Chapter 512: Chapter 294: Stack Arhats
In the dining room, Xiao ier kept serving dishes non-stop, as if trying to compensate for the lull caused by Chen Cheng’s absence.
“Xiao ng, eat more of this.” Xiao ier served ng Wanning a piece of fish and then turned to serve i Xiang a piece of rib, “i Xiang, try this.”
Finally, she served herself a spoonful of He ixiang’s Mapo Tofu, “I’ll also try i Xiang’s cooking.”
The three of them quietly ate the dishes in their bowls, only Xiao ier’s brow frowned slightly.
Without the spice packet, i Xiang’s Mapo Tofu lacked so freshness and spiciness.
For soone who loves spicy food, this Mapo Tofu was barely passable to Xiao ier.
She secretly glanced at i Xiang across from her, who was nibbling on rice with a look of anticipation and nervousness on her face, seemingly awaiting her feedback.
Xiao ier felt conflicted; she didn’t want to dampen i Xiang’s enthusiasm, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything insincere.
“i Xiang, your Mapo Tofu…” Xiao ier hesitated, then spoke up, “has a quite unique taste.”
i Xiang’s eyes lit up, “Really? What do you think, ier?”
Xiao ier forced a smile, “Um… it’s quite hoy.” She quickly added, “It’s just that the spiciness… feels rather mild.”
i Xiang sensed Xiao ier’s reluctant tone, and her smile faded a bit, “Oh, is that so? I usually can’t handle much spice, so I used less chili. ier, if you like it spicy, I’ll add more next ti.”
“No, no, it’s good this way, lighter ans healthier,” Xiao ier quickly said, then hurriedly took a piece of fish and put it in her mouth to hide her embarrassnt.
ng Wanning had been quietly observing their interaction and tried a bite of the Mapo Tofu.
The tofu, only salty, was hard to swallow.
She understood Xiao ier’s dilemma but still said, “Miss i Xiang’s cooking skills are much better than mine.”
“Really?” i Xiang blinked, “Miss ng, you like it?”
“ier likes spicy, I prefer mild. This seasoning is just right for ,” ng Wanning continued, “It’s quite impressive.”
Xiao ier, seeing ng Wanning smoothing things over, was overjoyed.
“Co on, good food, good wine, let’s not go ho until we’re drunk!” Xiao ier followed ng Wanning’s lead, raised her glass, and said heartily.
i Xiang’s smile returned as she raised her glass in agreent: “Cheers!”
Although ng Wanning was not a good drinker, she also raised her glass and gently clinked it.
With ng Wanning’s “endorsent”, i Xiang’s cooking seed officially certified, and Xiao ier put aside her ntal burden, starting to enjoy the al wholeheartedly as the atmosphere ward up again.
With the clinking of glasses, the three gradually opened up.
Xiao ier talked from family anecdotes to the challenges of running a store, i Xiang shared about Japanese culture, and ng Wanning occasionally joined in, creating a harmonious and relaxed atmosphere.
Unconsciously, the bottle of wine was empty.
Xiao ier’s cheeks flushed, her speech began to slur,
“i Xiang, let tell you, Xiao Cheng, that guy, looks so honest but he’s actually quite mischievous…”
She leaned in towards i Xiang mysteriously, lowering her voice, forgetting that her voice had uncontrollably risen by an octave.
i Xiang, also tipsy, chuckled along, “Really? Tell more, ier!”
ng Wanning, usually a teetotaler, drank a whole bottle of red wine today and now felt the room spinning, watching the other two laugh foolishly, and she started laughing as well.
“Let tell you…”
Xiao ier began to ramble on about Chen Cheng’s “dark history”, from embarrassing monts during his school days to amusing experiences together, making i Xiang gasp in surprise and burst into laughter at tis.
ng Wanning listened to Xiao ier’s narratives, thoughts drifting, Chen Cheng’s image appeared before her eyes, and her lips couldn’t help but curve upward.
“Hey, Xiao ng, why aren’t you talking?” Xiao ier suddenly turned to ng Wanning, her eyes blurred, “Do you also think Xiao Cheng is mischievous?”
ng Wanning shook her head, trying to stay sober, “No, I think Chen Cheng is…quite nice.”
“Nice? How so?” Xiao ier muttered discontentedly, “He’s just a blockhead! Not romantic at all!”
“Brother Cheng is quite romantic, though,” i Xiang chid in.
Xiao ier held out her hand, showing the gift from Chen Cheng, “Look, he always brings gifts, but he doesn’t realize that what I really want is his safety.”
“What I want… is for him to be safe and sound!” Xiao ier said with teary eyes, “He always says he’s busy, busy working, busy making money… but… but…”
She burped from drinking, and tears rolled down her flushed cheeks.
“This ti it was really dangerous.” Xiao ier held i Xiang’s hand, sharing what Chen Cheng had told her, and retold it to i Xiang.
ng Wanning, though drunk, upon hearing the thrilling recount, realized how much she deeply loved Chen Cheng, who had been through so much with i Xiang.
Her eyes also teared up, her heart felt like a jar of mixed emotions had been knocked over, experiencing all the flavors of life.
i Xiang, listening to Xiao ier’s intermittent narration, also teared up.
She recalled the perilous monts, how Chen Cheng had bravely protected her, rembered his strong and warm embrace, a surge of warmth filled her heart along with deep remorse and guilt.
“ier, it’s all my fault…” i Xiang sobbed, “It’s because of that Brother Cheng suffered…”
Xiao ier shook her head forcefully, clutching i Xiang’s hand, “It’s not your fault, bla those bad people! Xiao Cheng… he is a hero!”
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