When Lu Yan returned with the hotpot base, Wei Yuhe was standing in front of a row of fresh vegetables, seriously scrutinizing them.

“Haven’t decided yet?” Lu Yan glanced at the shopping cart, which looked exactly the same as before, and then back at Wei Yuhe, who was studying the fresh vegetables with a focused expression. It felt less like he was picking vegetables and more like he was choosing lab equipment, meticulously comparing each one.

Only after a careful assessment did Wei Yuhe finally grab some vegetables off the shelf. Carrying two big bags of ingredients, the two of them headed out, drawing glances from people they passed by.

By the time they left the store, it was nearly mealtime. Lu Yan, carrying the bags, asked, “Are you hungry?”

Without waiting for Wei Yuhe to answer, he added, “I’m starving.”

Wei Yuhe glanced at the two big bags of food he was holding, as if he was thinking about something, so Lu Yan quickly said, “We’ll have hotpot tonight; going back to cook it now would be too late.”

“Whatever,” Wei Yuhe replied indifferently, his expression unchanged.

Lu Yan was used to Wei Yuhe’s cool demeanor and wasn’t affected in the slightest, smiling as he continued to ask, “So, what do you want to eat?”

“Whatever.” Even though Wei Yuhe’s answer was curt, at least he didn’t sound as resistant as before. That was a small victory in Lu Yan’s book, and he comforted himself with this thought.

“Then let’s just grab something quick,” Lu Yan said, glancing around at the nearby eateries, which looked just like the food street outside their school.

Lu Yan found a fairly clean and spacious chain restaurant. He thought someone like Wei Yuhe would probably never have eaten in a place like this, but surprisingly, Wei Yuhe was even more familiar with the place than he was. After putting down their stuff, he went off to get two trays of food without hesitation.

“What do you want to eat?” he asked Lu Yan before leaving.

“I’ll just have whatever you’re having,” Lu Yan replied casually.

Wei Yuhe didn’t ask further and went to get the food. Lu Yan propped himself up on the table, watching as Wei Yuhe, who stood out from the crowd, lined up for food. Even the back of his head looked attractive.

Not long after, Wei Yuhe returned with two trays. Lu Yan reached out to take one, but Wei Yuhe hesitated a bit and asked, “Which one do you want?”

Lu Yan looked at him curiously. It felt like there was something different about Wei Yuhe. Compared to his usual cold self, he seemed a bit warmer, more human, somehow.

Seeing Lu Yan stay silent, Wei Yuhe asked again, “That one?”

Lu Yan just grabbed the one closest to him. “This one’s fine.”

They sat across from each other, with Wei Yuhe eating slowly and methodically. Lu Yan glanced at him from time to time. Just as quickly, he seemed to have reverted to his usual frosty self. Did Lu Yan imagine it?

Watching him eat, an idea suddenly popped into Lu Yan’s mind. After a few quick bites, he paused, covering his mouth and coughing lightly. Then he coughed louder, catching Wei Yuhe’s attention.

Lu Yan’s face was a bit red, and his eyes sparkled with a slight mist as he looked at Wei Yuhe.

Without a word, Wei Yuhe frowned, got up, and returned with a bowl of soup for Lu Yan.

Glancing at the steaming bowl carefully placed by his right hand, Lu Yan’s suspicions were almost confirmed.

After taking a sip of soup, he looked up to find that Wei Yuhe was still watching him.

“Wei Yuhe?” Lu Yan set down the bowl, smiling like a fox that had just found a hidden stash of candy, innocent yet cunning.

Wei Yuhe looked at Lu Yan, unsure why he had called him, and stared at him with a steady gaze.

“Were you worried about me just now? Do you like me?” Lu Yan’s bright, clear eyes were fixated on Wei Yuhe with an intense look.

Wei Yuhe frowned, immediately denying it, “No.”

Lu Yan seemed in a great mood; even when Wei Yuhe denied it, he wasn’t bothered. Instead, he teased him with a smile, “What’s so hard to admit? I like you too, anyway.”

“I’m the one chasing you, so there’s no need to feel embarrassed,” Lu Yan reassured him.

“Enough,” Wei Yuhe said, his brows tightly furrowed, a guarded expression that he kept all the way through dinner and on their way back home.

Lu Yan was clearly in high spirits. As soon as they got home, he carried the bags into the kitchen, humming a tune while sorting through the ingredients. He even had a video on his phone playing instructions on how to make a hotpot soup base.

While Lu Yan busied himself, Wei Yuhe washed the vegetables silently beside him. Apart from Lu Yan’s humming and the voiceover from the video, the kitchen was quiet.

“Do you like spicy food?” Lu Yan finally remembered to ask as he was about to put the hotpot base in the pot.

“Whatev—” Before Wei Yuhe could finish, Lu Yan interrupted, “You’re not allowed to say ‘whatever.’”

Wei Yuhe looked at the red, spicy hotpot base in Lu Yan’s hand and grumbled, “I can’t handle it.”

“Then I’ll only use half,” Lu Yan chuckled.

“Mm,” replied Wei Yuhe.

Making the soup base wasn’t as smooth as Lu Yan expected. For instance, when he didn’t wait for the water to boil down, the oil splattered all over, something he hadn’t anticipated.

“You should stand back a bit,” Lu Yan called out to Wei Yuhe, only to turn and see he had already backed away far enough.

While putting the base into the pot, Lu Yan’s hand got splashed with hot oil several times, making his hand sting painfully.

Wei Yuhe frowned as he looked at him. He took a few steps toward Lu Yan but then stopped, as if reconsidering, and stepped back to the doorway, watching him with his usual impassive expression.

After covering the pot, Lu Yan turned around, pouting as he complained, “Why didn’t you come help me?”

“My hand’s all red from the splashes.” Lu Yan held up his slightly reddened hand, pouting at Wei Yuhe.

Wei Yuhe didn’t react; he glanced at the tightly covered pot, making sure it was safe, and then returned to the sink to continue washing vegetables.

“Why are you so cold all of a sudden?” Lu Yan held up his reddened hand, waving it in front of Wei Yuhe.

“You’re the one who wanted hotpot,” Wei Yuhe replied flatly.

“Well, I…” Lu Yan trailed off, helpless. It was true, he did want it. But who knew Wei Yuhe’s pot would be so intense? It hurt so much.

“This is my first time cooking,” Lu Yan murmured beside him, “and it’s for you.”

Wei Yuhe shifted the washed vegetables out of the way and moved aside a step, giving up half of the sink. Lu Yan, glancing at the vegetables that still needed washing, said incredulously, “Are you actually making the injured guy wash vegetables?”

Wei Yuhe looked at his red, shiny hand and said in a deep voice, “Wash your hands.”

The burning sensation on Lu Yan’s hand reminded him, and he quickly put it under the water to cool it down.

His skin was fair, so even a small bump would leave a big bruise, let alone a splash of hot oil. Soon, the redness spread across his hand, looking even more jarring next to his other pale hand.

Wei Yuhe frowned after just one glance. It hadn’t looked so serious before; how did it get worse in just a few minutes?

Lu Yan blew on his red hand. Honestly, it didn’t hurt too much—it just looked scary, like his skin was about to crack open.

“I’m heading out for a bit,” Wei Yuhe suddenly said.

Lu Yan looked at him, puzzled. “Where are you going?”

“I have something to do.” Leaving those two words, Wei Yuhe left, with Lu Yan standing alone in the kitchen, holding his red hand and looking genuinely pitiful.