"Finally home!" Gu Youran put the shopping bag into the kitchen.
"Go wash your hands first." Shi Heng gently patted her lower back.
Gu Youran stuck out her tongue and said, "I know, Mr. Shi."
Shi Heng shook his head and laughed, took off his suit, rolled up his shirt cuffs and began to organize the ingredients.
Gu Youran came back after washing her hands, hugged his waist from behind, and put her face against his broad back.
"Are you tired?" Shi Heng stopped and covered her hands that were folded around his waist.
"I'm not tired, it's just..."
Gu Youran rubbed his back and said, "I was so nervous during the press conference, but now I'm finally relaxed."
What she didn't say was how proud she was of him, seeing how calm and composed he was on stage.
Shi Heng turned around and pulled her into his arms, lowering his head to place a kiss on her forehead. "I told you not to worry."
She raised her head and looked into his deep eyes. "If Anderson and the others hadn't made a sudden breakthrough..."
"Not suddenly."
Shi Heng interrupted her, "Anderson's theory of synaptic regeneration was published in Nature Medicine last year, but clinical translation will take time."
"Mingyuan Chen's team provided the most critical biological scaffold technology, which shortened the experimental cycle by two-thirds."
Gu Youran suddenly realized, "So that's why you increased your holdings in the company's stock when the stock price hit the limit down?"
Shi Heng continued chopping vegetables. "Science never lies. Market reactions always lag behind the truth."
He has always believed that data trumps market sentiment.
"So you knew there would be good news today?"
She tilted her head to look at him, her eyes full of admiration.
Shi Heng smiled but said nothing, just ruffling her hair and said, "Go get the pot, I'll take care of the ingredients."
For some things, he is used to expressing them through actions rather than words.
Gu Youran curled her lips, but still obediently went to the cupboard to look for the double-boiled pot.
Although he was always so mysterious, she just loved his confidence and composure.
While preparing the pot, she stole glances at Shi Heng's back as he cut vegetables.
He held the kitchen knife with his slender fingers and cut the lotus root into thin slices with neat movements. His profile looked particularly three-dimensional under the kitchen light.
Gu Youran couldn't help but be fascinated by the sight. This kind of time at home made her more excited than any romantic date.
"Have you seen enough?"
Shi Heng asked without turning his head, but the corners of his mouth raised slightly.
He had already seen her focused gaze from the reflection in the cupboard.
“I haven’t seen enough.”
Gu Youran answered confidently, holding the pot and walking over to him, "I can't get enough of it in my lifetime."
She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek, adding silently in her heart:
I won’t be able to see enough of it in my next life.
Shi Heng was amused by her sudden affectionate behavior, and took the double-flavored pot from her hand and placed it on the induction cooker.
"Be careful, it's hot." He warned habitually.
"I know~" Gu Youran responded in a long tone.
She deftly opened the package and placed the beef, tripe, etc. on the plate one by one, her movements filled with a hint of excitement and impatience.
The hot pot soon began to boil, with red oil and white soup bubbling and the aroma filling the air.
Gu Youran couldn't wait to fry a piece of beef, rolled it in a dish of mashed garlic, and stuffed it into her mouth.
"It's hot, hot, hot!" She breathed out, but was reluctant to spit it out.
Shi Heng quickly handed over the sour plum soup, "Slow down, no one is trying to snatch it from you."
“It’s so delicious.”
She took a sip of her drink and picked up a piece of tripe. "Eat it too. Don't just look at me."
Shi Heng finally started to eat, but he mostly spent his time helping Gu Youran cook her favorite ingredients. Watching her eat with relish made him feel more satisfied than if he were eating himself.
“Try this.”
Gu Youran suddenly picked up a piece of shrimp paste, dipped it in sauce and handed it to Shi Heng's mouth.
Shi Heng opened his mouth to take it and nodded, "Not bad."
“Just nice?”
Gu Youran's eyes widened. "This is the shrimp paste I squeezed with my own hands!"
Shi Heng's eyes flashed with cunningness, "I was just kidding, it's delicious."
"Good job!" Gu Youran pretended to hit him, but Shi Heng grabbed his wrist.
"Stop it, the soup is going to spill."
Shi Heng pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it, "Eat well."
Gu Youran blushed and pulled her hand back, muttering softly, "Foul..."
The two of them ate and chatted, and before they knew it, it was already eight o'clock in the evening.
Gu Youran leaned back in his chair contentedly, stroking his slightly bulging belly, "I'm so full."
Shi Heng stood up and cleared the dishes. "Go rest on the sofa for a while. I'll clean up."
"No, we agreed that I would wash the dishes today." Gu Youran stood up, but he pushed her back into the chair.
"Today is an exception."
Shi Heng had already started tidying up the desk. "Let's put on the record. Haven't you always wanted to listen to it?"
Gu Youran's eyes lit up, "Can I really listen now?"
"Why else would I come here specifically for it? Go ahead."
Gu Youran cheered, trotted to the record rack in the living room, and carefully took out the vinyl record.
Gently stroking the cover, her eyes were filled with nostalgia.
"Do you need help?" Shi Heng had been standing behind her without her knowing.
Gu Youran shook her head, skillfully placed the record on the record player, and adjusted the needle.
The melodious prelude immediately filled the entire living room, it was a soothing rock ballad.
"This is Alan and Lisa's favorite song. They always say it reminds them of their youth when they were studying abroad in Country M."
Shi Heng hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, "Do you miss them?"
"Um……"
Gu Youran leaned in his arms, "If they were still here, they would definitely be pleased to see us like this."
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