Cooking this kind of thing is also practice makes perfect. Before meeting Qiao Ling, Chen Kuang was living a self-abandoned life. Not to mention personally cooking, he couldn’t even eat a few meals regularly.
Later, having this kind of girlfriend who would panic from hunger if she missed one meal, and whose mouth was also picky and unacceptable, he not only picked up cooking skills again, but also researched quite a few new dishes according to her taste. Now his skills could match half a professional chef.
The two of them, as usual, squeezed into the slightly crowded dining room. The crisp sound of bowls and chopsticks colliding intertwined with idle chatting, gentle and harmonious.
The stomach that had been shriveled from hunger now got satisfied. Qiao Ling was like a small grass that had received nutrient solution, her leaf veins refilled and plumped up again.
When a person encounters happy events, their spirit is refreshed. From deciding to restore grandmother’s relic, to later being encouraged by Chen Kuang, gritting her teeth and cutting down the store’s business hours to work overtime and finish this set of Miao silver bridal jewelry, too much time had passed, experiencing many psychological and technical difficulties.
After finishing the last step this morning, besides the feeling of great relief and happiness, Qiao Ling could also, from this kind of angle, “talk” with grandmother.
She could finally see, grandmother supporting her aged body, even if exhausting the last bit of strength, still wanted to present to her the thing.
After completing this set of bridal jewelry, Qiao Ling even more confirmed the guess in her heart.
She thought, perhaps grandmother towards herself was not entirely indifferent and disappointed, towards mother as well.
Love the house, and its crow, because she is mother’s child.
Because when mother got married, grandmother, out of spite, did not give her any Miao silver bridal jewelry.
So in this set prepared for her, was there also grandmother’s bit of compensation towards mother?
Qiao Ling would think like this.
Emotions in East Asian families are complicated, especially among three generations of women in grandmother-mother-daughter relations.
Impossible to accurately describe with language, the existing answers all became Qiao Ling’s long sigh when quietly gazing at this set of bridal jewelry.
Don’t know if she told mother these emotions, whether the other party could understand her, and forgive grandmother a bit more.
“What’s wrong?” The person opposite spoke.
Qiao Ling returned to her senses, only to realize she was dazing while eating, looking towards Chen Kuang with an inquiring expression.
“Nothing… I was zoning out.”
He felt puzzled, lightly chuckled: “You can zone out even while eating? Do you still want to add some soup?”
“Okay, maybe I ate too much rice, feeling a bit rice-dizzy.”
But drinking another bowl of fresh mushroom spinach soup was no problem, Qiao Ling smilingly handed him the soup bowl.
“Actually just now I was thinking about my work.” She said.
Chen Kuang ladled soup for her, “Thinking what?”
“After finishing, it feels like I can slowly understand why grandmother was so harsh about this matter to the point of being unreasonable, all things that can carry history are heavy.”
Qiao Ling said: “It’s said that in ancient times the Miaojiang people had no writing, their writing was the totems on silverware, the drawings were the stories.”
“As the ethnic group migrated, they gradually split into different minority groups, the skills and patterns also had subtle differences.”
“When I was carving the patterns according to the chart of grandmother given by senior brother, I could feel, why it’s said not everyone can do this.”
“No matter if it’s too deep or too shallow, it would deviate from the most original patterns. To firmly grasp this degree, both talent and effort are indispensable.” Qiao Ling spoke confidently, her face having a bit less obsession, a lot more release: “To live like a historical container, it’s a very heavy thing, right?”
“Moreover in modern times, doing this kind of thing has no so-called future at all, and can’t innovate either.”
Chen Kuang didn’t expect her completion of this silver jewelry set would lead to such profound reflections. As he placed the soup before her, he couldn’t help but feel admiration.
“So now, do you still want to become her successor?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I really can’t do it.” Qiao Ling stared at the dishes on the table. “Because right now, running my own original silver jewelry shop already makes me so happy and fulfilled. If it could grow into my own small brand someday, that would be perfect.”
“But?” Chen Kuang tapped the table lightly, anticipating her next words.
“But,” she smiled—there was indeed a twist—”but I think… something this beautiful should at least be known by others.”
“I want to find a way to document it properly later.”
Qiao Ling picked up her bowl and took a sip of soup, her feet swaying playfully beneath the table, using his long legs as a pivot. “With how powerful internet dissemination is these days, it might even gain traction.”
“With traction, everything else will follow.”
She looked at him, seeking his opinion: “What do you think?”
Chen Kuang set down his chopsticks. “Of course I support it. I’ll support whatever you do.”
Qiao Ling raised an eyebrow. “No constructive feedback, Professor Chen?”
“You’ve laid it out so thoroughly—what does an outsider like me know?”
Her mischievous toes continued tickling his leg under the table. Chen Kuang’s brow twitched, but he maintained his composure. “Whatever it is, just start doing it first. Solve problems as they come.”
“Though you’ve described it so beautifully, I haven’t actually seen the finished piece yet.”
His show of interest naturally amplified Qiao Ling’s enthusiasm. “No problem. Tomorrow morning when you take me to the shop, come upstairs with me and admire it.”
Chen Kuang studied her, seemingly imagining how she’d look wearing the headpiece. “It’s made to your measurements, right? Can you try it on directly?”
“Yep. Don’t let the complicated process fool you—wearing it is simple.” Qiao Ling lifted a hand to sweep imaginary bangs aside, pantomiming the motion of adjusting a delicate silver head ornament, her eyes curving into crescents. “When it moves, it jingles softly—so exquisite.”
Chen Kuang’s gaze remained calm, smiling faintly.
Seeing her this happy, his own mood lifted effortlessly.
…………
The topic ended, and this lunch was also finished.
Qiao Ling got up and took the initiative to help him with the kitchen waste work, Chen Kuang found it strange: “Don’t you usually just wipe your mouth and run to the sofa to lie down, how come today you’re so kind?”
“You make it sound like I’m really lazy and only know how to eat.” Qiao Ling argued while carrying the dirty plates.
After speaking, she sneakily bumped his shoulder once with hers, “Hurry and clean up, so we can go look at the big house together.”
Chen Kuang’s gaze followed her movements back and forth into the kitchen, “Just now you were still telling me living here is pretty good, yet now you’re really not holding back at all.”
“Why should I hold back?” Qiao Ling put the dirty plates into the washing sink, speaking as if it was perfectly natural: “It’s not like I forced you to buy a house.”
“Since showing financial power in this area, oneself admits to being an outsider.” She deliberately repeated what he had said before, shrugging and teasing: “Then I can only give enough emotional value, President Chen.”
Chen Kuang endured the itch in his chest, rolled up his sleeves to wash the dishes, “The ways you call me are getting more and more varied.”
Qiao Ling leaned beside him watching him turn on the faucet and wash the dishes, humming while smiling apologetically: “What else would President Chen like me to call you, this little woman guarantees your satisfaction.”
He picked up the dish sponge, face unchanged as he teased: “Can you call me husband?”
She paused, as if those that word poked a soft spot in her heart.
Chen Kuang saw the other party’s face turn red like the tide rising, hooked his lips as if winning: “Come, let me hear it once?”
Qiao Ling: “!! Wash your dishes!”
“I, I’ll go wait for you in the living room, you hurry up and come!”
After saying that, she ran off in a flash, once again regrettably losing in the flirting match between lovers.
…………
After eating, it was just the laziest time around one or two in the afternoon.
Outside the window, heavy snow was flying, showing a trend of getting heavier and heavier, the sky full of white flowers, gradually swallowing up all the city silhouettes within the visual range.
Having eaten and drunk her fill, Qiao Ling nestled in Chen Kuang’s wide and warm arms, covered with a thin blanket, drowsy, her gaze following his finger browsing through all kinds of new apartment listings and high-end residential districts for sale on the house-viewing app.
“How about this one.” Chen Kuang clicked on a link, voice steady and pleasant, lightly as if not house-viewing, but ordering food in a small restaurant: “All bedrooms facing south, all-bright kitchen and bathroom, multiple rail transit, low floor area ratio.”
Qiao Ling rubbed his waist, “Multiple rail transit, what does that mean?”
“It means there’s not just one rail line nearby, very convenient for going out. Panhai Xifu isn’t far from your shop, also close to the bar.”
Qiao Ling thought for a moment: “Panhai Xifu? Sounds really familiar.”
Oh… it’s that most expensive school district villa community in the city center these past three years.
…Suddenly felt a bit resentful towards the rich again.
Is there still a need to look at other communities? This Wall Street wolf has already placed the best in front of you!
Qiao Ling truly believed that if she casually said something like the housing resources and supporting facilities in Binyang City are just so-so, this person would immediately pull her onto a plane to the capital to look at houses.
She perked up a bit, reaching out to swipe on his phone, looking at the sample room pictures, “How many square meters is this set? Looks really big.”
“More than four hundred fifty, not quite four hundred sixty.” He said.
Qiao Ling was shocked: “The two of us living in such a big house for what? Playing hide and seek?”
Chen Kuang’s chest shook with laughter, wrapping her small hand to knead and play with: “If you really have this kind of hobby, I wouldn’t mind keeping you company.”
Chen Kuang’s chest shook with laughter, wrapping her small hand and kneading it for fun: “If you really have this kind of hobby, it’s not like I can’t accompany you.”
Qiao Ling: “……”
What hobby?
A game where if you can’t hide well and get found, you’ll get ruthlessly heiheihei’d?
The way we date, isn’t it a bit too not suitable for children…
Joking aside, he explained: “The flat apartments in Panhai Xifu only have a four hundred fifty square meters specification. Anything bigger would already be a standalone villa.”
“Or you want to live in a standalone? That’s fine too.”
She quickly shook her head, stopping his increasingly exaggerated house-buying plan.
Before, she’d just underestimated Chen Kuang’s financial power. After knowing how much movable savings he had, Qiao Ling now realized she had also underestimated the degree to which Chen Kuang dared to spend money.
Some people can earn money, have money, but are unwilling to spend it—especially unwilling to spend large sums.
“Aren’t we going to consider other neighborhoods? Just looking for somewhere near my shop, there are a lot of neighborhoods in the city center.” Qiao Ling still felt the house was a bit big.
“I’ve looked at all of them.” Chen Kuang showed her the saved listings in his favorites one by one, even listing out their shortcomings, “But it’s not that they’re bad, it’s just that there are issues in them.”
“Looking overall, Panhai Xifu’s houses have the least things to nitpick.”
He shifted his gaze, staring at Qiao Ling’s fair face in his arms, testing: “You don’t like it?”
“It’s not that.” Qiao Ling’s parents’ house was only 130 square meters, and when she didn’t live there herself, the house would suddenly feel very empty, “Wouldn’t such a big house with just two people living in it feel lifeless? And also, a bit unnecessary.”
“Five rooms and two living rooms is actually just right. Think about it, you need a workroom, I need a workroom, a study. Then make some entertainment rooms.”
“Also, in the future, if your friends come over and it’s too late, they can just stay over, avoid the danger of going home in the middle of the night.” He really thought things through.
After hearing his plan, Qiao Ling suddenly felt that a four-hundred-fifty square meter house could be filled up completely, looking at him with eyes shining faintly with little specks of light.
“Definitely won’t feel lifeless.” Chen Kuang put down the phone, slowly pushed her down, one hand wrapping her back, the other fiddling with the black hair beside her cheek, his brows carrying indulgence and hidden meanings: “Whether a home has life in it or not has nothing to do with the size of the space.”
Qiao Ling looked at the man propped above her, hands resting on his arm, her fingertips faintly feeling the pulse of the vein moving slightly.
“Then… what does it have to do with?”
Chen Kuang slowly lowered his body, sticking to her lips without hesitation, his whole person the sexiest when whispering flirtations in a low voice.
“You guess.”
After speaking, he tilted his head and kissed her neck, letting out small clicking sounds. Qiao Ling felt ticklish again, shrinking her shoulders and lifting her legs, laughing while pushing him: “Aiya, what are you doing, talking about serious things, and now doing this kind of…”
“Are we still looking at houses or not.”
Chen Kuang supported the back of her neck, sucking her neck as he spoke: “The more I look at those sample rooms and floor plans, the more I can imagine the scene of you living inside.”
“Thinking about what kind of furniture you’d add that you like,” he kissed her cheek, continuing: “Thinking about the picture of you accompanying me cooking in the kitchen.”
Chen Kuang cupped her face, facing Qiao Ling’s gradually moved, watery eyes, “Thinking about us watching movies together in the living room.”
He lowered his eyes again, kissed her chin, his voice with a slight sandy texture forming its own deadly bewitchment.
“Thinking about us in the bedroom, especially in front of that floor-to-ceiling window…”
With just those few short imaginings, they actually stirred Qiao Ling’s heart into ripples, making her wish she could move into that ideal two-person home with him right away.
Chen Kuang caressed her delicate face, his fingers especially lingering at the little dimple at the corner of her lips. “Once I think about these things, I can’t help but want to pull you over and kiss you for a while.”
Qiao Ling’s eyebrows twitched, letting out a laugh, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Chen Kuang, you’ve been in Binyang too long, even your way of talking has become rougher, haha.”
He hooked up the corner of his lips, lowering his head along with her movement, withdrawing all unnecessary words, and kissed her lips.
Qiao Ling opened her mouth skillfully, letting his tongue tip break in to sweep and entangle.
The sofa creaked under the weight of the two people, occasionally letting out bearing sounds.
Sometimes, she felt that even without doing anything more, just kissing Chen Kuang was already something that could feel good down to the bones.
Being together with a sexy man, no matter what you did, the hormones would be bubbling.
The stickiness between lips and tongues continued, the kiss slow yet intense.
While kissing her, Chen Kuang quietly opened his eyes, his mouth fiercely attacking, but his gaze calm and deep.
He always liked suddenly scrutinizing her like this at special times, scrutinizing the two of them.
To repeatedly confirm that he always exclusively possessed her, thoroughly pinning her down in reality.
Even if Qiao Ling loved him enough, there was always a string swaying and tense in the bottom of Chen Kuang’s heart, getting plucked from time to time.
In this relationship with her, he would always be the insecure one.
She was too beautiful.
How much effort did he have to use, with all his strength, to have her for a lifetime?
The kiss became more and more intense, gradually deepening in color, heading toward certain deeper places.
Qiao Ling let out a moan as he pinched her, always feeling like somewhere was chilly, suddenly realizing—something’s not right!
Today she finally had a break; she was planning to properly play on her phone all day!
How did it end up heading toward “heng-ha ei-hey” again!?
On a blizzard day, they should be sleeping comfortably, she didn’t want to do adult sports!
Her lips were being captured, unable to speak, pushing at his unruly hands: “Mnn… uh, mnn… Chen…”
Chen Kuang pretended as if he had just opened his eyes, licking and nibbling at her lips, lightly raising an eyebrow, looking doubtful.
Qiao Ling pushed his mouth away, her eyes kissed until they were misty and watery, panting as she said: “Wait, wait a moment.”
“I want to play on my phone.”
Chen Kuang: “……”
His hands didn’t stop moving, casually saying: “A whole afternoon plus an entire night, isn’t that enough for you to play on your phone?”
“Aiya…” Qiao Ling whined at him, but couldn’t resist his onion-peeling-layer-by-layer movements, her face turning red: “You don’t understand… for our generation, playing on the phone, nngh, ah, so itchy… it’s, mm, something we have to play for a long time, mm… don’t.”
“Really don’t want to?” he said.
She looked at him with pitiful eyes.
Chen Kuang pulled his hand out, within her line of sight, lifting his slightly damp thumb and index finger with a thin string of moisture drawn between them.
He slowly shifted his gaze, looking at Qiao Ling’s face full of shyness, letting out a quiet laugh.
“Already like this, can playing on your phone really cure it?”