Chapter 21: The Arrangement-No início, rompimento do noivado? Ela desbloqueia um sistema de culinária e é disputada pelos homens(Brancas flores de pereira sob a chuva outonal ao entardecer.)

"Yaya wants to eat soft buns!"

Lei Miaomiao looked at the Star Shrimp buns she had chosen and pointed her small finger at them. Lei Wuxie handed one to her, but the little one immediately shoved it toward Qiao Xin's mouth while reaching out her other hand toward Lei Wuxie.

Lei Wuxie smiled indulgently and handed her another.

As Qiao Xin accepted the feeding from Lei Miaomiao, she watched Lei Wuxie's smile. The tenderness of such a tough man was truly captivating! She wondered who would eventually be able to win over such a high-climbing flower.

While the atmosphere between them was perfect, Qiu Shaohua, having finished his fill of gossip and entertainment, played the part of the mood-killer.

"Little niece, the intermediate ingredients have arrived. What do you think?"

Qiao Xin handed Lei Miaomiao over to Lei Wuxie. The little girl obediently switched to the new embrace, being so compliant that both Lin Yifeng and Hua Qinmo sounded internal alarms, casting looks of deep disdain toward Lei Wuxie.

Lei Wuxie, however, didn't mind. To him, it was a good thing that the little one liked someone. Besides, he liked this person too!

"This is a Level 4 Fire-Maned Boar, right? Aren't these hard to catch?"

"And Level 5 Crocodile-Headed Fish! The meat of this fish is very tender!"

"A Level 6 Seven-Brocade Chicken? There are so many ways to cook this. Let me think."

Qiao Xin examined the ingredients Qiu Shaohua had brought. With items from every level, she could create a wide variety of recipes. However, she soon realized she couldn't process these ingredients herself; even if the hide of the Level 4 Fire-Maned Boar were removed, the meat and bones were far too sturdy for her to butcher.

"Cough, look at me being forgetful. How would you like them processed?" Seeing her hesitation, Qiu Shaohua immediately rolled up his sleeves, ready to assist.

"Uncle Qiu, I can do it!" Lin Yifeng stepped forward immediately.

Hua Qinmo also tightened the vine wrapped around Qiao Xin’s ankle. "I can do it too!"

Lei Miaomiao struggled to get down from Lei Wuxie’s arms and shouted, "My brother can do it too!"

Qiao Xin laughed. "Fine, fine. For the Fire-Maned Boar, cut off the four legs, and slice the two racks of ribs into individual strips..."

"Divide the Crocodile-Headed Fish into the head, body, and tail, and cut the body into chunks. As for the Seven-Brocade Chicken, separate the head, body, wings, drumsticks, and feet."

All three types of ingredients were massive, and the processing machines could only handle specific portions, so they had to be cut into the sizes she required. There were so many ways to cook the Fire-Maned Boar: braised head meat, sweet and sour ribs, red-braised ribs, roasted ribs, stewed trotters... The list went on. As for the Crocodile-Headed Fish, she planned a fish head soup, red-braised fish chunks, fish balls, and glazed fish tails.

For the Seven-Brocade Chicken, there were roasted wings, honey-glazed wings, cola chicken wings, spicy diced chicken, stewed chicken soup, roasted drumsticks, red-braised drumsticks... the possibilities were endless.

Everyone watched as she rapidly updated the menus, feeling that she wasn't just experimenting with cooking, but rather acting with absolute confidence.

The fragrance began to diffuse throughout the courtyard. The patrol and garrison soldiers waiting in line suddenly felt that the food in their own bowls had lost its appeal. It wasn't that they didn't like it, but the high energy of these ingredients carried a much stronger allure.

Qiu Shaohua watched from the side as she updated the menu for each machine, even noting the grade of each ingredient and who should avoid them. He was even more satisfied with her attention to detail.

Xiao Linfeng and Xiao Linshuang exchanged worried glances. It was one thing if previous recipes had leaked, but with so many recipes being distributed now, wasn't she afraid of them being reverse-engineered? Even though she provided the seasoning blends, the formulas for those seasonings were there too. With current technology, it would be far too easy to replicate. If someone with an ability talent were to get their hands on them, they might even make food that tasted better!

Qiao Xin, of course, didn't care. She created so many variations that people had plenty of choices, making it easier for her to earn "Affection Points." By eating three different types a day, every day with new variations, she ensured no one would ever get bored! Besides, even if someone cracked her recipes, she could guarantee that unless they were made by her, the taste would never be the same. Machines were different, after all!

"Uncle Qiu, it's all done. You can have someone take them back now!" She couldn't afford to delay her earning of Affection Points!

Qiu Shaohua didn't waste any time; he had his men take all the machines away. In any case, they had already eaten their fill.

General Lin watched his son fawning over Qiao Xin, even secretly competing with that experimental subject, and felt a sense of comfort. He packed up a portion of roasted chicken wings and red-braised drumsticks to go, and took the opportunity to withdraw the excess patrol soldiers.

As it turned out, those patrol soldiers left with great reluctance.

Not long after, the twenty machines requested by Elder Wei were delivered. Qiao Xin ate a single Fire-Maned Boar rib and couldn't eat another bite, so she hurried to set up the machines. Because people were watching, she couldn't ask Little I for help, so she had to endure the pain while enjoying the progress.

The patrol and garrison soldiers surrounding the Xiao family courtyard had contributed over a thousand Affection Points to her, so she was making a profit of several hundred even after accounting for the cost of the twenty machines. Furthermore, these machines would be placed in the military canteen and the research institute's cafeteria; earning several thousand points a day would be inevitable.

While she was busy, Lin Yifeng and Hua Qinmo were locked in a struggle with Lei Wuxie over the food made from the Seven-Brocade Chicken. The Level 6 ingredient was the most attractive to them. Moreover, both Lin Yifeng and Hua Qinmo were in urgent need of replenishing their bodily deficits; only Lei Wuxie was purely motivated by greed.

Especially with Lei Miaomiao there, who wanted to taste everything. He had to let her have a sample and offer a review, otherwise, she would try to eat it all herself—she was quite difficult to deal with. He used his thunder to block Lin Yifeng and his fire to fend off Hua Qinmo, yet he remained the most relaxed of the three.

Once Qiao Xin finished setting up Elder Wei's twenty machines, Elder Wei left an assistant behind to monitor Hua Qinmo's condition, while the others took the samples back for testing. As for the garrison soldiers, Lei Wuxie arranged for them to stay at his own home so they could be mobilized at a moment's notice.

Qiu Shaohua, being watched by Xiao Linfeng, patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, the little niece has 857 under control; the Commander will be able to report a first-class merit for her. I'm off. With Elder Wei here, the safety is in your hands."

Before Xiao Linfeng could even speak, he had already slipped away.

The Xiao residence finally grew quiet.

"Are you not going back?" Xiao Muxuan and Xiao Muyu stared at Lin Yifeng. Hua Qinmo was an experimental subject, and Lei Wuxie had a mission, but Lin Yifeng should have gone home.

"We haven't seen each other for so long, and you're chasing me away?" Lin Yifeng immediately put on a weak act, but Qiao Xin pushed him out. "Go back, it's so late already."

Lin Yifeng looked at her heartless behavior with a look that was half-crying and half-laughing, but Qiao Xin turned and walked away.

Lin Yifeng: ...She really was special!

"Yaya wants to sleep with big sister!" Seeing that her brother had a mission, Lei Miaomiao immediately chimed in.

Lei Wuxie was reluctant, but the house was full of garrison soldiers, and sending her back would be a hassle, so he looked at Qiao Xin.

Qiao Xin was also sleepy, so she picked her up. "Fine, I'll look after her for the night."

Xiao Linshuang gave a worried instruction: "Sweetie, call Mom if anything happens!"

"Mom, don't worry, Yaya is very well-behaved," Qiao Xin laughed.

Lei Miaomiao also immediately chirped happily, "Auntie, Yaya is good~"

Xiao Linshuang was charmed by her cuteness and let them be. However, Hua Qinmo's vine was still wrapped around Qiao Xin. Thinking of his unique situation, Qiao Xin looked at Lei Wuxie. "You two sleep in my room; I'll take Yaya to sleep in my cousin's room. That way, his vine can follow me."