The days passed in a busy blur. January 31st arrived, and with it, the start of winter vacation for the third-year high school students. Lin Xi’s schedule suddenly beca much freer.
No longer needing to drop off and pick up Lin Xi, Xue Yang beca even busier, sotis not returning ho until three or four in the morning. Every ti Lin Xi saw him return ho exhausted, her heart ached for him. And seeing that Lin Xi had waited up so late, how could Xue Yang not feel the sa? Although her face was still dewy, it was clear she looked considerably more haggard.
"You don’t need to wait for if it gets too late," he had said.
"Okay," she replied.
Xue Yang pinched her bouncy cheek. "That’s my girl. Staying up all night will ruin your skin."
Lin Xi hugged him tighter. "You’re so busy, and I’m on vacation now. Let take over writing the novel for a while."
Xue Yang nodded. With Lin Xi on vacation, she certainly had more free ti, so it was reasonable for her to take over the writing again. This would give him more ti to handle matters related to King’s Ga.
The Weibo account "Surrounded by Mist" was also handed over entirely to Lin Xi to manage. She seed to have forgotten that she even had her own major account on the platform.
***
The next day, Xue Yang had already left by the ti Lin Xi woke up. She touched his spot in the bed; it was already cold. A glance at the clock showed it was past ten. At this hour, Xue Yang would be hard at work in his office.
After a mont of thought, Lin Xi got out of bed, changed her clothes, and headed downstairs to the nearest market to buy groceries.
Although Lin Xi had been to the market once with Xue Yang, that was the only ti. Stepping inside, she was as lost as a headless chicken. Left with no other choice, she took out her phone and called Auntie Shen for help.
When Auntie Shen heard that Lin Xi planned to cook for Xue Yang herself, she said, "Miss, why don’t you head ho? I’ll buy the groceries and bring them over later. Please, let handle the cooking."
"It’s okay. Since I’m already here, I might as well buy a few things."
"Alright, Miss. Please be careful."
"Okay."
Lin Xi put her phone away. Thankfully, it was winter, so she was bundled up in heavy clothes. Combined with the mask she had put on before leaving, she didn’t cause too much of a stir. Still, the sudden appearance of an otherworldly Elf in a market so full of everyday clamor inevitably turned a few heads.
Eventually, following the advice of so kind strangers, Lin Xi bought ribs, beef, chicken, green vegetables, and other ingredients.
Returning to her apartnt building, she saw Si Wen’s Rolls-Royce gliding to a stop beside her. Once it stopped, a bodyguard imdiately got out and relieved Lin Xi of her nurous bags.
Si Wen then stepped out of the car, her face a picture of astonishnt. "My goodness, is this really the Lin Xi I know?" If they hadn’t grown up together, Si Wen might not have recognized the down-to-earth woman before her as Lin Xi.
With her hands now free, Lin Xi felt much lighter. "Nope, you’ve got the wrong person."
"Are you... planning to cook yourself?" Si Wen asked hesitantly.
"Yeah."
"But do you know how?"
"Auntie Shen is coming over later to cook the main dishes. I’m going to personally make the soup," Lin Xi replied.
She had tasted Xue Yang’s soup so many tis; she figured that even if she’d never eaten the pork, she’d certainly seen the pig run. Lin Xi was confident she could make a soup just as delicious as his.
Si Wen propped her chin on her hand, feigning deep thought. "That Xue Yang must have so seriously good karma. To think he has the heiress of the Lin Corporation personally making soup for him."
"He’s been working too hard lately. I just want to do what I can."
Thinking about how hard Xue Yang had been working made Lin Xi’s heart ache. She desperately wanted to tell him that she was more than capable of supporting him completely. But she knew that wasn’t what he would want. So, she had to support him silently, from behind the scenes, ensuring he had no worries holding him back. What she wanted to do for him had nothing to do with status; it was simply because she loved him.
"Let’s go. I’ll see if I can help," Si Wen said, linking arms with Lin Xi as they headed inside. "But you’d best not get your hopes up. The only thing I know how to do is eat."
"Si Wen, thank you."
Once they were ho, the bodyguard set down the groceries and left.
Lin Xi and Si Wen stared at the pile of ingredients, utterly stumped.
"I think you start by washing the ribs. Then there’s another step in the middle... what was it?" Lin Xi tried hard to recall watching Xue Yang cook. At the ti, she had been focused on washing vegetables and had missed so steps. It was mostly because Xue Yang was so efficient; sotis, he’d already have the soup simring before she had even finished with the vegetables.
"Didn’t you say you knew how? And here I was, actually looking forward to trying your cooking," Si Wen said, eyeing her skeptically.
"The soup I’m making is for Xue Yang, not for you."
"What’s the big deal? If you won’t let have any, it’s not like I want it anyway. Who knows if it’ll even taste good?"
"Si Wen, don’t underestimate ."
"I’m just being honest."
During their banter, a knock sounded at the door. Lin Xi’s eyes lit up. "That must be Auntie Shen!"
She bolted from the kitchen and opened the door. Sure enough, Auntie Shen was standing outside, holding large and small bags.
"Miss."
"Auntie Shen, you’re finally here!"
Auntie Shen walked in deftly and went straight to the kitchen.
"Auntie Shen, quickly, teach how to make soup!"
Looking at the slightly ssy kitchen, Auntie Shen said patiently, "Miss, don’t rush. Let tidy up a bit, and then I’ll teach you."
"Okay."
Auntie Shen worked quickly. In just a few minutes, the kitchen that had looked like a battlefield was neat and orderly.
"Auntie Shen, you’re amazing!"
Smiling, Auntie Shen picked up two aprons. "When you cook, you should always wear an apron, otherwise you’ll easily get your clothes dirty."
Lin Xi held out her arms. "Then help put it on." When she cooked with Xue Yang, they also wore aprons—one for each of them. His was white, and hers was pink.
"Alright, Auntie Shen, is the first step washing the ribs?"
"Yes, Miss. After you wash them clean, you need to blanch them in a pot. Otherwise, the soup will have an off-flavor."
Lin Xi listened attentively.
So it was blanching. No wonder I couldn’t rember that step. I thought he was putting them in the pot to braise them.
After washing the ribs and putting them in the pot, Lin Xi stirred them earnestly. But when the water began to boil, she beca flustered again. She didn’t call for Auntie Shen’s help, instead struggling to clumsily scoop the ribs out of the pot. Her fumbling movents made it look as though the ribs might fall to the floor at any second.
"Auntie Shen, are you sure you’re not going to stop her?" Si Wen asked.
Auntie Shen, who was washing vegetables, looked up and smiled. "It’s rare for the young miss to be so passionate about doing sothing. I’m too overjoyed to interfere. Why would I stop her?"
Si Wen was speechless.
Are we sure this is for Xue Yang’s benefit and not so kind of punishnt?
*PS: Happy New Year, everyone! May your new year be free of troubles! May all your wishes co true and everything go your way!*
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