護花近衛 - 第298章 關學民的私心 - 墨香閣

Guan Xin was born into a family of physicians, a household of scholars. The Guan family of today could stand nearly shoulder to shoulder with the great clans, yet Guan Xin had never picked up a single bad habit of a rich young miss. Her parents were busy with work; though her father was a shareholder in the hospital, his company was in another city, and he and her mother could scarcely find time to come home even once. Having grown up at her grandfather's side, Guan Xin learned early to tidy the house, to wash clothes and cook. She kept the whole household in perfect order. Though the housekeeper, Liu Ma, was there, whenever Guan Xin came home she would always help Liu Ma bustle about, never once idle. Her skill in the kitchen was nothing short of transcendent; in the medical college's family quarters she was hailed as the universe's supreme, invincible little kitchen goddess. Any dish Guan Xin cooked would draw her grandfather's old friends shamelessly over to mooch a meal. Gentle and refined, at home in the parlor and the kitchen alike, Guan Xin naturally became the object of admiration for the boys her age in the medical college's family quarters. But the Guan family's discipline was strict: no romance before graduation, which made her suitors shrink back. Guan Xin, however, went straight from graduation into society and work—only by then Guan Xuemin's fame had grown greater and greater, and those old friends who once came seeking a match mentioned the matter less and less. Guan Xuemin's prestige could now stand on equal footing with those great clans. Whether Guan Xin would marry into a wealthy house, these people could not know, but given her type—a good wife and loving mother—she was absolutely the first choice for a daughter-in-law of a grand family. With fewer marriage proposals coming, Guan Xin actually breathed a sigh of relief. She had only just graduated, her career not yet made; what mind did she have for romance? But no mind or not, sometimes when love comes, nothing can hold it back. When Guan Xin began to feel something for Wei Zhao, even she found it baffling and unbelievable. It was the first time she had ever taken a liking to a boy; before this, Guan Xin had even wondered whether something was wrong with her orientation. Perhaps her psychological development was simply late? Guan Xin consoled herself. Yet she felt that between her and Wei Zhao there was likely no possibility anymore. She had entertained fantasies, but reality was, after all, reality. The first time she saw Tang Yun, Guan Xin chose to flee. Yet after fleeing, she could not help wanting to see Wei Zhao again—a somewhat contradictory state of mind, knowing it was impossible, yet still hoping to meet. Like a moth to flame, somewhat foolish and irrational, but beyond control. "Xin-xin, do you want Liu Ma to help?" Liu Ma's voice rang out from outside the kitchen. Liu Ma had finished tidying the house and had come to the kitchen to help Guan Xin. "No need, I can manage on my own." Guan Xin flatly refused Liu Ma's help—she absolutely could not let Liu Ma come over, or her secret in the cooking would be seen, and Liu Ma would surely stop her from her mischief. Hearing Guan Xin's refusal, Liu Ma thought nothing of it. She knew that tonight Old Master Guan meant to introduce a young man of outstanding talent to Guan Xin, and she assumed Guan Xin had taken a fancy to him and wanted to show off, to display her invincible culinary skill. If someone were helping at her side, how could Guan Xin's standing as the universe's supreme, invincible little kitchen goddess shine through? It must be said, Guan Xin's cooking was truly superb. Even though the seasonings went in in wild confusion, dish after dish of fragrant, colorful, tasteless, unpalatable delicacies came to the table in procession! Without tasting a bite, judging by appearance alone, one would absolutely drool—color and aroma alike were superb. But one taste, and every dish turned out either too s