"Can you cook?" Xu Nianhua’s gaze fell on his slender fingers. His fingers were well-defined and long, looking exceptionally attractive—hardly the hands of someone who cooked.
"You’ll know in the future," he replied.
Pei Yicheng didn’t directly answer the question, but instead made several trips to the kitchen and brought the dishes to the table, even serving the rice.
Xu Nianhua looked at the white rice in front of her, and the several dishes on the table: sweet and sour ribs, stir-fried beef, and boiled fish slices—all her favorites, made precisely to the taste of South City.
"Try them," Pei Yicheng urged, seeing her not moving her chopsticks. "I had Aunt Jin prepare them in advance. I just warmed them up. You took a train yesterday and have been tired all-day today. After dinner, take a bath and rest well."
Pei Yicheng’s fussy words gave Xu Nianhua a feeling of an old, tranquil couple living peacefully together.
In her previous life, she had died alone, except for Xiaoting, the only child she had adopted, who treated her with great respect.
After her rebirth, eating with her parents and older brothers felt familial and warm, but dining today with Pei Yicheng was a wholly different experience.
"The fish slices are very tender."
"The sweet and sour ribs, I remember you liked them," he mentioned.
"Aunt Jin is particularly good at frying beef," he added.
Pei Yicheng kept adding food to her bowl until it was almost overflowing.
"Yicheng, if you keep adding, I won’t be able to finish it all," Xu Nianhua said, looking at her bowl piled high with food, gently reminding him.
Pei Yicheng chuckled and said, "No problem, if you can’t finish, we can just leave it there. Tomorrow Aunt Jin can take it to feed the chickens."
Xu Nianhua looked at the untouched food in her bowl, his comment somehow making her feel as if she was having a meal with the chickens.
"What would you like to eat tomorrow? I’ll cook for you," Pei Yicheng said, eager to try.
"Tomorrow I’m just going to grab something casual with my second brother outside."
Xu Nianhua thought, it’s better not to come tomorrow—a woman and a man alone together.
The dinner was a bit warm, but also slightly awkward.
Xu Nianhua was going to do the dishes, but Pei Yicheng took over the task. He swiftly went into the kitchen with the dishes and began washing them, his adept movements not at all those of someone inexperienced.
"So you really can cook?" Xu Nianhua asked curiously, still feeling that Pei Yicheng didn’t seem the type to cook.
Pei Yicheng nodded affirmatively and said, "Tomorrow I’ll cook dinner, invite your second brother over, and Yining will be back too. I’ll make sure you all eat well."
"Yining is coming back tomorrow?" Xu Nianhua was surprised.
Pei Yicheng nodded affirmatively, glanced at her sideways, catching her little thoughts, and said, "You should stay here tomorrow as well. It’s better than squeezing into your brother’s shop—what if you catch a cold?"
"I’m not that delicate," Xu Nianhua said as she placed the last dish in the cupboard. "Pei Yicheng."
"Yicheng," Pei Yicheng corrected. "Or you can call me A’Cheng."
Pei Yicheng had sliced some fruit and casually grabbed a clean towel to wipe his hands.
"I really don’t have any thoughts of dating," Xu Nianhua said, but his tall silhouette instantly closed in: "Then just let me know whenever you do think of dating."
This time, Xu Nianhua didn’t dodge. She looked up and said, word by word, "What if it’s for a lifetime?"