“What do you want for lunch?”
Shen Zhiyi nudged Pei Xu with her elbow.
“The beef noodles you made were really good.”
“Beef noodles? Wouldn’t just a bowl of beef noodles be too plain for lunch?”
Shen Zhiyi felt that lunch had to be substantial, otherwise she’d lack energy for the rest of the day.
“It’s not plain. We’ll have a snack in the afternoon.”
Shen Zhiyi basically recorded videos every day, sometimes making innovative dishes, sometimes desserts.
Pei Xu always felt like he had gained weight recently, but whenever he asked Shen Zhiyi, she said she couldn’t tell.
“That’s true. Let me think about what to make for your afternoon snack.”
Shen Zhiyi helped Pei Xu fasten his seatbelt and tapped her fingers on the steering wheel.
“Pineapple seafood rice, or mushroom rice—pick one. If you don’t like either, how about chicken wing rice?”
Shen Zhiyi gave Pei Xu several options. If it were up to her, she’d probably choose pineapple seafood rice.
“I thought you’d make a drink in the afternoon.”
“You forgot, I just made cold-brewed fruit tea yesterday, and the day before that, I made dessert. Today, it’s time for something else.”
“Then pineapple seafood rice.”
Hearing Pei Xu say this, Shen Zhiyi looked at him with pleasant surprise.
She grabbed one of Pei Xu’s hands, lifted his palm, and gave it a high-five.
“We’re thinking the same thing. I just bought fresh shrimp, and we have squid at home. As for crabs, there’s a stall selling river crabs at the entrance of our neighborhood. Although the price is a bit higher than at the supermarket, they look quite fresh.”
“Mm, then let’s buy them from the stall outside the neighborhood.”
Pei Xu agreed with a nod.
Shen Zhiyi first parked the car in the neighborhood parking space, then took Pei Xu outside to buy crabs.
“Miss, buying crabs? My crabs are really plump. If the crab roe isn’t full after steaming, you can come back to me, and I’ll refund your money.”
“Help me pick two, please.”
Shen Zhiyi thought that for just a seafood rice dish, two crabs would be enough.
“Are two enough for you and your brother?”
Seeing that Shen Zhiyi and Pei Xu were standing a bit far apart and that there didn’t seem to be any romantic atmosphere between them, the vendor assumed they were siblings.
“This is my husband.”
Shen Zhiyi reached out, pulled Pei Xu to her side, and wrapped her arm around his.
“You two are married? I thought you were siblings.”
The vendor chuckled awkwardly, picking up a net bag and putting two crabs inside.
“Let’s get a few more crabs. I can make crab roe noodles for you tomorrow. I remember you really like them.”
Feeling his arm being squeezed tightly by Shen Zhiyi, Pei Xu helplessly curled the corner of his mouth.
“Mm, I like the crab roe noodles you make.”
After buying the crabs, Shen Zhiyi didn’t let go of his arm, still holding onto it.
“Why bother being so serious with the vendor? If he misunderstood us as siblings, just let him.”
“How is that being serious? Aren’t we married? That’s just telling the truth.”
Pei Xu stopped walking.
“Won’t you feel embarrassed letting others know you have a husband who can’t see anything?”
Shen Zhiyi was amused by Pei Xu’s words.
“What are you talking about, Pei Xu? How could I feel embarrassed? Having a husband like you, I’m clearly incredibly lucky.”
He had twenty million and was willing to spend nineteen million nine hundred thousand on her.
Even if they divorced, he’d make sure she had a way out.
Finding another man as responsible as him would probably be harder than reaching the sky.
“Every time we go out, you keep a few steps away from me. Is it because you’re afraid I’ll look down on you?”
Pei Xu didn’t say anything, but Shen Zhiyi had already gotten the answer from his expression.
Shen Zhiyi stopped walking and cupped Pei Xu’s face with both hands.
“Listen carefully, I will never look down on you. Appearance is nothing compared to charm. Even if you can’t see, it doesn’t stop you from being a ray of light in others’ eyes.”
Seeing that Pei Xu remained silent, Shen Zhiyi reached out and poked his cheek.
“Did you hear me, Pei Xu?”
“Let’s go, let’s go home and make pineapple seafood rice.”
Pei Xu, holding his white cane, walked toward the building entrance.
“Pei Xu, did you hear what I just said?”
“Is what I said not as important as pineapple seafood rice?”
Shen Zhiyi ran to Pei Xu’s side and linked arms with him.
“I didn’t hear. The wind was too loud just now.”
Shen Zhiyi knew he was saying the opposite and snorted.
“You’re going the wrong way. Our home is straight ahead, why are you turning so early?”
Shen Zhiyi led Pei Xu in the correct direction.
After arriving home, Shen Zhiyi placed the net bag with crabs in the sink.
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Today’s dish is relatively simple. First, help me wash two tomatoes, or… would you like to try cutting the pineapple for me?”
“Okay.”
He rarely refused Shen Zhiyi’s requests.
“Come on, let’s cut the pineapple first.”
Shen Zhiyi took the pineapple out of the refrigerator.
Pineapple seafood rice doesn’t require much pineapple. She cut half, soaked the rest in saltwater, and planned to make a fruit platter later.
“Alright, the pineapple is on the cutting board. Use this knife.”
Shen Zhiyi handed Pei Xu a fruit knife.
“How big should the pieces be?”
“Not too big, not too small. Whatever size you cut is fine. After all, I’m quite confident in my cooking skills.”
Pei Xu tugged at the corner of his mouth, set the fruit knife aside, and went to wash his hands first.
“Then I’ll just cut it however.”
Pei Xu felt the pineapple with his left hand and slowly began cutting with the knife.
Shen Zhiyi stood beside him, watching his movements closely.
As the pineapple grew smaller, cutting became increasingly difficult for him.
Seeing his hand hadn’t yet moved away to prepare for the next cut, Shen Zhiyi quickly reached out and held the hand holding the knife.
“Slow down. The pineapple is now only about half the size of a palm.”
Shen Zhiyi placed her hand over his, wrapping her arms around him from behind.
“Alright, Xiao Pei, your work for today is successfully completed. You can clock out now.”
Shen Zhiyi took the fruit knife from Pei Xu’s hand, rinsed it briefly, and put it away in the knife block.
“Boss Shen, then I’ll head out first. Call me if you need anything.”
Seeing Pei Xu cooperate so willingly, Shen Zhiyi couldn’t help but smile.
Shen Zhiyi first placed the pineapple pieces on a plate, then put all the crabs in a basin to let them purge sand.
If the crabs aren’t cleaned properly, the whole pot of seafood rice might be ruined.
“I almost forgot, this pineapple seafood rice is an extra dish.”
“So I have to work overtime again?”
Hearing Shen Zhiyi’s awkward laugh, Pei Xu returned to the kitchen.
“Just help me wash two tomatoes.”
Shen Zhiyi put the rice noodles into the pot and made two cuts on the tomatoes.
After washing the tomatoes, Pei Xu didn’t rush to leave. He sat on the small stool he often used for preparing vegetables.
“Sorry for making you work overtime.”
“Actually, it doesn’t really count as overtime, since the boss has never paid me a salary anyway.”
“Hey, I’m not happy to hear you say that. I just bought you two trench coats—can’t that count as this month’s salary?”
“Besides, have you ever heard of a husband asking for a salary to do housework?”