"Hmph, I won’t fuss with you this time, but if you dare do this again, I’ll chop off your pig trotters."
He Fang guiltily climbed out of bed and ran to the bathroom to wash her hands.
Some experiences naturally don’t occur to us until they happen, but it was different for her; she’d even had a dream just now...
As she looked up and glanced in the mirror, He Fang suddenly paused. The person in the mirror had softened features that were quite different from usual. She couldn’t help but blush and hastily stopped her messy thoughts, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
This won’t do.
I need to think of something...
Qin Guanglin had been waiting in the living room for ages and couldn’t help but urge, "Why are you taking so long just to wash your hands?"
"Chill out."
He Fang came out with her face still damp, pulled out a towel from her bag, and dried off. "It’s only been five minutes."
"Was it necessary to wash for five minutes?" Qin Guanglin pouted. "Last time you... when you helped me, it didn’t take that long."
"Shut up!" He Fang glared at him. "Hurry up and go buy groceries."
"Let’s go, let’s see what you feel like eating."
The two of them headed downstairs to the market together. Qin Guanglin had already hinted to Qin’s Mom to not rush making dinner. Surely enough, when they returned home, they found her sitting on the sofa with her glasses on, fiddling with her old trinkets.
When cooking, you have to first have confidence in yourself. No matter how it turns out, you need to put on an air, Chef Qin declared, waving his hand grandly. "Don’t move; just watch."
"Alright." He Fang stepped back and leaned against the doorway with her arms crossed, adopting a relaxed observer’s stance. "Begin."
"Watch and be amazed."
Qin Guanglin was brimming with confidence. "I’ll give you a big surprise."
All that practice... well, several days’ worth, was just for this moment, right?
His expression earnest as he picked up the knife, rinsed it under the tap to add a bit of ceremony, and then started chopping the vegetables on the cutting board.
Thud...Thud...Thud...
"Ha."
He Fang couldn’t help but snicker at his silly chopping. "Is that all?"
"...Don’t talk." Qin Guanglin was serious. "Go out; you’re making me nervous."
"Whatever." He Fang, tired of waiting for his sluggish chopping, walked over and took the knife from him. "You just handle the frying."
"Uh..."
Qin Guanglin felt a bit defeated seeing her chop so confidently. "Okay."
In the end, what mattered most was frying the dish... he comforted himself with this thought.
They had also bought a chicken for dinner, meant to celebrate Teacher He’s moving day, which Qin Guanglin insisted on buying, though he didn’t know how to stew it and could only stir-fry vegetables. In the end, He Fang had to take over.
After setting all the dishes on the table, Qin Guanglin excitedly served the rice and sat down, while Qin’s Mom, who hadn’t lifted a finger, sat at the head of the table waiting for He Fang to settle before lightly coughing, "Did He Fang move today?"
"Yes, Guanglin helped me." He Fang nodded.
"That’s nice." Qin’s Mom bent over to pick up a large bottle of orange juice from under the table and waved it at Qin Guanglin. "Get the cups."
"Okay."
Three cups were set up, and Qin’s Mom poured a full cup for each. "Cheers."
"..."
"..."
Qin Guanglin and He Fang picked up their cups and clinked them with Qin’s Mom’s.
"Being closer makes it easier to come over," Qin’s Mom continued. "You can come here more often, teach him cooking, or just keep me company watching TV..."
"Cough..." Qin Guanglin couldn’t help but interrupt. "Mom, can we eat now?"
It felt oddly uncomfortable, inexplicably awkward.
"I wasn’t finished," Qin’s Mom glared at him.
"Sure." He Fang bowed her head and smiled gently, "As long as Auntie doesn’t find me annoying, it’s fine."
"How could that be? You coming over every day is fine. It’s nice for the three of us to dine together like this."
"Yep, it’s nice, it’s nice." Qin Guanglin had no energy to retort and could only agree.
Is it that formal?
"Um..." Qin’s Mom pondered for a moment, then glared at Qin Guanglin, "You keep interrupting, I’ve forgotten what I was going to say."
"Let’s not talk anymore. Let’s eat, let’s eat." Qin Guanglin urged.
Qin’s Mom thought about it but still couldn’t remember what she wanted to say and simply gave up, "Let’s eat, let’s eat." She paused and then turned to He Fang, "You understand, right, sweetheart?"
"Yes, I know." He Fang nodded vigorously and chuckled as she glanced at Qin Guanglin, "Let’s eat quickly."
She could understand what the old lady was implying without her saying it.
"Indeed, your cooking is the best." Qin Guanglin took a couple of bites and spoke, "I truly can’t compare."
"Isn’t that obvious?" Qin’s Mom looked at him disdainfully, "Hurry up and learn."
"If it’s delicious, eat more. We have quite a few dishes today."
He Fang scooped some soup for Qin Guanglin with her spoon, "Finish it off."
"This is a celebration..." Qin Guanglin looked at the dishes on the table, which were indeed plentiful, "Later I won’t be able to run if I’m too full."
"Let’s not run today, take a break."
"Alright then."
He chuckled, rolled up his sleeves, and started eating.
Men need to dream big, and have big appetites too.
Besides Qin Guanglin, the two women ate small portions, getting full easily. Qin’s Mom stood up and took her dishes into the kitchen, while He Fang sipped her soup slowly and watched Qin Guanglin eat heartily.
It was increasingly feeling like home.
"Alright." Qin Guanglin set down his bowl and let out a belch, "Can’t eat anymore, that’s it."
"Finish these vegetables." He Fang pushed some greens toward him, "The soup will be even better if simmered again tomorrow, but don’t leave the veggies."
"Alright, alright."
He picked up his chopsticks again and finished off the leftovers, "I’m really full now."
"Who told you to buy so much? You wouldn’t listen."
"I’ll listen to you next time."
"Next time?"
"From now on, I’ll always listen to you." Qin Guanglin rubbed his belly as he spoke.
"That’s more like it."
He Fang finished her bowl of soup, stood up, and began to clear the table, "Bring the soup pot in and cover it up."
"Okay."
Qin Guanglin followed her instructions as they divided the tasks and quickly tidied up the table.
"Leave it for him to wash; overeating is a good chance to move around." Qin’s Mom glimpsed He Fang washing dishes in the kitchen and immediately shouted.
"I’ll do it." Qin Guanglin shrugged his shoulders, walked over, and took over the dishwashing duty, "And you’re still trying to compete with me for this."
He Fang was actually willing to wash, but it still required Mom to call out.
"I’m afraid you won’t clean them well, give it an extra scrub." He Fang stepped aside to give way, commenting from the side.
"Who can’t wash dishes?"
Qin Guanglin, holding a scrub pad, turned and looked at He Fang, "I heard dish soap can harm your hands, and your hands are so pretty. What if they get ruined?"
"Ah?" He Fang raised an eyebrow, "Did you put honey on your lips?"
"I have a flaw; I really like to tell the truth." Qin Guanglin looked naive, "All this about honey..." he paused, "why don’t you taste and see?"
"..."