Seasoning

The clock turned back an hour earlier.

Inside Su Cheng's apartment.

A short-haired woman in an apron was meticulously cooking, the aroma of stir-fry filling the entire room as she moved deftly around the kitchen, washing and slicing ingredients in preparation.

Meanwhile, on the living room sofa sat a stunning yet icy young woman with pitch-black, lifeless eyes, exuding an aura of cold detachment. She sipped her tea quietly, her expression indifferent and serene.

The two were none other than Ji Qingyi and Liu Qingyue.

Considering Su Cheng now possessed supernatural abilities, there was no need to keep up pretenses. Their visit today was not only to assess Su Cheng’s true capabilities but also to extract his motives directly from him.

Hence, Ji Qingyi had decided to pay him a visit.

"Miss, wouldn’t you like to stir-fry a dish to show your sincerity?"

Liu Qingyue stepped out of the kitchen, holding a spatula while wiping her perfectly dry forehead with her other arm, making the suggestion to Ji Qingyi with an earnest tone.

Ji Qingyi glanced at her indifferently before shaking her head. "There’s no need."

Truth be told, she lacked any culinary skills—not even the most basic kitchen tools could she handle proficiently, let alone cooking a proper meal.

Faced with the question, she chose silence and refusal. Besides, she had no intention of wasting time on unnecessary cooking.

So she simply ignored Liu Qingyue’s suggestion.

"Alright, what a missed opportunity."

Liu Qingyue shrugged, unfazed, and returned to the kitchen to continue cooking.

However, her muttered ramblings while stir-frying still reached Ji Qingyi’s ears, making her brow twitch in irritation.

It felt inexplicably grating.

"Li Guanqi and Gu Ruoxue can both cook wonderfully—such accomplished women brimming with feminine charm, no wonder Su Cheng is so fond of them."

"Oh, and I heard Aino Marui has been taking cooking classes this semester. Clearly, she knows being able to cook is a huge plus, so she went out of her way to learn."

"Mrs. William next door mentioned her daughter Cornelia has recently mastered making excellent soup. She even gave some to Su Cheng, and apparently, he couldn’t stop praising it."

"......"

Liu Qingyue’s muttering only intensified Ji Qingyi’s agitation. A vein pulsed faintly on her forehead, and her slender fingers tightened around the teacup with increasing force, as if she might shatter it at any moment.

"Enough!"

Finally, as Liu Qingyue prattled on once more, Ji Qingyi’s grip tightened violently—the ceramic cup shattered into pieces, clattering onto the floor, while the spilled tea dripped from the coffee table.

"Oh my—!"

Hearing the commotion, Liu Qingyue gasped and stopped her muttering, rushing out with wide almond eyes, covering her mouth in exaggerated shock. "Miss, how could you be so careless?"

"Don’t think I don’t know what you’re scheming."

Ji Qingyi stood up, looking down at Liu Qingyue with frigid eyes. "Spare me these petty provocations."

Liu Qingyue’s cheeks flushed with feigned hurt as she replied meekly, "Miss, if you could cook just one dish, I’m sure Su Cheng would be overjoyed. Wouldn’t that make it easier to ask him about his motives? A win-win situation, no?"

"I have no interest in such tactics."

Ji Qingyi let out a cold snort and sat back down, closing her eyes to rest.

Liu Qingyue, meanwhile, picked up a cleaning tool and began tidying the debris on the tea table, muttering, "You always refuse to lower your pride and status..."

"Lower?"

Ji Qingyi immediately opened her striking eyes and glared at her. "Lower what? Can you even lower yours?"

"Why couldn’t I?" Liu Qingyue retorted.

Ji Qingyi glanced at Liu Qingyue’s delicate face and perfectly curvaceous figure, her gaze filled with mockery, her tone dripping with disdain. "I wonder who hid like a coward the last time Su Cheng came to the villa."

Instead of showing embarrassment, Liu Qingyue straightened her posture, lifting her chin proudly. "Then I’ll put on that outfit later to welcome him home. But can you lower your pride and status enough to cook for him yourself?"

Ji Qingyi fell silent at that. After a long pause, she finally uttered, "I don’t know how to cook."

"That’s fine. I’ll guide you through it," Liu Qingyue said with a smile. "After all, the young mistress is a renowned prodigy. Cooking shouldn’t be difficult for you. Besides..."

She paused, clearing her throat before lowering her voice. "Besides, your first attempt at cooking will surely shock Su Cheng to the point of drooling. He’ll probably be moved to tears, thanking you for the warmth you’ve brought him..."

Without waiting for her mistress’s reaction, she gathered the cleaning tools and headed straight to her room.

Ji Qingyi remained seated, her expression stiff, her face shifting between emotions. After a long while, she let out a deep sigh.

About ten minutes later,

a short-haired maid in an ankle-length maid dress emerged from the guest room, the hem faintly revealing white stockings. She walked up to Ji Qingyi, bowed respectfully, and said, "Young Mistress, I’ve changed into the outfit."

Her face now carried its usual calm and aloof demeanor, as if the earlier chattering Liu Qingyue had never existed—her entire being devoted solely to the young mistress’s interests.

"What dish do you want me to make?" Ji Qingyi nodded and asked casually.

Liu Qingyue suggested, "Something simple, like scrambled eggs. I’ll prepare the ingredients for you now."

"Mm." Ji Qingyi acknowledged.

The two then entered the kitchen.

Liu Qingyue personally tied an apron around her mistress, her movements swift and efficient.

Though Ji Qingyi felt slightly uncomfortable in the apron, she showed no other reaction. Liu Qingyue, however, was visibly excited—seeing Ji Qingyi with this domestic aura, though somewhat out of place, softened her usual icy demeanor, giving off a gentler vibe.

Next, Liu Qingyue began arranging the ingredients in precise portions, everything proceeding in an orderly manner. She started chattering away, imparting her culinary wisdom to her mistress.

Ji Qingyi listened attentively, but as a first-timer, she couldn’t avoid some clumsiness—crushing an egg, letting the scrambled eggs turn into a mushy mess in the pan, or losing her temper over the stove’s heat control.

Still, a fragrant plate of scrambled eggs was eventually completed.

Thanks to Liu Qingyue’s guidance, the presentation was decent.

"Try it," she said.

Ji Qingyi stared at the plate of scrambled eggs she had personally cooked, her face unusually solemn. After all, this was her first time stepping into the kitchen, and she couldn’t help but feel nervous, worried about how it might taste.

"I don’t dare."

Liu Qingyue, however, took a few steps back in fear, shaking her head in refusal.

"I told you to try it."

Ji Qingyi narrowed her eyes, her gaze carrying a clear warning.

"Since this is the first dish you’ve ever cooked, Miss Ji, it’s a plate of scrambled eggs filled with your sincerity. Logically, Su Cheng should be the one to taste it—his opinion would be the most fitting."

Liu Qingyue explained, "Don’t you think that would make it more exciting, with all the unpredictable emotions it could bring?"

Ji Qingyi frowned in thought but still shook her head. "No. If it tastes terrible, it’ll ruin my image!"

Seeing her stubbornness, Liu Qingyue could only try to persuade her patiently. "Don’t worry, Miss Ji. If it’s bad, I’ll just say I made it. It won’t be tied to you at all—I promise you won’t lose face!"

"That still won’t do."

Ji Qingyi remained firm. Realizing Liu Qingyue had no intention of tasting her cooking, she didn’t push further. Instead, she picked up her chopsticks, ready to try it herself—if it was awful, she’d just dispose of it.

But Liu Qingyue suddenly stopped her. "I have a way to make it taste good without even trying it."

"Oh?"

Ji Qingyi looked at her in surprise.

"Yes, exactly."

Liu Qingyue took a deep breath, as if about to impart some secret technique to her young mistress, and said solemnly, "Miss Ji, have you ever heard of a mysterious seasoning?"

"Seasoning?"

Ji Qingyi shook her head. "Go on."

"Of course!" Liu Qingyue declared with absolute certainty. "Please raise your hands in front of your chest, just like this."

She formed a heart shape with her hands, while Ji Qingyi froze for a moment, utterly baffled.

"Miss Ji, hurry, copy me!"

Liu Qingyue urged impatiently, "I won’t explain the meaning of this gesture right now—just do it first!"

Seeing Ji Qingyi instinctively mimic the pose, Liu Qingyue’s tone grew even more serious. "Once you’ve made this gesture, point it at the food you want to make delicious."

"And then?"

"Say it with me: 'Deliciousness magic, activate~!'"

Hearing this, Ji Qingyi suddenly dropped her hands, her expression darkening with unmistakable anger.

"We’ve added the most important seasoning of all—love!"

Liu Qingyue continued cheerfully, completely oblivious to the impending danger. Just as a karate chop was about to land on her head, a knock suddenly came from the door.

"Ding-dong~"