In the sweltering heat of the kitchen, Gu Ruoxue, Su Cheng, and Liu Qingyue each went about their tasks, working in harmony with seamless coordination.
Gu Ruoxue watched the large pot of soup simmering on the stove. Holding a ladle, she gave it a gentle stir, scooped up a spoonful, and brought it to her nose for a light sniff. Then, she took a small sip, nodded in approval, rinsed the ladle, and turned to Su Cheng, who was standing beside her, busy cleaning animal offal.
"Got a moment? Come taste this and tell me what you think."
Hearing this, Su Cheng paused his work, washed his hands, and walked over to Gu Ruoxue. Taking the ladle, he sampled a small sip. Almost immediately, his brows furrowed. "It's a bit bland. Add some salt."
Before Gu Ruoxue could react, Liu Qingyue came pattering over, snatching the ladle. "Let me try… Hmm… Yeah, it’s definitely too light. More salt! Wait, no—let me taste again… Mmm, still too bland. Maybe add some sugar instead? Sugar could bring out the umami, right?"
Liu Qingyue muttered to herself like a little girl, her words tumbling out in a stream of consciousness.
"Add sugar? What kind of nonsense is that?"
"Sugar enhances flavor!"
"Salt is enough!"
Gu Ruoxue could only watch the two bicker over whether to add salt or sugar with the exasperated look of an adult witnessing children squabble.
"Enough, stop arguing."
Seeing no end to their debate, Gu Ruoxue snatched the ladle back, rinsed it, and placed it by the sink. Then, she opened the cupboard, pulled out two differently colored spice jars, and scooped a few spoonfuls of salt into one and sugar into the other.
After sealing the lids, she turned to Liu Qingyue with a slightly ominous smile. "Liu Qingyue, you like adding sugar?"
A chill ran down Liu Qingyue’s neck at her tone, and she nodded hurriedly, like a chick pecking at rice.
"Then do you remember what your young mistress prefers?"
"Her taste… Let me think… Probably similar to how it is now?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Liu Qingyue realized her mistake and fell silent.
"Good, you know better. You’re almost done with your tasks, right? Take these out for me."
Seeing that Liu Qingyue had quieted down and finished her work, Gu Ruoxue decided to shoo her out. "Since you’re now Su Cheng’s elder sister, act like a proper ‘senior’ and go entertain the guests outside."
Liu Qingyue puffed out her cheeks in protest, glaring at Gu Ruoxue. "How cruel of you to say such things while smiling like that. You’re really heartless, you know?"
Grumbling, she untied her apron and loaded the dishes and jars onto a tray.
"Fine, I’ll take this as my break. Good luck, you two."
She carried the tray out of the kitchen, still muttering complaints about the earlier argument under her breath. Though her voice was soft, the quiet of the kitchen made sure Gu Ruoxue and Su Cheng heard every word.
Gu Ruoxue glanced at Su Cheng.
"What’s she saying?"
Su Cheng shook his head, equally puzzled.
"Doesn’t matter. Let’s focus on finishing up."
Unbothered by trivial matters, Gu Ruoxue motioned for Su Cheng to stay on task before turning back to quietly prepare the remaining ingredients.
"Got it."
Taking the hint, Su Cheng dropped the subject and resumed his work, though he shifted the conversation.
"Thanks for earlier."
"Don’t mention it. It’d be better if you didn’t need reminding next time."
"I’ve realized how much you’ve both been accommodating me. That’s my fault—I should make it up to you."
"Enough sweet talk. If you’re so thoughtful, why not put more effort into remembering your new flame’s preferences? Save yourself from stepping on a landmine someday."
Su Cheng paused his work and grinned at Gu Ruoxue. "Teacher Gu is absolutely right. I’ll make sure to note that you prefer light flavors. How about I whip up a couple of dishes just for you later?"
Gu Ruoxue seemed accustomed to this routine. "Hah. If only you could channel that courage into other areas. Would save everyone a lot of trouble."
"Old habits die hard. No matter how much external help I get, deep down, I’m still just a small-town guy at heart. Finally mustered the courage to ditch the crutches and walk on my own, so I’ll shamelessly rely on you two a bit longer."
"I hope this is the last time."
"You’re the best, Ruoxue!"
"Less flattery, more work. The eggs are on your side—crack a few into this bowl for me."
She placed the bowl on the table and slid it toward Su Cheng.
"On it!"
Working in seamless sync, the two soon transformed the remaining ingredients into an array of dishes.
"I’ll handle the rest. You go take a break outside—I’ll finish up the last few stir-fries."
"Alright. Thanks for your hard work!"
Gu Ruoxue wiped the fine sweat from her brow, nodded, tidied the table, and began untying her apron.
"Just checking on the progress~"
The kitchen door creaked open, and Cornelia peeked in, her curious eyes scanning the two inside.
"Oh, almost done. Just a little more."
Su Cheng deftly flipped the contents of the wok without turning around.
"I see."
Cornelia nodded thoughtfully, then shifted her gaze to Gu Ruoxue, who was hanging her apron on the wall. Blinking, she recalled her mother’s recent phone advice:
"Every guest must be treated with respect—never act spoiled or make Su Cheng uncomfortable. Be refined, understanding, and virtuous. Even if they ignore you, greet them warmly, show concern, and let them feel your grace and courtesy."
Remembering her mother’s nagging, she tiptoed toward Gu Ruoxue.
At that moment, Gu Ruoxue was still adjusting the apron on the hook. Cornelia crept up behind her, fidgeting awkwardly, unsure how to position herself.
"Hmm?"
Just as Gu Ruoxue turned, her eyes landing on the golden-haired girl, who froze under her gaze.
"Um… Pleased to meet you."
Cornelia stiffly performed a proper bow, mimicking her mother’s tone as she greeted Gu Ruoxue.
The moment she did, she regretted it—after all, when Gu Ruoxue had first arrived at Su Cheng’s place, she had barely glanced at her before heading straight to the kitchen, giving off an aloof, unapproachable vibe.
But to her surprise, Gu Ruoxue responded with a gentle, almost motherly smile. Bending slightly, she placed both hands on Cornelia’s shoulders, meeting her eyes as she spoke softly.
"Likewise. The food will be ready soon—just wait a little longer."
What the—?
Is this an angel?
Wait… Why does she have wings behind her?!
No, it was steam! The kitchen's heat had actually formed a pair of white wings behind her.
Cornelia felt that Gu Ruoxue was much more approachable than she had imagined at their first meeting. Combined with the other woman's impossibly stunning looks and that absurdly dramatic backdrop, Cornelia was momentarily dazed, unsure how to respond. She lowered her head slightly, a little shy and flustered, but still nodded softly and murmured, "Mhm."
Damn it, this woman’s beauty was almost on par with hers!
Su Cheng, whisking eggs while watching them, naturally noticed Cornelia’s awkwardness. He teased, "There’s walnut milk in the fridge. Go recharge your energy."