Wife, thank you for your hard work.

" Now throw longan berry and jiagulon herb into the simmering broth and let it boil for 5 minutes. Then let it rest for 30 minutes and drain the broth into a bowl, separating so many herbs from the medicinal broth.", the Imperial Doctor patiently taught Chou Lian the medicinal broth they serve Ying Yue in the morning, as he stroked his beard.

Chou Lian listened and did what was told carefully. When she came to the workroom the imperial doctor assigned for Ying Yue, seemed astonished but quickly erased that look and put a humble face. He then welcomed Chou Lian to watch as he made the medicine for 6th princess. But Chou Lian refused and sternly said she really wished to help make the medicine while the imperial doctor should guide her. The imperial doctor seemed reluctant but at last gave in.

When a servant was asked to fetch water from the well situated right outside the medicinal workroom, Chou Lian stepped in and said she would do it. Though the imperial doctor hurriedly rejected her idea saying the servants were there to do all these miscellaneous tasks. But before anyone could stop her and she went outside with a jar to draw some water from the deep well and only her personal maid Ruyi followed. Chou Lian assigned Ruyi to draw water while she would hold the jar for her. Ruyi did not have much strength to begin so she was struggling, when Ruyi was preoccupied with her task Chou Lian pulled out the jar filled with water from the space, and replaced with the empty jar. After a lot of struggle Ruyi was able to draw some water and Chou Lian took the bucket to act like she was filling the jar. Chou Lian acted like the water Ruyi pulled was enough, and freed Ruyi from her misery.

Now she let the broth boil for five minutes, and then used a heavy piece of cloth to bring the pot of hot medicine down from the mud stove to let it rest. She then stood up straight and exhaled a sigh of relief. Finally she was done! It took her an hour and half to make this small bowl of medicine! She never imagined so much work is put into making only this little amount of medicinal broth. It sure is hard to prepare medicine in this era, if it was her era she would only need to imagine and the tablets would appear in her hand. The people in past sure lived a difficult life and now she was stuck here, but at-least had her own room full of modern medicines and equipments. Chou Lian felt happiness brimming from inside imagining her medicine room in her space. The first time she truly felt happiness from having that space from her ancestors. This made her want to burn some paper money for her ancestors which she has never done before.

While the medicine was cooling down she told the doctor she would make a round to kitchen because she wanted to make something sweet for the princess. When sent went to the kitchen she found every servant was busy with their task and no one had time to spare her a glance. Ruyi went in first to let the head imperial chef know that Chou Lian wanted to borrow a stove to prepare rock sugar pear water, and that Chou Lian needed help with the recipe as she had never made it before. The fact that First Lady Shen had not made it before is not something shocking for anyone. Everyone is quite well aware how prime minister abandoned his first born after the death of his first legitimate wife.

At first, the imperial head chef did not want to let Chou Lian enter the kitchen and disturb the kitchen staffs during the busy morning period, but when he learned that Chou Lian wanted to prepare something for the 6th princess he readily agreed and found a senior imperial chef to assist Chou Lian, cause who isn't aware how much Bixia adores 6th princess.

Chou Lian soon found herself in front of an empty stove with a chubby short man greeting her. He was the senior chef assigned to help Chou Lian prepare the rock sugar pear water.

" Does rock sugar pear water use water?", Chou Lian asked the chef respectfully while maintaining her authority. Chou Lian knew asking such a question was normal as not many young noble entered the kitchen to take care of their skin so, not many often knows how the dishes they eat are cooked.

" Replying to 6th princess' consort, no, the rock sugar pear water is made after steaming it so there is no direct contact with water. However, rock sugar pear soup uses water as the pears are boiled in water along with dates, rock sugar and dried goji berries.", the senior chef responded with a smile.

"Then I will make rock sugar pear soup for her highness Shenghuo. Please guide me from the sidelines.", Chou Lian said.

" For sure, 6th princess' consort. It is my honour. The pears have been picked this morning from the royal garden. They are really fresh and juicy the soup will really taste great. So let's start by washing the pears with salt your highness.", the senior chef said then told his assistant chef to prepare all the ingredients needs to make the soup.

For the second time in her life Chou Lian made something for Ying Yue which she never imagined she would do. When it was time to boil water before putting the pear slices and other ingredients in it Chou Lian brought out the jar filled with space water when was no one looking and kept it back. Honestly, cooking the pear soup was way more fun for Chou Lian as she ate some pears while slicing them, she also ate dates and dried goji berries to her fullest. She has never eaten anything like this before. The pears were so crunchy and sweet when she bit into them, and the dates tasted funny at first, but the more she ate the more she loved the dates, and berries as well. Though when she tried to cut the pears she did end up injuring her fingers gravely which scared the senior chef and Ruyi to death. No one told her that handling a knife is so tough! The senior chef wanted to take over while Ruyi agreed but, Chou Lian was resolute. Now that she has started to cook she would finish cooking it.

It took less than 30 minutes to prepare the rock sugar pear soup as it only needed four ingredients and water. When Chou Lian tasted the end result her eyes widened with delight. The soup way better than she expected.

' I didn't know I am such great chef! If the Earth was better maybe I could have try to be a chef! Then I would change the family occupation from being generals to chefs!' , Chou Lian jokingly thought, " If grandfather ever listened to my thoughts he would sure beat the crap out of me, before having a heart attack!' , Chou Lian unconsciously laughed but then stated to cough when she remembered where she was, as she has to maintain an elegant image belonging from the imperial family.

" Thanks to the senior chef I was able to prepare the soup for 6th princess.", Chou Lian praised before she left while holding a tray. She told Ruyi to get the medicinal broth which must have cooled down by now. Chou Lian would have strode towards Ying Yue's palace but it wasn't allowed for women from imperial family to walk fast. She held the wooden tray carefully as she walked. She didn't know why but she really wanted to see Ying Yue now. She wanted to see Ying Yue's reaction once she tastes the pear soup she made. She wanted to see Ying Yue scrunch her eyebrows when she drank the medicinal broth she made. Would she like her efforts or would she nag for being late? Though Ying Yue didn't talk much, but Chou Lian could feel that if she was in good health Ying Yue would be a nagger. This thought brought a soft smile on Chou Lian's face unconsciously.

The servants near Ying Yue's room greeted her with a bow before holding the door open for her. Chou Lian greeted them with a smile and walked into the room with quick pace.

" 6th princess! Are you awake?", Chou Lian asked gently as she walked into the inner chamber. As soon as her eyes met Ying Yue's deep heather coloured eyes, which were staring at her with a soft smile within those eyes, Chou Lian felt kind of embarrassed and shy.

" Come here. I heard you tried making something for me.", Ying Yue said with a hoarse voice. She was sitting on the bed with few cushions supporting her back with a blanket covering her legs. She seemed so harmless and gentle with the little amount of hair left on her head, flowing on her shoulders even though her skin was as pale as always with the veins visible. Only if she could recover quickly Chou Lian thought.

" I tried making your medicinal broth and some rock sugar pear soup for you.", Chou Lian said with a smile as she let an attendant of Ying Yue hold the tray. When Ying Yue saw pieces of clothes tying around her fingers she narrowed her eyes at Chou Lian and asked her sternly, " Did you cut your fingers while cooking for me? You do not have to do this when there are people assigned to do these tasks!".

Chou Lian was quite taken aback with Ying Yue's sudden outburst. She felt horrible for being screamed at after putting efforts to do something for Ying Yue. She just stared at Ying Yue with a hurt look. Ying Yue feeling sudden change in Chou Lian's emotions took a deep breath and sighed, " I am really glad you tried to do something for me but,...it's just….I do not want you to get hurt during the process. I am sorry.", Ying Yue said as she stretched her hands asking for Chou Lian's hands.

Chou Lian walked closer and let Ying Yue touch her fingers. It was quite strange to let another human being to touch her, but she did not feel disgusted unlike being touched by anyone else. As she had previously lived within special body suits she had no direct contact with anyone. The first touch was once a servant tried to drag her but she felt disgusted by that touch, but with Ying Yue's touches it's different, maybe because she always touches her so gently. Like now, Ying Yue worriedly inspected her fingers when she found they were bandaged perfectly only then she stopped worrying.

Ying Yue suddenly took her fingers near her lips, but then she stopped and chose to interlock their fingers, then she gently took their intertwined fingers near her forehead, " Wife, thank you for your hard work."Chou Lian froze and let Ying Yue do what she wanted with her fingers. When she realized their fingers were locking and Ying Yue called her 'wife' Chou Lian's cheeks and ears got painted red. Wife! They were not married yet! How come she is so comfortable enough to call her wife!? While she still blushes with the idea! It's so hard to understand Ying Yue!

" Ruyi-er, is bringing the medicinal broth. It is better to have that before you try the sweet pear soup.", Chou Lian said after Ying Yue freed their hands, then she looked at the cushions to act unaffected, pulled the blanket a little higher and told another attendant to bring a light shawl for Ying Yue to cover her neck as she felt it was a little cold today. Ying Yue remained quiet with a small smile playing on her face as she let Chou Lian fuss over these little things.

" You call your personal maid with her name, but you call me either as '6th princess' or 'Her Highness Senghuo'. When will you call me by name?", Ying Yue said lightly as Chou Lian sat on the bed near her.

" I cannot call you by your name Your Highness, you are a princess! While Ruyi-er is my maid.", Chou Lian said as she felt amused by Ying Yue's question.

" Before princess I am your soon-to-be wife. So, I do not see anything wrong with it.", Ying Yue grumbled with her hoarse voice. Before they could continue any more with the topic Ruyi came with the medicinal broth. When Ruyi went in to pass the bawl to her master she saw the 6th princess intimidatingly staring at her. She felt so scared that she was about to to trip on her feet and drop the bawl with medicinal broth, but at the last moment she got hold of herself. She could not let her master's hard work go in vain! After passing the bawl to Chou Lian she quickly greeted and left in hurry with the tray in her hand.

Chou Lian slowly fed first spoon of medicinal broth to Ying Yue and than looked at her with expectations of praise, while trying to act nonchalant at the same time. Ying Yue actually felt it taste similar to the medicinal broth she always, but it felt a little fresher and slight sweeter than usual. She felt Chou Lian did a good job for a first time and decided to praise her for that. Honestly, she would have praised Chou Lian for her efforts even if it tasted bad.

" It is fresher and sweeter than usual. You did a good job. Thank you for your hard work.", Ying Yue said as she raised her hand slowly and patted Chou Lian's head lovingly.

Chou Lian was flustered from the praise and the pat was kind of unexpected but she didn't hate it. She actually enjoyed it. No one has ever patted her on the head nor she heard someone praise her for something she did. It made Chou Lian a little emotional as she looked grasped the bawl tighter and bit her lips.

" It is nothing. I am glad you like it.", Chou Lian said truthfully and smiled wide at Ying Yue. She slowly fed the full bawl to Ying Yue.

" I don't think you will be able to drink the pear soup anymore.", Chou Lian said as she wiped Ying Yue's lips with a small embroidered piece of silk.

" But I was looking forward to taste the soup most.", Ying Yue said as Chou Lian's fingers moved over her dry lips thus, making Chou Lian's finger itch a little.

" How about you take a small nap? When you wake up I will let the kitchen warm it up for you?", Chou Lian asked gently.

Ying Yue reluctantly nodded as she let Chou Lian remove the cushions from behind her, placed her pillow, and helped her lay comfortably.

" Will you be here when I wake up?", Ying Yue questioned Chou Lian expectingly. Chou Lian cheekily retorted, "What do you think, Ying Yue?"