Chapter 9

Shi Qianyu’s words didn’t sound like a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Wen Xin realized it belatedly. No wonder Shi Qianyu had asked for her opinion on every little thing back at the supermarket. Wen Xin had thought she was just making small talk at the time, but it turned out she had planned this all along.

“I rarely make such a request.” Beside her, Shi Qianyu launched another coquettish offensive. Wen Xin felt a slight headache coming on. She couldn’t really chase her away, so after a few seconds of stalemate, she conceded defeat.

“Let’s go,” she said, lowering her head in resignation. “I’ll take you upstairs.”

“Yay!” Shi Qianyu blinked her eyes and let out a soft cheer of triumph. She turned the steering wheel, found a suitable spot, and parked the car. Then she popped open the trunk, and together with Wen Xin, they hauled the bags of groceries upstairs. It was right around quitting time, and the rain had only just stopped. A young couple was coming back from buying ingredients for dinner and ended up sharing the elevator with them.

Wen Xin instinctively stepped back a little and listened silently as the pair made plans for the evening.

The girl said, “After we get home, how about we take that fish out of the fridge and stew it? I’m really craving fish today.”

The boy nodded enthusiastically. “Sounds good. There’s still some leftover crawfish from last time in there too. Add the clams we just bought, heat them up, and that’ll make another dish.”

The girl added, “And I want to crack open an ice-cold cola!”

“What ice-cold cola during a special time like this?” the boy countered softly. “Didn’t we buy a watermelon? I’ll juice it fresh for you when we get back.”

“Fine, that works too~” The elevator dinged to a stop, but their conversation didn’t. They kept chatting animatedly, back and forth, their laughter still audible even after the doors slid shut.

For some reason, Wen Xin suddenly felt a pang of envy.

She had lived in this complex for quite some time now. She might not know the neighbors’ names, but their faces were familiar. She vaguely recalled that this young couple was two years younger than her, yet their lives seemed far more vibrant.

Once, while riding the elevator, Wen Xin had overheard two elderly ladies gossiping about them. They said the pair had started their own business years ago. Not only was it going well, but their days were full of prosperity. They were childhood sweethearts who had known each other for over a decade, gotten married right after graduation, and built a happy little home together.

“Young and promising,” one granny had sighed sincerely. She glanced sideways at Wen Xin and asked cheerfully, “What do you do, young lady?”

“…” Wen Xin had only recently been let go from her job and was still unemployed at home. She wasn’t great at lying, so after a moment of silence, she answered honestly. “I’m job hunting.”

“Oh, I see.” The granny nodded and gave her an unsparing once-over. “Not getting any younger, are you? You’d better hurry up with that job search.”

“Still single too, right?” the other granny chimed in, leaning closer with evident curiosity. “That’s a big life milestone—you should be anxious about it!”

They had guessed too accurately.

It had made Wen Xin truly sad.

Her thoughts had wandered a bit. With a sigh, Wen Xin pulled herself back to the present and stared at the rising numbers on the elevator display. No matter what, she really did envy that couple.

Or rather, she envied anyone living a happy life. If she had family, friends, or a lover, would her days feel less monotonous? She could come home after work and share a meal, chat with someone—even bicker a little.

“Do you have any chilies at home?” Shi Qianyu’s voice suddenly came from beside her. Wen Xin turned to look at her and nodded quickly. “Yes.”

“Then let’s make some water-boiled beef.” Shi Qianyu smiled, breaking the silence as she laid out her plans bit by bit. “I also bought chicken wings and shrimp. Pair them with some potatoes and mushrooms for a spicy hotpot.”

“For veggies, we can braise some tofu.” The elevator arrived at their floor. Shi Qianyu followed Wen Xin inside, and they set all the bags down on the table.

Wen Xin’s rental apartment was small—perfect for just one person. Every appliance and furnishing was right there in plain sight. Shi Qianyu stepped into the kitchen and pulled open the fridge door for a peek.

Wen Xin hadn’t lied; the fridge held only a sparse selection of ingredients.

But luckily, Shi Qianyu spotted two pears inside.

She plucked them up by their stems and showed them to Wen Xin, beaming as if she’d discovered a new continent. “I heard about that watermelon juice in the elevator. Too bad there’s no watermelon here.”

“How about some pear soup instead?” Her tone was as gentle as a kindergartener teacher coaxing a child. Wen Xin wore her heart on her sleeve—joy and sorrow both showed plainly on her face. “Pear soup is delicious too.”

Of course, Shi Qianyu wasn’t actually a preschool teacher, and Wen Xin wasn’t some pitiful little baby.

But she still managed to coax her.

“Mm, okay.” A few seconds later, Wen Xin nodded lightly, a spark of anticipation lighting her eyes.

She still had some reservations, though. “Director Shi, are you making dinner?”

“Yep.” Shi Qianyu nodded. “I bought the ingredients, so naturally, I’ll cook.”

As she spoke, she seemed to have completely forgotten about making Wen Xin treat her. She started sorting through the groceries. One potato rolled off the table, but she snatched it up deftly and tossed it to Wen Xin. “But you can’t just stand around idle. With all these dishes, I’d be cooking forever on my own.”

“I’ll need Sister’s help~”

~~~

Wen Xin followed Shi Qianyu into the kitchen. Working together, they were surprisingly efficient, finishing every dish in under an hour.

Wen Xin still wasn’t used to being called “Sister,” but she was helpless against it. Shi Qianyu deliberately teased her, drawing out the word with such intimacy.

“Sister, hand me the spatula~”

“Sister, how are my knife skills?”

“Sister, come taste this—is it good?”

“It’s good.” Wen Xin nodded obediently and took a bite of the meat Shi Qianyu held out to her. Her cheeks flushed bright red from all the “Sister” calls. “Pretty tasty.”

Shi Qianyu smiled, relieved. “If it’s good, let’s plate it up~”

They dished out the food and set it on the small dining table. Shi Qianyu rummaged through the shopping bags for a bit before pulling out some fermented glutinous rice balls. She heated them up and brought them over too.

“Aren’t we having pear soup?” Wen Xin asked. As time passed, she had grown a bit chattier. “Why heat these too?”

Shi Qianyu had her own unique perspective. She blinked and explained, “Pear soup is a drink. This is dessert. They’re different, so we should try both.”

“But Director Shi, how will you drive later?” Wen Xin asked worriedly.

“I’ll just have a little.” The small rice balls weren’t enough to intoxicate anyone. Shi Qianyu didn’t particularly like them anyway, but she knew Wen Xin did. “Come on, let’s eat.”

“Mm.” Wen Xin nodded, pulled out the chair behind her, and sat down slowly across from Shi Qianyu. This wasn’t the first time they’d eaten together, but it was different this time—the location was her home, and the food in front of her wasn’t made by someone else, but by Shi Qianyu herself.

Wen Xin didn’t realize why she was drawing that distinction between “others” and “Shi Qianyu.” Dining with the boss she’d had a one-night stand with was still embarrassing, but she was hungry right now, and the food smelled too tempting. For once, she didn’t overthink it.

The fermented glutinous rice balls Shi Qianyu had bought were delicious—so much so that even after finishing her meal, Wen Xin didn’t set down her utensils. Instead, she scooped some into her bowl and savored them slowly, bite by bite.

They weren’t very alcoholic to begin with, yet Wen Xin still felt a slight dizziness—not the unpleasant kind, but a pleasant, floaty sensation. She figured it was probably from excitement.

—Perhaps from that trace of alcohol, or perhaps because her tiny rental welcomed its first guest in a long while.

A few sheets of white paper lay stacked on the table nearby.

Wen Xin had no dedicated office, and her bedroom could barely fit a bed and wardrobe, so this table served double duty as both dining spot and workstation. Whenever inspiration struck, she’d sit there and sketch diligently.

Shi Qianyu noticed and casually picked one up. Wen Xin’s designs covered the small sheet—simple lines that came alive under her pen, each stroke brimming with storytelling potential. Wen Xin had always been hardworking, her mind on work even after hours.

Shi Qianyu genuinely liked these designs, but it wasn’t work time now. She didn’t want to dive too deep into shop talk and come across as an unfeeling boss who only exploited her employees.

So she simply said, sincerely, “You’ve worked hard. I really like these designs.”

She was praising her—even if it was just one sentence.

Wen Xin felt a little happy upon hearing that. She’d never had an understanding boss before. Criticism had always outweighed praise, and over time, she’d almost forgotten what it felt like to be complimented. To please the boss and satisfy clients, Wen Xin revised endlessly, pouring her heart into her work.

Only Shi Qianyu is special. Wen Xin has no idea what’s going through her head—she can actually praise a few drafts so sincerely.

She suspected Shi Qianyu was deceiving her, so she asked again: “Really?”

Shi Qianyu nodded and smiled sincerely. “Really.”

Great.

Wen Xin wasn’t drunk. She knew she shouldn’t let her joy show when receiving praise from her superior, but she was still a bit happy and needed to find some way to express it. So she avoided Shi Qianyu’s gaze and lowered her head again to stare at the nearly empty bowl of fermented glutinous rice dumplings in front of her.

Hehe.

—She secretly curved her lips, her smile very soft and restrained.

Kinda embarrassed.