...
The capitalist CEO Lu had no choice but to temporarily keep his mouth shut.
Wen Jiajun then said to Xu Yanxia, If you think it's suitable, I'll let the administration department know. You can just go to the company and complete the paperwork whenever it's convenient for you.
Okay.
Xu Yanxia nodded immediately. I'll head over tomorrow.
Wen Jiajun took out two keys and handed them to her. These are the mechanical keys. Normally, you can just use a passcode and your fingerprint to open the door. Oh right, you can change the passcode right now. Do you want me to teach you how?
No need, Xu Yanxia said with a smile. The door lock at my old home is exactly like this one. I just changed it a few days ago.
Alright then.
Wen Jiajun bid them farewell. Make yourselves at home then. I'll head back first. If there's anything you're unsure about, just contact me.
Xu Yanxia felt a bit apologetic and said, Thank you so much for the trouble, Assistant Wen. Let's have dinner together later.
Wen Jiajun replied, Although eating with you guarantees a great meal, looking at that guy's eyes... I think I'll pass. Otherwise, I might lose my job.
Saying that, he smiled, waved at them, and went out to take the elevator.
Xu Yanxia walked around the various rooms again, taking out her phone to jot down the things she needed to buy.
Even though this was just a temporary dormitory and not a house she bought herself, having a space of her own was still something to be happy about.
After making her list, she returned to the living room, only to see Lu Jingming asking her faintly, Even though you didn't buy it, could you still give me a key? When you're on holiday and sleeping in, I can be your delivery guy.
What are you talking about...
Xu Yanxia laughed at him. We don't even need keys nowadays, we just register our fingerprints!
Saying that, she led him to the door lock to register their fingerprints together.
After that was done, the two of them strolled around the neighborhood, picked up some essential daily items from the supermarket, and then returned to the apartment to simply arrange their purchases.
Xu Yanxia nodded and said, It's starting to look more like a home. When I have time, I'll buy a few pots of flowers for the balcony, and it'll feel even better.
Lu Jingming, however, was still a bit dissatisfied. He said, Isn't the sofa a bit old? Should we replace it? And the bed and wardrobe too?
Just changing the sofa cover and the mattress will be fine, Xu Yanxia said. The bed frame and wardrobe are solid wood and still look so new. There's no need to replace them.
Lu Jingming... Alright.
It seemed she was genuinely satisfied with the place.
He asked her again, When do you plan to move? Do you want me to help you find a moving company?
No need.
Xu Yanxia smiled and said, I only have a few clothes. I can just drive them over myself someday.
Her eyes were full of anticipation for her new environment.
Lu Jingming paused, looked around the room again, and said, Earlier I thought this place was small, but now I feel like it's actually not bad. How about... I move in and live with you?
But Xu Yanxia frowned. We aren't even engaged yet. I'm not that kind of casual person.
...Alright.
Lu Jingming thought for a moment, then grabbed her hands and pulled her closer to him.
Close enough that he could hug her at any moment. Then he asked, Then when can we get engaged?
Xu Yanxia blushed and said, Isn't it a bit too fast to talk about getting engaged now? Today is only our third day together.
How is it the third day?
He looked down at her and said very seriously, From the moment I met you until now, it's been a very long time.
After saying that, he called out to her again, Baby.
His voice was low and deep.
Xu Yanxia hummed in response and looked up at him.
Only to hear him say, I want to kiss you.
His voice was even lower.
What?
Xu Yanxia froze. Before she could say another word, he suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist.
Immediately after, he lowered his head, leaning in closer until his thin lips pressed against hers.
Xu Yanxia's eyelashes fluttered, her mind going blank for a second.
The next moment, she felt the offensive between their lips and teeth.
It was gentle, yet domineering, and lingering.
She instinctively closed her eyes.
...
After an unknown amount of time, the two finally parted.
Xu Yanxia's face was so hot it felt like she had a fever, and her heart was pounding fiercely.
Lu Jingming rested his forehead against hers, his voice slightly hoarse.
I'm getting a little impatient.
As he spoke, he pulled her into a tighter embrace.
Xu Yanxia's face turned even redder.
Just as he was about to kiss her again, the phone in her bag suddenly rang.
Someone is calling me.
She leaned back to avoid him and said.
But he still tried to press closer, only saying, Just ignore it.
Xu Yanxia didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She forced his hands away, walked over to the dining table, and took her phone out of her bag.
It was Aunt Zhang calling.
She cleared her throat, answered the call, and said, Aunt Zhang.
Aunt Zhang's gentle voice came through the receiver, Xiao Xia, are you still at the shop?
Xu Yanxia replied, No, I had some things to do this afternoon so I stepped out. Did you need me for something?
Aunt Zhang said, I just wanted to ask when you'd be free. Lao Wang wants to cook a few dishes for you to taste before the Madam and the Chairman return, and he'd like you to give him some pointers.
Lao Wang was the Lu family's previous chef. After finding out she was resigning from the Lu family, Aunt Zhang had called him back.
Xu Yanxia had seen him when she returned to the Lu residence today and had greeted him.
Xu Yanxia then said, "I am free right now. I will probably be there in about half an hour, so you can ask Uncle Wang to start cooking."
"Alright, see you in a bit."
Aunt Zhang hung up the phone.
Xu Yanxia picked up her bag, walked over to Lu Jingming, and said, "Let's head back."
He took a deep breath, hummed in agreement, obediently took her hand, and they went out together.
...
When the two returned to the Lu residence, Uncle Wang had already prepared a table full of dishes.
There was stir-fried shrimp with asparagus, stir-fried lily bulbs with celery, stir-fried yam with wood ear mushrooms, steamed pork ribs with black bean sauce, black pepper snowflake beef cubes, and a sand ginger chicken claypot.
Seeing them return, Uncle Wang greeted them warmly, "Young Mr. Lu, Miss Xu, I just finished making these. If you have any feedback, please be sure to tell me."
Aunt Zhang also said to Xu Yanxia, "We are all family here. Lao Wang genuinely wants to improve, so if there is anything he needs to fix, just speak your mind."
Xu Yanxia smiled and nodded, "No problem. But Uncle Wang, calling me Miss Xu is too formal. You can just call me Little Xu or Xiao Xia, just like Aunt Zhang does."
"Alright, alright."
Uncle Wang nodded repeatedly.
Xu Yanxia then picked up her chopsticks and began to taste the dishes.
She casually said to Uncle Wang, "The shrimp are deveined very cleanly, and the batter is coated perfectly. The asparagus was blanched beforehand, and the seasoning is quite good. It is just a little bit bland, so you could add a tiny bit more salt and pepper."
"The ingredients for the stir-fried yam with wood ear mushrooms were also prepped very well, but it was stir-fried a bit too long, so the yam slices are not as crisp. Next time, you can shorten the cooking time."
"The seasoning for this dish is spot on, just slightly dry. You could add a thin cornstarch slurry before taking it out of the wok to make the texture smoother."
"Okay, okay."
Uncle Wang, genuinely eager to improve, had already put on his reading glasses and was taking notes on the side.
Xu Yanxia deliberately waited for him before continuing her review.
"The stir-fried lily bulbs with celery is also quite good, no flaws. The steamed pork ribs with black bean sauce are coated nicely with starch, the meat is very tender, and the seasoning is excellent."
"The sand ginger chicken is also delicious and very authentic, but you could add a little sugar to bring out the umami before taking it off the heat."
"The black pepper snowflake beef cubes are flawless too; the tenderness of the beef is exceptional. However, the black pepper sauce you used is a bit sweet. You could mix in a little soy sauce, and the flavor will be even better."
Seeing that she had tasted all the dishes, she smiled and said to Uncle Wang, "Actually, there are no major issues with your cooking. There is only one problem, and that is the pairing."
"For example, the stir-fried lily bulbs with celery, the stir-fried yam with wood ear mushrooms, and the stir-fried shrimp with asparagus are all mild dishes with similar flavor profiles. One such dish per meal is enough; three is a bit too monotonous. You can try adjusting it. For instance, swap the wood ear mushrooms and yam for an eggplant claypot, and replace the asparagus shrimp with tomato sauce shrimp balls. That would make the meal much richer."
"The sand ginger chicken and the steamed pork ribs with black bean sauce could also be alternated. For example, change one to a sizzling chicken claypot, or make the ribs sweet and sour or braised. That would go much better with rice."
"Right, right."
As she finished speaking, Aunt Zhang also smiled and said, "I wanted to say the exact same thing. Lao Wang's dishes are cooked very cleanly, but the combinations just do not go as well with rice."
"So that is how it is,"
Uncle Wang suddenly realized and nodded immediately, "Understood, understood. Thank you for the advice."
"You are too polite,"
Xu Yanxia smiled again and said, "Chairman Lu is from the north and likes wheat-based foods. Madam's ancestral home is in Jiangnan, so she prefers sweeter flavors. You can try making dishes from other regional cuisines. Mobile apps are so advanced now, learning is very convenient."
"That is right,"
Aunt Zhang also reminded him, "You should follow Xiao Xia's TikTok account and just learn directly from her."
"Good, good."
Uncle Wang immediately took out his phone, asked Housekeeper Zhang to help find Xu Yanxia's TikTok account, followed her, and started learning right then and there.
...
After dinner, the sky turned dark.
Having woken up early to travel and done so many things today, Xu Yanxia was exhausted. She took an early shower and lay down in bed.
Just as she was about to turn off the light, her phone vibrated.
She picked it up and saw that it was a voice message from Lu Jingming.
She tapped to play it and heard him say, "Uncle Wang is here, so you do not need to wake up early tomorrow. Sleep in."
His voice was incredibly gentle.
Smiling, she replied with an OK hand gesture emoji.
Immediately after, she received another message from him.
It was another voice message. She tapped it and heard him say, "I miss you."
This time, his voice was low, as if he were whispering right next to her lips.
It instantly made Xu Yanxia recall that kiss from the afternoon.
Her face grew hot again. She pressed the record button and softly said to him, "Good night."
And hit send.
