Chapter 171: Pickled Radish Slices

"Let's go home and have roast duck." Yan Xianshan reached out with his palm open.

Zhong Yuxiu smiled and placed her hand in his, letting him lead her toward the residential compound. Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo emerged from a concealed spot, following at a distance behind them.

Upon returning to the compound, Yan Xianshan escorted Zhong Yuxiu to her door.

"Yuxiu, take a seat. I'll go get some hot water for you to warm your hands and feet."

"Alright, thank you, Brother Yan." Zhong Yuxiu sat down on the sofa, stretched her waist, and took a few snacks from the plate to nibble on. Once Yan Xianshan brought the hot water, she began soaking her hands and feet.

Yan Xianshan went over to the kitchen, placed the two roast ducks onto separate plates, brought one plate out to the living room coffee table, and called out to Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo, who had just stepped inside.

"Comrade Hao, Comrade Tian, you must be hungry too. Come over and have a bite to fill your stomachs. I saw Gou Dan stewing mutton in the kitchen, and it's still working on the rabbit meat, so dinner won't be ready for a while."

Hao Nan quickly shook his head. "I'm not hungry. Let Comrade Zhong eat to tide herself over; she's been busy all day. I heard something happened at Hua University? Even the police showed up."

"Something minor happened, but it's not a big deal," Zhong Yuxiu said with a smile.

"The most important thing is that you're safe."

Zhong Yuxiu chuckled and nodded. "Nothing can happen to me at Hua University. You two take a rest. After dinner, I still need to go back to Hua University to meet with the students."

Evening self-study sessions were usually uneventful, and since they were freshmen who didn't need to review for exams, the evening self-study sessions during these first two days of enrollment were a great opportunity to spend time with the students.

"Understood. Will you be going to Hua University every evening from now on?" Hao Nan asked.

"Once things are smoothed out, I won't need to go every day." Until then, she had to go. Since she had shouldered the responsibility, she had to fulfill her duties conscientiously.

Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo nodded to show they understood. They followed Comrade Zhong wherever she went; wherever she went, they would follow.

Zhong Yuxiu finished soaking her hands and feet, dried them, put on her socks, and went to the washroom to wash her hands before coming out. She picked up her plate and sat cross-legged on the sofa. Yan Xianshan brought a small blanket and draped it over her legs, and Zhong Yuxiu happily began to enjoy the roast duck.

Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo headed toward the kitchen, while Yan Xianshan poured her a cup of warm water. "Eat slowly, there's more good food coming later. Gou Dan also stir-fried two potatoes for you, the sour-and-tangy style you like."

"Really? Gou Dan is the best." As she spoke, she didn't slow down at all, stuffing pieces of roast duck into her mouth one after another.

Seeing the slightly childish behavior of the woman in his heart, he smiled helplessly. He turned, went to the kitchen to wash bowls and chopsticks, and set the table. Dishes were brought out one by one—soup, meat dishes, and vegetable dishes—a balanced combination of meat and vegetables, all boasting wonderful colors, aromas, and flavors.

When the last dish was placed on the table, Yan Xianshan called out, "Yuxiu, come and eat."

"Coming." Holding her plate, she shuffled over in her slippers and sat down at the dining table.

Yan Xianshan took the plate from her hands and placed it on the table right in front of her seat, making it convenient for her to reach with her chopsticks.

Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of cold side dishes—marinated radish chunks, pickled until they were plump, tender, and white. A few thinly sliced rounds of dried red chili peppers had been added during the pickling process, creating a red-and-white contrast that was pleasing to the eye.

There were no sweet peppers in this era, so they had to make do with a small amount of dried chili peppers instead.

Judging by appearance, there were at most two or three round dried chili slices in the entire plate of pickled radish.

Zhong Yuxiu asked, "Did Gou Dan make a small batch of pickled radish slices?"

"A giant basinful. It'll last a week," Hao Nan said. "Even though Gou Dan is a robot, it is extremely dexterous with its hands. It didn't put in too many dried chilis, and the sweet, sour, and spicy flavors are well-balanced—perfect for cutting through grease."

"So much? If it's not finished in three days, it won't be this fresh anymore." Even in winter, food couldn't be left out for too long. "Let's eat first."

The four of them sat down. Once Yan Xianshan saw that Zhong Yuxiu had eaten her fill, he realized he was full too; his appetite wasn't as good as hers, and snacking while taking care of her had been enough.

After the meal, Gou Dan brought over tea. Zhong Yuxiu took a sip and put the cup down; with the pickled radish slices to cleanse her palate, the tea was optional.

"Do we have lunchboxes in the house?" Ever since moving into the compound, she hadn't eaten at the cafeteria. She hadn't brought any lunchboxes with her initially, and Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo probably didn't have any either.

Sure enough, Hao Nan shook his head. "No, we rarely eat outside."

"Then we'll use plates instead." Having asked the question, she let it go. "Gou Dan, pack up two portions of the pickled radish slices. Put one portion on a plate and the other in a large ceramic bowl."

"Beep-beep." Gou Dan turned back to the kitchen and returned a moment later with the two portions.

Both the white porcelain dish and the ceramic bowl were heaped high.

"Get some oil paper, make sure it's clean."

At Zhong Yuxiu's command, Gou Dan returned to the kitchen and cut two pieces of oil paper large enough to wrap the ceramic bowl and the porcelain dish. Both containers were sealed securely; as long as they weren't turned upside down, no liquid would leak out. Anyone who had eaten pickled radish slices would know that they were made from fresh radishes, which tended to release a lot of water during pickling. Oil paper could only hold up for a while, and eventually, even the oil paper would become soaked through.

"Brother Yan, take this large portion home with you for Grandpa Yan, your parents, and Xiaohai to try something fresh."

"Alright, I'll thank you on behalf of Grandpa and the others." Yan Xianshan didn't stand on ceremony, and Zhong Yuxiu smiled and nodded. "Thank Gou Dan if you want to thank someone; I didn't make them."

Yan Xianshan actually looked up and said, "Gou Dan, thank you for the radish slices. I found them very delicious. If Grandpa and the others like them, we might have to ask you to make a bit more."

Gou Dan remained silent, internally complaining in its programming: Gou Dan is the master's Gou Dan, not someone just anybody can order around.

Not expecting a response from a robot, Yan Xianshan smiled and looked away.

"Yuxiu, I'll head back first then. I have some things to take care of tonight, so I'm afraid I won't be able to pick you up. You, Comrade Hao, and Comrade Tian be careful walking in the dark."

"Go ahead, and give my regards to Grandpa, my uncle, and aunt."

After sending Yan Xianshan off, she went back to the kitchen to fish out a small plate of radish slices to snack on. The roast duck was already gone, completely finished off at the dinner table. The only things left in the house to chew on were the snacks on the coffee table and the radish slices.

Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo helped Gou Dan clean up the leftovers. By the time they finished tidying up, Zhong Yuxiu had finished her plate of radish slices.

The cold dish was refreshing, offering a completely different flavor profile from the roast duck, yet it was something one could never tire of eating.

"Comrade Zhong, it's getting late. We should head to Hua University."

"Coming right up." She stood up, changed into outdoor shoes by the door, picked up the oil-paper-wrapped porcelain dish from the coffee table, and joined Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo at the front entrance to head out together. Outside, the north wind was howling, biting cold against the skin. "The wind is so strong. It's probably going to snow again tonight."

Hao Nan walked beside her and said, "There's a very high chance of snow. Comrade Zhong, should we apply for a car? It would be much more convenient for you to travel back and forth in both winter and summer."

"That's too high-profile. I'm already the center of attention at school; adding a car on top of that would draw too much notice, and I'd worry about people gossiping." Pressing her lips into a smile, the warmth in Zhong Yuxiu's eyes seemed capable of warding off the winter chill. "This is quite nice. Walking back and forth is a bit of a hassle, but it's manageable. Taking a car has its perks, but getting a little extra exercise every day is a good way for me to stay active."