After the empress transmigrated, she became the judge of the entertainment industry.

We'll deal with it when we get to Chapter 740.

The cooking process was nothing special. Although Sheng Hanyu couldn't do it himself, Ye Sanqing basically followed his instructions, so there were no problems.

This wasn't her first time chopping vegetables and cooking; she even refused Xiaoyou and the others' offer to help, treating it as practice.

"You seem to be getting more and more skilled now," Sheng Hanyu said with a smile, watching her movements from the side.

"That's because you taught her so well," Ye Sanqing said.

"Why are you being so humble? It's not like you at all."

"Alright, it's because I'm exceptionally talented. I'm a genius, and there's nothing I can't do successfully. Are you satisfied?" Ye Sanqing said with a smile.

What's going on? I finally learned the skill of humility, but he still doesn't appreciate it.

“Then you are.” Sheng Hanyu also laughed. “Alright, the soup is cooking, and the other dishes are ready. Let’s grill the meat now.”

Just then, Xiao Yuan came over and peeked around. Ye Sanqing saw her and said, "Xiao Yuan, be careful of the flames!"

"Why don't the other older brothers and sisters help you cook? Don't they have to work?" Xiaoyuan asked curiously.

Xiao You, standing nearby: ...

It's not that she doesn't want to work, it's just that it seems her job right now is to stay put while the boss is busy...

"We're going to participate in a competition, so I'm practicing," Ye Sanqing said. "No one else can interfere, because no one will help us during the competition."

"A competition!" Xiaoyuan exclaimed excitedly. "I know about competitions! Our school has competitions too!"

"Does the school have cooking competitions?" Ye Sanqing asked casually, as she was grilling meat in her hands. Aside from keeping an eye on the heat, it was actually quite easy.

"The school has origami competitions, math competitions..." Xiaoyuan said earnestly, "but there are no cooking competitions!"

"Can Xiaoyuan cook?" Ye Sanqing asked again.

"I can cook, but... my uncle and aunt won't let me cook." Xiaoyuan's eyes dimmed a little as she said this, "They want me to focus on my studies."

“You’re still young, so it’s best for you to focus on your studies,” Sheng Hanyu said from the side.

"But I want to work, so that my younger siblings can go to school!" Xiaoyuan said even more earnestly. "I don't like being young! If you're young, you can't work!"

"Why should your younger siblings go to school while you don't?" Ye Sanqing asked.

"Hmm... Mom and Dad said that my brother's studies are the most important thing!" Xiaoyuan answered matter-of-factly.

"Then why does your younger sister also need to go to school?"

Well, what can I say about Xiaoyuan? Perhaps her parents have some preconceived notions, but children remember them as soon as they hear them, especially since her parents disappeared after saying those words. Ye Sanqing couldn't refute her, so he followed her logic and asked her a question.

“It must be because they are too young that they need to go to school, but I understand everything. It must be because I am the oldest and most sensible that my parents say I don’t need to go to school!” Xiaoyuan answered smoothly without being stumped by the question.

"...No, children all need to go to school," Sheng Hanyu said seriously. "They have to study for nine years, that's a rule."

"Is that so?" Xiaoyuan asked, somewhat puzzled.

It seems the adults only vaguely told her that she needed to study, but didn't give her a reason, which is why she had that expression.

"Yes, I can look it up for you." Sheng Hanyu took out her phone and searched for these things to show Xiaoyuan.

"There really are regulations..." Xiaoyuan exclaimed in surprise, "Mobile phones are so convenient!"

"So Xiaoyuan needs to study hard too. And only by studying can she find a good job, and the better the job, the more money she can earn, right?" Ye Sanqing said.

Although she herself wasn't entirely sure about it, Sheng Hanyu nodded to her.

"So that's how it is..." Xiaoyuan fell into deep thought and didn't speak for several minutes.

"Let's eat first." Seeing that the preparations were almost complete, Sheng Hanyu asked the others to bring the dishes to the table.

"Wow! It smells so good! Thank you, big brother and sister, you're amazing!" Xiao Yuan tasted a piece of mutton and was pleasantly surprised.

"Eat as much as you like, but don't overeat," Ye Sanqing instructed.

"Who is this child?" Sheng Luoxin asked in surprise as soon as she sat down.

"She's a little friend I just met, so I invited her... to have dinner together." Considering that she also had work to do and it wasn't just a simple dinner invitation for Xiaoyuan, Sheng Hanyu answered cautiously.

"Hello, big brother!" Xiao Yuan greeted him cheerfully. "You're so handsome!"

"?" Sheng Luoxin laughed. "With such a sweet tongue, have you ever complimented your older brother and sister on their looks? Besides, I'm your uncle."

"As soon as I saw them, I recognized them as big stars. Doesn't being a star mean being good-looking?" Xiao Yuan wondered.

"Honestly, why are you arguing with a child about these things?" Sheng Hanyu said, somewhat speechless. "Let's eat, Dad."

Xiao Yuan was surprised, "Why do you call him Dad?"

"Because... he's my dad?" Xiao Yuan's question left Sheng Hanyu completely baffled.

"Why does your dad look like this?" Xiaoyuan gestured, then became anxious, "I mean... he's different from everyone else's dads!"

“He looks very young, like an older brother, right?” Ye Sanqing asked.

"Mmm!" Xiao Yuan nodded vigorously.

“I see,” Sheng Hanyu smiled. “My dad just looks younger.”

Xiao Yuan stopped talking, looked Sheng Luoxin up and down several times, and then lowered her head to start eating.

Ye Sanqing looked at her and felt that she might be thinking of her parents.

But... there's nothing we can do about it.

"Let's eat first. How's the meat today?" Ye Sanqing asked.

"Very good, Sanqing's cooking skills are almost catching up with Hanyu's," Sheng Luoxin said after tasting it.

"You're not afraid of spicy food today?" Sheng Hanyu said.

"I added your chili powder, right? I'm used to this level of spiciness," Sheng Luoxin said with a smile. "How's the fish?"

"This fish is huge! I almost let it escape when I was killing it," Ye Sanqing complained.

"You definitely can't let it escape, did you hit it?" Sheng Luoxin asked curiously. "It's very big, it took me a long time to pull it up when I caught it."

"I knocked it unconscious with my hammer..." Ye Sanqing said with a helpless smile.

Sheng Hanyu thought to herself, this is one of the reasons why she can't be allowed to kill sheep. Fish is one thing, but if a sheep tries to escape, she can fight it on the spot.

"Okay, I heard that fish that's been pounded tastes especially good! It's true!" Sheng Luoxin praised.

“That’s fish paste and minced meat…may it down when you’re processing it!” Sheng Hanyu said helplessly.

He felt that Sheng Luoxin thought Ye Sanqing was perfect in every way, even though he probably felt the same way himself...

Thank goodness, we almost went off on a tangent. I can't become the kind of awful man who, just because his family praised a girl, goes and tells her, "You'll definitely get along well with my family in the future!"

"Oh, I see. Then why don't you make fish balls?"

"...Can I do it even if I can move it?" Sheng Hanyu said. "Besides, we need to process the sheep today, so time is tight..."

"Actually, you could have told me." Ye Sanqing realized that he didn't want her to be too tired, which was why he hadn't suggested doing this, so she immediately said.

"We're really pressed for time today, let's talk about it when we have more time."