With a pleasant beep, the security check passed; the screen flashed green, and the apartment door swung open automatically.
Wen Shuyu headed straight for his bedroom, quickly stripped off his clothes, and ducked into the bathroom for a quick rinse.
That was one of the minor downsides of using a smoke bomb: it left a faint chemical odor on one’s body. And Pei Jiangchen possessed a sense of smell as keen as a hound’s.
After confirming that his scent was back to normal, Wen Shuyu tossed his clothes into the washing machine, hit ‘Start,’ and walked into the kitchen.
He grabbed an apron hanging from the cabinet, gave it a sharp snap, and tied it expertly around his waist.
With less than half an hour left before Pei Jiangchen returned home, he had to have a satisfying dinner ready by the time the man walked through the door.
Time was clearly tight, but fortunately, the pot of red wine-braised beef he had prepared by sacrificing his lunch break earlier that day took a significant load off his shoulders.
He washed two fist-sized potatoes and drew a knife from the rack. The blade spun gracefully in his palm before settling into a firm, steady grip.
This was a trick he would never show off in front of Pei Jiangchen.
With a rapid swish-swish sound, the potatoes were quickly peeled and cut into uniform chunks.
Wen Shuyu ladled the braised beef from the electric cooker into a clay pot, plucked a sprig of rosemary from a planter on the windowsill, tossed it and the potatoes into the pot, and covered it to continue simmering.
Next, he began preparing the evening’s main dish.
He drizzled olive oil into a frying pan and sautéed shrimp, mussels, clams, and sliced squid rings until fragrant, deglazing the pan with a splash of white cooking wine. He removed the cooked seafood, added fresh oil to the pan, and fried the shrimp heads over low heat.
While the shrimp oil was frying, Wen Shuyu switched knives; his movements were a blur as he rapidly chopped onions, tomatoes, and garlic into fine pieces on the cutting board.
The timing was perfect—the shrimp oil was ready just then. Wen Shuyu scooped out the shrimp heads and tossed the diced onion and garlic into the hot oil. As the aroma of the sautéing aromatics rose, he added the diced tomatoes and chorizo to the pan.
Once the tomatoes had released their juices and the spicy sausage was fragrant, it was time to add the rinsed long-grain rice. He sprinkled in a pinch of saffron and stirred briefly, watching as the ingredients took on a beautiful orange hue.
After a splash of white wine and a brief simmer, Wen Shuyu poured in the chicken stock he had been brewing since noon. He added seasonings and carefully arranged the seafood and chicken breast atop the rice.
He covered the pan and turned the heat down low; it only needed another ten minutes or so. Once the liquid had reduced, the paella would be ready to serve.
But Wen Shuyu wasn’t finished yet.
He tore open a bag of pre-mixed salad greens from the organic shop, emptied it into a bowl, and dressed it with vinaigrette and a sprinkling of cheese. Next, he fired up a small tabletop grill to cook asparagus, red bell pepper, zucchini, and eggplant slices, brushing them with a savory glaze and a dash of pepper.
Was something missing?
Wen Shuyu wiped his hands on his apron as it suddenly dawned on him.
He ran back to his room and unzipped the backpack lying by the door. After digging past a flashbang, Tao Wei’s Desert Eagle, and a Super Karambit SF knife, he finally found what he was looking for: a small, fragrant pineapple.
He tossed the weapons back into the bag, kicked it under his desk, and returned to the kitchen, tossing the pineapple casually in the air.
He peeled and sliced the pineapple, arranging it neatly on a large platter alongside melon, grapes, and mango, while filling small dipping bowls with honey, maple syrup, and blueberry jam.
After a moment’s thought, Wen Shuyu took a jar of homemade rose petal jam out of the refrigerator as well. The unique, sweet aroma of the floral preserve made the young man involuntarily swallow hard. After a full afternoon of classes and a fight earlier, he was ravenously hungry.
He scooped two generous spoonfuls of rose preserve into a small dish, while the next two spoonfuls went straight into Wen Shuyu’s own mouth.
The phone resting on the kitchen island suddenly gave a slight buzz—a signal from the security team that Pei Jiangchen was about to arrive home.
Wen Shuyu wiped his hands and began setting the table.
By the time the sound of the keypad lock unlocking echoed from the apartment entrance, the seafood paella was ready.