What's good, Show me

Chen Shuo couldn't help but reach out and gently ruffle Su Xiyan's hair: "Study cooking well. Girls are already good-looking, and if you have cooking skills too, you'll definitely be able to keep a firm grip on your future husband."

Without even lifting her head, Su Xiyan said indifferently: "That's not something I need to think about. If a guy wants to be my boyfriend, that's his honor, so he should be the one thinking about how to keep me."

Chen Shuo shook his head: "You're right, it's not something I need to worry about either. After all, I won't ever become your boyfriend."

He had just finished speaking when there was a loud slap from Su Xiyan's side.

The thick wooden chopping block had cracked into several pieces.

Chen Shuo: "....Don't get worked up, I was just joking. What I meant was...you wouldn't be interested in me anyway, right?"

The murderous look on Su Xiyan's face finally softened a little bit, and she smiled ambiguously: "You're right, but..."

Her eyes, dark as black gemstones, scanned Chen Shuo up and down several times.

Chen Shuo felt a twinge in his waist: "You...don't tell me you've got your eye on my waist?"

Su Xiyan answered meaningfully: "Don't worry, I won't break your waist. Your waist still has other uses."

Chen Shuo: "......"

This woman is too scary. She's terrifying when she's glaring, and even more terrifying when she's smiling.

Chen Shuo quickly made up an excuse: "I'm a little thirsty, I'll go get some water first. Once you've finished cooking, give me a shout and I'll go tidy up the balcony, the flowers need watering."

With that, he turned and left without looking back.

Chen Shuo had just reached the living room when Su Xiyan's voice called out from behind him: "Chen Shuo, come back."

Chen Shuo: "What is it?"

Su Xiyan: "The watering can for the flowers is under the cabinet. Why did you run off so quick? It's not like I'm going to eat you."

Chen Shuo wiped the cold sweat from his brow: "I'm scared you'll use me as fertilizer."

Su Xiyan said solemnly, though clearly joking: "If you keep talking nonsense, I really might use you as fertilizer."

Before she had even finished speaking, Chen Shuo had grabbed the watering can and disappeared without a trace.

Watching Chen Shuo's retreating back, Su Xiyan's mouth curled up into a faint smile.

What a lovely little brother!

Although he often likes to bicker and say irritating things, I'm in a good mood today, so I won't hold it against him.

Looking at the chopping block broken into pieces on the kitchen counter, Su Xiyan shook her head and muttered to herself: "I still used too much force in the end."

She sorted through the fragments of the chopping block and found a relatively large piece that could still be used after washing it.

Her knife rose and fell rhythmically on the chopping block with a rapid ta-ta ta-ta sound.

Soon, the green and red peppers in her hand were sliced into neat strips.

After Chen Shuo had watered the flowers on the balcony, he also trimmed some of the extra branches.

From the kitchen came Su Xiyan's voice: "Dinner's ready! Time to eat!"

Chen Shuo called back: "Oh, got it."

After several minutes had passed and Chen Shuo was still trimming the flower branches, Su Xiyan came out of the kitchen: "I called you to eat! Shouted half to death and you still didn't move, gone deaf?"

Only then did Chen Shuo put down the pruning shears and wash his hands before joining Su Xiyan for dinner.

In that moment, Chen Shuo felt a little disoriented.

It was as if time had suddenly leapt back to his childhood, when he still lived with his parents. Little Chen Shuo would come home from school every day and do homework at the dinner table while his mom busied herself in the kitchen, and his dad would always find some trivial but not urgent task to occupy himself with. His mom always had to call him several times before his dad would put down what he was doing and come eat.

At the dinner table were all sorts of amusing little things that had happened to his parents at work that day.

But why was it that now, seeing Su Xiyan in front of him, he was reminded of those domestic scenes between his parents when he was small?

Perhaps this was the sort of mundane little happiness shared between an old married couple?

Looking at Su Xiyan's long, fair legs, Chen Shuo recalled the lethal kick she had aimed at the female vampire in the gym equipment room, which abruptly brought his thoughts back to reality.

Crap! This Su Xiyan was completely at odds with any scenic imagery of domestic bliss!

Su Xiyan seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood today. She even helped Chen Shuo ladle out a bowl of soup: "Yam and pork rib soup, how's the taste?"

Looking at the clear, watery soup in the bowl, it seemed very plain.

How could this taste good?

Unable to resist Su Xiyan's gaze, Chen Shuo tried a mouthful.

Unexpectedly, the taste of the soup was actually pretty decent!

Chen Shuo drank down a whole big bowl of soup in gulps, then gave Su Xiyan a big thumbs up: "Freaking awesome!!"

"In the future, leave the cooking to you!"

"Or we can split it if need be."

Without even lifting her eyes, Su Xiyan said: "I don't want to reject your suggestion a second time."

Chen Shuo: "......Fine! You're the boss, what you say goes."

Su Xiyan calmly sipped some of the soup: "Let's not bring this up again in the future."

"But when I'm in a good mood, I don't mind cooking occasionally."

"You should feel honored to be able to eat food made by me, Su Xiyan."

Chen Shuo ate several mouthfuls of food sullenly: "What an immense honor!"

Su Xiyan looked satisfiedly at Chen Shuo and continued eating without responding further.

Soon, Chen Shuo had already finished eating and put down his chopsticks.

Seeing that Su Xiyan was still eating while playing on her phone, Chen Shuo couldn't help but complain: "Can you at least look like you're eating when you eat?"

Su Xiyan's gaze remained fixed on her phone screen, even more engrossed than before, as if there was something on her phone more important than eating.

Chen Shuo leaned in from beside Su Xiyan and asked: "What's so interesting on your phone that you don't even want to eat?"

"Let me see too?"

Su Xiyan's hand moved lightning fast, immediately locking the phone screen and even flipping the phone over facedown on the table.

Her clear eyes were full of wariness: "What did you see?"

Chen Shuo dismissed disdainfully: "Hmph! As if I want to see, I don't even want to look!"

With that, Chen Shuo went back to his room, calling over his shoulder as he left: "Whoever eats slower has to do the dishes!"

Seeing that Chen Shuo had already gone into his room, Su Xiyan finally picked up her phone again.

It turned out she had been chatting with her bestie, Cheng Xinran.

The two chatted for a long time, but had unfortunately been interrupted by Chen Shuo's sudden appearance.

Su Xiyan thought for a moment, then messaged Cheng Xinran:

[I don't have classes tomorrow afternoon and the kendo club competition will be over too, so I'll have time. Why don't we meet up and chat! ]

[Yay yay Xiyan, you promised to treat me to delicious food!]

[OK, no problem.]

[Great! As your advisor, I have quite the arsenal of secret manuals! I'll give them all to you when we meet up tomorrow!]

Secret manuals??