The fridge was well-stocked with an array of fresh ingredients, offering plenty of choices for dinner. Jian Yiling decided to start by preparing Braised Chicken in the Belly—a comforting dish that required a slow simmer to enhance the flavors. She knew her brother Jian Yuncheng needed something nourishing to help him regain his strength.
Next, she chose to make Three-Silken Delicacies, a dish that required various ingredients to be cut into thin, delicate strands, which tested one's knife skills. It demanded both technique and patience—qualities Jian Yiling was eager to practice. Although slicing vegetables was different from performing surgery, the act of precision still provided her with valuable exercise.
She gathered the necessary ingredients for the Three-Silken Delicacies from the fridge: pork, chicken breast, winter bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, and ham. These were all common items that were staples in the Jian household. After chopping them finely and arranging them neatly on a plate, she placed them in the steamer to cook.
For a touch of greenery, she prepared Blanched Okra as well. Having both meat and vegetables was important to create a balanced meal. While the soup simmered and the dishes steamed, Jian Yiling took a moment to pull out her laptop from the dining table to catch up on some tasks.
About an hour later, the soup was finally ready. It was a simple meal consisting of two dishes and a soup, catering to both meat and vegetable lovers.
At that moment, Jian Yuncheng came down from the upper floor. He had been waiting for nearly an hour and felt that the takeout service was slower than usual. As he descended, he was greeted by the delightful aroma of freshly cooked food wafting from the dining table.
The tempting scents seemed to draw him in, and his stomach rumbled in response. Clearly hungry, Jian Yuncheng polished off two full bowls of rice, finishing with an extra serving of soup. He had to admit that the takeout Jian Yiling had ordered was quite good. Although the delivery had taken a bit longer than expected, the flavors made the wait worthwhile.
After dinner, Jian Yiling returned to her room and began unboxing her deliveries one by one. The first package contained a mini 4G camera, cubical in shape and only slightly larger than a pencil sharpener. It came with a memory card and could connect directly to a mobile hotspot. Jian Yiling tucked it into her backpack, ready for future use.
The second package revealed a black wool yarn and some knitting needles. After winding the yarn around the needles, she began to knit using the simplest of stitches, the flat stitch. She didn't finish it in one go, though; after a while, she set it aside to focus on other tasks in her study.
Jian Yiling preferred to strike a balance between work and leisure, blending mental labor with hands-on activities. By the time the clock struck eleven, Jian Yuncheng decided to check on his sister in her study. To his surprise, he found her fast asleep, her head resting on the desk.
Over the past week, Jian Yiling had barely slept in her effort to catch up. Each night, after tutoring Qin Chuan, she would return to her room and work late into the night, often going to bed at the same time as Jian Yuncheng.
Seeing her peaceful yet weary face, Jian Yuncheng's brow furrowed slightly. She looked pale and fatigued. Had he over-scheduled her? With so much on her plate, he wondered if she was too exhausted.
Approaching the desk, Jian Yuncheng decided to pick her up and carry her back to her room to sleep comfortably. Just as he lifted her, however, Jian Yiling jolted awake, instinctively struggling in his arms. Her eyes were wide with fear, reflecting a moment of panic.
It wasn't until she recognized him that her expression began to calm. Jian Yiling wasn't accustomed to physical contact, and as a medical professional, she understood that this discomfort stemmed from a lack of familial affection throughout her childhood. While she could identify the root cause, changing it was another matter entirely.
Jian Yuncheng was taken aback by her startled reaction. The moment he saw the fear in her eyes was unexpected and unsettling for him. Even as she ceased her struggles, he could still sense the tension coursing through her body, her nerves taut as a bowstring.
"Yiling, it's just me," he reassured her softly, his tone gentle as he held her close. "I didn't mean to startle you."