Su Xiyan's culinary skills were truly not that great. She had made several dishes for lunch, all of which were Chen Shuo's usual favorites.
Looking at the four or five dishes laid out, it seemed only the tomato and egg soup was barely edible.
Even Cheng Xinran, with her foodie tendencies, couldn't bear to look.
Sitting at the table, she smacked her lips and said, "Xiyan, these dishes aren't bad this time."
Su Xiyan's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Cheng Xinran replied, "Really, they're very good. Please don't make them again."
Su Xiyan: "..."
She then placed her hopes on Chen Shuo, serving him several pieces of braised pork ribs. "Chen Shuo, aren't braised pork ribs your favorite? Try them and see how they taste."
Su Xiyan's clear eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Chen Shuo looked at the blackened braised pork ribs, thinking that even the cafeteria food at school didn't look this unappetizing...
But seeing the hopeful light in Su Xiyan's eyes, Chen Shuo could only nod and force a smile. "It looks... not bad!"
Su Xiyan immediately beamed with joy. "Mm-hmm, then eat more!"
"I made a big bowl of it!"
"This is my heartfelt effort, you can't refuse, okay?"
Chen Shuo: "..."
Damn it!
It's really impossible to swallow...
However, when it comes to cooking, one must always praise Su Xiyan profusely. It's crucial not to discourage her enthusiasm, letting her become obsessed with cooking is the right approach.
For the sake of long-term strategy, Chen Shuo had no choice but to stuff two pieces of ribs into his mouth. While chewing, he gave Su Xiyan a thumbs up. "Delicious! Perfect in appearance, aroma, and taste!"
Su Xiyan's exquisitely beautiful face bloomed like a flower. "If it's good, eat more. I'll go get you some rice."
Picking up Chen Shuo's rice bowl, Su Xiyan turned back to tease Cheng Xinran: "Xinran, look how much Chen Shuo is enjoying it! You're just too picky!"
With that, Su Xiyan walked towards the kitchen with a light, bouncy step.
Cheng Xinran rolled her eyes at Chen Shuo, her tone full of surprise: "Chen Shuo, when did you learn to lie through your teeth?"
Taking advantage of Su Xiyan's absence in the kitchen, Chen Shuo quickly pulled out two tissues, spat out the braised pork ribs, wrapped them in the tissue, and threw them into the trash can under the table.
The entire motion was smooth and fluid.
His voice was filled with resignation: "There's no choice, it's called survival instinct. You wouldn't understand."
Cheng Xinran nodded, seemingly enlightened: "Ah~ I see, I get it now."
Chen Shuo thought to himself, what the hell do you understand? Should I tell you that I'm planning to PUA Su Xiyan?
No, no, no, how could it be called PUA? At most... it's just training.
When two people are together, they need to adapt to each other. He had sacrificed quite a bit for Su Xiyan, and her just cooking wasn't a big deal.
Chen Shuo tried hard to convince himself internally, he mustn't be too humble. At least, he shouldn't be the one to fall in love first before Su Xiyan.
In a relationship, whoever falls in love first loses.
Chen Shuo was very clear about this point! So, when being nice to Su Xiyan, Chen Shuo would always find an excuse for himself internally. In any case, he was determined not to be a sycophant, but to become the one being adored!
Come to think of it, Su Xiyan now had a gentle air about her!
Chen Shuo looked towards the kitchen door, an involuntary smile spreading across his face.
Su Xiyan happened to come out of the kitchen at that moment, carrying two bowls of rice, just in time to meet Chen Shuo's doting smile.
They smiled at each other, like a ray of morning sun in early winter, warming the entire world.
"Rice, it's newly bought Wuchang rice," Su Xiyan handed a full bowl of rice to Chen Shuo.
While Su Xiyan's stir-frying skills were inconsistent, her rice-cooking was quite good! Each grain of rice was translucent and fragrant.
Cheng Xinran protested: "Hey, hey, hey! Can you two consider my feelings? I may be a super third wheel, but I'm a grown person sitting right in front of you. How can you eat your own rice without serving me any?"
"Please! Can't you show a guest some basic respect?"
Only then did Su Xiyan realize that she had forgotten to serve rice to Cheng Xinran. At home, it had always been just her and Chen Shuo dining, and with a sudden guest, she hadn't thought to add an extra set of bowls and chopsticks.
Su Xiyan, even when she made a mistake, remained stubborn: "You're not some stranger, there are bowls and chopsticks in the kitchen, serve yourself."
"If you don't want to serve yourself, then do like me and quickly find a boyfriend! That way, someone will serve you rice."
Cheng Xinran's eye-roll nearly reached the sky: "I don't want to be like you, finding a boyfriend and then not only having to serve my own rice but his too."
Su Xiyan: "..."
"You should find a boyfriend first, then come back and criticize me!"
Cheng Xinran, watching Chen Shuo and Su Xiyan's sweet interaction, couldn't help but feel envious!
If only she could find a boyfriend who was such a good match, how wonderful that would be!
The former man-killer little loli had been influenced by Chen Shuo and Su Xiyan, now longing for a lasting relationship.
During the meal, the atmosphere was sweet, with an underlying subtle feeling.
Chen Shuo felt that Cheng Xinran's visit to their home wasn't as simple as just a friendly visit.
Cheng Xinran was a foodie. After tasting Chen Shuo's cooking last time, she often mentioned how she wondered when she could taste Chen Shuo's culinary skills again. Today, she came to their home but didn't mention Chen Shuo's cooking at all.
For a foodie to temporarily forget about good food, it must mean she was facing something quite important!
Chen Shuo couldn't be bothered to ask. He believed that no matter what it was, when it was time for it to happen, it would reveal itself.
After the meal, Cheng Xinran and Su Xiyan were in the kitchen washing dishes, speaking in hushed tones about something.
Chen Shuo didn't care to listen, sitting on the sofa playing with his phone, looking relaxed.
When the two girls finished cleaning up, they each took one of Chen Shuo's arms and pulled him up from his immersion in the game.
Thus, Chen Shuo was forced to go shopping with the two girls.
On a weekend afternoon, the warm sun of early winter was truly comforting. The streets were bustling with people coming and going.
Su Xiyan and Cheng Xinran were chatting and laughing, buying quite a few things.
Chen Shuo followed behind them, feeling something was a bit odd.
It seemed as if a pair of eyes was watching him. But with so many people on the street, and the two girls beside Chen Shuo attracting so much attention...
Chen Shuo didn't think much of it, quietly carrying the shopping bags, only hoping in his heart that Cheng Xinran and Su Xiyan would finish shopping soon and go home.
Suddenly, vampire information appeared on Chen Shuo's system panel!!
The system's mechanical female voice suddenly sounded, startling Chen Shuo!
[According to the host's instructions, automatically searching for vampire whereabouts!]
[Vampire detected!]