Ling Yuchen’s brow furrowed into a knot as he gazed at the table laden with fried skewers, all coated in bright red chili sauce. He had no appetite.
He sat down next to Xia Wantang.
Han Xiao and Qiao Xinyue stood by, but Ling Yuchen gestured dismissively. “Sit down, both of you.”
Only then did they dare to take their seats. Xia Wantang immediately picked up a piece of gluten, not heavily coated in chili, and offered it to him.
“This is delicious, for you.”
Ou Ma, emerging from the kitchen, saw this and hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself.
*Young Master doesn’t eat spicy food!*
Seeing her expectant gaze, Ling Yuchen couldn’t refuse. He took it and, under her bright, questioning eyes, took a bite. He chewed with a neutral expression, swallowed, and said, his face unchanging, “Delicious.”
Hearing Ling Yuchen say it was delicious, Xia Wantang’s smile widened with delight. She took a piece for herself and took a bite, her eyes instantly narrowing in enjoyment.
Seeing her happy, Ling Yuchen’s lips curved upwards involuntarily.
Ou Ma looked utterly bewildered but remembered to bring over a bowl of clear soup noodles she had just taken from the kitchen.
“Young Master, this is for you.”
Ling Yuchen casually set aside the gluten in his hand and proceeded to eat several mouthfuls of noodles.
Xia Wantang ate with satisfaction, and couldn’t resist praising, “Ou Ma, you’re amazing. This is better than any roadside stall I’ve ever eaten at.”
Ou Ma’s heart swelled with joy. “I’m glad Young Madam likes it. I’ll make it for you often from now on.”
“Ou Ma, please just call me Wantang.”
Ou Ma looked troubled. “But, that’s not the proper etiquette.”
“Please, just call me Wantang. I’m not used to that title.”
Ou Ma couldn’t argue further but looked towards Ling Yuchen.
Ling Yuchen said calmly, “Listen to her.”
“Yes, Young Master.” Ou Ma complied, turned, and went back into the kitchen.
Xia Wantang and Qiao Xinyue sat facing each other. Both were huge fans of spicy food.
They liberally sprinkled chili powder onto their fried skewers, eating with gusto, truly enjoying themselves.
Han Xiao watched, feeling a tightening in his nether regions, and instinctively flinched as he reached for a skewer.
He could eat spicy food, but not that much.
Ling Yuchen felt his mouth cooling down from the heat, so he put down his chopsticks and put on transparent disposable gloves to start peeling shrimp.
“Sister Wantang, have you been to the snack street behind the school?” Qiao Xinyue asked as she ate.
“I have! I can eat from one end of the street to the other. Everything there smells so good.”
Xia Wantang savored the memory, feeling a pang of craving, and quickly took a large bite of chicken cutlet to satisfy it.
“Me too. My favorite is Grandma’s stinky tofu.”
“I like that too, and also the teppanyaki from ‘Come for Some Barbecue’.”
The two looked at each other and then, in unison, said, “And the mala ban at the end of the street!”
After that, they both shrieked with laughter, their conversation becoming even more animated.
Ling Yuchen: “……”
Han Xiao: “……”
Watching the two excited, shrieking women, they couldn’t understand.
And this was the peculiar way women made friends with each other.
It was either through food, or clothes, shoes, bags, and cosmetics. With just a few sentences, friendships were forged.
Xia Wantang said enthusiastically, “Then when we go back to school, we’ll go eat together!”
“Yes, yes!”
As they were talking, Ling Yuchen had already peeled a small bowl of crayfish and gently pushed it towards Xia Wantang.
The chatter immediately stopped.
Xia Wantang blushed, unsure if it was from the spice or shyness. She pushed it back slightly. “What are you doing? Eat it yourself.”
Qiao Xinyue covered her mouth, stifling her laughter.
Ou Ma looked on with a look of relief; it seemed her Young Master was finally opening up.
“Wantang, you eat it, it’s fine. Our Old Master, and the Master before him, always used to peel shrimp for their wives.”
This was a common occurrence in the Ling family, as the men of the Ling family had always been devoted and faithful.
Xia Wantang’s eyes curved into a happy crescent. Who didn’t like a considerate and gentle boyfriend?
She blushed, took the shrimp meat, and whispered her thanks.
Qiao Xinyue glanced from Ling Yuchen to Xia Wantang, her eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief.
Then, suppressing her laughter, she said to Xia Wantang, “Wantang, let me tell you, our Master, the Old Master, and the Young Master are all cast from the same mold, with similar temperaments and personalities.
They are domineering and possessive, cold and distant, but only towards their true loves will they be meticulously attentive.
Never mind peeling shrimp, they would even kneel on a washboard without hesitation, because they all fear their wives… ”
Xia Wantang stared blankly at Qiao Xinyue, blinked her large eyes, and then turned to look at Ling Yuchen beside her.
He would fear his wife?
And kneel on a washboard?
But Qiao Xinyue didn’t look like she was lying.
The thought of a middle-aged man, looking much like Ling Yuxiang, and an old man kneeling on washboards sent shivers down her spine. How could it be so strange?
Ling Yuchen remained impassive, quietly peeling shrimp, as if he hadn’t heard Qiao Xinyue’s words.
At this moment, Han Xiao also pushed a pile of peeled shrimp meat in front of Qiao Xinyue, smiling ingratiatingly. “Little Sister Qiao, have this.”
Qiao Xinyue didn’t even look at him and directly refused, “No, eat it yourself.”
Han Xiao shamelessly pushed it closer, then stood up. “Eat up. It’s getting late. I’m going to take a shower and sleep. Goodnight, everyone.”
With that, he left without looking up.
Qiao Xinyue frowned at the pile of shrimp meat in front of her, feeling a bit annoyed.
She didn’t like this older man who was seven years her senior.
Xia Wantang, as if she had discovered a new continent, looked at the two of them with gossip in her eyes and opened her mouth to say something.
But her mouth was filled with lobster meat.
The perpetrator was Ling Yuchen. He blinked at her, signaling her to keep quiet.
“Eat quickly, then sleep early.”
Xia Wantang understood his meaning and didn’t ask further. Her cheeks bulged with food, the feeling of eating heartily was so satisfying.
Qiao Xinyue ultimately did not eat the shrimp meat peeled by Han Xiao.
Ou Ma, at this point, still hadn’t noticed anything amiss, as she had just gone back to the kitchen.
The late-night snack finished at one o'clock in the morning.
Ou Ma was cleaning up the aftermath, with Qiao Xinyue helping her.
Xia Wantang had originally wanted to stay and help, but Ling Yuchen insisted she go to bed.
Before she slept, he changed her bandage and applied medicine, showing great care and concern.
Her wound hadn’t healed, and eating so much spicy food could cause inflammation.
Xia Wantang knew she was in the wrong and didn’t dare to speak, obediently letting him have his way.
Full and satisfied, she easily succumbed to sleep. Xia Wantang had never been one to have trouble sleeping in a new bed; she fell asleep as soon as she lay down.
Ling Yuchen, on the other hand, got up after only three or four hours of sleep. He had to rush back to the old residence for the Old Master’s birthday breakfast.