The things we bought were a bit too much: pots and pans, ladles and spoons, chopsticks, a variety of spices and vegetables, then steel wool and dishwashing liquid, shower gel and laundry detergent, mops and brooms, slippers...
Guanglin, the handyman, couldn’t possibly carry it all by himself, so he handed two of the bags over to He Fang, who walked quickly in the shade by the roadside, heading back to their place.
Using the keys to open the door, he put down the pile of items and let out a sigh of relief, his forehead already beaded with sweat.
"Tired?" He Fang pushed him into the bedroom, "Quick, bask in the air conditioning."
The two bags she was carrying looked big but were actually on the lighter side—the heavier ones were all in Guanglin’s hands.
"The trouble with summer is that you sweat with the slightest movement." Guanglin, of course, wouldn’t admit he was tired and blamed the sweaty workout on the summer heat.
"Sure, sure, it’s just too hot."
He Fang replied, while helping him wipe the sweat with a towel, "I’ll make you something delicious in a bit."
Having a man at home really was a good thing, not to mention anything else, just the pot and the induction cooker were not easy for her to carry home from the store, let alone buying rice on a regular basis... Rice?
She paused for a moment, then looked at Guanglin and said, "We forgot to buy something."
"What?"
"We bought pots, but no rice."
"... I’ll go buy it. The shop downstairs has some." Guanglin stood up and hurried downstairs.
"Don’t buy the big pack," He Fang called after him.
"Got it."
Moving really is a hassle; even if there’s not much stuff, if you want to live comfortably, you have to add things little by little.
A bit more today, a bit more tomorrow, and gradually it will feel like a complete home, until the next move reveals how much stuff you’ve accumulated.
Guanglin carried up a twenty-kilo bag of rice, huffing and puffing up the stairs to the kitchen. Twenty kilos wasn’t heavy, but going up and down several times made him sweat profusely; he escaped into the bedroom to enjoy the air conditioning and didn’t want to move again.
"Rest well, dinner will be ready soon." He Fang leaned over to kiss him, then left the room.
What she called a feast was actually just some more substantial dishes than his usual meals, like braised pork ribs, cola chicken wings, stir-fried beef, and so on.
For Guanglin who ate vegetarian all day, this was indeed a feast.
Speaking of his appetite, it was also related to his usual diet. A big guy who liked vegetarian food all the time couldn’t withstand much without eating a couple of extra bowls of rice.
Hearing the clanging of pots and utensils from outside, Guanglin leaned back in his chair with a contented smile.
At Teacher He’s place, sitting in the chair waiting for her to finish cooking, then eating together.
Just thinking about it felt wonderful.
He sat quietly for a while, then picked up the novel on the table to where he had left off that morning, trying to understand what was so fascinating that she would read it over a dozen times.
After cleaning all the dishes, soaking the rice and starting to cook it, He Fang picked up the vegetables from the floor, washed them, and began chopping on the cutting board.
Chop, chop, chop, chop...
The rhythmic sound of the knife hitting the cutting board was interrupted suddenly. She looked back at the bedroom door, cheerfully humming and resuming her chopping.
As long as your loved one is there, home is there.
This was the life she loved the most, and she wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The aroma of the food faintly wafted from the living room into the bedroom. Guanglin sniffed and ran out, "Is dinner ready?"
"Not yet, sit for a bit longer." He Fang was pouring soy sauce into the pot, "Only two dishes left... don’t be impatient."
"Thanks for the hard work."
Guanglin walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her from behind, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, "That smells amazing."
"Pay attention and learn, being half as good as me is enough."
"I meant you smell amazing."
"Go," He Fang patted the hand on her waist. "Stay over there and don’t cause trouble."
"Hehe."
After a tight hug, he let go, Qin Guanglin moved aside to clean up the chopping board she had used, sweeping the kitchen waste into the trash bin, then rinsed it and placed it aside. "Do you know what this is called?"
"What?"
"Graceful in the hall, skilled in the kitchen."
"Do I really make it to the hall?" He Fang waved the spatula, "How so?"
"You look so good, of course you do."
"Come closer."
"What’s up?"
Qin Guanglin moved towards her upon hearing this, and He Fang turned her head and kissed him forcefully, "Let me taste if there’s honey on your lips."
"I’m just telling the truth," he chuckled, seeing that He Fang had finished cooking, he quickly handed over the plate, "Put it here."
Suddenly, he felt that continuing like this wouldn’t be too bad, as long as the love between the two was sufficient, wasn’t a marriage certificate just a piece of paper?
"Alright, take these out and then serve the rice, there’s only one last dish left. It’ll be quick."
"Roger that."
He plated their rice and set it on the table, and in no time, the last dish was also stir-fried. He Fang brought it over and placed it in front of him, "Did you wash your hands?"
"Err... I’ll go wash them now."
"If you don’t wash your hands before sitting down next time, I’ll scrub them with a steel wool pad."
"No, no need for that."
Qin Guanglin quickly washed his hands, shook them off, and ran out. Looking at the dishes on the table, he felt incredibly happy, leaned in and gave He Fang a big smack, "Teacher He is really capable."
"Eat up, you’ll wash the dishes later."
"Sure thing." He grinned, sat down, and began to eat eagerly.
This was the first time they cooked after moving in, just the two of them, with half a table of dishes. Qin Guanglin ate without restraint, not minding whether it was vegetarian or meat. He loved everything that Teacher He made, and he relished it all.
He let out a satisfied burp and put down his chopsticks. He Fang had already poured him a glass of water and placed it by his side, smiling at him, "Full yet?"
"Stuffed, very stuffed." Qin Guanglin picked up the glass of water, took a few sips and set it down, then touched his belly and sighed, "Even fuller than last night."
"Let me see."
"See what?"
"Lift it and let me take a look."
He Fang moved over, lifted his shirt, and saw his round belly. She couldn’t help but touch it twice, "It’s really gotten bigger."
"Of course, I’m stuffed." Qin Guanglin sat there languidly, too lazy to move, allowing her to touch his stomach.
It’s not like he’d lose a piece of meat, might as well let her touch.
"Tsk, I thought I shouldn’t let you eat too much, yet I let you get this full." He Fang pressed her fingertip into his belly, "We’ll go for a run tonight, or you’ll definitely gain weight."
"Let’s talk about it tonight, I’m so full now."
"Then just sit and rest a bit, I won’t make you wash dishes today." She saw how Qin Guanglin looked and felt somewhat sorry for him, so she stood up to start clearing the table.
"Just leave that." Qin Guanglin gestured, "I said I’d wash them, I’ll do it after sitting for a while."
"We’ll do it next time, no one’s fighting over it."
He Fang stacked up the dishes and moved them to the kitchen, "Go inside and sit, it’s so hot out here."
Qin Guanglin leaned on the sofa, watching her silhouette in the kitchen, feeling something indescribable quietly growing in his heart.
"I just like sitting here."