Had the toy she gifted her nephew somehow become her own lucky charm?

She examined the interface: the Interplanar Trading System allowed the host to exchange their possessions for gold coins or points, which held equal value and were interchangeable. Beyond level five, these could be used to buy items from the system or to trade directly with other plane hosts. However, trades were restricted by frequency and item limits, set according to the system's level.

As a newcomer, Ann Yan's daily trade limit was just once, and she could only access items with level one clearance. Direct item trades would only unlock at level five or above.

Having quickly grasped the system's capabilities, Ann Yan put it aside to focus on her immediate tasks.

She finished laundering her clothes and bedding, then gave her room a thorough cleaning. Noting the time was nearing noon and the Han Family would soon return from their fieldwork, she made her way to the kitchen. Having not joined them in the fields, she felt it inappropriate to simply wait at home for a meal.

The Han Family had strict rules: Old Madam Han would always prepare the exact portions for each meal, setting them out on the chopping board. There was no chance for extra helpings, as all surplus was locked away, with the key safely in Old Madam Han's possession.

Ann Yan surveyed the provisions: a hefty bowl brimming with cornmeal and another large bowl of mixed grains. It looked plentiful for a small family's single meal, but this was meant to feed a bustling household of over twenty people. Thankfully, another basin was filled with a generous helping of potatoes and sweet potatoes. Old Madam Han hadn't skimped on these, understanding that a day's labor in the fields required a full belly.

With a glance at the ingredients, Ann Yan formulated her plan: cornmeal would be transformed into pancakes, mixed grains and sweet potatoes into a hearty porridge, and the potatoes would be simply steamed. She'd round out the meal with a trip to the vegetable patch for some fresh greens.

With her strategy in mind, Ann Yan approached the stove to kindle the fire. It was her inaugural attempt at managing this type of wood-burning stove, and it took considerable effort to ignite. She meticulously fed it dry leaves and twigs until the flames took hold, then added larger logs to build a robust fire.

Once the fire was lively, Ann Yan scrubbed the pot clean and set water to boil. She scrubbed the sweet potatoes and potatoes at the well before returning to the kitchen. When the water neared a boil, she poured the cornmeal into a clean basin.

Instead of mixing the cornmeal with cold water as the Han family typically did, Ann Yan opted for boiling water, a tip she'd picked up from Baidu. This technique produced corn pancakes that were exceptionally tender and smooth.

After kneading the cornmeal, Ann Yan covered it to rest and rise while she chopped the sweet potatoes and added the cleaned grains to the pot. Then, she headed out to harvest vegetables from the garden.

The garden offered a modest variety: beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, green onions, and leeks, all flourishing nicely. Ann Yan picked a handful of beans and a few cucumbers, along with several green onions. She resisted the temptation to pluck the vibrant, young pumpkins, which were destined to mature into larger gourds. Picking them now would surely invite a scolding from Old Madam Han, a risk not worth taking.

With just two types of vegetables, Ann Yan considered the culinary possibilities. Cucumbers could be fried, sautéed, or served in a cold salad. However, given the Han family's limited oil allowance for each meal, she decided on a simple stir-fry for the beans and a refreshing smashed cucumber salad.

Ann Yan finished cooking the mixed grain and sweet potato porridge and steamed the potatoes. She then heated the wok until it was dry, reduced the firewood to a small flame, and coated the bottom of the wok with a thin layer of oil. Carefully, she placed each corn cake onto the wok, flipping them when they were just the right color, until both sides were a golden brown, and the rich aroma of corn filled the air.

After frying the corn cakes, Ann Yan stir-fried the green beans. Noticing a bit of oil left in the jar, she shredded the four potatoes she had set aside earlier, rinsed off the starch, chopped some green onions, and stir-fried the potato shreds.

Not one to waste, Ann Yan used the starchy water from washing the potatoes, pouring it into the pot where she had just cooked the potato shreds. She brought it to a boil, added the wild greens the kids had gathered that morning, washed them thoroughly, seasoned with some salt, and made a bowl of wild vegetable soup.

Lunch was a simple affair, and Ann Yan found the taste to be passable, though not exceptional. She couldn't be faulted; it wasn't a lack of culinary skill, but rather the scarcity of ingredients. After all, even the most skilled cook can't work miracles without the right materials. Still, this meal was a definite step up from the lumpy soup they had for breakfast.

As if on cue, just as Ann Yan finished preparing lunch, she heard voices and footsteps outside. Peering out, she saw the Han family returning from the fields.

Old Madam Han typically had a daughter-in-law come back to cook each day, but today had been delayed by unforeseen matters. She had worried that lunch would be late, but to her surprise, upon arriving home, she was greeted by the delicious scent of a meal. Entering the kitchen, she found that Laoliu's Wife had already made all the dishes, an unexpected and almost unbelievable sight.

Liao Xiaofang had been grumbling about Laoliu's Wife's laziness on the way home, so when she heard that Ann Yan had actually cooked, she was incredulous. "Impossible! How could Laoliu's Wife, too lazy to even pick up a spilled oil bottle, have cooked a meal? No way! Stop kidding around. Is her cooking even edible? I hope it doesn't poison us!"

Old Madam Han was initially pleased, but her expression soured at her daughter-in-law's harsh words. It was unclear whether she was more upset by the rudeness or concerned that Ann Yan might have wasted food.

Han Laosan, hearing his wife's biting comments, couldn't help but feel a twinge of agreement. It wasn't that he was mean-spirited; Laoliu's Wife was just that exasperating. He couldn't fathom where his mother had found such a troublesome daughter-in-law, who seemed to stir up drama at every turn without a moment's peace.