The kitchen was filled with smoke and sizzling noises. Qin Guanglin was no longer timidly standing a meter away, stretching his long arms to stir with the spatula for fear of oil splashing onto himself.
He skillfully added salt and soy sauce, stir-fried it briefly, covered the wok to simmer for a while, then turned to dry the soaked potato strips. Just as the beans were about done, he would start stir-frying the potato strips.
He Fang leaned in the doorway, watching him bustling around in an apron, without offering pointers, just quietly observing without making a sound.
As she watched, a smile unconsciously surfaced on her face, and she lightly bit her lip, bowing her head to stifle a laugh.
Her taste in men was really good...
This guy, no matter when, always made one feel secure.
After draining the water, Qin Guanglin lifted the lid again for a quick stir, turned to take two cloves of garlic, smashed them on the chopping board, made a few cuts, readying them to use with the potato strips later.
He had gotten the hang of it, not like before when he’d have everything prepared before slowly start cooking—instead, he’d fry one dish and prepare the ingredients for others in his free time, avoiding standing idly waiting for dishes to cook. This was called time management.
Skill +1.
A man serious about cooking always possessed a unique charm; even if his actions were somewhat clumsy, it didn’t affect anything. Instead, it showed his deep focus. Qin Guanglin, wearing an apron looking all serious, appeared somewhat cute in He Fang’s eyes.
He Fang stared intently at him bustling about the stove, her heartbeat gradually accelerating.
This was her man...
"Are you seriously smitten?" Qin Guanglin finished his task, turned his head to look at her, and suddenly became suspicious.
This behavior... was a bit unusual.
"Yes, you look so handsome," He Fang turned her head to avoid his gaze.
"Isn’t that something everyone knows?" Qin Guanglin shamelessly accepted the compliment, tossed the food with the spatula, and then turned to take a careful look at her.
"What are you looking at?"
"Your face is a bit red."
"It’s hot." He Fang’s eyes darted around, and she turned to leave for the living room. "You cook by yourself, I’ll watch TV."
" ... "
Qin Guanglin felt even more that something was off. He Fang’s recent behavior...
Her brows curved like early spring willow leaves, her face flushed like peach blossoms in March.
These two lines suddenly popped into his head.
What’s going on?
Glancing at He Fang’s silhouette sitting on the couch, Qin Guanglin remembered something he saw on Baidu, holding the spatula and standing frozen in thought.
Seems like when it’s that time, they easily become emotional...
No way?!
It’s just cooking.
A faint burning smell wafted from the wok, snapping Qin Guanglin back to reality; he hurriedly scrambled to add water.
A perfectly good dish ruined, now he would have to eat it himself.
He sighed looking at the potato strips in the wok, but stole a glance at the figure on the couch and secretly smiled.
So Teacher He enjoyed watching him cook...
After preparing four dishes and serving them, Qin Guanglin called the two women to eat, served the rice and sat down, then moved the potatoes in front of himself.
"How could you still burn it?" Qin’s Mom sniffed, eyeing the dish of potatoes with some disdain.
After learning for so long, he still made such basic mistakes.
"It burned accidentally," Qin Guanglin picked up a chopstick to taste it; fortunately, the burnt taste wasn’t strong.
"Weren’t you watching him?" Qin’s Mom turned to He Fang.
"I watched for a while, but as soon as I left, he burned it." He Fang rolled her eyes at Qin Guanglin. "Can’t even fry potatoes properly."
"I just love the burnt ones." Qin Guanglin happily took another big bite. "Mmm, delicious."
Qin’s Mom snorted, "Tough guy, you finish it all."
"Exactly, tough guy," He Fang echoed.
"..."
Family status -1.
Although it was a bit burnt, it was just a little bit charred. Qin Guanglin nonchalantly pulled the plate toward himself, "I don’t want to share with you guys. Don’t touch mine."
"I won’t touch it, who wants to share yours?"
While He Fang said that, her chopsticks had already reached out and picked up a few strands of shredded potato. After tasting it, she felt it was alright, and then disdainfully uttered, "Don’t claim that I taught you how to cook next time."
Qin Guanglin didn’t respond and just ate his own food heartily.
He knew that He Fang was afraid it would taste too bad, so she tried a bite; if it was really bad, she would probably just toss it.
After dinner, He Fang cleaned up the dishes and brought them to the kitchen sink, turned on the tap, and stepped aside to make space for Qin Guanglin.
"Do you like watching me wash dishes?" Qin Guanglin squeezed some detergent onto a cloth and started wiping a bowl.
"What do you want to say?"
"The way you daydream looks quite nice. Can you perform it again?" he asked, holding back a laugh.
"I could perform a ’Miracle Healing.’"
He Fang gestured around his waist with her little hand but didn’t pinch; instead, she just rubbed her fingers, "Do you need a scratch?"
"No, don’t just stand there, go sit for a bit. I’ll be done washing soon, and then we can go see the mystery surprise." Qin Guanglin was tickled by her touch and couldn’t help but squirm.
"Don’t move; I want to touch your stomach." He Fang stood behind Qin Guanglin, reached her hand under his shirt from the front and searched, "Flex, let me see if you have abs."
"Yes, a whole big one."
"Just one?" As He Fang felt with her fingertips, she suddenly realized, "Isn’t one the same as none?"
"How can you say none? One big one is way more impressive than six. There used to be nine, but I call it consolidating."
"Psh, so basically none."
"Have you touched enough? You should let go now." Qin Guanglin felt her hand moving higher and couldn’t help but remind her.
"Why does it matter to you if I touch my boyfriend’s stomach?" He Fang nudged his stomach a bit higher with her fingertips.
"Hey, you do have a point there."
Qin Guanglin turned his head to look at her, revealing a mischievous smile, "Then I..."
"You dare?"
"Only the officials are allowed to set fires, but the people can’t light lamps?" Qin Guanglin, displeased, said, "That’s tyranny."
"I am tyranny, so try and overthrow me." He Fang squeezed twice and then pulled her hand away. They were at his house, and it wouldn’t be good to go too far in case they were seen.
"Overthrow you?" Qin Guanglin blinked.
"Hmm?" He Fang noticed something off in his tone and gestured around his waist again with her hand, "What are you thinking?"
"Nothing, don’t overthink it."
"I think you’re the one overthinking." He Fang snorted, "Be good, don’t go too far."
"Alright, alright, I’m quite content with things as they are now," Qin Guanglin said with a laugh, not teasing her anymore.
The kitchen was small, but it felt cozy. What more could he ask for?
"What ’as they are now’? What do you mean?"
"Now..."
Qin Guanglin finished washing the dishes, wiped his hands, looked around the living room to make sure Qin’s Mom wasn’t there, then turned around and pulled her into his arms, "It means coming home from work to see you, then cooking and eating together, no matter what we do, you’re always by my side."
"Do you like that?" He Fang, smelling the scent of cooking oil on him, sniffled, feeling warm inside.
It was the feeling of happiness.
"Didn’t I tell you? I’m very satisfied, very fond of it." Qin Guanglin lowered his head and leaned closer to ask, "Can we do the same tomorrow?"
"Okay."
He Fang pressed her face against his chest and rubbed it, feeling too lazy to let go.
When had this silly boy learned to flirt like this?