ASFSODS 58

The small milky-white pot was bubbling away. Wen Chi strolled lazily behind Jiang Siheng, glancing over at the man who was studying a supermarket-bought recipe as if it were some critical experiment.

“Mr. Jiang, why don’t I take over?” Wen Chi asked tentatively. The man’s solemn expression didn’t match the act of cooking at all, and it made him uneasy.

Jiang Siheng shot him a sidelong glance, catching the doubt and disbelief written all over his face. He chuckled in irritation and tapped Wen Chi’s shoulder with the book. “Go wait outside.”

Wen Chi rubbed his nose. “Alright.”

If he didn’t have to help, then all the better. Being a lazy salted fish waiting for food was fine by him. He turned and spotted some cups in the cupboard, curiosity pulling him over. “Mr. Jiang, you like this style of cup?”

Jiang Siheng was adding seasoning to the soup. “Hm?”

Wen Chi took out a round, cute ceramic mug from the cupboard and held it up for him to see.

Jiang Siheng looked over, then froze, wondering why on earth something like that was in his house.

Wen Chi lifted it up for a closer look. “It’s pretty cute. Looks like it’s from the same set as the little milk pot you’re using now.”

The little milk pot…

Jiang Siheng closed the pot lid with a blank face and let it bubble on its own. Seeing Wen Chi reluctant to put the cup down, he said, “I didn’t buy it.”

“What?”

Jiang Siheng led Wen Chi to the living room and had him sit down. “These were all bought by Xiao Pang.” When he first bought the apartment, he would soon have to leave for a film shoot. After giving Xiao Pang some rough guidelines for style, he had basically left all the furnishing and shopping to him.

“So you really trust Xiao Pang,” Wen Chi said.

Jiang Siheng neither confirmed nor denied.

The TV was playing a variety show. Wen Chi hugged a sofa cushion beside him, watching intently. Jiang Siheng recalled something Cheng Yazhe had said and turned to look at Wen Chi. He felt like he was indeed being a bit of a scumbag, taking advantage of someone and then pretending nothing had happened wasn’t right.

Leaning back on the sofa, he reached for his phone on the coffee table, scrolled through his WeChat contacts, and found who he was looking for.

【Jiang Siheng: 1】

The reply came instantly.

【Pei Yining: What’s “1”?】

【Jiang Siheng: Need to ask you something, how did you confess to your girlfriend?】

In his CEO office, Pei Yining raised an eyebrow at the message.

【Pei Yining: Why are you asking that? Are you going to confess to someone?】

【Pei Yining: Oh~ I remember now. I saw on Weibo that you like your variety show partner. You want to confess to that little celebrity?】

【Pei Yining: What’s his name again?】

【Pei Yining: Wen Chi?】

Pei Yining seemed to have found an excuse to slack off at work. Jiang Siheng had only asked one question, but he was firing off an entire screen’s worth of messages.

Wen Chi, who had been watching TV, was soon distracted by the constant chime of incoming messages from the phone Jiang Siheng had placed back on the coffee table. He looked over to see the man completely uninterested in checking them.

“Mr. Jiang.”

Jiang Siheng turned to him. “Hm?”

Wen Chi pointed at the phone. “Aren’t you going to reply?”

Jiang Siheng glanced at it, then looked away. “No need. I’ll wait until he’s done.”

Judging by his tone, he clearly knew exactly who was sending the messages. Wen Chi made a small “oh” and let it go.

As dusk fell, Jiang Siheng was prepping vegetables in the kitchen when laughter drifted in from the living room. He turned to look. The lamp was on, and the usually bare coffee table now held a fruit plate, two cups, and some unopened snacks. The boy had spent nearly the entire afternoon watching variety shows, his eyes crinkled in a happy smile, still completely absorbed. Tonight wasn’t like before, he wasn’t alone.

Jiang Siheng watched Wen Chi for a long moment, then picked up his phone and snapped a picture of the scene. He zoomed in, looked at it in satisfaction, and casually posted it in his friends’ group chat.

Wen Chi wasn’t the only one with a small private friend group, Movie Emperor Jiang had one too, though Wen Chi knew most of the people in it.

【Qin Xiyu: ?】

【Pei Yining: ??】

【Pei Yining: Jiang Siheng, you bastard!! Not replying to my WeChat, what’s that supposed to mean?!】

【Huo Yanting: .】

Seeing Pei Yining losing it in the group, Jiang Siheng remembered he had forgotten to reply earlier. Honestly, Wen Chi was so cute when teased that he had completely forgotten about the twenty-plus unread messages.

【Qin Xiyu: So you’re posting this to say you’ve lured him back home?】

【Pei Yining: Pfft, so what if you have? You’re still not together.】

【Pei Yining: This afternoon you were even asking me how I confessed to my girlfriend.】

【Pei Yining: Learn from Old Huo, he went straight to marriage.】

【Huo Yanting: …】

Jiang Siheng watched as the group chat’s topic gradually veered toward Huo Yanting’s contract marriage with a teacher. He raised an eyebrow, then turned back to cooking.

Maybe Wen Chi knew Jiang Siheng’s cooking skills were limited, so he hadn’t actually placed any “order” and just let Jiang Siheng do his own thing. After finishing the latest episode of the variety show, Wen Chi stretched with satisfaction. When he turned his head, he found that Jiang Siheng had somehow slipped into the kitchen without him noticing, and a faint, warm aroma of food was drifting out.

Holy crap. Still mid-stretch, Wen Chi stared blankly at Jiang Siheng’s back in disbelief. Was he really being spoiled to the point of letting Movie Emperor Jiang cook alone while he lounged on the sofa watching TV without a care?

Jiang Siheng had no idea what kind of waves were crashing in Wen Chi’s mind. He was about to taste the soup to see if the flavor was right when he heard the shuffle of slippers. Then a fluffy head popped into his view.

“Mr. Jiang.”

“Mm, finished the show?”

Looking a little shy, Wen Chi grinned. “Finished. Need my help? I’m super good at this.”

Jiang Siheng lowered his gaze to the boy’s flexed muscles, pretended to think about it, and said, “Actually, there is something you can help with.”

“What is it?” Wen Chi was eager.

Jiang Siheng scooped some soup with a ladle. “Help me taste it, see if the flavor’s right.”

Wen Chi lowered his arms and pouted.

“What is it?” Jiang Siheng asked, amused.

“That’s not helping, you’re teasing me again.” Wen Chi complained, but still leaned in and obediently took a sip. He even smacked his lips afterwards.

“Well?”

Wen Chi nodded. “Tastes good. Just right.”

Hearing that, Jiang Siheng relaxed, ladled out a half-bowl for Wen Chi to drink first, then went back to cooking.

Wen Chi had entered the kitchen intending to help, but ended up only tasting a spoonful of soup before being sent to the dining area to drink it.

The soup was a bit hot, so Wen Chi set it aside to cool. Out of the corner of his eye, Jiang Siheng saw Wen Chi bouncing back into the kitchen again. It wasn’t that early anymore, so Jiang Siheng needed to cook quickly.

He never really gave Wen Chi a chance to help and whenever he sent him out, Wen Chi would always come back, so he just let him stay in the end, occasionally asking him to pass seasonings.

Wen Chi stood nearby chatting. Sometimes discussing whether a dish would taste good if made a different way, sometimes talking about how to judge if the seasoning was enough, and sometimes drifting into completely unrelated topics.

The once-silent home suddenly had the warmth of cooking and conversation, like any other household with its own bustle and sense of belonging.

Wen Chi left the kitchen and soon returned, this time holding a bowl of soup that had cooled to a comfortable warmth.

“Still not drinking?” Jiang Siheng asked, glancing at the bowl.

“Too hot earlier, I’m just letting it cool for a bit.”

Jiang Siheng hummed in reply. The next second, a porcelain-white spoon was suddenly held to his lips. He froze.

“Have some,” Wen Chi said, his gaze fixed on his own hand. He was actually nervous. If Jiang Siheng were as calm as usual, he would’ve noticed the faint tremor in Wen Chi’s hand but the man himself was already unsettled by that small gesture.

Jiang Siheng turned to look at Wen Chi. The boy’s pale face now had a faint blush, and his ears were red.

The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously, his voice hoarse. “Alright.”

Wen Chi watched as Jiang Siheng lowered his head slightly and drank the soup. Maybe it was just his personal bias, but at that moment, Jiang Siheng seemed so well-behaved. Wen Chi pressed his lips together, walked past him to the sterilizer cabinet, and Jiang Siheng’s gaze never left him. Seeing him take out a new spoon, he asked, “What are you doing?”

“Huh?” Wen Chi looked at the new spoon in his hand. “Getting a spoon.”

“I know. I mean, why are you getting a new one?” Jiang Siheng clarified.

“To use…” Wen Chi was a little confused, but explained anyway. “That one was yours. I’m getting a new one.”

“No need.” Jiang Siheng took the new spoon from his hand, put it back into the sterilizer, and tapped the one in the bowl with his finger, his tone calm. “Just use this.”

Use this…? Wen Chi froze for a moment. But this was the spoon Jiang Siheng had already used…

Seeing his expression, Jiang Siheng raised a brow. “You find me dirty?”

Without thinking, Wen Chi blurted, “No!”

“Mm.” Jiang Siheng nodded, turning back to cooking, leaving Wen Chi holding the spoon and unsure what to do next.

Wen Chi glanced at the man’s handsome profile, as if making some great decision, and swallowed. Forget it, he had already kissed him before. And hadn’t Jiang Siheng even used his tongue then…?

Standing to the side, Wen Chi fell into a thoughtful daze, reliving that memory. Without thinking, he scooped a spoonful of soup and drank it, forgetting entirely that just moments ago he had worried about Jiang Siheng being a germophobe who wouldn’t want to share utensils.

Jiang Siheng appeared focused on the food, but when Wen Chi drank from the spoon he had used, the man’s gaze didn’t move, though the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

By the time Wen Chi came back to his senses, he had already drunk half the soup. Quickly, he scooped another spoonful and held it up to Jiang Siheng’s lips.

Once there’s a first time and a second, there’s bound to be a third. Wen Chi was now able to share the soup with Jiang Siheng, one mouthful for him, one for the man ,with an air of composure. It was only on the surface, his ears were still red.

“Alright, go sit outside. Dinner will be ready soon.” Jiang Siheng reached over and pinched his cheek.

“Okay.”

Wen Chi went to the living room and picked up his phone. The screen lit up with facial recognition, revealing Zhou Ruoyao’s messages at the top.

【Zhou Ruoyao: Chi Ge, are you back in Linquan City?】

【Zhou Ruoyao: I just wrapped up work here in Linquan too. Have you eaten? I can bring some dishes over and eat with you.】

【Zhou Ruoyao: [cute emoji]】

When news of Wen Chi’s incident hit Weibo’s trending list, the other guests from Heart’s Confession 2, as well as production staff like Xiao Zou who knew him, had all sent WeChat messages to check in, even if they couldn’t visit the hospital.

【Wen Chi: I’m about to have dinner.】

【Wen Chi: You just got off work so go eat and rest. We’ll meet up next time.】

【Wen Chi: There’s a lot I can’t eat right now [pounding desk][crying]】

【Zhou Ruoyao: [pat head] When you’re better, I’ll treat you to a big feast.】

【Wen Chi: [smirk] How big?】

【Zhou Ruoyao: Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis big】

Wen Chi couldn’t help laughing at the long stretch of dashes.

【Wen Chi: Alright!】

“Dinner’s ready.” Jiang Siheng brought the dishes to the table, catching sight of Wen Chi grinning at his phone, not sure who he was chatting with.

Wen Chi answered with an “Okay,” sent Zhou Ruoyao a quick note that he was going to eat, and exited WeChat.

Three dishes and a soup. This was the first time Jiang Siheng had cooked such a plentiful and earnest meal. The plating even looked good.

“Try it.”

Wen Chi sat across from him. To accommodate his recovering health, Jiang Siheng had followed the recipe precisely to make sweet and sour ribs, stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers, and a plate of greens.

There was no reason it wouldn’t taste good. Wen Chi had watched Jiang Siheng follow the instructions like a chemistry experiment, measuring every gram of salt and sugar, adjusting from low to medium to high heat exactly as instructed. If it still tasted bad, the problem would have to be with the recipe.

The sweet and sour ribs were sprinkled with white sesame seeds, their glossy red sheen inviting. Wen Chi took a bite, perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy, and looked at Jiang Siheng in surprise. “Delicious!”

Jiang Siheng, far less relaxed than he appeared, let out a silent breath of relief at those words. Outwardly, he just smiled calmly. “Glad you like it.”

The ribs and stir-fried pork were perfect with rice, but Wen Chi had never been one to eat much. Once he was about seventy percent full, he automatically put down his chopsticks, even with plenty of ribs left.

“Full? Have some soup, then,” Jiang Siheng offered, without pressing him to eat more.

“I’ll have just a little.” Wen Chi made a tiny “OK” gesture.

Full and content, Wen Chi was the perfect lazy salted fish at Jiang Siheng’s place. With no chores, just the occasional stretch on the sofa to prove he was still alive.

When Jiang Siheng finished the dishes and came out, he found Wen Chi on the balcony, tiptoeing to look outside, half his body leaning dangerously out. His heart jumped, and he called out, “Wen Chi!”

Startled, Wen Chi turned around, seeing Jiang Siheng striding toward him. “What’s wrong?” he asked blankly.

Jiang Siheng pulled him back inside and tapped his forehead. “Leaning out like that, do you have a death wish?”

Wen Chi blinked. He had only wanted to look at the night view and hadn’t realized how risky it was. Seeing the faint frown between Jiang Siheng’s brows, he said, “Sorry.”

Jiang Siheng gazed at him for a few seconds, then sighed helplessly. “Makes me want to keep you in my pocket and take you everywhere.”

It might have been a joke, but Wen Chi’s heart skipped a beat.

His gaze shifted, realizing he was practically in Jiang Siheng’s arms. One of the man’s hands hovered at his waist, and if Wen Chi tilted his head back just a little, his forehead would touch the bridge of Jiang Siheng’s nose.

As if sensing his gaze, Jiang Siheng looked down, Wen Chi’s reflection clear in his eyes, and smiled. “What are you looking at me for?”

Looking at that smile, Wen Chi realized he might have fallen for Jiang Siheng earlier than he had thought.

“Teacher Jiang.”

“Mm?”

“Can I kiss you again?”