Lu Xiao had wanted to buy more, but she held back, feeling guilty once she realized she had no money and would have to use Ares's.
Ares looked at the suddenly reserved Lu Xiao in confusion. He just assumed she'd lost interest and didn't dare ask.
Although they hadn't bought much, Lu Xiao was still thrilled looking at the fresh ingredients in the shopping cart.
'Finally, I won't have to eat nutrient solution anymore.' So happy! (>^ω^
After they paid, Ares was the first to reach for the shopping bags, and Lu Xiao didn't argue with him.
"Anywhere else you want to go?"
In response to Ares's question, Lu Xiao shook her head. "Home."
'I don't want to go anywhere else. I just want to go home and cook—right this very instant!'
'I absolutely must have red-braised pork today!'
Leaving the supermarket, Lu Xiao noticed there were more people at the entrance, but she paid them no mind. She simply assumed they were there to shop and didn't for a moment think they were there to see her.
She also failed to notice that these people were all wearing supermarket employee uniforms.
Ares, however, gave the valet an extra glance as he took back the keys, then quickly opened the car door for Lu Xiao to get in.
And even though the valet kept his head down, he was secretly sneaking glances at Lu Xiao from the corner of his eye.
No matter how many times he looked, he couldn't believe a female would personally come to a place like this to shop. And on top of that, she was gorgeous.
Because females were so rare and held such high status, many males could go their entire lives without ever seeing one in person.
So when these supermarket employees saw in their group chat that a female was personally visiting the store, they all rushed out for a "chance encounter." They just wanted to see a living, breathing female with their own eyes. Even if they gained nothing from it, just getting a single glimpse was worth it.
In fact, that one glance would be enough to make them happy for a long time.
For the males of this world, they both longed for females and had to endure the suffering females brought them.
It was a great contradiction.
Back home, Lu Xiao said to Ares, "Put these things in the kitchen."
Then she dashed upstairs to change her clothes before coming down to cook.
'My red-braised pork, my sweet and sour ribs, my steamed fish, my stir-fried tomato and eggs, my cold noodle salad~~'
'Here I come!'
Lu Xiao changed her clothes and sprinted downstairs. Just as she was about to charge into the kitchen, she saw Ares, wearing an apron, already working on her ingredients... Oh, no, no, no!
"Ares, let me handle that. You go rest for a bit." Lu Xiao tried her best not to sound too harsh, but her words still surprised Ares. "I can cook, Fem—... Lu Xiao. I've specifically learned how to cook."
In fact, every male learned to cook because of a popular saying among them: the way to a person's heart is through their stomach.
"Of course, Ares. I'm sure you can cook, but could you please let me make this meal?"
'I really want to make my first meal in this world with my own two hands!'
Even though he was inwardly shocked by Lu Xiao's request, Ares didn't dare refuse. "Of course. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"You can rest, or you can tidy up the room. Do whatever you like, but leave the kitchen to me. Okay, you can go now. I'll call you when dinner's ready." 'Now please, vanish, and don't disturb the birth of this wonderful meal. ^_^'
Kicked out of the kitchen, Ares was now having an existential crisis.
'Lu Xiao actually just told me she'll call me when dinner's ready.'
'Am I dreaming?'
After Ares left, Lu Xiao finally let out a sigh of relief. At last, no one was fighting her for control of the kitchen, trying to do the cooking.
She rolled up her sleeves, tied her apron, and got to work.
'Back before the apocalypse, I was a food blogger. Then the apocalypse came, resources became scarce, and I had all these cooking skills with no way to use them. God knows how lonely, bored, and miserable I was!'
Now that she could finally touch these ingredients, which would soon become a delicious meal, Lu Xiao was genuinely moved to the point of tears.
Meanwhile, Ares, who was tidying up the room, was also feeling very conflicted.
Even though he was cleaning the room, his attention remained fixed on the kitchen.
In his twenty-plus years of life, he had never once heard of a female who knew how to cook.
Some of them had never even set foot in a kitchen.
And yet, he was the one who'd been kicked out.
And Lu Xiao had seemed almost worried he would get involved.
'But does Lu Xiao really know how to cook? What if she cuts herself with a knife or gets burned?'
'Should I go over and help?'
Just as he was wrestling with his unease, Ares suddenly caught a whiff of an extraordinary aroma coming from the kitchen.
'What is that smell? How can it be so fragrant? What on earth is Lu Xiao making?'
Ares couldn't hold back any longer. He went to the kitchen doorway and watched the busy figure inside. His dark eyes widened unconsciously as he realized Lu Xiao genuinely knew how to cook!
'How is this possible? Why would a female know how to cook?'
This time, Ares was truly starting to have an existential crisis.
He couldn't resist sending a message to his adjutant: "Have you ever seen a female who can cook?"
The adjutant had been worrying for days that Ares would be mistreated after his marriage but hadn't dared to message him to ask. When he suddenly received this text, he almost thought their Major General had been abused so badly that he was starting to hallucinate.
'A female who can cook?'
'You've got to be kidding!'
"Are you all right, sir? Is there anything I can do for you?"
The adjutant waited anxiously for a long time, but no reply from Ares came. He even considered calling the police, though he knew they wouldn't get involved in this kind of matter.
The reason Ares hadn't replied to his adjutant was that Lu Xiao was calling him to dinner.
Looking at the dishes spread across the dining table—steamed fish, red-braised pork, sweet and sour ribs, stir-fried tomato and egg, cold noodle salad... Ares silently pinched himself under the table.
Lu Xiao came out with two bowls of rice and placed them in front of Ares. "I got a little carried away and made too much. If you can, please eat up so it doesn't go to waste. Go on, eat! Try my cooking."
Though Ares would never admit it, he had secretly fantasized about his married life with a female. But no matter how wild his imagination ran, he had never dared to dream of eating a meal personally cooked for him by a female.
Because that was something every male in the entire Empire knew was impossible.
Yet here the proof was, right before his eyes. When Lu Xiao spoke, she even gave him the distinct, mistaken impression that she was worried he wouldn't like her food. He felt like he was floating.
"Not at all. It all looks delicious."
"You haven't even tasted it, how would you know? Hurry up and eat!" Lu Xiao had already picked up a piece of the red-braised pork. Before popping it into her mouth, she felt a flutter of anxiety. 'After all, it's been so long since I've cooked, what if my skills have gotten rusty... Mmm, so fragrant! This is the flavor I remember!'
'Sure enough, I've still got it. I'm so moved!'
Satisfied, Lu Xiao secretly stomped her foot under the table in delight.
'Delicious, delicious! How can it be this delicious!'