Chapter 28 What Magic Do You Have?
Ling Shen finally ate the meal Su Nian prepared for him. Unlike the last time when the meal had already gone cold, this time there were no untimely phone calls to disturb them.
The warm yellow light cast a soft glow on the hot air in the kitchen. Su Nian, wearing a black apron, took the last dish out of the steamer. The water droplets on the edge of the porcelain plate slid into the glossy soup, making a slight "sizzling" sound.
Su Nian felt a little embarrassed and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand: "I don't know what you like to eat, so I just made a few simple dishes."
He pointed to the table filled with dishes—braised bamboo shoots in an amber sauce, spicy and sour potato shreds cut into evenly thick layers, and simmering pork ribs in a casserole. "From now on, if you want to eat anything, just tell me."
Ling Shen raised his chopsticks and looked at the fragrant food in front of him, "I'm not picky about food, everything you cook is delicious."
"Don't say that. I dare not show off my cooking skills in front of you." Su Nian picked up a bamboo shoot, shook his head and laughed.
Outside, dusk deepened. The evening breeze, carrying the fragrance of white magnolias, slid through the screens, casting their shadows on the dining table. The crisp clink of porcelain bowls echoed only with the rhythm of the rising and falling of the bowls and chopsticks.
After finally putting down his chopsticks, Su Nian held his obviously full stomach and stared at everything in front of him in amazement.
The dishes he made were quite large, but the plates on the table were empty. Looking at Ling Shen who was obviously not satisfied, Su Nian felt a little happy for some reason.
What a cook loves most is undoubtedly that his dishes are liked by others, and the empty plates are a testament to the deliciousness of these dishes.
"It seems that letting you live in is the best decision I have ever made." Ling Shen put down his chopsticks, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the edge of the bowl.
The warm yellow light from the restaurant cast subtle shadows on Ling Shen's eyelashes, but it couldn't obscure the flickering light in his eyes. "I'll try to come back earlier next time. I just wonder if Boss Su is in the mood to cook?" His voice rose slightly, carrying an anticipation that he himself wasn't aware of.
Su Nian blinked in surprise at his sudden words, his fingertips unconsciously caressing the rim of the warm bowl. The steaming heat blurred his glasses, reflecting the subtle movement of Ling Shen's Adam's apple.
This usually stern man now looked like a child asking for candy, his eyelashes casting trembling shadows under his eyes, reminding Su Nian of the stray cat squatting at the alley entrance in late autumn.
Ling Shen didn't wait for Su Nian's answer, his mood visibly dropped. His bony fingers tapped lightly on the table, making an intermittent sound. "It's okay, I'm busy with work, you..." Before he could finish his words, Su Nian interrupted him.
"If you like, I can do it." Before she finished speaking, Su Nian saw a triumphant smile on the corner of Ling Shen's mouth. The pair of eyes that always hid a sharp edge now curved into crescents, revealing the canine teeth at the back of his molars.
Only then did he realize that he had fallen into Ling Shen's trap - the other party's deliberately depressed expression just now was just a trick of playing hard to get.
Su Nian felt a surge of annoyance, his ears burning slightly. He stood up abruptly, the ceramic bowl clattering against the wooden tabletop with a dull thud. Without paying any more attention to Ling Shen, he picked up the dishes from the table and headed for the kitchen.
The remaining soup in the porcelain bowl created ripples, reflecting his somewhat embarrassed face. He secretly despised himself: Just because he saw Ling Shen's pitiful appearance, he actually agreed to cook for him every day.
Ling Shen knew when to stop, coughing lightly to hide his smile. He quickly stood up and helped Su Nian put the dishes into the kitchen. The stainless steel sink shone with a cold light, forming a sharp contrast with the warmth of their fingertips.
"Are you angry?" Ling Shen watched Su Nian slowly scrubbing the bowl in her hands, the foam curling down the water. He carefully nudged Su Nian with his elbow, the silver watch on his wrist brushing against her cuff, making a subtle metallic sound.
Su Nian wasn't actually angry, he was just a little annoyed at his own quick words. After all, Ling Shen had provided him with a place to stay for free, so it was only natural for him to cook. Thinking of this, Su Nian shook his head, "I'm not angry, don't think too much."
Ling Shen watched the foam slide across Su Nian's fingertips, the sound of water splashing echoing in their ears. Tiny water droplets clung to Su Nian's drooping eyelashes, shimmering in the warm yellow light.
For a moment, he was in a trance. Outside the window, the lights of thousands of houses gradually lit up, like tiny stars scattered across the sky. Inside the window, there were the two of them. Ling Shen had never imagined that there would be a day like this, where he would stand in the kitchen with someone, listening to the sound of running water and feeling each other's warmth.
But this feels good, too. Ling Shen thought, his hands moving without stopping, handing the washed plate to Su Nian. The edge of the porcelain plate still had warm steam, just like their fingertips touching at that moment.
After cleaning up the kitchen, Su Nian yawned sleepily, the strands of hair at the back of her neck trembling slightly with the movement. Ling Shen's gaze lingered on the shadows beneath her eyes for a second longer, his Adam's apple unconsciously rolling. Finally, he raised his hand and clenched it into a fist, his knuckles brushing the air beside Su Nian's ear. "Go get some rest."
As the two walked side by side through the light gray carpeted corridor, the ends of Su Nian's hair brushed against the back of Ling Shen's hand, like a feather gently touching the surface of a calm lake.
The moment the door to the guest bedroom was opened, the scent of cedar and sandalwood mixed with a faint lavender aroma wafted in the air. The fine quilting lines on the light green bedding glowed softly under the warm yellow light. There was a steaming cup of warm milk on the bedside table, and water droplets condensed on the wall of the cup were winding down the body of the cup.
"I have cleaned the room. You must be tired today. Take a hot bath and go to bed early." Ling Shen raised his hand to stroke Su Nian's hair, but when he raised it halfway, he restrained himself and put it down. Instead, he smiled and pointed in the direction of the bathroom.
Su Nian looked at the clean and warm bedroom, turned around and nodded to Ling Shen, then watched Ling Shen close the door and leave.
The warm light from the frosted glass in the bathroom gradually spread, and the sound of running water mixed with the discordant tune hummed by Su Nian was particularly clear in the silent night.
Ling Shen leaned against the walnut pillar in the hallway, his bony fingers tapping the cool wood grain. When he heard the crisp sound of splashing water, he turned abruptly, his back slamming hard against the decorative painting opposite him, causing the frame to shake and creak harshly.
"Damn it." When Ling Shen returned to the bedroom and untied his tie, his silver cufflinks clanged and fell to the floor.
He almost rushed into the bathroom. The cold water made his muscles tense instantly, but he couldn't suppress the lingering image in his mind - Su Nian's wet eyelashes, collarbone stained with water droplets, and cheeks flushed by the heat.
Ling Shen pounded his fist against the wall, his eyes wide open, filled with suppressed desire. He had never known he could have such a deep desire for someone; just hearing the sound of running water nearly made him lose control.
The mist rising from the mirror gradually condensed into water droplets, dripping down Ling Shen's jaw and forming a small stream at his collarbone.
He stared at the man with bloodshot eyes in the mirror and suddenly laughed out loud. The laughter mixed with the sound of water echoed in the small space: "What kind of magic power do you have, Su Nian..." The ending sound was like a crushed sigh, dissipating in the rushing water.
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