Chapter 34

When He Cheng’an and Lu Dong returned home, Lu Dong went to help Zhang Meili with her work, and suggesting that He Cheng’an find Lu Yun.

After all, it wasn’t their first meeting, so there was no need for him to behave as he had before, having to stay by her side and chat constantly to be polite.

Moreover, Lu Dong had been through his youth, and compared to talking to him, He Cheng’an would surely prefer to converse with Lu Yun.

When he arrived in the kitchen, Lu Dong hadn’t started working yet when Zhang Meili said: “You bought so many things again, and this time there are grapes. I see a lot of grapes!”

Lu Dong replied, “Didn’t Ah Yun say last time that the grapes were sweet? I later went to buy grapes for her but couldn’t find any sweet ones, and I completely forgot about it.”

Zhang Meili thought back to the previous week. After He Cheng’an had come over, she had asked Lu Xiang’an to wash the fruits, which had been bought in advance. There were some particularly rare grapes that Zhang Meili hadn’t been willing to let everyone eat. She had specifically waited for He Cheng’an to come before letting Lu Xiang’an wash them, and it seemed that Lu Yun had eaten a few and mentioned that the grapes were sweet.

Lu Dong commented, “This child is quite considerate—no, he is considerate of Ah Yun, right?”

Nearby, someone else who was also busy in the kitchen listened to the conversation between the Lu couple and felt somewhat envious.

Previously, they had mentioned how He Cheng’an ran his own business, unlike them with their stable jobs, wondering how much money they could earn.

Now, seeing the items He Cheng’an bought every time he visited, they couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

The Lu family had recently been drinking malted milk essence for breakfast.

—o—o—o—

As for Lu Yun wanting to start a business, the Lu family regarded it as just her whims, allowing her to pursue it on her own. Lu Yun hadn’t discussed this matter with anyone else for the time being, but after meeting He Cheng’an, she shared her plans with him.

As she spoke, her voice was soft and gentle, and she spoke slowly. He Cheng’an listened attentively, and once Lu Yun finished, he was looking at her with a smile in his eyes.

Inside the room, the two of them sat facing each other in chairs. Lu Yun instinctively leaned her head on He Cheng’an’s shoulder, avoiding his gaze. She asked, “He Cheng’an, are you making fun of me?”

He Cheng’an pressed Lu Yun’s head gently against his shoulder. He had a good memory; although he didn’t recite her words verbatim, he essentially repeated what she had just said.

He Cheng’an asked, “Is that right?”

Lu Yun responded with a soft “Mm.” Then she felt He Cheng’an gently patting her back, as if to comfort her. He said, “Our Ah Yun is really amazing.”

Sitting up straight, Lu Yun covered her mouth and laughed, revealing only her clear eyes, while still nodding at He Cheng’an. When she finally released her hands, she said to He Cheng’an, “Once I make money, I’ll buy you a gift.”

He Cheng’an nodded, “Alright, when our Ah Yun makes money, she’ll buy me a gift, but it’s okay if you don’t.”

—o—o—o—

He Cheng’an became Lu Yun’s only supporter.

Although Lu Yun felt confident about making spicy skewers since she was a food blogger, she had previously made a video about spicy skewers that had gone viral online. She had enjoyed them herself and found them delicious; her team had loved them too. Some even suggested that if Lu Yun opened a spicy skewer shop, she would definitely make money.

However, Lu Yun was a bit lazy and didn’t want to open a shop. She was considering creating a spicy skewer seasoning pack instead.

But before she could start her plan, she had ended up in another world.

Otherwise, she knew she could have earned a lot from this venture, and she was also thinking about other products for the future.

At lunch, Zhang Meili prepared six dishes and a soup. Two of the dishes were made by Lu Yun that morning: braised pig’s trotters and braised meat. The other four dishes included pickled cabbage with vermicelli, sweet and sour cabbage, soft-fried meat, and spicy potato slices. The soup was a specially made rib and corn soup for He Cheng’an, and it tasted exceptionally delicious.

For this reason, Lu Xiang’an remarked that when he brought a partner home in the future, she would also have to prepare the same way.

While they were eating and talking, Zhang Meili brought up Lu Yun’s business plans. He Cheng’an tried to speak, but he felt Lu Yun gently kick him under the table. Before he could say anything, she picked up a piece of soft-fried meat and placed it in his bowl.

Lu Yun said: “He’s on my side.”

Zhang Meili laughed, thinking that it was not He Cheng’an who was supporting Lu Yun; it was Lu Yun who was supporting He Cheng’an.

She didn’t want He Cheng’an to speak, especially since they were discussing how Lu Yun was pursuing her own endeavors.

If He Cheng’an spoke in favor of Lu Yun, it would only make her happy, but it wouldn’t align with what they were thinking. However, if Lu Yun said it herself, it was a different matter.

He Cheng’an enjoyed the soft-fried meat that Lu Yun had given him and nodded, “Mm, I am on her side.”

Lu Xiang’an watched the two of them and felt a bit envious.

After everyone finished lunch, Zhang Hao stopped by again, bringing a lot of things. After greeting the Lu family, he left, and Lu Yun noticed he had brought quite a bit.

Thinking of Zhang Hao reminded Lu Yun of his father, Zhang Jianjun. She shared with He Cheng’an what had happened when she met Zhang Jianjun.

To her surprise, He Cheng’an found the story amusing, his expression softening to the point that it felt almost enchanting.

He Cheng’an asked, “So, you had your dad wait for me at the station?”

Lu Yun didn’t shy away; she nodded, “Mm, but my dad really likes you. After you came over last week, he mentioned you several times.”

—o—o—o—

After finishing lunch, He Cheng’an returned home but came back to find Lu Yun around three or four in the afternoon.

Unlike before, he didn’t need Li Xiaohong’s help to see Lu Yun.

While sitting on the back seat of He Cheng’an’s bicycle, Lu Yun began talking about Li Xiaohong.

Lu Yun said, “A few days ago, Li Xiaohong’s family came to look for her. It seems they wanted to ask her for money, but not only did Li Xiaohong refuse to give them anything, she told them she wouldn’t give them anything in the future. Her family made a scene, but Li Xiaohong wasn’t afraid. In the end, she moved out of her relatives’ house and rented her own place.”

She felt that this was a good development; at least Li Xiaohong was starting to have her own life. Li Xiaohong would make sure she had enough to eat and was warm enough to wear, and maybe in the future, she would even meet someone she liked.

Lu Yun continued, saying that He Cheng’an stayed with her until they reached his place. She stopped speaking for a moment, still wondering if Li Xiaohong would be able to secure a permanent position in her job. It would be great if she could.

When Lu Yun followed He Cheng’an inside, she noticed that he had already cleaned the yard and the house. After stepping in, she asked, “What are we here to do?”

He Cheng’an replied, “Aren’t you going to make spicy skewers? I wasn’t sure what you would need, so I bought every spice I could find on the market. I also got some ingredients for the skewers you mentioned, so you can try them out and see how they taste. If you’re not satisfied, you can think of how to adjust them.”

Lu Yun was momentarily surprised, then smiled, “Great! Once we’re done, you can go find Zhang Hao, and we’ll eat together.”

He Cheng’an nodded, “I’ll do as you say.”

Hearing He Cheng’an’s response, Lu Yun smiled and nodded, “Yes, do as I say.”

He Cheng’an affirmed, “Right, we listen to our Ah Yun.”

—o—o—o—

Lu Yun checked the spices He Cheng’an had bought, noting that they were suitable for making the soup base for spicy skewers. She decided to prepare the soup base, and He Cheng’an helped her with some of the more labor-intensive tasks.

Later, he assisted her in preparing the ingredients for the skewers, but when she wanted to help, he insisted she stay seated. Thus, Lu Yun could only sit across from He Cheng’an and watch him work.

He Cheng’an looked handsome while he worked, but he would occasionally steal glances at Lu Yun.

By the time they finished, it was already past four in the afternoon. Lu Yun had successfully prepared the spicy skewer soup base, and its aroma was fragrant and spicy.

However, as she took in the scent, she wondered if it might have turned out a bit too spicy, especially since it was her first time using the chili peppers He Cheng’an had bought. She speculated that perhaps she had added too many.

Lu Yun took a skewer of tofu skin and placed it in the pot. It cooked quickly, and when she was about to take it out to eat, He Cheng’an reached out and held onto her tofu skin skewer.

He Cheng’an said, “I’ll eat it.”

This reminded Lu Yun of when she had just started learning to cook. After she finished a dish, regardless of whether it tasted good or not, she would always take a bite first to check the flavor.

At first, her cooking had been quite terrible, and she had endured many bad meals. Fortunately, her talent improved over time, and her dishes became tastier. She glanced at He Cheng’an but didn’t say anything.

He Cheng’an took a bite, and the flavor of the spicy skewer made him momentarily surprised. However, he found that it was indeed a bit too spicy. Nodding as he finished the remaining skewers, he noticed that his mouth had turned slightly red.

He said, “It’s delicious, but you can add less chili. If someone likes it spicier, they can make a separate batch of chili oil that’s a bit hotter and add it themselves. This type of chili isn’t cheap, but if the seasoning is good, everyone will enjoy it more.”

In the kitchen, Lu Yun searched for water for He Cheng’an, but being unfamiliar with the layout, she couldn’t find it right away.

He Cheng’an said, “We can add a bit of water later; that will reduce the spiciness. Should I go find Zhang Hao now?”

Hearing He Cheng’an remember her mention of wanting to find Zhang Hao, Lu Yun smiled. She stood on her tiptoes, grasped the fabric of He Cheng’an’s shirt, and pressed her lips against his: “Is it still spicy?”

The kiss left He Cheng’an momentarily stunned. He looked into Lu Yun’s eyes, where he could see his own reflection; in her gaze, there was only him. In that instant, he forgot how to think and instinctively leaned in to kiss Lu Yun again.

His kiss was filled with a hint of dominance and possessiveness, and Lu Yun found herself pressed against the wall before she even realized it.

He Cheng’an’s eyes seemed to hold his desire and madness. After hearing Lu Yun’s voice, he paused and asked hoarsely, “Can I kiss you?” Once Lu Yun smiled, he leaned in to kiss her again. Later, Lu Yun couldn’t tell if it was just her imagination, but she thought she heard He Cheng’an whispering her name softly in her ear: “Ah Yun.”