Lin Yang's explanation left Aunt Lan stunned.
At first, she had thought this young man didn't understand the unspoken rules of the marketplace.
Who would've guessed that the clueless one was her?
"So that's how it is. Lin Sir, you know so much. I've really learned a lot today," Aunt Lan exclaimed, her admiration genuine.
She was an experienced and certified postpartum nanny, an expert in nutrition, baby care, and postpartum recovery. Yet, when it came to the unwritten rules of the marketplace, she was clueless. Lin Yang's words had been a revelation.
Lin Yang, however, didn't respond further. Instead, he picked up a kitchen knife, casually knocked the fish unconscious, and started cleaning it. His movements were methodical and swift:
He scraped off the scales with the back of the knife, sliced the fish open to remove the guts, and cleaned the black membrane and gills. Every step was clean, efficient, and seamless.
In less than ten minutes, the fish was processed and ready to cook.
Aunt Lan stood to the side, utterly dumbfounded. She'd been planning to help, but now, she was glued to the spot, silently watching the show.
When Lin Yang finished with the fish, he started preparing a meal: peanut-braised pork trotters, steamed sea bass, and red bean porridge.
Every movement in the kitchen was so precise and efficient that he worked on all three dishes simultaneously, maximizing every minute.
Aunt Lan, who initially wanted to lend a hand, ended up as a student watching a master at work. By the time Lin Yang was done, she was convinced she'd seen a culinary magician at play.
"Is this some kind of sorcery? Multitasking to this degree?" Aunt Lan muttered under her breath, utterly amazed.
Half an hour later, the two dishes and one porridge were ready.
"Aunt Lan, please take the porridge to the dining table," Lin Yang said as he carried the two plates of food to the table himself.
"Yaoyao, dinner's ready," he called, heading to the bedroom to fetch Shu Mengyao.
The enticing aroma of the food had long reached Shu Mengyao's nose. Sitting on the bed, she felt her spirit float into the kitchen. She assumed the meal was prepared by the nanny and eagerly followed Lin Yang to the dining table.
Before even sitting down, she swallowed a mouthful of saliva. The food looked so appetizing that her stomach started rumbling uncontrollably.
"Dig in, Yaoyao," Lin Yang said warmly.
"Mrs. Lin, you're so lucky! All of these dishes were prepared by Mr. Lin himself. I didn't even lift a finger," Aunt Lan added, unable to hide her admiration. "His cooking skills are amazing, far beyond anything I could ever manage!"
This wasn't flattery; it was the truth. Watching Lin Yang cook had been an eye-opening experience.
Hearing this, Shu Mengyao stared at Lin Yang in disbelief. "You made all this?"
She had grown up in wealth, dining at the finest restaurants. These dishes, however, surpassed even the best meals she'd had at five-star establishments.
The pork trotters were tender and flavorful, with the rich broth blending perfectly with the aroma of peanuts. The sea bass was fresh, its delicate meat practically melting in her mouth.
Each bite was a burst of flavor, a culinary delight.
"I did," Lin Yang admitted with a nod. "Do you like it?"
"It's delicious! The best I've ever had!" Shu Mengyao replied, her cheeks puffed as she chewed. She looked like a little hamster, her wide-eyed expression both adorable and earnest.
"As long as you like it, I'll make it for you anytime," Lin Yang promised.
Watching this, Aunt Lan felt a pang of envy. She hadn't done anything, yet she was being force-fed a heavy serving of dog food.
Where did this kind of man even exist?
After the meal, Shu Mengyao leaned back in her chair, patting her slightly rounded belly. "If you keep cooking like this, I'm going to gain so much weight…"
Lin Yang chuckled, "You're in the postpartum recovery period. It's important to nourish your body. Besides, you're so thin already—gaining a little weight would look good on you."
Despite having just given birth to twins, Shu Mengyao's limbs were still slender and delicate. Her petite figure hardly seemed like it had endured pregnancy.
After dinner, Aunt Lan took care of the cleaning and tidying. She couldn't shake the feeling that her role here was less nanny and more housekeeper. Lin Yang seemed perfectly capable of handling everything himself.
In the afternoon, the babies were starting to stir in their room.
"Looks like it's feeding time again!" Shu Mengyao said softly.
Newborns typically needed to eat every two to four hours. However, her breast milk supply was limited, so she alternated between breastfeeding and formula to ensure both babies were well-fed.
Lin Yang prepared two bottles of formula and brought them to the room. Shu Mengyao picked up Xing Xing, shyly glancing at Lin Yang before turning away to nurse the baby.
Her cheeks were pink, but for the first time, she didn't ask Lin Yang to leave the room.
Lin Yang, noticing this, felt a small smile tug at his lips. He understood that this was her way of expressing trust. Though she wasn't great with words, her actions spoke volumes.
Respecting her unspoken gesture, he stayed quiet and picked up Yun Yun to feed him with the bottle.
A while later, Xing Xing had finished nursing, and Shu Mengyao carefully set him down before picking up Yun Yun. "Let's switch. They both deserve a turn," she said softly.
Lin Yang gently patted Xing Xing's back to help him burp.
Suddenly, a system notification chimed in his mind:
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully burping a baby for the first time. You've unlocked the Skill: Breast Milk Stimulation Massage Technique.]