Chapter 14
To build a good relationship, you have to cater to their interests. Pei Yunle decided to finish the ice cream cake she hadn’t completed last time. She followed an online tutorial for the ice cream. Since it didn’t require an oven, it naturally wouldn’t fail. She poured in cheese, matcha powder, and everything else. The only thing was, without additives, the handmade ice cream melted quickly. But at least it looked edible. It didn’t need any fancy shaping; a full bowl was enough.
As for the cake, the success rate of a rice cooker cake was extremely low—at least for Pei Yunle.
She tried again. The cake was fluffy the moment she opened the lid. Pei Yunle, trying to imitate the bloggers, pressed down on it with her hand to show off its softness. Unexpectedly, with that one press, the cake completely deflated, becoming a double-thick egg pancake. In the end, she had to go across the street and beg Fan Ziyun for some cake scraps.
Finally, Pei Yunle finished the ice cream cake to her satisfaction.
She didn’t know if it was delicious or not. If she took a scoop with a spoon, the shape would be flawed. For now, at least it looked like a complete food item, so she didn’t dare to try it.
Even though the two of them had had a falling out, this was still their shared home. Chen Qingtang had to come back for dinner no matter how late it was. Pei Yunle looked at the main gate and suddenly felt like a wife waiting anxiously for her husband to return home. This was too absurd!
Pei Yunle quickly shook her head, trying to banish the strange thought from her mind. She had never cooked for anyone before, not even Lin Zilan had received such treatment.
“Dearie, this was delivered from across the street this morning.” Grandma Liu came in with a clay pot covered with a red cloth and placed it on the table. The sound of sloshing liquid came from inside. She lifted the red cloth, and the fragrant aroma of wine, brewed from grain, wafted out.
“Oh, they said it was because you gave them an egg pancake last time. They made too much rice wine this time, so they sent some over for us.”
Pei Yunle nodded. The rice wine wasn’t clear, but a milky, turbid white.
“I never thought you could make an egg pancake. I underestimated you,” Grandma Liu said with a smile.
Pei Yunle gave a sheepish smile back. It seemed she had a talent for making egg pancakes. Next time she made one, she would follow the cake recipe to guarantee success.
The main gate was knocked on three times, as usual. With a creak, Chen Qingtang returned from outside.
Seeing her, Pei Yunle quickly smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes and cleared her throat with a couple of coughs. Her hands subconsciously touched her hair, making sure she wasn’t presenting a bird’s nest to the other person.
If Chen Qingtang had been willing to look up at Pei Yunle, she would have noticed that the person who usually wore heavy makeup was now wearing light makeup. But, she kept her head down the entire time, focusing on her food. Other than occasionally putting food in Grandma Liu’s bowl, she made no other movements.
With the old woman present, Pei Yunle didn’t want her to know what had happened between them, hoping to resolve all disputes quietly.
“Dearie, you should have some too,” Grandma Liu said, getting a bowl for her and preparing to pour some wine into it.
Pei Yunle’s hand was faster than her brain. Just as Grandma Liu was about to pour the rice wine into her bowl, she blocked the old woman’s hand. She was a little disgusted by the cloudy rice wine, who knew what it tasted like.
“Grandma, I—”
Pei Yunle was about to refuse, but then she saw Chen Qingtang take a sip of the rice wine. Everyone was drinking, and if she was the only one who didn’t, it would seem out of place. Besides, drinking could give her courage, and she wouldn’t have so many reservations when she spoke later.
With that thought, she quickly changed her tune. “No” became “yes.” “Okay! Please fill it up for me, Grandma!”
Chen Qingtang’s hand, holding the clay bowl, paused. She looked at Pei Yunle with a strange expression.
The meal was eaten in silence. Pei Yunle used the opportunity of drinking to look up at Chen Qingtang, but the other person kept her head down the entire time, just picking at the food in front of her. Pei Yunle couldn’t do anything about it and felt a little frustrated. She drank one mouthful after another. Although the rice wine didn’t look like much, it was very delicious, with a sweet taste.
Pei Yunle figured it probably didn’t have a high alcohol content. By the time the meal was over, she had already drunk three bowls.
After the dishes were cleared, Chen Qingtang went straight to her room. Pei Yunle held her bowl, licking her lips, wanting more.
She looked at the moon hanging from the roof and let out a drunken hiccup. “Grandma, this moon is so delicious.”
Grandma Liu patted her head. “Aiyo, you’re talking nonsense. Dearie, are you drunk? You should drink less next time.”
“It’s okay, no, I can still walk in a straight line.” Pei Yunle’s words were a little slurred. To prove that the rice wine was just a beverage and that she was completely fine, she stood up, leaning on the wooden table, and took a few steps in a seductive S-line. Perhaps she got a little too excited from those few steps, and the alcohol went to her head. She grabbed Jimao’s front paws and did a ballroom dance in the courtyard.
“Grandma, is it straight?” she mumbled, looking back.
Seeing this, Grandma Liu had no choice but to hide the wine. Her legs were not convenient. She turned and called Chen Qingtang down from the second floor to help Pei Yunle back to her room to sleep.
Chen Qingtang was a hundred times unwilling, but with the old woman still there, she couldn’t say anything. She could only carry the person back to her room like a little chick.
The moment Pei Yunle touched the hard-as-a-board bed, she immediately bounced back up like a spring and hugged Chen Qingtang, who was about to leave.
Chen Qingtang was held tightly by this person, and she was too heavy to push away.
She couldn’t speak, so she could only lift her leg and kick Pei Yunle.
Although it hurt, the numbing effect of the alcohol temporarily dulled her pain. She simply wrapped her arms around Chen Qingtang and her legs around her legs.
Then she made a sound like a goose: “Aaaaaah, I’m sorry. Although you’re also at fault, maybe you’re not, but I’m not wrong either. I’m probably wrong for snatching your notebook.”
Chen Qingtang turned her head to look at her. Pei Yunle’s cheeks were flushed an unnatural red, her eyes hazy and unfocused. She looked very easy to bully.
She wanted to do something, but her whole body was held, and she couldn’t free her hands.
Pei Yunle suddenly stopped her meaningless humming and let go of her hands, but her legs didn’t move. Chen Qingtang didn’t know what she was going to do until she saw Pei Yunle make a sign to her. It was the sign for “sorry.”
Pei Yunle hadn’t learned much, and she didn’t remember much. The only thing she knew was “sorry.” After doing that, she held up two fingers and made bunny ears on top of her head, even bending her knuckles.
Chen Qingtang was speechless for a moment. Thinking of how Pei Yunle had snatched her notebook, she also closed her eyes and refused to look.
Pei Yunle made the “sorry” sign two more times. Seeing that Chen Qingtang wasn’t looking at her, she became anxious. How could anyone refuse a bunny!
If Chen Qingtang didn’t look at her, how could she say anything? She didn’t know much sign language either. Pei Yunle unconsciously hummed a few times.
Suddenly, she realized, why was she still signing when she could speak?
“Mmm, I’m sorry, Chen Qingtang. But that slap you gave me really hurt. It probably hurt this much—”
Pei Yunle drew a large circle to show how much it hurt.
“We’re even now. Why did you ignore me at dinner? Speak, Chen Qingtang, why aren’t you speaking!”
The mute Chen Qingtang knew for the first time what it felt like to be speechless.
While Pei Yunle’s arms weren’t restraining her, she covered her own ears.
So Pei Yunle started to sign again, repeating the same “sorry” over and over.
Chen Qingtang had no choice but to close her eyes and cover her ears. This person was so childish.
Pei Yunle stared at Chen Qingtang with wide eyes and hugged her arm, afraid that she would run away in an instant. But this person only made her angry. Thinking of this, she opened her mouth and bit Chen Qingtang’s waist.
Her waist was a sensitive spot for Chen Qingtang. The bite was very light, almost like a flirtation. A jolt of electricity shot through her, making her whole body tremble. But—
She couldn’t cry out, not even a muffled grunt. She could only endure the strange sensation and swallow it silently.
After biting her, Pei Yunle nuzzled her head against Chen Qingtang’s abdomen. Chen Qingtang was startled and wanted to step back, but Pei Yunle’s legs were still wrapped around hers. She couldn’t find a point of leverage and fell back against the edge of the desk, her whole body itching and numb.
She really wanted to speak right now. She had never had such a strong desire to speak before.
What a nuisance, Chen Qingtang thought.
After making a scene, Pei Yunle felt a little dizzy. She subconsciously wanted to lie down on the bed, but she was afraid this person would run away. It seemed that things weren’t over yet.
Afraid that Chen Qingtang still had her eyes closed and ears covered, she bit her arm again, leaving a very faint tooth mark. This time, Chen Qingtang didn’t tremble, but she also didn’t cover her ears.
“Do you want to go back to sleep?”
Chen Qingtang nodded. She wanted to go back and see if there was a mark on her waist.
“Then say you’re not angry, and I’ll let you go.” Pei Yunle was like a freshly cooked noodle right now, completely limp, with no strength to support her head. Her head slid down from Chen Qingtang’s abdomen until it hit something hard and pointy.
Pei Yunle rubbed her face against it. Chen Qingtang was too thin; her iliac crest was too prominent.
She mumbled stickily, “You’re a little pointy.”
Chen Qingtang: …
Then why are you still leaning on me?
Pei Yunle shook her, the smell of alcohol wafting into her face. “Hurry up and say it’s okay. Why were you angry? What right do you have to be angry? Hurry up and say it.”
Chen Qingtang couldn’t take it anymore. She raised her hand and slapped Pei Yunle again. This time, however, there was no anger, and the force was almost non-existent. But this light-as-a-feather slap stunned Pei Yunle. She foolishly raised her hand to cover her face.
Hot, fragrant, sweet.
This was as delicious as the rice wine.
As Chen Qingtang was thinking about how to get rid of this sticky candy, she saw Pei Yunle still covering half her face, then fall asleep on the bed.
Seeing this, Chen Qingtang’s eyes widened like a cat’s. The warm feeling in her body also disappeared. She subconsciously touched the bite mark on her waist. It seemed to still be itching.
She figured she was probably a little drunk too. She turned and went back to her own room to sleep.
