Chapter 135

Summer deliberately avoided running into Henry's mom when she left the house. 

As she pushed her bicycle out of the alley, she encountered other neighbors. 

Most of them were surprised to see her and after greeting her, some commented, "Summer, you must have done well in the countryside. You look even better than when you left!"

Summer smiled and exchanged pleasantries as she made her way out of the alley. She then rode her bike to take care of her registration paperwork.

She completed the registration process by the late morning. Knowing that Shaw and Carman wouldn't be home for lunch, she decided not to return either. 

Instead, she used her money and ration tickets to grab a quick bite outside. 

In the afternoon, she visited the local supply office to handle her food supply documentation.

With time to spare after finishing the paperwork, Summer didn't hurry home. 

Henry's mom and Becky's mom didn't have jobs and spent most of their time in the courtyard. If she went back too early, they'd undoubtedly pull her aside to discuss Henry, so she rode around the city for a while.

Although she hadn't been back for nearly two years, the city's development had stagnated, and not much had changed.

After wandering around, Summer went to the bookstore on Main Street, looking for study materials. She bought two books just before closing time.

As the bookstore clerk closed up shop, Summer slipped the study materials into her backpack and rode home. 

By the time she returned to the alley, it was already evening. 

As she entered the alley, she greeted people along the way. 

When she reached her house, she got off her bike just as Becky's family was returning from work and school. They greeted each other with smiles, and Becky's brother Calvin and their father Stephen seemed slightly surprised to see her. 

But Becky's family was reserved and didn't show much emotion, so they quickly moved on.

Summer pushed her bike inside and parked it in the front yard. After entering the main house, she saw smoke coming from her family's kitchen. She quickly put down her backpack and headed to the kitchen.

Carman, who got off work early, was already there preparing dinner. 

Seeing Summer, Carman smiled and said, "Take a rest. Dinner's almost ready. Your dad will be home soon. Once he's here, we'll cook a few dishes and eat."

Carman was also a good cook, but Summer had arrived home late the night before, and breakfast and lunch had been rushed. So, tonight was their chance to enjoy a proper meal together.

Shaw, who had inherited his family's culinary skills and had previously worked as a chef, naturally cooked better.

However, Summer didn't take her mom's advice to rest. 

She went straight to check the ingredients Carman had bought and asked, "Mom, what are we cooking tonight?"

Carman replied with a smile, "We're having a good meal tonight. Four dishes—two meat and two vegetables. Meat dishes are stir-fried tripe and pork strips in Beijing sauce. For vegetables, we'll have stir-fried peppers with lotus root and with potatoes. How does that sound?"

Summer wasn't asking to give suggestions but to help. 

After hearing the menu, she said, "Great. I'll cook tonight."

Carman quickly protested, "No need. You just rest and wait for dinner."

But Summer insisted and started prepping the ingredients. "I can cook all these dishes. Let me show you what I can do."

Seeing Summer's determination, Carman let her go ahead and helped by prepping the rice and assisting her.

Summer skillfully sliced fresh pork liver and kidneys, and when she began to cut the intricate patterns on the kidneys, Carman was amazed. 

In her eyes, Summer's cooking skills were impressive, even surpassing her dad's.

Standing beside Summer and watching her work, Carman couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, we're finally getting to taste Summer's cooking. Just watching her makes me hungry."

Hearing this, Summer glanced at Carman and suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She had never cooked for her family before. Most of her cooking experiments were to impress Henry.

But why did Henry deserve it?

She took a deep breath, pushing thoughts of Henry out of her mind, and smiled at Carman, "From now on, whenever I have the time, I'll cook for you and Dad."

Carman, not holding any grudges, said, "Your heart is in the right place. That's what matters."

After a brief conversation, Summer focused on cooking.

She prepared all the ingredients and set to work, heating oil in the pan.

When the oil was hot enough, she added the kidneys and liver. 

The pan sizzled loudly, and the kidneys curled into delicate patterns.

She quickly blanched the tripe and other ingredients before setting them aside.

Leaving a bit of oil in the pan, she added minced garlic to stir-fry, followed by the main ingredients and a pre-mixed sauce.

A delicious aroma filled the kitchen.

The scent drifted out into the yard where Becky and her brother Calvin were doing their homework.

They looked towards the source of the smell, their mouths watering.

Henry's niece, Amy, and nephew, Calvin, who were less reserved, followed the smell to Summer's kitchen door.

Meanwhile, Henry's sister-in-law, Linda, entered the courtyard, unabashedly sniffing the air. 

When Carman carried a dish to the dining room, Linda teased, "Having a feast tonight? It smells wonderful."

Carman laughed, "Summer just got back from the countryside. We thought she deserved a nice meal."

Linda smiled knowingly, "This must be Summer's cooking, right?"

Carman nodded from the porch, "I wanted to cook, but she insisted on showing us her skills."

Linda, still smiling, said, "Whoever marries Summer will be lucky. She's a treasure!"

As Carman and Linda chatted, Shaw, Henry's father, and his brother Ken arrived home. 

They all sniffed the air appreciatively, and Ken exclaimed, "Wow, smells like someone's opened a restaurant!"

Linda laughed and pointed to Carman, "Summer's cooking for her parents."

Shaw grinned, "Well, I'll be heading home to enjoy the feast."

They all walked into the courtyard, while Becky and Calvin greeted them politely.