Chapter 196 - 193: I Can Go All Day

Huo Jingyuan set down the insulated food jar he was holding and wrapped an arm around Wen Ci’s waist. With a gentle pull, he drew her body closer to his.

He leaned in to her ear, his voice low and raspy. "Darling, are you doubting my stamina? If you weren’t going back to Beijing, I could go all day."

Wen Ci: "..."

She was already completely immune to his crude remarks.

Suddenly, she glanced down. A prominent tent had been pitched in his green cargo pants. Looking back up, she smiled. "You really can get worked up anywhere, can’t you..."

"And whose fault is that?" Huo Jingyuan said through gritted teeth.

’It’s all her fault for being such a restless sleeper.’

"Heh."

Then, Wen Ci swallowed hard. Exhausted from the long night, she hadn’t eaten breakfast yet and was now starving. "Is there chicken in the chicken soup?" she asked.

"Yes."

The insulated food jar originally had two compartments, but Mrs. Liu Sr., wanting Wen Ci to have more to drink, had removed one and stuffed half a stewed chicken inside.

"Hungry?"

"Mhm."

Huo Jingyuan picked up the insulated food jar, unscrewed the top, and poured some soup into the lid, which doubled as a bowl. The rich aroma of chicken soup instantly filled the car.

Wen Ci swallowed again and eagerly reached for the lid. The soup had been poured into the food jar fresh off the stove, so it was still hot to the touch.

"Careful, it’s hot."

"Mhm."

The road to the airport was newly paved, and with Uncle Wang’s masterful driving, the ride was incredibly smooth, with hardly a bump along the way.

Wen Ci took a sip of the soup, saw goji berries floating on top, and raised an eyebrow. "This chicken soup was made for you, wasn’t it?"

"No, Grandma made it specially for you."

"Then why are there goji berries in it?"

Huo Jingyuan: "..."

’Goji berries aren’t just for men; women can have them too. They’re mainly for replenishing qi and blood, which gives your skin a healthy glow.’

"So I could have some too."

"Oh." Wen Ci’s lips curled. "You really should replenish yourself. Otherwise..."

She deliberately paused for a few seconds, her gaze fixed on Huo Jingyuan, and silently mouthed, "If you don’t start taking supplements... be careful you don’t screw yourself to death."

She mouthed the last few words with particular, exaggerated slowness.

"You..."

’Huo Jingyuan didn’t know what to say to that. He really should exercise a bit more self-control. His stamina in the latter half of the night was nowhere near what it was in the first half.’

"Point taken."

Wen Ci asked, "Do you have any chopsticks?"

"Yes."

Huo Jingyuan took out a pair of chopsticks and handed them to her. The chicken in the soup had been stewed so tender it fell apart at the slightest poke of a chopstick.

Wen Ci picked up a piece of chicken and blew on it to cool it down. The meat glistened, and the skin was a lovely golden-yellow.

She took a bite.

Wen Ci’s eyes lit up. The chicken wasn’t the least bit tough; in fact, it was incredibly tender. "This was stewed for so long, how is it still so tender?"

"It’s not the same chicken that was used to make the broth."

Every family has their own way of making chicken soup. The Huo family’s method is to first make a broth with an old hen. Meanwhile, another, younger chicken is kept waiting on a steamer rack. Halfway through the stewing process, they swap the chickens.

This way, the meat in the final soup is still delicious.

Wen Ci’s eyes curved into smiling crescents. "Huo Jingyuan, now I see why your cooking is so good. Turns out you were taught by a master."

「Upon arriving at the airport.」

Only half the chicken soup in the insulated food jar was gone. Wen Ci wiped her mouth with a tissue and patted his shoulder. "I’m done. The rest is for you."

"Take it with you and eat it on the plane."

"No, that’s okay," Wen Ci refused.

’Drinking too much chicken soup at once gets a bit greasy. Besides, the airplane food is pretty decent—a proper meal with meat and vegetables, up to the standard of a state-run cafeteria.’