The rooster next door crowed loudly.
As its call echoed through the village, the sun slowly rose over the eastern mountains, and golden sunlight spilled across the kitchen stove.
Su Yu had made herself a simple apron.
The apron at home was already covered in patches and stained with grease.
She honestly didn’t know how Tang Chen could still wear it.
In her hands were the large green vegetables she had picked from the space.
She still hadn’t forgotten how delicious they had tasted the last time.
After wiping down the mud-plastered stove, Su Yu tossed the vegetables onto a chopping block made from a tree stump.
Beside it lay an extremely sharp blade.
Calling it a kitchen knife hardly seemed accurate—it was practically a hatchet.
Having grown used to lightweight modern knives, Su Yu estimated this one weighed at least two pounds.
By the time she finished chopping the vegetables, her wrist was already sore.
She unconsciously shook out her arm.
“A-Yu, you’re still not used to working in the kitchen, are you? Why don’t I do it instead?”
Hearing Tang Chen’s voice suddenly sound behind her, Su Yu jumped.
“Why do you walk around without making any noise?”
The complaint came out sounding suspiciously like a spoiled little pout.
Tang Chen’s eyes immediately darkened.
His arrival was actually a relief.
Su Yu truly didn’t enjoy using this giant knife.
Chopping vegetables with it felt more like hacking apart meat.
As she casually untied her apron, she didn’t realize that Tang Chen had actually been standing at the doorway watching her for more than ten minutes.
Looking at the apron embroidered with small white flowers, warmth filled his heart.
She definitely made this especially for me.
That was Tang Chen’s honest thought.
He even decided that he would carefully hang the apron up later and never allow a single drop of oil to stain it.
Su Yu was responsible for cooking the noodle dumplings.
Tang Chen sat by the stove and tended the fire.
Watching his skillful movements, Su Yu couldn’t help thinking that he seemed even gentler than he had in her previous life.
The thought gradually made her doubt her own memories.
Tang Chen paid no attention to her muttering.
Standing up, he took two eggs from the cabinet and cracked them directly into the noodle soup.
Su Yu noticed there were still five or six eggs left inside.
Had Tang Chen really earned all those eggs through hard labor?
“Tang Chen, don’t waste them next time. Save the eggs for Tangtang. She’s still growing. I’m an adult—my body isn’t that delicate.”
Ever since Su Yu’s rebirth, Tang Chen had cooked two eggs every morning for her and Tangtang.
Meanwhile, he always ate those dry, hard pancakes that were difficult to swallow.
The more she thought about it, the more guilty she felt.
Perhaps she really had misunderstood him in her previous life.
Maybe Tang Chen had disappeared because of circumstances beyond his control.
As Su Yu drifted deeper into thought, a shadow suddenly fell over her.
She looked up.
Tang Chen’s face was directly before her.
Sunlight illuminated him perfectly.
Even the tiny hairs on his skin were visible.
For some reason, Su Yu found herself thinking that his face probably felt very nice to touch.
Then she suddenly realized something was wrong.
!!!
When had her hand ended up on Tang Chen’s face?
Though…
His skin really was quite smooth.
Her thumb unconsciously rubbed against his cheek a few times.
She even felt a little reluctant to stop.
“A-Yu, you…”
Tang Chen held two bowls of noodle dumplings in his hands as he slowly approached.
Looking into his dark eyes, Su Yu swallowed nervously.
No way…
Things weren’t progressing this quickly, were they?
Although they were husband and wife, they hadn’t actually slept close together in a very long time.
Tangtang always slept between them.
She wasn’t ready for that yet!
Looking at Tang Chen’s wheat-colored skin and his attractive lips, Su Yu suddenly closed her eyes and tilted her chin upward.
“You… could you help me untie my apron? I tied the knot too tightly.”
…
Little Tangtang sat on her chair.
Her eyes moved back and forth between Su Yu and Tang Chen.
She seemed completely unaware of the awkward atmosphere filling the room.
Her short legs swung back and forth.
Then she pointed at Tang Chen’s face.
“Daddy, why are you smiling all the time?”
After saying that, she looked at Su Yu.
“Mommy, why won’t you look up? And why is your face so red? Did Daddy make you angry?”
When Su Yu didn’t answer, Tangtang assumed she was right.
She immediately ran over and began pounding her tiny fists against Tang Chen’s solid chest.
“Hmph! Even if you’re my daddy, you can’t bully Mommy! Take that!”
To Tang Chen, the blows felt no stronger than gentle scratches.
He sighed helplessly.
He spoiled Su Yu too much to ever bully her.
Eventually, having no way to deal with the situation, he picked up Su Yu’s bowl and carried it over.
“If you don’t eat soon, the noodle dumplings will get cold.”
He paused.
“Or do you want me to feed you?”
After saying that, he actually picked up a fried egg.
He blew on it gently and then held it in front of Su Yu’s lips.
At that moment, a phrase suddenly appeared in Su Yu’s mind.
Indirect kiss.
Tang Chen was crouching in front of her.
From her angle, she was looking down at him.
His face was handsome from every possible angle.
Three hundred and sixty degrees without a single flaw.
Clenching her fists, Su Yu desperately suppressed the thoughts in her heart and took a small bite of the egg.
The runny yolk immediately flowed out.
Tang Chen hadn’t forgotten.
She loved soft-boiled eggs.
Instantly, Su Yu’s eyes reddened again.
Seeing this, Tang Chen panicked.
He quickly set down the bowl and gently touched the corner of her eye.
“I’m sorry, A-Yu.”
His voice was filled with concern.
“I apologize. I must have done something to upset you.”
Hearing that, Su Yu felt both amused and helpless.
Tang Chen probably didn’t even know what he’d done wrong.
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I just think you’re too good to me.”
Tang Chen froze for a moment.
Then he smiled softly.
“As long as you’re not angry.”
Both of them completely forgot about the third person in the room.
Little Tangtang immediately made a face at them.
“Bleeeeh! Daddy and Mommy are embarrassing!”
She dragged a chubby finger across her cheek in a teasing gesture.
Only then did Su Yu notice that Tangtang’s bowl of noodle dumplings was barely touched.
“Tangtang.”
Su Yu frowned slightly.
“Didn’t Mommy tell you to eat more vegetables?”
Ever since she was little, Tangtang had hated vegetables.
Su Yu had always gone through great lengths, trying countless methods just to get her daughter to take a few bites.
When Tang Chen saw the untouched vegetables, his expression darkened as well.
The gentle man from moments ago seemed like an entirely different person.