The food delivery had arrived: two stir-fried dishes and two bowls of rice.
Four meal containers lay on the coffee table, but Ning Chu hesitated to dig in.
“If I eat too much now, what if I accidentally throw up when I go to her place for dinner later?” She looked up at Ning Yuan, who was just about to start eating.
“That... well...”
“Wouldn’t that be a bit much?”
“She might kill me,” Ning Yuan sighed, reluctantly setting down his chopsticks.
Ning Chu, however, seemed amused, her dark eyes sparkling as she looked at her brother. “Are you two always bickering like this?”
“No, it’s one-sided. I can’t exactly fight back, can I?”
“Fair point...”
Just then, a knock on the door followed by Xiao Xi’s spirited voice sounded from outside.
“Lunch is almost ready!”
Ning Yuan jerked up, rushing to open the door.
“Just one more dish to go. Come on over and sit; I even have cola ready.” Xiao Xi smiled brightly at the siblings peeking out from behind the door. Ning Chu, ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) however, shrank back a bit, hiding behind her brother, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. Xiao Xi immediately punched Ning Yuan lightly on the arm, her gaze questioning. “Did you say something bad about me to your sister?!”
“No! Absolutely not!”
He looked as skittish as a mouse confronted by a cat... although that punch hadn’t seemed all that forceful.
Noticing his nervous look, Ning Chu sneaked a glance at her brother, thinking, Is she really that scary?
Good thing I didn’t introduce him to Yan Xinya. He’d probably be crushed by her within seconds.
Xiao Xi, flipping her ponytail, headed over to her apartment next door, while Ning Yuan followed, glancing back at Ning Chu with a reluctant look.
Xiao Xi’s apartment was similar to Ning Yuan’s, but as soon as Ning Chu walked in, she picked up a faintly burnt smell.
Following her nose, she spotted a plate of blackened cola chicken wings.
That... is probably carcinogenic, right?
Noticing Ning Chu’s stare, Xiao Xi gave an embarrassed smile. “I followed the recipe, but maybe the heat was a bit too high...”
Ning Chu nodded understandingly. “No worries. Just peel off the skin; the meat is still edible.”
Encouraged, Xiao Xi beamed and attempted to showcase her second dish. “I have braised pork in the pot too. Let me show you.”
But as she opened the pot, Ning Chu saw nothing but chunks of dark, overcooked meat.
“Maybe too much soy sauce? It shouldn’t look like this...” Xiao Xi muttered, frowning.
No wonder my brother sees her lunch invitation as a test subject trial... She must be completely inexperienced in cooking! Even a first attempt shouldn’t turn out like this!
Looking over to the dining table, Ning Chu finally spotted one dish that looked edible.
“That one! That dish looks good! Black pepper beef, right?”
“Oh, that’s from a pre-made meal kit...”
“Oh.”
At least the rice wasn’t half-cooked, though it was a bit too sticky from too much water.
Guess Lily would be a better sister-in-law candidate. At least her cooking is delicious~ The only worry would be my brother’s stamina, enduring the charm of a succubus...
The three of them sat around the table. Xiao Xi wore a bright, happy expression, Ning Yuan had a forced smile, and Ning Chu looked around like a curious child, her gaze wandering.
She took a bite of the braised pork, finding it tough and cloying, with the fat overly greasy, although the taste was bearable, just a bit too sweet. She quickly ate several mouthfuls of rice to help with the greasiness.
“Are you a local?” she asked.
“Me? I’m from Sichuan-Chongqing area. I came here for university.”
A spicy girl!
“Why didn’t you go back to work?”
Xiao Xi, peeling off the burnt skin of the cola wings, replied, “I’ve gotten used to living here, I guess?”
She stole a glance at Ning Yuan, who was focused on the black pepper beef, seemingly treating the other two dishes like poison.
“Ning Yuan!”
“Present!” Ning Yuan immediately straightened up. “What’s up?”
“Try the braised pork.”
“....”
Resigned, Ning Yuan took the smallest piece of braised pork he could find and put it in his mouth, his face twisting into a grimace before he forced a smile, giving a thumbs-up. “There’s progress! At least it’s edible!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Xiao Xi, sitting across from him, immediately leaned over, wrapping an arm around Ning Yuan’s neck in a playful chokehold. “What do you mean ‘at least it’s edible’?!”
“It’s delicious! Really, you’re improving!”
Ning Chu shot a glance, noticing Xiao Xi’s chest pressing against her brother’s back. Was that intentional or accidental?
But her brother seemed oblivious...
Pretty sure now—she’s genuinely interested in him! Just a bit... assertive.
“Hey! My sister is here! Show some restraint!”
“Tch~”
Xiao Xi finally released Ning Yuan, sitting back down, playfully adjusting her hair and giving him a flirtatious smile. But Ning Yuan kept his head down, focusing on his food, trying to wash down the grease from the braised pork.
Her expression froze for a second, and she let out a cold “hmph.” “There’s also some pork rib soup, just seasoned with a little salt. It should be done by now.”
“If you can’t cook, maybe don’t waste ingredients...”
“If you can’t talk, maybe shut your mouth!”
Ning Chu shot her brother a glare.
“How about I cook next time?”
Ning Yuan mumbled, to which Xiao Xi responded with an eager nod. “Sure! Next time, you can cook!”
“???”
He looked confused. “Wait, I don’t have any pots or even chopsticks at my place.”
“Then come cook here! I have everything you need!”
“Isn’t that a bit much?”
Ning Yuan’s scalp prickled at the thought of having to cook every time. It wasn’t that he was terrible at it; he just didn’t have the energy.
Looking at the woman who always seemed to boss him around, he wondered if he’d ever escape her grasp if the food turned out poorly.
“Why don’t we just order takeout...?”
“I’ll buy the ingredients and wash the dishes; you just need to cook!” Xiao Xi happily went to retrieve the pork rib soup. “I’ve simmered it for two hours. It should be good, though I didn’t add much seasoning. If it’s bland, just add some salt.”
“Ah...”
Ning Yuan rubbed his temples, troubled.
“Hey, I think she really likes you,” Ning Chu whispered, leaning over to him, her tone mischievous. “Looks like it to me!”
“Please, no? She’s too fierce for me; I’d get beaten every day.”
“I still prefer gentle, delicate girls. This one’s a bit much...”
Ignoring her brother’s complaints, she continued, “Maybe you should cancel that meeting with Lily?”
“We’ll see.” Ning Yuan seemed reluctant to give up on that alluring succubus he’d met online. “I’ll decide after I meet her.”
“If she finds out, you might just end up dead~”
He froze, then looked up reflexively, only to see Xiao Xi standing nearby with the rib soup, her expression neutral.
A chill ran down his spine.
