119: Chapter 119 Sister-in-law, you're so beautiful, I noticed it just now.

Cousin Zhang Fei leaned over and poked her head inside. "Wow, your fridge is quite well-stocked."

"That jar of chili sauce your mom brought,"

He said without looking back, "We'll need it for lunch. Unscrew it and put it over there."

"Got it."

Cousin Zhang Fei briskly picked up the jar of chili sauce and gave it two twists. It wouldn't budge. She tried the other direction, but it still didn't move. Finally, she quietly handed the jar over. "Cousin."

Hu Tian glanced at her, took the jar, and with a firm twist of his hand, the lid popped open.

"My hands are small."

Cousin Zhang Fei offered an explanation, her expression unfazed as she took the jar back. She grabbed a bowl from a nearby tray and scooped out a spoonful of chili sauce into it.

Hu Tian was already washing the pork ribs, the water splashing loudly.

The kitchen wasn't small and was neatly organized. Seasonings were kept in fixed spots, and cookware hung on the wall; it was clear someone used it seriously, not just for show or living off takeout.

Cousin Zhang Fei stood to the side, watching him put the ribs into a pot of cold water, toss in two slices of ginger, and turn on the stove. Then he turned to slice the pork belly, his knife movements clean and efficient.

She recalled how he was as a child, standing by the dinner table, never interrupting the adults, and being the slowest to pick up food with his chopsticks, like a curled-up little animal.

Now, standing in his own kitchen slicing meat, his back looked very steady, nothing like the person in her memories.

Cousin Zhang Fei rested her chin on her hand. "Cousin, when did you learn how to cook?"

"When you live alone, you learn or you starve."

"That's true,"

She nodded. "How many years have you been living alone?"

"Since I left for school,"

He said, "About four or five years now."

Cousin Zhang Fei didn't speak, calculating in her head. Four or five years—he had been on his own since he was eighteen and started university.

The ribs in the pot began to produce foam. He skimmed it off without haste. Once it was clean, he turned down the heat, covered the pot, and turned to wash the vegetables.

Cousin Zhang Fei straightened up from the counter. "Let me help you prep the greens."

"No need."

"It's fine, I at least know how to prep vegetables."

Without waiting for him to speak, she grabbed the bunch of greens and stood at the sink next to him. She plucked the leaves one by one, working seriously with a 'look how capable I am' attitude.

Hu Tian glanced at her sideways, said nothing, and let her be.

Not much was said in the kitchen. There was the occasional bubbling from the pot, the sound of water, and the rhythmic thud of the knife on the cutting board. The two of them went about their tasks, and the atmosphere wasn't lonely at all.

By nearly three o'clock, the aromas from the kitchen began to emerge.

The savory scent of braised pork, the aroma of the simmered rib broth, and the spicy fragrance of that bowl of chili sauce after being hit with hot oil wafted out in waves.

Cousin Zhang Fei sat down at the dining table, setting out the chopsticks and bowls. she sniffed the air. "Cousin, this smells great."

"Wait until you eat it to judge."

"I already think it's great."

Hu Tian ladled a bowl of soup, brought it over, and placed it in front of her. "Drink this first."

Cousin Zhang Fei looked down. Rib soup, clear and bright, with a few shreds of ginger floating on top. Steam rose from it. She picked up the bowl and took a sip, burning her tongue slightly and grimacing. "Delicious."

The dishes came out one by one: braised pork, simmered ribs, stir-fried greens, and a bowl of tofu soup, plus a bowl of white rice. They were laid out on the table in generous portions—not delicate or stingy, but satisfying home-cooked food.

Cousin Zhang Fei picked up a piece of braised pork. The meat was tender and the sauce rich. As she put it in her mouth, her eyes crinkled. "This is really good. Cousin, why have you been hiding these skills?"

Hu Tian sat opposite her, picked up his bowl, and said nothing.

"It's even better than my mom's,"

Cousin Zhang Fei took another piece, speaking without a hint of guilt. "No, it's way better than my mom's."

"Don't let your mother hear that."

"I definitely won't tell her,"

She laughed. "If I said that out loud, my mom would be heartbroken."

The two of them ate quietly. The sunlight outside was just right, slanting in from the side and casting a warm glow on the dining table.

Just as Cousin Zhang Fei was about to put a morsel into her mouth,

The phone in Hu Tian's pocket vibrated.

He glanced down at the screen. Waner.

Hu Tian put down his chopsticks, answered the call, and leaned back against the chair. "Waner."

A voice came from the other end. It was a video call. He turned the screen around, and a face appeared on the other side.

Cousin Zhang Fei had a mouthful of rib meat. She glanced sideways at the screen and slowly stopped chewing.

It was a woman.

She was quite pretty, her hair draped casually. The background was a window somewhere with excellent light, illuminating her face clearly. Big eyes, fair skin, and a slightly playful curve to her lips. She opened with, "Eating?"

Hu Tian gave an 'en'. "Just started. What's up on your end?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to see you,"

The voice was lazy, with a hint of acting spoiled. "What, am I not allowed?"

Cousin Zhang Fei quietly swallowed the piece of rib and stole a glance at her cousin, Hu Tian.

A brainstorm immediately erupted in Cousin Zhang Fei's little head. Her cousin's girlfriend?

Auntie didn't mention this!

Hu Tian turned slightly, not noticing Cousin Zhang Fei's peeking. "It's not that you're not allowed. Where are you?"

"Just finished class, about to head back to the dorm,"

The voice on the other side drew out its tone. "What good food did you make? Let me see."

Hu Tian angled his phone to scan the dishes on the table. The voice on the other end let out a "Wow!" "Braised pork? Why are you so hardworking today?"

Before Hu Tian could speak, those eyes moved away from the food and scanned the rest of the frame. "Eh, who's that? Your cousin? Cousin Zhang Fei?"

A triple question.

Cousin Zhang Fei, who was holding her bowl and drinking soup, looked up at the question and met the eyes on the phone screen.

The two of them were silent for a second.

Seeing them frozen—one holding a bowl, the other staring at the screen—and the atmosphere turning oddly stiff, Hu Tian had to break the silence. "Waner, this is my cousin Cousin Zhang Fei. She's here in Magic City for university and just arrived today."

He turned the phone back toward Cousin Zhang Fei. "Cousin Zhang Fei, this is Zhou Waner, my... girlfriend."

At the word "girlfriend," Cousin Zhang Fei's eyes flickered slightly. She didn't say much but tilted her chin toward the screen. "Hello."

Zhou Waner laughed on the other side, her big eyes crinkling, and her tone immediately became lively. "Oh, cousin! Hello, hello! Your cousin told me about you. He said you're smart and pretty—he really didn't lie to me."

Cousin Zhang Fei was stunned for a moment by the compliment, then her eyes crinkled in a smile. "Sister-in-law, you're so pretty too. I noticed the moment I saw you."

The two of them began chatting back and forth. Zhou Waner asked which school she was at and what her major was. Cousin Zhang Fei answered and asked her back, and Zhou Waner replied...

Hu Tian sat in the middle, picked up some greens with his chopsticks, silently put them in his bowl, and ate.

Then he took another bite.

And another.

He just kept his head down and ate, occasionally glancing up. He found they had already moved from talking about school to his cooking, and from cooking to an embarrassing story about him that Zhou Waner had told. Cousin Zhang Fei's eyes were shining as she listened. "Really? He actually had moments like that?"

"Of course,"

Zhou Waner lowered her voice, intentionally acting mysterious. "One time he..."

Cousin Zhang Fei covered her mouth and laughed out loud.

Hu Tian stopped his chopsticks and looked at Zhou Waner. "You remember that very clearly."

"Naturally, I have to record it in my little notebook,"

Zhou Waner said giggling, without a shred of guilt. "Cousin, come over often in the future. If there's anything new, just message me directly."

"Okay!"

Cousin Zhang Fei agreed instantly, and they exchanged WeChat and phone numbers on the spot.

Hu Tian watched this entire scene unfold, his chopsticks resting on the rim of his bowl, motionless.

He glanced at his bowl; the rice was gone, and the dishes were mostly finished. He looked at Cousin Zhang Fei; she was chatting so enthusiastically that she hadn't even noticed her soup had gone cold.

He put down his bowl, stood up, gathered his own dishes, and then stacked the empty plates to take to the sink. The sound of rushing water started in the kitchen, but the voices from the dining table continued without pause.

After washing the dishes, Hu Tian dried his hands and looked toward the dining area. Zhou Waner was saying something, and Cousin Zhang Fei was laughing so hard she had put down her chopsticks and slapped the table. "No way! Cousin, he actually did that?"

Hu Tian looked away. Forget it, let them be. He turned and headed down to the basement level.

The basement was his collection room and also his workshop.

He pressed the electronic lock, the door opened, and the lights came on. Inside was a whole row of shelving units filled with storage boxes of various sizes, all neatly labeled. Against one wall was a wide workbench, its surface covered with a non-slip soft mat. The lights had specifically adjusted color temperatures, casting a soft and even light suitable for identifying colors and patterns.

Hu Tian went to the workbench and placed the reagents he had prepared that morning one by one on the top right corner. Then, from the System Space, he took out the ceramics he had brought back from the treasure hunt on Donghu Island. Most were ceramics, including a large number of shards. He had known they were broken pieces when he picked them up, but despite being damaged, the age and craftsmanship of the shards were genuine; they were worth restoring.

He hung up his jacket, changed into his work clothes, and sat at the bench.

The voices of the two women upstairs were still faintly audible, drifting down through the floor in snatches, occasionally punctuated by laughter.

Hu Tian put on gloves, picked up a porcelain shard, and brought it under the light to inspect.

The glaze was deep, the crackle pattern fine, and the body thin and even—typical song dynasty craftsmanship. The break on this piece was irregular, making it a bit troublesome to repair, but it wasn't impossible.

He set the shard down and began to label it.

Hu Tian did not look up.

Hu Tian laid out the shards one by one, first categorizing them by shape, then further by glaze color and body quality.

Two layers of padding were spread on the workbench. The bottom layer was non-slip, while the top layer was thinner, specifically designed to cradle the porcelain shards and prevent secondary damage from edge collisions.

He took the items out one by one. Things coming out of the System Space were in much better condition than those from ordinary salvage; there was no additional seawater erosion, though accumulated salt deposits were still present. Given their age, that was unavoidable.

After setting everything out, he took a step back and scanned the area.

The workbench was densely packed, even more so than he had anticipated.

Hu Tian turned and took out the anti-corrosion and desalination reagent he had formulated from a cabinet under the workbench. He had prepared this based on the salt characteristics of shipwreck ceramics and the estimated age of these artifacts. He had adjusted the main components several times; the concentration was lower than common desalination fluids on the market. It traded time for safety, being gentler and causing less damage to the glaze surface.