Chapter 18: You'll Get Used to Eating It Eventually

After finishing those tasks, Lin Yi began to prepare the broth.

In many cases, it is impossible to simmer a large pot of broth at home like a restaurant does to keep on standby every day. The broth Lin Yi chose was a box of concentrated bouillon he found in the cupboard.

It was Lin Yi's first time seeing this kind of product, but it looked decent; once added to the pot, a rich aroma quickly filled the air.

He sautéed the vegetables in the broth to release their fragrance, added seasonings, and then added water. Before long, the soup base was ready.

Meanwhile, Lin Yi wasn't idle. He boiled a pot of water and dropped the ramen in. After flipping them, he scooped the noodles out into two bowls, ladled the soup over them, and two steaming bowls of delicious Yangchun noodles were served.

Strictly speaking, Lin Yi hadn't followed the formal steps for making Yangchun noodles, but they had a unique flavor of their own. The old man at home loved the noodles Lin Yi cooked most of all.

There were still some noodles left in the pot. Lin Yi estimated that one bowl would be enough for Chen Yushu, and he could have the rest for himself.

"Oh, is it ready yet?"

Smelling the drifting aroma, Chen Yushu couldn't stop swallowing her saliva. Finally unable to resist, she slipped on her small slippers and padded into the kitchen, calling out to Lin Yi.

"It's ready. I was just about to call you to eat," Lin Yi said, untying his apron and hanging it aside.

"Oh yeah! You used Sister Yaoyao's apron—don't you dare let her find out!"

Chen Yushu glanced at the apron on the wall and added, "Since you cooked for me, I won't tell her."

"Hmm?"

Lin Yi was a bit puzzled. Since when had Chen Yushu become so kind-hearted?

But on second thought, he felt her heart was actually quite wicked; one could tell from the way she had gloated yesterday when Chu Mengyao drank his water.

He suspected she probably didn't have any good intentions this time either, but what she thought had nothing to do with him. As long as Chu Mengyao didn't use the opportunity to pick a fight with him, he would just focus on being a quiet study companion.

Regarding Lin Yi sitting opposite her to eat, Chen Yushu frowned. Having a grown man sitting across from her to eat made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

However, thinking that these fragrant noodles were made by Lin Yi, it seemed a bit unreasonable to chase him away. So, she endured it and decided to fill her stomach first.

Chen Yushu had never eaten such delicious noodles. Usually, she just had instant noodles or some milk in the morning before school; this was her first time eating handmade ramen.

However, fearing that Lin Yi might get conceited, she kept her admiration to herself. She kept her head down, devouring the noodles in her bowl without paying any attention to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi was actually happier that Chen Yushu was ignoring him; he was afraid the girl would find something to nitpick or pick a fight with him!

Finishing his own bowl like a whirlwind, Lin Yi took his bowl to serve a second helping.

But as he walked toward the pot, he thought of Chen Yushu and asked, "Are you still eating?"

"No," Chen Yushu shook her head. "Go pour me a glass of water."

"Isn't there a drink behind you?"

Lin Yi pointed to the refrigerator behind her and then proceeded to serve himself another bowl of noodles.

"Oh, drinking juice in the morning isn't good; drinking plain water is healthier... Why do you talk so much nonsense? Are you going or not?" Chen Yushu said with an impatient glare.

"Fine..."

Lin Yi placed the prepared noodles on the table and turned to go to the living room to pour water for Chen Yushu.

He had no choice; after all, she held something over him.

"Where is your cup?"

Halfway there, Lin Yi realized he hadn't seen Chen Yushu's cup and didn't know what to pour the water into.

"Oh, it's in the cabinet under the water dispenser. The pink one is mine," Chen Yushu said.

Lin Yi nodded and walked toward the water dispenser.

"Ah—I'm so sleepy. That annoying alarm clock."

Chu Mengyao walked downstairs dizzily, yawning. She hadn't slept well all night.

During the first half of the night, she had been preoccupied with the fact that her first kiss was gone, and she had spent half the night crying to Chen Yushu about it. Eventually, she became exhausted and drifted into a hazy sleep. Upon waking, she didn't feel quite as sorrowful about yesterday's events.

However, Chu Mengyao felt as though she hadn't slept for very long before the alarm woke her up.

She hadn't wanted to get up, but remembering she had school today, she had no choice.

Noticing that Chen Yushu wasn't by her side, Chu Mengyao was a bit puzzled. She had been talking to her all night, so it seemed like she should have gone to bed late too. Why was she up so early?

Coming downstairs, she suddenly caught the scent of food. Chu Mengyao hadn't eaten much last night, and what she had eaten, she had thrown up, so her stomach was completely empty. Smelling the aroma, her mouth immediately watered.

"Xiaoshu, what delicious thing are you sneaking? It smells so good, and you didn't even call me!"

Chu Mengyao ran into the dining room and found Chen Yushu devouring a bowl of noodles. Opposite her sat a full, steaming bowl of noodles. She was instantly delighted.

"Ha! I knew you wouldn't forget me, Xiaoshu. You even prepared a portion for me. Thank you!"

Chen Yushu was in the middle of sipping the noodle soup. She found the broth quite flavorful and didn't want to let it go, but she heard Chu Mengyao's voice while she was drinking.

Just as she was about to speak, Chen Yushu realized that Chu Mengyao had already picked up her chopsticks and started eating. "Uh..."

Chen Yushu sighed, wanting to speak but hesitating.

*I can't be blamed for this. Who told your hands to be so fast? I haven't even said anything and you're already eating!*

"It's so fragrant! It's delicious!"

Chu Mengyao was truly hungry. After one bite of the delicious Yangchun noodles, she couldn't put her chopsticks down. She praised them as she ate, "Xiaoshu, where did you buy these?"

"I didn't buy them... Brother Jianpai made them."

Chen Yushu shrugged, looking at Chu Mengyao with a sympathetic gaze. She truly couldn't bear to strike Chu Mengyao's fragile heart again.

"Ah!"

Chu Mengyao was startled. "He made them? I don't want to eat anything he makes..."

As she spoke, she put her chopsticks down.

Chen Yushu thought to herself: *You've already eaten some, so what's the use of saying you won't eat now? But luckily, you already ate some of Lin Yi's saliva yesterday, so today doesn't matter. Eventually, you'll get used to it...*

*Hehe,* Chen Yushu thought wickedly.

"Hmph, who would turn their back on food? I'm eating!"

After putting her chopsticks down, Chu Mengyao found her mouth watering again. Looking at the fragrant noodles in front of her, she simply couldn't refuse, so she picked up her chopsticks once more.

"Eating his food doesn't mean I forgive him. I'm just hungry because I didn't eat anything last night. Actually, these noodles are just average, right, Xiaoshu?"

"Oh, I guess..."

Although Chen Yushu really wanted to see Chu Mengyao's reaction upon finding out she had eaten Lin Yi's saliva again, she felt she was already pitiful enough and decided it was better not to say anything.

(End of Chapter)