Foodie Ghostie

Liu Xinyu felt uneasy after speaking her mind as she looked at Yi Qin's downcast look. She wasn't sure what to do. Did she say too much? Did she say something wrong? She tried to replay what she just said in her mind. Why did he look like she just broke his heart? 

Tsk. He was really fragile. She had to be careful with her words.

"Your father sounds like a wise man," commented Yi Qin sincerely once he opened his mouth again. 

'But he doesn't look like a wise man to me right now,' Liu Xinyu said in her head. She was truly bewildered at the contrast between the Yi Qin who sat in front of her right now and the one she grew up watching and admiring. Even though his habits were quite the same, his personality seemed to have been altered somewhere which was why she couldn't believe this was really her father.

As you tread the winding path of life, each step leaving its mark upon the earth, you'll inevitably encounter weariness and pain. Your feet will ache from the miles traveled, blisters forming with every arduous mile. The sun will beat down upon you, its relentless rays scorching your skin and leaving you parched, weary, and irritated. And when the chill of winter sets in, you'll shiver with cold, seeking solace in the warmth of shelter.

But amidst all of that, there will also be moments of respite and joy. The gentle breeze of spring will caress your face, whispering promises of renewal and rebirth. The breeze would make you feel like flying again. And in the golden hues of autumn, you'll find solace in the beauty of nature's transformation, the rustling leaves a soothing melody to your tired soul.

All these are experiences of life, a part of life. But all these also shape you into what you become. When you started the journey, you were excited, you were looking forward to what was ahead. But after running through rain and shine and storms, eventually, you'd lose some enthusiasm and will also have to leave a part of yourself that's been weighing down on you like heavy baggage. And sometimes, that heavy baggage is carrying your hopes for the future, your dreams, or maybe what you once were.

So, to say that Liu Xinyu was surprised to face a different kind of Yi Qin might be true but to say that she found it unexpected, that'd be wrong. There was nothing unexpected. 

She was someone who changed way too many on her own journey of life. How could she question the man in front of her and ask him why he changed or what changed him? Even if she asked right now, he wouldn't even know what she was talking about.

Seeing how Liu Xinyu didn't respond but stared at him with an unknown emotion in her eyes, Yi Qin felt a bit like he was sitting on pins. He laughed awkwardly and added, "And your father raised a good daughter too."

Liu Xinyu smiled at him as she leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs, getting comfortable in the seat. She looked at the fresh rose placed in the center of the round table, and she suddenly said, "I also think he raised a good daughter."

"You are not humble at all."

"Why should I be?" was her response to his comment.

Yi Qin didn't know what to say. Although she looked like an easygoing person, he could say that she wasn't exactly so. She had her own stubbornness which she unknowingly showed at times. 

"Did I say too much today?" asked Liu Xinyu. "We aren't even that familiar with each other but I overstepped my boundary and started commenting on your personal life and dreams. I usually don't do that. I'm sorry if my words hurt you."

Liu Xinyu really didn't have a habit of overstepping the boundaries even with friends. If he was a stranger, she might have just laughed at his ideals but the fact was that he wasn't a stranger. That's why she wasn't able to control her emotions from showing around him too. 

"No, you didn't overstep your boundary," answered Yi Qin. "You gave me something to think about again. I think I needed to hear a different perspective on life. So, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me." His phone rang and he hurriedly took the call. Liu Xinyu didn't know what the other side said but he seemed cheerful again and said to her, "I'm gonna step aside to take this call. Wait for me."

Once he left, Liu Xinyu finally noticed that Yiyi wasn't around her. Did she finally get rid of this ghostie? But she didn't get happy at this thought because she refused to believe that she'd be able to get rid of Yiyi so easily. She wouldn't be naive enough to believe that again.

And sure enough, she soon found Yiyi coming out of the back kitchen. This ghost seemed to be looking at arrays of cakes and drinks that she hadn't seen before. Truly, it was a sight that Liu Xinyu wished to capture with her phone. Sadly, neither did she have her phone nor would she be able to click a photo of a ghost.

Seeing that Liu Xinyu was sitting alone now, Yiyi ran to sit in front of her and asked, "Where is Yi Qin?"

Liu Xinyu put a hand over her mouth to answer in a whisper, "On the phone."

"Oh," responded Yiyi. "I must say the phone is such a genius invention. You can talk to people even if they are on the other side of the world. What a remarkable invention!"

"You are already impressed? This is the basic use of the phone. You have no idea what a phone is capable of doing in the future."

"What?" asked Yiyi curiously.

"Why should I tell you?" 

Yiyi made a face at Liu Xinyu, "You are stingy. Hey, you still have cake left. Aren't you eating it?"

Liu Xinyu almost sighed heavily when she saw the cake that she couldn't finish. She a respondent to look, and she started eating again.

"Is it not delicious?" asked Yiyi. "The other customers love it though. Only you look like you're forced to eat this. It's not poison." 

"What if I say I'd prefer poison over it?"

Yiyi gasped in disbelief, "You are unbelievable. It looks so delicious. I just saw how it's made. I have never seen such desserts before. They look so exquisite and mouth-watering. I have never even tasted it. How can you compare it with poison? Have some conscience!"

"I don't like sweet things," answered Liu Xinyu to make her shut up. "It's not a flavor that sits well with me."

Yiyi was in even more disbelief now as her face twitched. "How can you not like sweets? What is wrong with you? I have never met anyone who doesn't like sweetness. In life, we need sweetness to survive. It's a flavor you can't miss."

"Don't you think sweetness is like slow poison?" asked Liu Xinyu seriously. "Think about it. When you are used to bitterness and one day someone makes you taste sweetness, you find yourself at the mercy of that sweetness. It makes you want to indulge in that sweetness but everything is short-lived in life. Sweetness will fade away eventually and you'll have to get back to the bitterness. But the bitterness that was once very familiar will become very unacceptable after the taste of sweetness. Do you understand what I am saying?"

"We are talking about desserts!" Yiyi almost slammed her hand on the table as she glared at Liu Xinyu. "Don't be so philosophical. You called me ancient. I think you are the one who is old. You are barely in your twenties, speak like one. Don't act like a grandma!"

Liu Xinyu did not like the feeling of being admonished by an ancient ghost. So, she huffed and stopped paying attention to Yiyi. Did she think she wanted to make a spectacle here? She couldn't even yell back at Yiyi right now considering where they were. At this time, she really wished her AirPods were with her so she could pretend to be talking on the phone and vent to her heart's desires.

If not AirPods, even simple headphones would do. But unfortunately, this was the era of the phones where simple headphones were of no use. They haven't come up with that feature yet. Besides, she didn't have a phone too.

Tsk. Tsk. She, Liu Xinyu whose house was filled with gold medals, trophies, and certificates was currently a pauper who didn't have a phone or money! 

"You know, I loved osmanthus cakes when I was alive. From the moment it touched my lips, I always felt like I was transported to a fragrant garden filled with sweet osmanthus flowers swaying in the breeze. Every mouthful was like taking a walk through the blooming garden back home. It's so delightfully soft and delicate. The subtle floral sweetness, the right amount of wobble that felt like a gentle jiggle dance on my tongue. But what I loved the most about it was the scent. It was like being embraced by floral goodness which felt warm and so fulfilling."

Looking at Yiyi speaking about her love for the osmanthus cakes, Liu Xinyu was speechless. She could definitely see the genuine love of Yiyi for the dessert. This was really a shock. She did not think her ghostie was a foodie! How come she didn't notice this before?