sunny-side-up egg
This night, after the thunder and rain subsided, became unusually quiet.
Wen Lingyi used the dry towel handed to her by Zhou Jianxing to dry the ends of her hair that were wet by the rain, and changed into a set of clean clothes that Zhou Jianxing had found, a slightly worn pure cotton T-shirt and a pair of loose home pants. The fabric was soft and had a clean smell that had been exposed to the sun.
Compared to the spacious and luxurious bed in the master bedroom of Lanyue Bay Villa, which was large enough for three or four people, Zhou Jianxing's bed was indeed a bit too small. When two people lay on it, their shoulders were almost touching, their legs touching, and they had to lean against each other to sleep peacefully.
In the narrow space, each other's body temperature, slight heartbeat and regular breathing sounds are clearly audible and intertwined.
Wen Lingyi let Zhou Jianxing curl up like a little animal seeking a sense of security, lying sideways on her chest with his cheek against her neck.
She put one hand around Zhou Jianxing's shoulder and gently stroked his slightly frizzy but very soft long hair, her fingertips weaving through the hair.
The other hand gently patted her back, like comforting a frightened child, and whispered softly in her ear over and over again: "It's okay, don't be afraid, I'm here... Go to sleep."
I don't know how much time passed, the only sound outside the window was the pitter-patter of rain. The person in my arms' breathing gradually became deep and even, but the arm around her waist still stubbornly refused to loosen, obviously she had fallen into a peaceful sleep.
Wen Lingyi lowered her head and gently touched the hair on Zhou Jianxing's forehead with her lips.
When I calm down and think back, my actions tonight were indeed a bit reckless and crazy.
Wen Lingyi herself couldn't fully figure out whether she came here because of Zhou Jianxing's "fear" or because... deep in her heart, the desire to see this person was equally overwhelming and difficult to suppress, and she just happened to find a plausible excuse.
After all, it was just thunder. Even if it scared you terribly, it wouldn't actually kill you. Was it really necessary to risk driving halfway across town in inclement weather?
As she was steering the car through the rainy night with extremely low visibility, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind. Every Saturday before, Zhou Jianxing rode that old electric bike through the city streets to Lanyue Bay. Did he also have similar feelings on the way?
That kind of simple, impatient anticipation, the kind that makes you jump with excitement just because you want to meet someone?
"I love you."
When Zhou Jianxing said these three words in her arms with a trembling and crying voice, Wen Lingyi felt as if her brain was instantly emptied by some huge impact. Only these three simple syllables echoed over and over again, and all her thinking abilities were temporarily shut down.
She even forgot how to respond and just instinctively tightened her arms.
Until this moment, when everything was quiet and the people around her were asleep, she began to think slowly and seriously about what her response should be to those three words.
Can these three words, so weighty and full of heart, be spoken lightly? Is this a carefully considered expression of love, or is it a fleeting impulse driven by circumstances and emotions?
Is it a sincere word from the heart, or just sweet talk when you are moved?
Wen Lingyi is now in a state of confusion and is obviously unable to give an equal response.
She really liked Zhou Jianxing, and liked the warmth, clumsy sincerity, and unreserved dependence she brought her. But between "liking" and "loving", is there still a distance between them?
The sound of rain outside the window gradually faded, becoming a dense and gentle white noise, tapping against the window frame. Wen Lingyi's thoughts gradually became blurred, and her consciousness was enveloped by Zhou Jianxing's steady heartbeat and breathing. That sound seemed to have magical power, soothing her inner turmoil and she fell into a deep sleep.
·
Wen Lingyi slept soundly that night without any dreams. When she woke up, the sunlight from outside the window had already filtered through the light-colored curtains, painting the room with a soft, bright color.
Zhou Jianxing was still sleeping soundly in her arms, his cheeks rosy and his breathing even.
They actually slept in this tight embrace for the entire night. The arm that Wen Lingyi was holding down was completely numb and she had lost all feeling.
She tried, very slowly, to pull her arm free. As soon as she moved, the person in her arms seemed to notice, rubbing their uneasiness against her chest, their brows furrowed slightly, and the arm around her waist subconsciously tightened, uttering a few indistinct mutterings.
Wen Lingyi stopped and held her breath, afraid of waking her up. She worked at an almost stagnant speed, bit by bit, and it took a long time before she finally succeeded in freeing her numb arm. The tingling sensation brought by the blood returning made her unable to help but take a deep breath.
Wen Lingyi quietly stood up and stretched her aching back and shoulders. Zhou Jianxing's mattress was a bit too hard for her, and after a night's sleep, she felt like every bone in her body was protesting slightly.
Fortunately, she was not the delicate Princess and the Pea, so she didn't have trouble sleeping all night because the bed was not soft enough.
She gently pushed open the bedroom door. She had arrived in a hurry last night, and it was dark, so she hadn't had time to see the house clearly. Now, with the soft light of the early morning, she could finally take a good look at Zhou Jianxing's house.
She slowly walked to the small balcony. The air after the rain was exceptionally fresh, carrying the scent of moist earth and plants. On the balcony, gardenias and jasmine were in full bloom, their rich, sweet fragrance filling the small space.
There was also an indescribable fragrance coming from it. Wen Lingyi lowered her head and looked, and saw a plant with simple branches and leaves and inconspicuous small white flowers. The fragrance came from it.
Zhou Jianxing took excellent care of these flowers and plants. Every pot was full of vitality, with lush green leaves and plump flowers. Although the space was limited and far less spacious than the garden in Lanyue Bay, there were many varieties of flowers and plants, many of which Wen Lingyi could not name. They competed with each other for beauty here, forming a small world of their own.
Come to think of it, Wen Lingyi herself had tried to grow flowers and plants, but the results were often unsatisfactory, or even as if they were cursed. No matter how carefully she cared for them, they would eventually wither.
After moving to Lanyue Bay, she simply gave up completely and hired a professional gardener to take care of the garden, barely able to maintain the vitality of the greenery.
For those plants, perhaps Wen Lingyi's neglect would be friendlier to them than her careful care.
In this regard, she had a certain respect for Zhou Jianxing. It seemed that no matter what plant she took care of, it would radiate the strongest vitality. Even the garden in Lanyue Bay, since Zhou Jianxing had been tending to it regularly, was more lush and green than before.
As she watched these flourishing lives, she suddenly wondered if Zhou Jianxing had been a forest elf or fairy in her previous life, naturally protected and loved by the natural vegetation, just like those described in ancient fairy tales.
Entering the living room, the furnishings are simple and tidy, exuding a simple warmth. The TV background wall features a slightly outdated "blooming flowers" pattern, clearly reflecting the aesthetic preferences of the older generation. On the wall near the sofa hangs a neatly arranged calligraphy piece, inscribed with the five characters "Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, Wisdom, and Trustworthiness."
Looking at the decor that was full of age and traditional family atmosphere, Wen Lingyi couldn't help but twitch her lips slightly. She finally understood why Zhou Jianxing looked like this.
I walked into the kitchen. It wasn't a large space, but it was immaculately kept. The stove bore the marks of years of use, revealing the daily life of this family. Bottles and jars of various seasonings filled almost half the countertop, neatly arranged.
The entire space is filled with a solid and warm atmosphere of life, which is incomparable to the modern but deserted huge kitchen in Lanyue Bay.
Wen Lingyi opened the refrigerator, which was crammed full of food. She pulled out a few eggs. Thinking back, it seemed like Zhou Jianxing was always the one busy preparing all the food for her.
Today, for the first time ever, she also wanted to make a simple breakfast for Zhou Jianxing.
Wen Lingyi found a suitable small frying pan and was full of confidence. She had seen Zhou Jianxing busy in the kitchen too many times and thought frying an egg was just a piece of cake.
She turned on the gas stove and poured in cooking oil. The oil heated up quickly, and smoke quickly rose and spread. Only then did Wen Lingyi remember to frantically search for the range hood switch. After pressing the switch, she hurriedly cracked the eggs into the pot.
With a sizzling sound, a puff of white smoke rose as the egg liquid touched the hot oil, and a few small pieces of broken eggshells fell in. She quickly went to find chopsticks to pick up the eggshells, and after a while, a distinct burnt smell came from the pot.
She quickly flipped the egg over, only to find it was already burnt black. Frowning, she picked up the failed omelet with her chopsticks and threw it into the trash can at her feet in disgust.
It seems that watching others do something and doing it yourself are two completely different things.
But Wen Lingyi was not discouraged. This time, she learned her lesson and cracked the eggs into small bowls, carefully checking that no eggshells remained before reheating the pan and adding oil.
"Sister Wen..." A voice with a lazy nasal tone as if she had just woken up came from behind her, and at the same time, a warm body pressed against her back.
Zhou Jianxing's arms naturally wrapped around Wen Lingyi's waist, his chin resting lightly on her shoulder, his breath brushing her ear: "Let me do it."
Wen Lingyi's unyielding spirit was aroused. She let Zhou Jianxing hold her, and her hands did not stop moving, flipping the eggs in the pan - it seemed that they were a little overcooked again.
"No need," Wen Lingyi tried her best to keep her facial expression calm, her tone sounded very composed, and she used a spatula to scoop the fried eggs into the plate, "Okay, let's go eat." As if the person who was in a hurry just now was not her.
Coming to the small dining table, Wen Lingyi looked at the fried eggs of different qualities on the plate. Feeling a little guilty, she tried her best to pick out two that looked the most normal in color and had the least burnt edges and put them on the plate in front of Zhou Jianxing, then looked at her with a hint of expectation.
Zhou Jianxing picked up the chopsticks, picked up the fried egg, lowered his head and took a bite, chewed it carefully a few times and swallowed it, then raised his face and showed an extremely bright smile, his eyes curved: "Delicious!"
Wen Lingyi breathed a sigh of relief, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat the two fried eggs left on her plate. The first bite revealed a distinct bitter, burnt taste in the egg white, while the yolk hadn't yet fully solidified, leaving it a bit runny. She had completely forgotten to add salt, so besides the grease and bitter, burnt taste, the only remaining smell was the fishy smell of egg.
It seems that the skill of making fried eggs is far from as simple as it seems.
This little liar.
Even if it can’t be said to be unpalatable, it is definitely not delicious at all.
"Sister Wen," Zhou Jianxing ate the fried eggs on the plate in small bites, looking up at her cautiously, his tone filled with negotiation and a little bit of pleading, "Um... from now on, let me do all the cooking, okay?"
As expected, it was still too unpalatable. Wen Lingyi knew it in her heart, but for some reason, when facing Zhou Jianxing, her almost childish willfulness unconsciously came out.
She raised her eyebrows slightly and deliberately asked back: "Why? Do you think my cooking is too unpalatable?" Although the answer was obvious.
"No, no, no," Zhou Jianxing quickly shook his head. To make it more convincing, he quickly stuffed the remaining fried egg into his mouth and swallowed it in two bites, his cheeks puffed up. "Sister Wen, I'm so, so happy that you can cook for me, really!"
She put down her chopsticks, her fingers unconsciously scratching the edge of the table, her voice lowered, "But I still want to cook for you. Because besides this, I can't think of anything else I can do for you."
"You like to eat what I cook. Watching you eat the food I cook makes me feel very happy and accomplished." This is hidden in the corner of her heart about the gap and inferiority.
Wen Lingyi's heart felt like it had been pricked again, a gentle stab, a delicate sourness rising in her veins. She glanced at the two failed creations on her plate, each of which had been bitten once and could no longer be swallowed. After a moment's silence, she finally nodded.
Zhou Jianxing noticed the barely touched fried egg on Wen Lingyi's plate and naturally took it away. A moment later, she returned from the kitchen with two perfectly fried sunny-side-up eggs, crispy and golden brown on the edges, with plump, round yolks, along with a cup of steaming, rich soy milk, and gently placed them in front of Wen Lingyi.
Wen Lingyi picked up her chopsticks and ate this late, decent breakfast, feeling a little depressed.
She really couldn't understand how Zhou Jianxing could fry the egg whites without burning them at all, while making the egg yolks cooked to perfection and having a tender and smooth texture?
After finishing his breakfast, Zhou Jianxing hurriedly changed into his work clothes and prepared to go out to work.
Wen Lingyi also packed up and prepared to leave. Before saying goodbye at the door, Zhou Jianxing turned around, looking at Wen Lingyi with sparkling eyes, his tone full of anticipation: "Sister, my parents are not home these two days... Will you come over to dinner tonight?"
Wen Lingyi looked into those eyes filled with hope and nodded, "Okay."
After watching Zhou Jianxing riding the slightly old electric bike and his figure merge into the early morning traffic and gradually disappear into the distance, Wen Lingyi got into the driver's seat and started the car.
She didn't tell the little fool.
Zhou Jianxing had already done enough for her. She didn't need to prove anything extra or do anything earth-shattering for her.
Zhou Jianxing’s existence itself is important to Wen Lingyi.
It was the indispensable sunshine that shone into her originally dark and cold world.
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