Sous Chef

The medical checkup took quite a while, and by the time Shen Yi drove home, it was nearly half past eleven.

After bringing Fu Nanzhi back and setting their things down, he immediately had to start cooking—time was tight, as Cheng Jun and Shu Yunyi would be back from work soon.

Truthfully, slacking off and ordering takeout for once wouldn’t have been a big deal, but since they’d already made plans, slacking so soon would feel irresponsible.

Besides, Shen Yi genuinely enjoyed cooking, especially for the three of them. Just the thought of it filled him with motivation.

He poured out the cherries he’d bought, washed them, and placed them in a large bowl before carrying it to the living room.

"Here, try one and see if they’re sweet."

"They were pretty expensive," Shen Yi remarked as he set the bowl in front of Fu Nanzhi.

"Of course they’re not cheap—it’s not the season for them yet," Fu Nanzhi replied, sitting up from where she’d been lounging on the sofa.

She plucked a plump cherry and held it to Shen Yi’s lips, cooing sweetly,

"Husband gets the first bite."

Touched by the gesture, Shen Yi couldn’t refuse and obediently opened his mouth to accept it.

Fu Nanzhi pulled off the stem and watched him expectantly.

"Mmm... not bad, pretty sweet," Shen Yi said after chewing a couple of times and spitting the pit into the trash.

"Oh..."

Only then did Fu Nanzhi pick up another cherry for herself.

"Wait... you weren’t just using me as a taste tester to make sure they weren’t sour, were you?" Shen Yi teased, his earlier warmth fading as realization struck.

"Hmm? Of course not!"

Fu Nanzhi’s expression flickered briefly before she covered her mouth, giggling.

"You..."

Shen Yi sighed and lightly tapped her forehead in mock exasperation.

"I’m going to start cooking. You just relax."

Helpless against her antics, he turned and headed to the kitchen.

Truth be told, when alone, Shen Yi rarely ate fruit. It wasn’t that he disliked it—he just didn’t have the habit.

Most of the time, he simply forgot about it, and when he did remember, he couldn’t be bothered to buy any. The closest he got was snacking on cucumbers back in his hometown—if those even counted as fruit.

Opening the fridge, Shen Yi surveyed the ingredients, planning out the dishes for lunch.

"Alright, let’s do this."

As he mentally mapped out the menu, he began pulling items out and setting them on the counter.

Just then, Fu Nanzhi walked in, rolling up her sleeves.

"I’ll help with prep work."

Shen Yi shook his head.

"No need, just go rest."

"What, afraid I’ll tire myself out?" Fu Nanzhi grinned at him.

"I’m not that fragile. If I don’t pitch in, who knows how long you’ll be stuck in here?"

"Yunyi and the others will be back soon—we can’t have everyone waiting around hungry."

"What about the fruit I just bought for you?" Shen Yi raised an eyebrow.

"A few cherries are enough for now. We can all enjoy the rest together after the meal," Fu Nanzhi said breezily.

"Besides, if I eat too much now, how will I have room for your cooking?"

Shen Yi chuckled.

"Always so quick with the sweet talk."

"Fine, you can wash the vegetables while I handle the meat."

After a moment’s thought, he relented and assigned her a task.

"Got it!"

Fu Nanzhi cheerfully took the vegetables and got to work.

The kitchen was spacious, equipped with both Chinese and Western-style setups—though Shen Yi never touched the latter, having no experience with Western cuisine.

With two sinks, they each had plenty of space. While Fu Nanzhi washed and prepped the greens, Shen Yi rinsed the cutting board and started slicing meat.

Pressing for time, he opted for simple, home-style stir-fries—quick to prepare and serve.

Once Fu Nanzhi finished washing the vegetables, she set them in a colander to drain before turning to rinse the rice for steaming.

Shen Yi minced ginger and garlic, then heated oil in the wok.

Just as he began stir-frying, movement sounded from outside—undoubtedly someone returning from work.

Shu Yunyi soon appeared in the doorway. Her outfit today was understated yet elegant: a beige trench coat over a sweater and jeans, her every movement carrying a distinct grace.

She shrugged off the coat as she walked in, revealing the soft knit underneath, and sniffed the air curiously.

"What’s this? A two-person cooking team today?"

Occupied with tossing the wok, Shen Yi could only nod in greeting.

Fu Nanzhi, wiping the rice cooker’s inner pot before placing it in, smiled and explained,

"We got back late from the checkup this morning."

"Didn’t want to fall behind, so I’m helping out a bit."

"Oh... how was the checkup?" Shu Yunyi draped her coat over her arm, her tone concerned.

"Pretty good, though some results aren’t back yet."

Fu Nanzhi decided to wait until Cheng Jun arrived before sharing the good news, so she kept it vague for now.

Shu Yunyi nodded absently before adding,

"Right. Actually, I’ve been thinking of scheduling a checkup myself lately."

From the moment she woke up that morning, she’d felt different—bursting with energy, not even fatigued after standing through a long lecture.

While she could chalk it up to being well-rested, the memory of last night’s bizarre full-body molting still lingered, leaving her unsettled.

Fu Nanzhi pressed the rice cooker’s start button and turned, puzzled.

"Why? Are you feeling unwell?"

Shu Yunyi’s expression flickered briefly before she replied,

"Not exactly. Just want to make sure everything’s fine."

She felt anything but unwell—in fact, she felt too good, which was precisely what felt off. But that wasn’t something she could easily explain.

Fu Nanzhi hummed in acknowledgment and let it drop. Regular checkups were common, especially for someone like Shu Yunyi, whose university position came with excellent benefits.

Shen Yi plated the first dish and called over,

"If you two want to chat, take it outside. The kitchen’s smoky—don’t let your clothes soak up the smell."

"Nothing left to help with here. Go on."

Fu Nanzhi looped her arm through Shu Yunyi’s and grinned.

"Come on, let’s not distract the chef."

"We can snack on those cherries—they’re huge."

As the two women left, Shen Yi turned back to his cooking.

He’d already finished the stir-fried pork with peppers and now moved on to sautéed water bamboo shoots. To save time, he simultaneously steamed a fish.

Next, he chopped the prepped vegetables for a cold salad, leaving only a tomato and egg soup to round out the meal.

With Shu Yunyi already back, he didn’t want to keep everyone waiting, so he stuck to quick dishes—the fish and salad being minor shortcuts.

Within five minutes, Cheng Jun arrived as well.

Shen Yi sped up, and soon, four dishes and a soup were laid out on the table just as the rice finished steaming.

Setting down bowls and chopsticks, he called out,

"Wash up—dinner’s ready!"