"It’s delicious, truly irresistible. I never expected you to be so skilled, Qian Ru. You truly are the epitome of a virtuous wife and good mother."
Lu Tianxing sat at the dining table, took a deep breath, and was met with a rich aroma that made him feel instantly famished. Without bothering to pick up his chopsticks, he reached out, grabbed a piece of braised pork, and threw it into his mouth, savoring it with his eyes half-closed.
"What are you doing? Don’t you know to wash your hands before eating?"
Lin Qianru swatted Lu Tianxing’s hand reproachfully, then looked at him with expectant eyes, "How is it, tasty? I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I prepared a little of everything. Take a look, what do you fancy?"
At that moment, Lin Qianru’s face was full of nervousness, her fingers tightly interlocked. She had never felt so anxious before. This was the first time she had cooked for a man and the first time a man had tasted her cooking, especially when that man was the one she had pinned her hopes on.
"Delicious, better than the chefs at ordinary five-star hotels."
Lu Tianxing savored the taste, then opened his eyes and gave Lin Qianru a thumbs-up, praising her.
"You always know how to flatter, comparing me to five-star hotel chefs—if only I was up to their standard."
Lin Qianru rolled her eyes at Lu Tianxing, but a brilliant smile appeared on her lips, clearly pleased with his compliments.
"Would you like a drink? This is homemade peach blossom wine from my hometown."
Lin Qianru, seated opposite Lu Tianxing, had a flitting gaze, not daring to make eye contact with him.
The peach blossom wine had a further meaning that Lin Qianru had not revealed to Lu Tianxing. It symbolized peach blossoms in bloom, at their most beautiful. In her hometown, every time a woman got married, on the first night she would share a cup of peach blossom wine with the husband with whom she was to spend the rest of her life, hoping their love would be as everlastingly beautiful as the peach blossoms.
Unfortunately, Lu Tianxing was unaware of this tradition; he simply thought Lin Qianru was nervous and wanted to drink some wine to calm her nerves and bolster her courage. After all, no matter how a woman may act indifferent, she would feel somewhat nervous when facing such a situation.
"Having a cup sounds good."
Lu Tianxing nodded, not rejecting Lin Qianru’s suggestion. Having a drink to ease the mood seemed like a nice idea.
Lin Qianru took out two small wine cups from the sideboard, poured wine for themselves, and immediately, a rich fragrance of peach blossoms filled the air, invigorating the spirits as if one were in the midst of a blooming peach orchard.
Lu Tianxing exclaimed, raised his cup, clinked it with Lin Qianru’s, and downed it in one go.
"How is it?" Lin Qianru’s pretty face was tinged with red, whether from the wine or something else, as she asked expectantly.
"Great wine, smooth on the palate, without any hint of harshness, carrying a light aroma of peach blossoms—it is indeed a fine peach blossom wine," Lu Tianxing put down his cup, full of praise.
"You do have good taste, now try these dishes and see how they are?"
Lu Tianxing nodded, picked up his chopsticks, and tasted each of the home-cooked dishes one by one. They were full of flavor, some spicy, some not, offering a variety of tastes. It was undeniable that Lin Qianru’s culinary skills were quite impressive.
Lin Qianru looked at Lu Tianxing with anticipation, waiting for her man’s acclaim.
"The taste is good, it has the right mix of color, aroma, and flavor. The dishes are just perfect. Qian Ru, you could easily be a head chef at a big hotel if you weren’t busy with other things," Lu Tianxing didn’t skimp on his praises, not wanting to disappoint Lin Qianru.
"As long as you like them, that’s what matters."
Lin Qianru revealed a sweet smile, "To celebrate today, you have to finish all these dishes."
"No way! So many dishes for me to finish alone."
Lu Tianxing’s mouth gaped open, a mournful expression on his face as he said, "Qian Ru, tell me, what did I do wrong to deserve this punishment? I’m so handsome, it would be such a pity if I died."
"The world would finally have some peace if you died. If you don’t finish the food today, don’t even think about doing anything sleazy to me."
Lin Qianru huffed coldly, giving Lu Tianxing a seductive smile and making enticing gestures, like a siren exuding temptation from head to toe.
Lu Tianxing forcefully swallowed his saliva, made up his mind, and gritted his teeth, "Fine, you said it. I’ll finish eating these first, and then I’ll ’eat’ you. You’ll see the consequences of threatening me then."
With that, Lu Tianxing began to devour the food ravenously.
Lin Qianru watched Lu Tianxing with amusement, slowly pouring herself a glass of wine and downing it in one go, then absently staring at Tianxing wolfing down the food as she poured herself another cup, seemingly as the only way to calm her nerves.
Without realizing it, nearly all the food on the table ended up in Lu Tianxing’s stomach, while all but one cup of the peach blossom wine had gone into Lin Qianru’s belly.
The peach blossom wine didn’t make one feel particularly drunk at first, but it had a strong kick later on.
At this moment, Lin Qianru’s cheeks were a radiant red, her beautiful eyes glimmering as if autumn waters surged within them, compelling one’s gaze to linger unwillingly.
Lu Tianxing lifted his head to look at Lin Qianru, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. Standing up, he snatched her cup away and said, "Stop drinking. This wine might taste good, but after all, it’s still alcohol. Drinking too much is harmful to your health."
Lin Qianru revealed a smile and exhaled a breath tinged with alcohol, "I’m fine, Tianxing. Have you finished eating? Go rest in the living room for a while; I’ll clean up the table."
As she spoke, Lin Qianru propped herself up on the table to stand but hadn’t anticipated her body being unable to muster any strength due to the alcohol. She had just stood up when her legs went weak, and she started to topple sideways involuntarily.
Witnessing this scene, Lu Tianxing quickly reached out with lightning-fast reflexes and grabbed Lin Qianru.
With Lu Tianxing’s pull, Lin Qianru fell straight into his embrace, feeling his large hands on her waist. As she gazed at Tianxing, so close to her, her breathing hurried, feeling as limp as a deflated balloon, unable to summon any strength.
Seeing the delicate and enticing Lin Qianru and inhaling the faintly fragrant scent of alcohol at the tip of his nose, Lu Tianxing felt a shiver in his heart. A flame seemed to surge from his feet to his head in an instant, and the masculine reaction came on strong, making him tense.
Lin Qianru felt overwhelmed with embarrassment, her body twisting slightly as if countless ants crawled within her, stirring a strange sensation.
A hoarse voice came from Lu Tianxing’s throat as he slowly lifted his arms, cradling Lin Qianru’s head and locking eyes with her. He could clearly sense the emotions shining from her eyes.
Lin Qianru called out softly, feeling from Tianxing’s gaze a deep tenderness, along with a flame-like fervor burning intensely.
"Tianxing, do you love me?"
Lin Qianru asked quietly, her eyes full of hope.
Lu Tianxing answered without hesitation, "I do."
Lu Tianxing didn’t know whether he truly loved Lin Qianru, but he knew that if he lost this woman, he might regret it for the rest of his life.