Chapter 3: Dinner

Wen Yasheng was busy in the kitchen for a while, fine beads of sweat covering her forehead.

Watching her busy back, Ning Chuxue felt a sense of loss.

She wanted to go out, but was stopped by the other woman.

The loss didn’t last long. Soon, the dishes that Wen Yasheng brought out one by one washed it away.

But Ning Chuxue still felt puzzled.

Although the meal was very sumptuous, the flavors of the dishes were all very bland—not a single spicy or heavy dish.

The last dish, fish soup, was placed on the dining table by Wen Yasheng. She took out a small bowl and filled it to the brim for Ning Chuxue.

The fish soup was also very light—no scallions, ginger, or garlic at all.

Ning Chuxue noticed that very few seasonings were used, but Wen Yasheng was still very confident. “Chuxue can’t eat heavy flavors yet. But don’t worry—even without those, Chuxue will still love your sister’s cooking.”

Ning Chuxue’s guard was no longer as high. Under Wen Yasheng’s soothing presence, she had already opened up a lot.

With a skeptical mindset, she took the bowl of fish soup from Wen Yasheng and took a small sip.

It wasn’t hot—the temperature was just within her acceptable range.

Then she picked up a piece of fish and put it into her mouth.

At first, she ate cautiously, afraid of getting a fishbone stuck in her throat.

But after swallowing the whole piece, she didn’t encounter a single bone.

Wen Yasheng sat across from her, propping her face on one hand, quietly watching her eat, her face radiating a motherly warmth.

“Chuxue, does it taste good?”

It was like she was asking for praise.

Or like she was conducting a survey, adjusting future meals accordingly.

Wen Yasheng’s care was meticulous—so meticulous that Ning Chuxue felt uncomfortable. She nodded slightly, her gray-white pupils fluttering like butterflies along the edges of her eye sockets.

“It’s delicious.”

It was more than just delicious.

This dish—and in fact, all the dishes on the table—seemed tailor-made for her, taking into account her taste, her physical condition, and everything else.

Not only that, but all the decor and design she had seen in this house so far, including some subtle details, seemed to exist for her sake.

Even the staircase she had come down—the railing height was just at her arm joint, so her outstretched hand was level with it.

This design allowed her to easily use the railing as a handrail.

The aromatherapy in the air, the room temperature, the size and height of the chair—every single thing gave her the feeling of being custom-made.

While thinking about these things, she didn’t stop eating. Her cheeks were stuffed full like a hamster’s.

It wasn’t her fault for eating so hastily—aside from the fact that the dishes themselves were delicious, all the events of today had made her quite hungry.

She finished the last bit of fish soup, took a bite of rice, and then looked up contentedly.

The moment she raised her head, she froze.

Wen Yasheng’s bowl was completely clean—untouched.

She had been quietly watching Ning Chuxue eat, showing no interest in the full table of food.

“You… you’re not eating?”

Ning Chuxue found it a bit unsettling. Her voice stammered, and the chewing motion in her mouth stopped.

“Chuxue eats first. I’ll eat later.”

Wen Yasheng stretched her waist, then stood up and slowly walked behind Ning Chuxue.

Ning Chuxue was at a loss, her gaze unconsciously following Wen Yasheng’s movement.

Although her guard had been lowered significantly, she was still very reserved.

She turned her head to look at Wen Yasheng, who had now come up behind her.

The latter’s eyes were hazy, and a hint of mischievousness appeared on her face.

“Chuxue, you’ve got a grain of rice stuck on the corner of your mouth.”

Ning Chuxue was petrified on the spot.

Recalling her earlier eating manner, and now being called out for the rice grain on her lips, she was instantly so embarrassed she could curl up her toes in shame.

Her hands fidgeted aimlessly, not knowing where to put them.

Wen Yasheng watched her and curved her lips into an ambiguous smile, a bold idea forming in her mind.

‘Chuxue’s current look is really cute.’

Wen Yasheng was restless, repeating this sentence frantically in her heart.

Ning Chuxue’s reserved look… her embarrassed look, combined with her frail body and the way she tried to hide her small face in her hair.

Every image was so cute.

The restlessness inside her—Wen Yasheng couldn’t suppress it.

Under Ning Chuxue’s shocked gaze, Wen Yasheng licked the rice grain off her lips with her tongue, then swallowed it.

Already embarrassed, Ning Chuxue’s mind went blank. She reached out in confusion and touched the lingering warmth at the corner of her mouth.

The faint scent of Wen Yasheng’s body still lingered in her breath.

She looked up in shock at Wen Yasheng.

The latter licked her lips nonchalantly and said lightly, “What a waste to throw it away.”

“That’s not the point!” Ning Chuxue’s heart thumped wildly. She was suddenly flustered and panicked.

She didn’t know if she was angry.

Wen Yasheng’s pink hair was tied up in a bun. Her simple, neat attire gave Ning Chuxue a clean and crisp impression. Paired with her gentle expression and a hint of mischievous satisfaction, her charm had risen another level.

And someone like this had suddenly done something so presumptuous.

Did she hate it? Ning Chuxue didn’t know.

Did she like it? She couldn’t tell either.

“Does Chuxue mind?”

Wen Yasheng returned to her usual demeanor, as if nothing had happened.

“I…” Ning Chuxue stammered, unable to form a sentence for a long time.

“I’m sorry! Your sister didn’t know Chuxue hated it so much!”

Wen Yasheng’s tone was very sincere, which made Ning Chuxue feel a bit embarrassed instead. Her voice stumbled, growing softer as she said, “No… I don’t hate it that much…”

She didn’t know what mindset had made her say that.

Seeing the tips of Ning Chuxue’s ears turn red, her long white hair covering her cheeks, Wen Yasheng put away her playful intentions.

‘Now is not the time. Chuxue just lost her memory. I need to leave a good impression…’

Wen Yasheng thought to herself, then turned around. From the bag on the shelf next to the dining table, she took out a pure white box and slowly walked over to Ning Chuxue.

“Chuxue, use this phone for now. If you want a new one, just tell your sister anytime.”

Her tone was slow, her expression gentle—a completely different person from her behavior just now.

The box looked pristine, as if it had never been opened.

Ning Chuxue hesitated for a moment, then accepted it.

Seeing Ning Chuxue take the box, Wen Yasheng’s tense nerves completely relaxed.

“Chuxue, take a look and see if you like it.”

“Mm.”

Ning Chuxue responded, putting the earlier offense behind her. Under Wen Yasheng’s expectant gaze, she opened this “gift.”

She tore off the outer plastic wrap, opened the box, and an exquisite carmine-themed phone was revealed.

Ning Chuxue took out the phone and pressed the power button.

The screen lit up.

She didn’t have many needs for a phone—as long as it was functional enough—so she didn’t inspect it too closely.

“Is Chuxue satisfied?”

“Yes, thank you, big sister.”

Ning Chuxue’s voice was still very reserved when she thanked her.

Wen Yasheng didn’t mind. Her goal was achieved: she had given the phone she had prepared in advance to this sister of hers.

While Ning Chuxue was still fiddling with it, Wen Yasheng took out her own phone.

She swiped the screen and opened an app hidden in an obscure page.

Soon, a red dot appeared on the app’s map.

And that red dot was exactly the location of the phone in Ning Chuxue’s hands.

In addition, there was Ning Chuxue’s heart rate monitoring, app usage data, and so on.

As long as Ning Chuxue opened any app, Wen Yasheng would receive feedback.

After confirming everything was in order, Wen Yasheng turned her attention back to Ning Chuxue.

Her breath was hot, an almost imperceptible red light flickered in her pupils, and her possessiveness was revealed without restraint.

When Ning Chuxue looked up, she switched back to her usual gentle expression. “Chuxue is satisfied—that makes your sister happy too.”