Fu Chengyan was an excellent dining companion. Aside from simple questions like “Does the food suit your taste? Is the saltiness just right?” he never broached personal topics.
At half past noon the next day, Xu Zhizhi was already enjoying egg tarts and matcha soufflés.
“What would you like to eat for Christmas tomorrow?”
Xu Zhizhi had already learned to order for herself. She pulled up the fried chicken video she had bookmarked just yesterday and showed it to Fu Chengyan.
Fu Chengyan didn’t know where she had watched this mukbang, but it featured spicy ramen paired with fried chicken and an ice-cold cola.
It looked appetizing—at least, only Xu Zhizhi thought so.
“Do you want to eat this?” He still remembered how the little girl had hissed softly the first time she tried spicy pepper beef stir-fry, and he couldn’t help but frown. “You’ll get heatiness if you eat this, and your stomach will feel uncomfortable.”
It was a refusal.
The little girl immediately wilted, hanging her head in unhappiness.
Her emotions were too obvious, completely unrestrained. Fu Chengyan wondered if it was because she already considered him a friend that she showed her feelings so openly in front of him.
Seeing her dejected, Fu Chengyan couldn’t bear it. “Fried chicken and cola are fine, but the spicy ramen won’t do. It’s too spicy and unhealthy. Someone like you who can’t handle much spice will definitely fall sick after eating it. How about switching it to beef noodles?”
The little girl, who had just been drooping and unhappy, instantly perked up.
Her appearance was sweet and well-behaved, and now, with her eyes curved as she looked at you, it was as if they held a dazzling, radiant light.
Tell me, what man wouldn’t be moved?
This was the first time Fu Chengyan had seen the little girl smile.
It was very sweet, very adorable.
He couldn’t help himself and reached out to stroke the little girl’s fluffy hair, then pretended nothing had happened. “Actually, the chef at my home can make several kinds of fried chicken sauces. Do you prefer amber flavor, sea salt lemon, or do you have a particular favorite?”
Xu Zhizhi was at a loss. She opened her mouth slightly, her soft and sweet voice quietly asking, “Which one tastes good?”
Fu Chengyan wanted to say they could make three or four flavors for her to try, but before the words left his mouth, he suddenly realized something was off. Had he just heard the little girl speak? It sounded lovely, very gentle.
But…
Fu Chengyan was astonished. “You… you can speak?”
Wasn’t she a little mute?
Xu Zhizhi glared at him unhappily.
“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that I’ve never heard you talk before, so I thought you…” He smiled apologetically. “But you can speak? Why didn’t you talk to me before?”
He had even taken the trouble to learn sign language for a few days, but since the little girl seemed to understand everything, he hadn’t had the chance to use it.
“We weren’t familiar,” she said.
Fu Chengyan chuckled. So that was it. “Are we familiar now?”
“A little bit familiar.”
“Alright, a little bit is fine.” Fu Chengyan was confident in himself. “The chef doesn’t just make fried chicken and fries. He also makes cheese bagels, egg burgers, and sour-spicy beef noodles—things you like to eat.”
Xu Zhizhi swallowed. She really wanted to eat them.
“Are we still just a little bit familiar now?” Fu Chengyan asked.
“A bit familiar.”
“Is that so?” He thought for a moment. “There’s also a pastry chef at home who makes matcha cheese pastries and lemon tarts that are especially delicious.”
“Three parts familiar.”
“Cheese rolls and almond cake are also good.”
Xu Zhizhi blinked. “Three and a half parts familiar.”
A smile played at the corner of Fu Chengyan’s lips. Afraid of pushing her too far, he decided not to tease her any further.
“Come eat at my place, or should I pack it up and bring it over?”
Xu Zhizhi shook her head, “I’m not going out.”
Fu Chengyan hadn’t really expected to be able to lure her back home. He knew he had to take it step by step, making sure the little girl thought of him often.
At Lushan Manor, the chef looked at the menu for the past couple of days, feeling a bit puzzled.
This didn’t seem like the kind of food Mr. Fu usually liked?
Fried foods, sweets, various drinks… it looked like something you’d order at a fast-food restaurant.
Maybe he was tired of stir-fries and wanted a change of taste.
Fu Chengyan had consulted a highly respected traditional Chinese medicine doctor and received a few days’ worth of recipes. The chef prepared two dishes, and after tasting a few bites, Fu Chengyan suddenly put down his chopsticks. “Just make one dish a day.”
Otherwise, the little girl definitely wouldn’t like it.
“Make the cake in the shape of a Christmas tree,” Fu Chengyan said. “Never mind, I’ll make it myself.”
Head Chef Sun didn’t understand, but after agreeing, he went to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients.
“Make some crispy fried fish. Skip the Shanghai greens and replace them with oyster sauce lettuce or spicy and sour bok choy.”
“Alright, Mr. Fu.” The chef put the Shanghai greens in the refrigerator and instead selected fresh lettuce.
“Make a dish of spicy diced chicken.”
For the little girl to snack on.
“Mr. Fu, do you need any other dishes?”
“No, just make the fried chicken in a few different flavors, and prepare plenty of sauces.” Thinking it still wasn’t enough, he added, “Also make a salted egg yolk cheese pizza.”
The chef agreed. If he didn’t know that Fu Chengyan was neither married nor had a girlfriend, he would have suspected Mr. Fu had a child.
His own teenage son, around fifteen or sixteen, was always clamoring for fried chicken and pizza.
After giving his instructions, Fu Chengyan went to the small kitchen, which was specifically for making pastries and desserts. He had learned how to make small cakes a few days ago, and with the help of the pastry chef, he was now quite skilled and found it effortless.
If you ignored the two failed attempts, the output from this novice baker was actually pretty good.
He carefully packed the cake in a transparent box, meticulously tying a ribbon, leaving no detail unattended for fear of any imperfection.
Everyone at Lushan Manor witnessed this scene and was utterly astonished.
They all noticed that their master had been acting strangely lately. Not only had his taste in food changed drastically, but the man who used to work late, come home just to sleep, and treat the house like a hotel was now seen around every day. He even cooked meals at noon and in the afternoon.
And he was skipping work to do it.
Today was Christmas. Normally, the master hated Western holidays, but today he had gone to the trouble of making a Christmas tree cake, even if it didn’t turn out very pretty.
But it was really bizarre.
Especially since he had also carefully wrapped a bright red apple in a gift box.
With a girly pink bow tied around it.
Wen Li’s mouth twitched. A man in love really was strange.
Afraid that the cake might get damaged on the bumpy road, Fu Chengyan had Wen Li, the designated tool, hold it the entire way.
Wen Li: “…”
Practice makes perfect. After a few more tries, it would look better. If it were summer, Fu Chengyan thought, he could make an ice cream cake for the little girl.
Half an hour later, seeing the little girl’s delighted expression, Fu Chengyan knew he hadn’t made the cake in vain.
Chasing a girl required some effort.
“The apple isn’t for the holiday—it’s to wish you peace,” he said. It was a heartfelt blessing.
“Oh.” Xu Zhizhi nodded emphatically, thought for a moment, then hurried to the refrigerator and took out an orange. “For you.”
Fu Chengyan stared at her for a moment, then slowly lowered his gaze to the large orange she was holding in her hands. The corners of his lips curved slightly as he said meaningfully, “May all your wishes come true.”
That was a good omen—he liked it very much.
Seeing that he liked it, Xu Zhizhi also felt happy.