In the kitchen, Xie Yunlan stood to the side, watching as Zhuang Yawen skillfully washed and stir-fried vegetables.
Before long, the table was covered with dishes.
“Aunt Xie, please have a seat.”
“Yawen, I didn’t expect you to be this good at cooking!”
“You haven’t even taken a bite. Are you just trying to flatter me?”
“Just look at the presentation—no need to taste it!”
It wasn’t that Xie Yunlan was exaggerating; the girl genuinely had the skill.
Just look at that beef—each piece evenly cut. The braised ribs were coated in a rich, glossy sauce, and their aroma wafted through the room.
Even something as basic as stir-fried broccoli, which doesn’t require much technique, was vibrant and tender under her hand. She’d sprinkled some red bell pepper on top for color, and it honestly looked better than what most restaurants served.
“You’re always teasing me,” Zhuang Yawen said with a helpless smile as she personally brought over a bowl of tangyuan. “Almost forgot about this. Try it.”
“Huh… I just casually mentioned it last night, and you actually made it?” Xie Yunlan said as she accepted the bowl. “Mmm, smells so strongly of sesame!”
“Well, I was already cooking. One more dish didn’t make much difference.”
She made it sound casual, but Xie Yunlan could tell she’d put real effort into it.
The tangyuan were soft and glutinous, and the rich black sesame filling oozed out with the first bite, releasing a delightful aroma that filled the mouth.
“This…” Xie Yunlan was stunned. “Tastes exactly like the ones from Ju Quan Lou!”
Zhuang Yawen smiled. “As long as you like it.”
“Incredible! You, a proper heiress, actually went and learned how to cook from a chef?”
“Why not? Not every rich girl avoids the kitchen. I enjoy cooking for my family. Seeing them eat happily makes me happy too.”
Xie Yunlan popped another tangyuan into her mouth. “Your hobby is… unique. Not many young women today know how to cook.”
Yawen rested her chin in her hands and smiled gently. “It might sound silly, but my biggest dream is to cook for my future husband and kids every day, make sure they’re healthy and plump and happy…”
Something flickered in Xie Yunlan’s eyes as she nodded. “You’re a good kid.”
“Here, try this.” Yawen picked up a piece with the communal chopsticks and placed it on Xie Yunlan’s plate. “Knowing you like lighter flavors, I only added a bit of salt and scallions. No chili or garlic.”
She moved with elegance and composure.
Xie Yunlan looked even more pleased. “Don’t just keep serving me—eat something yourself.”
“Okay.”
By the time Xie Yunlan was full, Zhuang Yawen suddenly remembered there was still a pot of chicken soup simmering in the electric cooker.
“Oh no, no more for me…” Xie Yunlan waved her off. “I’m stuffed.”
“But what do we do now?” Yawen looked regretful. “I processed the chicken myself and added several medicinal herbs. It’s just now reaching peak flavor… but there’s no one else to help finish it.”
She sighed dramatically. “No third person around to help. What a waste.”
Xie Yunlan paused. “How about… we bring it to Little Nine?”
“Huh?” Yawen looked surprised on the surface, but secretly, she let out a huge sigh of relief.
Heavens knew she’d gone through so much prep—all for this one line from Xie Yunlan!
“Actually, that could work!” Xie Yunlan mused. “The hotel isn’t far from Hanqing—ten minutes on foot, max. Plus, Little Nine has been cooped up in the lab for days. He needs something nourishing. Ahem… Yawen, would you mind if I, well, used your soup to curry some favor?”
“Please, don’t say that! I’d be honored if Professor Xie got to try my cooking!”
“Great, let’s pack it up and head over now. Perfect timing for lunch.”
The more Xie Yunlan thought about it, the more she liked the idea.
Perfect timing, perfect location, perfect conditions—it had to be fate!
“I’ll go find a container!” Yawen hurried into the kitchen. She’d worked hard on that soup, and as soon as she opened the lid, the rich aroma burst forth.
She already had a double-layered insulated container ready, which would keep the soup at the perfect temperature and preserve its flavor.
“Aunt Xie, I also packed some rice and side dishes for Professor Xie—everything’s fresh and clean.”
“You really think of everything! Wait—where’d this insulated container come from?”
Yawen casually explained, “Last night I started my period, had bad cramps, and ordered brown sugar water from room service. They brought it in this container.”
“Well, how convenient!”
“Right?”
The two of them set off, leaving the leftover food and dirty dishes behind for hotel housekeeping to clean up.
…..
In the laboratory.
Xie Dingyuan glanced at the wall clock. “It’s about time. Go get lunch, everyone.”
“Phew—” Old Jin and Ding Yu let out a breath, nearly collapsing at their stations.
Meanwhile, Old Bai—who usually moaned about the workload—was lively and energetic today.
“What miracle drug did you take? You were so fast today, Ding Yu and I could barely keep up.”
“Hehe… Fast, right? Not telling you the secret!”
Old Jin frowned. “You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”
“Bull! I can’t suddenly have a breakthrough, find my rhythm, and open up my meridians?” Old Bai’s eyes drifted toward Jiang Fuyue.
Miraculous! Absolutely miraculous!
It was like drinking performance-boosting soda—only those who’d tried it would know.
And he’d even dialed the parameters down to slow himself a bit. Even then, Old Jin couldn’t keep up.
If he’d cranked it all the way up? Heh! Old Jin and Ding Yu would be crying for their moms by now.
So now Old Bai looked at Jiang Fuyue differently—with awe, admiration, and a healthy dose of fear.
This girl wasn’t human. She was divine!
Old Jin snorted. “Yeah right. You expect me to believe that?”
Old Bai smirked. “Believe what you want. I’m not saying another word.”
No way he’d reveal Jiang Fuyue gave him a cheat code.
If those two went begging her for help too, then his edge would disappear. For now, he had the upper hand—and he was gonna ride it!
He was like a poor farmer finally turning the tables, vowing to cling to Jiang Fuyue’s golden thigh for dear life—
“Hehe, Yueyue~ wanna go eat?”
Jiang Fuyue raised her eyes. “You can use my full name.”
“Using your full name feels so distant. It’s no fun.”
“We’re not that close, are we?”
Old Bai wasn’t discouraged; instead, he grinned wider. “We’re not now, but we will be! I’m super easy to get along with. I’d go through fire and water for my friends—climb a mountain of knives or dive into a sea of flames without even blin—”
“Let’s go.” Xie Dingyuan had packed up and walked over to Jiang Fuyue.
“Mm.” She nodded and followed him without hesitation.
Leaving Old Bai dumbfounded in place. “Wait… I wasn’t finished!”
….
Outside the lab, Jiang Fuyue and Xie Dingyuan headed for the canteen.
They’d been going together like this recently—walking to and from meals, discussing experiment progress or new developments in their field along the way.
Jiang Fuyue soon realized Xie Dingyuan had the habit of regularly reading the latest SCI papers.
Meanwhile, Xie Dingyuan gained a deeper appreciation for the breadth and depth of her knowledge.
They were like two people slowly uncorking the same bottle of aged wine. The more they discovered, the more intoxicating it became.
Jiang Fuyue admitted she was intrigued.
As for Xie Dingyuan—he was hooked. Completely and utterly.
They maintained a delicate, balanced dynamic—neither wanting to disrupt it.
She was just… lazy.
He, on the other hand, was afraid.
He knew exactly how he felt. What he didn’t know was how Jiang Fuyue would react.
So until he was sure, he’d wait.
“Did Old Bai want something from you earlier?” he asked casually.
“No idea. He never got to the point.”
“He talks too much. Ignore him.”
“Mm.”
She agreed. For a researcher, Old Bai sure talked like a stand-up comedian.
Meanwhile, still stuck in the lab, Old Bai suddenly sneezed. “Achoo—who’s cursing me?! D*mn!”
…..
“Aunt Xie, is it here?”
Outside the lab zone, the two women stood at the gate. Without access cards, they couldn’t enter.
“Yes,” Xie Yunlan nodded. “Little Nine is inside. Hold on, I’ll call him…”
