It did not take long because there were two pairs of hands working together. Dai Shenqiang, who initially waited while sketching, could not resist the temptation after he took a sniff of the delicious aroma and hovered around the kitchen. He was just in time to see Li Caiyi move the side dish from the pan to a plate.
"It smells so good! What do you make?"
"We made sweet and sour pork chop stir-fry and seaweed soup. I heard you don't like mushrooms, so I chose seaweed instead. Is that okay?"
"Totally! Thanks a lot!" Dai Shenqiang's eyes brightened like a little kid.
Dai Zhiqiang had prepared all the utensils on the table when Li Caiyi walked over with the side dishes in her hand. "Now, let's dig in, shall we?"
The Dai brothers looked at warm meals in front of them, almost in disbelief. When was the last time they ate decent homemade food like this? They usually just made instant ramen or bought takeout if the situation called for them. Being cared for and having a balanced meal like this was their first time after a long time.
Dai Shenqiang stabbed a piece of pork with his fork and threw it into his watery mouth. The meat was so tender and juicy. The tangy and sweet taste mixed so well together, and the vegetables were crispy and savory. He could not help but close his eyes in a blissful smile. "So tasty."
"Really? I'm glad to hear that," Li Caiyi smiled. "Your brother helped me a lot. It's very easy to make, so I think you guys can easily re-make it later. You guys should eat a proper meal from time to time."
Dai Zhiqiang was in the middle of relishing Li Caiyi's homemade cooking when he suddenly remembered something. He looked at Li Caiyi's plate, and sure enough, she did not eat the meat and only picked up the vegetables. This kind of consideration was good, but she should take care of herself first; he could not help but sigh helplessly.
Dai Shenqiang wanted to reach out for more, but Dai Zhiqiang's chopstick stopped his fork in mid-air. The younger Dai looked up at his older brother in annoyance. "Brother? What are you doing?"
"You only know how to eat. Our guest hasn't got the chance to eat the meat, yet here you are already reaching out for more." Dai Zhiqiang reprimanded him as he squinted his eyes in disapproval.
Dai Shenqiang glanced at Li Caiyi's plate and immediately looked apologetic. "Sorry! It was too delicious, so I unconsciously reached out for more. Please eat more, Caiyi, or we will feel bad!"
"Haha, I'm fine if you want to eat more. But if you insist, then I shall take some, too."
Li Caiyi took some to her plate, but Dai Zhiqiang was not satisfied.
"It's too little. Here, eat more." Dai Zhiqiang's chopsticks moved back and forth a few times as he put the meat on Li Caiyi's plate.
"Wait, it's too much!"
"Brother! What about me? I have not had enough yet!"
***
"Ah, that was so delicious!" Dai Shenqiang slouched backward on the couch with a satisfied smile. "I wish I could eat your homemade cooking forever, Caiyi!"
Li Caiyi giggled. "Alright, if you pay me a decent amount."
"Eh? Are you going to make me pay? What a bummer. Oh, I know! How about becoming my wife, instead? That way, I could eat your cooking for free every day!"
"What are you even saying? Stop spouting nonsense," Dai Zhiqiang said in a low voice. He glared at his brother menacingly, causing the latter to sweat.
"Brother, your face is too scary. I was just joking."
Dai Zhiqiang harrumphed. Li Caiyi watched their banter and felt jealous inside.
They seemed so close and understood each other so well. If only Li Caiyi could get along that well with her brother. There was also Li Chunhua, who appeared close to her but actually, the hardest to predict.
Li Caiyi enjoyed every second she spent with the brothers, and she wished nothing bad would befall them. Even if Dai Zhiqiang told her not to get involved, how could she just sit around and do nothing, knowing very well that they were in danger?
She had to find a way to help them.
Then she could hear the sound of the phone ringing. Dai Zhiqiang pulled out his phone, and his face stiffened slightly when he looked at it. However, his expression quickly reverted to his usual composed one, and he rose from his seat to take the call. "Let me take this first."
"Oh, yes. Go ahead," Li Caiyi was curious but did not dare to ask. Then, Dai Zhiqiang went outside to take the call.
Meanwhile, Dai Shenqiang watched his brother's figure with an inexplicable expression. He had an inkling on who could make his brother make a face like that, but he said nothing to stop him. There was nothing he could do to prevent it, anyway.
Li Caiyi saw this as her chance to talk with Dai Shenqiang eye to eye, so she carefully brought the topic to him.
"Um, Shenqiang? Can I ask you something?"
"Hmm? Go ahead and ask me anything."
She hesitated a bit before she finally asked, "My cooking. Compared to the last time, what do you think of it?"
Li Caiyi clenched her skirt tightly, waiting for his response anxiously.
Dai Shenqiang tilted his head in confusion. "The food was delicious, but what do you mean by 'compared to last time'?"
THUMP.
It felt like her heart had fallen to her feet. The unsettling feeling in her chest was so stifling; it suffocated her. Her heartbeat sped up as her apprehension took over her mind.
Bit by bit, every clue came together within her head like a puzzle, creating an image she did not want to see but had to face, anyway. She was so happy to find Shen Qiang at last, but her happiness did not last long as always.
Li Caiyi gritted her teeth. "Shenqiang, when I asked you if you remember me last time, you said you remembered me, right? But what exactly did you remember?"
How foolish of her not to confirm it first with the said person. She got too ahead of herself and deluded herself into thinking that she had finally found him.
Dai Shenqiang could sense the change of mood in Li Caiyi's expression. He was wondering if he had said something wrong.
"Caiyi, what's wrong? Your face color is a little—"
"Just answer the question, please!"
He was startled because Li Caiyi suddenly raised her voice. Half-confused and half-concerned, he answered, "I don't know if you remember, but I saw you at the hospital's garden once. You looked upset and threw your things to the ground. I picked it up and returned it to you."
"And you also put some mint candies inside?"
"Oh? Yeah. So you remember, after all."
Sure enough, when he said he remembered her, it was about this. She mistook it as something else and completely misunderstood the situation.
Dai Shenqiang could not take a good look at her face because she kept her head down. If he was nervous before, now he's distraught. "Hey, what's up? Did I say something wrong?"
She ignored his question and asked again, "Do you remember if you ever went to the amusement park with me? Or to Yueguang Noodle House together?"
"Huh? Li Caiyi, what are you talking about? I don't remember ever going to those places with you. I think you have mistaken me for someone else."
It was not him.
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