In the kitchen, Lin Mo stood in front of the sink, washing vegetables.
The faucet sputtered and splashed, but his thoughts weren’t on the greens in his hands at all.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Su Qing walked in and stood beside him.
“Brother, I’ll help you.”
She reached for a tomato under the other faucet, her body naturally leaning a bit closer.
Lin Mo could smell that familiar sweet scent on her.
“No need, just go sit and wait,” he said.
“I don’t want to.” Su Qing shook her head. “I want to do it with you.”
She picked up the tomato and began washing it.
The two of them stood side by side, the sound of rushing water filling the air.
Lin Mo stole a glance at her.
Her head was down, her profile appearing exceptionally soft under the kitchen light. The neckline of her Pikachu dress was slightly open, revealing a bit of her collarbone.
He quickly looked away.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Which convenience store did you go to this afternoon?”
Lin Mo’s hand faltered for a moment.
“Just… the one at the entrance of the complex.”
Su Qing nodded.
“Oh. But I went there to look for you, and I didn’t see you.”
Lin Mo’s heart tightened.
“Maybe… we just missed each other.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Su Qing continued, “How long did you wait in line?”
“Quite a while.”
“What did you want to buy?”
“…”
Lin Mo’s mind raced.
Buy what?
He said he was going to buy something, but he hadn’t brought anything back.
“I wanted to buy…” He paused. “I wanted to buy those mints. The ones you said were delicious last time.”
Su Qing tilted her head to look at him.
“Doesn’t FamilyMart have those?”
Lin Mo: “…”
“The FamilyMart is right at the entrance of the complex. You don’t have to wait in line there.”
(；一_一) …
Lin Mo’s hand on the faucet went a bit stiff.
“That shop… was sold out.”
“I went to one a bit further away,” he said, forcing himself to continue.
“Oh — ” Su Qing elongated her voice. “I see.”
She lowered her head and continued washing the tomatoes.
Her expression changed again, looking a bit like the heroine Saionji Sekai in the final episode of School Days.
Lin Mo didn’t see it.
But he heard his own heartbeat.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
The vegetables were chopped. Lin Mo turned on the gas stove and poured in the oil.
Su Qing stood beside him, watching the oil in the pan slowly heat up.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Why were you always slow to reply to messages this afternoon? I always reply in seconds. Weren’t you just lying in your room?”
Lin Mo’s hand shook, and he almost dropped the spatula on the floor.
“I… I wasn’t, really.” He feigned composure. “I can’t just stare at my phone all the time.”
“Well, I replied to you in seconds! Hmph!” Su Qing blinked.
Lin Mo didn’t say anything.
He threw the green onions, ginger, and garlic into the pan. With a *sizzle*, smoke rose.
“Stand back a bit so the oil doesn’t splash on you.”
Su Qing didn’t move.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“What were you busy with when you weren’t replying?”
Lin Mo’s grip on the spatula tightened.
“I just… fell asleep while lying down, probably,” he said.
“Oh.” Su Qing nodded. “I see.”
Su Qing didn’t ask anything else.
Lin Mo breathed a sigh of relief.
He began stir-frying, his spatula flying. His movements were much faster than usual.
Su Qing stood by, quietly watching him.
The range hood hummed.
Steam hissed from the pan.
2 minutes later.
“Brother.”
Lin Mo’s heart skipped a beat.
“What is it now?”
“Are you tired today?”
The question sounded normal.
But Lin Mo felt like something was off.
“I’m fine,” he said.
“Really?” Su Qing tilted her head. “I think you should be quite tired.”
Lin Mo’s hand paused.
“Why?”
“Because today…” She paused. “The Sea-Fixing Needle couldn’t hold back the sea a few times.”
After she said that, both of them began to blush.
Just as Lin Mo started to relax slightly…
(°ãƒÂ°Ù¥)
“Brother, the food is going to burn.”
Lin Mo snapped back to his senses and quickly tossed the ingredients.
The pan really was a bit scorched.
20 minutes later, two dishes and one soup were on the table.
Tomato and Egg, Shredded Pork with Green Peppers, and Seaweed Egg Drop Soup.
Su Qing sat at the dining table, resting her chin on her hand as she watched him serve the rice.
“The way Brother looks while cooking is really handsome.”
Lin Mo’s hand shook, and the rice almost spilled.
“Don’t… don’t talk nonsense.”
“I’m not talking nonsense,” Su Qing said seriously. “It just looks good.”
She set the chopsticks in place, waiting for him to sit down.
Lin Mo brought over two bowls of rice and sat down across from her.
“Let’s eat.”
“Mhm.”
The two began to eat.
The atmosphere was very cozy.
At least on the surface.
Su Qing took a bite of the Shredded Pork with Green Peppers, put it in her mouth, and chewed slowly.
“Mmm, delicious.” She nodded. “It’s much better than the food outside.”
Lin Mo kept his head down, shoveling rice.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“What did you… eat this afternoon?”
Lin Mo’s chopsticks paused.
“I didn’t eat,” he said. “I just had some snacks.”
“Snacks?” Su Qing tilted her head. “What snacks?”
“Just… whatever I found.”
“Oh.” Su Qing nodded. “I thought you would have eaten ice cream.”
(；一_一) …
Lin Mo’s grip on his chopsticks tightened.
“I didn’t,” he said.
“Is that so?” Su Qing blinked. “I had some this afternoon. The matcha flavor at that shop was quite good.”
As she spoke, her eyes were fixed on him.
Images from the afternoon flashed through Lin Mo’s mind.
Inside the Ice Cream Shop, the clerk had placed the matcha ice cream in front of Shen Qingyue.
“This is on the house. It’s matcha flavored, representing ‘pure and refined’.”
He lowered his head and continued eating.
“As long as it was good,” he said.
Su Qing looked at him.
She watched him for 3 seconds.
Then she smiled.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“You seem a bit distracted.”
Lin Mo looked up.
She was looking at him, her eyes bright, her lips curved into an arc.
“Am I?” He forced a smile. “No, I’m not.”
“Really?” Su Qing blinked. “That’s good, then.”
She lowered her head and continued eating.
Lin Mo breathed a sigh of relief.
He didn’t know how much longer he could hold on.
After eating, Su Qing took the initiative to help clear the dishes.
In the kitchen, one washed the dishes while the other dried them.
The water rushed and splashed.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Tell me…” Su Qing’s voice came from the direction of the faucet. “If one person lies to another, will the other person know?”
Lin Mo’s hand paused.
“Probably… they would,” he said.
“I think so too,” Su Qing said. “Especially for people who are very close.”
She handed him a washed bowl.
Lin Mo took it and wiped it dry with a cloth.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Have you ever lied to me?”
Lin Mo’s heart skipped a beat.
He looked at her.
She was looking at him, too.
The kitchen light fell upon her face.
Lin Mo opened his mouth.
“… No,” he said.
Su Qing looked at him.
She watched him for 5 seconds.
Then she smiled.
“That’s good, then.”
She turned back and continued washing the dishes.
The sound of water splashed.
Lin Mo stood there, his grip on the bowl almost crushing it.
He didn’t know if she believed him.
But he knew he was about to reach his limit.
After washing the dishes, the two returned to the living room.
Su Qing sat on the sofa and patted the spot next to her.
“Brother, come sit.”
Lin Mo walked over and sat down beside her.
This time, he didn’t intentionally keep his distance.
Su Qing leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for spending time with me today.”
Lin Mo was momentarily stunned.
“Even though it was only for the morning,” she said softly, “I’m very happy.”
Lin Mo didn’t know what to say.
“In the future…” she paused, “can we still be like this?”
“We can,” he said.
Su Qing looked up at him.
“Really?”
“Really.”
She smiled sweetly.
Then she leaned in closer and left a light kiss on his cheek.
“This is a reward.”
Lin Mo froze.
She pulled back slightly, looking at his stunned expression, her eyes curving into crescents.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Next time…” she paused, “I want you to spend the whole day with me.”
She stood up and picked up her bag.
“I’m heading back.”
Lin Mo stood up as well.
“I’ll walk you out.”
“No need.” She shook her head. “It’s only a few steps.”
She walked to the door, changed her shoes, and opened it.
Then she turned back to look at him.
“Brother. I bought that sexy pair of pantsu, too.”
The door closed gently.
Lin Mo stood there, staring at the door.