MEAL AT HER PLACE 2

Yun Jinghan drove her car on their way back. 

Pushing the doors open,  she motioned him to get inside her apartment.  Because she liked walking on barefoot, she slipped off her flats and went to the kitchen.  After placing what they shopped on the kitchen island, he returned to the shoe rack and searched for a pair of inside slippers. Returning to the kitchen, he set them down next to her feet.  

Luo Jingyi stilled at his gesture.  Her hand that was reaching for something inside the cupboard froze mid-air. 

"Thank you." She mumbled. 

He rolled his sleeves and moved closer to her.  He unpacked the items in the bag. When she suddenly turned around, she bumped into him, dropping the skillet. The noise it created upon impact was unpleasant. Stooping down, he picked it up. He heard her say, "Please stay in the living room. I'll call you when it's mealtime."

Instead of listening to her, he stepped back and leaned his right side on the wall, crossing his arms. Slowly, he basked on the sight of her. When she collected her hair up and twirled it into a bun, his gaze lingered on her neck.  It was long and slender. 

Then, a memory of a woman's side profile popped out but disappeared the next second.  Whoever it was, it seemed to overlap with hers. His heart jolted, surprising him.  It was faint but he felt the reaction.  It was the second time it happened. Retracting his eyes, he focused on what she was doing. 

Luo Jingyi hated being the subject of someone's gawking, especially a man, so she repeated her order for the second time. He let out a sigh of disappointment and left her.

Yun Jinghan scanned the living room, taking in the details of her home.  Except for the television set, everything was white. The walls, the sofa, lamp and etc..  A satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his lips when he saw the flowers he sent previously. 

He deposited himself on the sofa and propped an arm on the backrest. Her apartment utilized open plan design so he could see her figure in the kitchen.

"Do something instead of staring." She scolded when she caught him looking at her. 

Giving up, he grabbed his phone and worked on his emails, glancing at her from time to time. He was fighting on that desire to keep on watching her. He was worried that she would feel uncomfortable. He simply consoled himself that he would have plenty of time in the future.  

'Future?'

That's right.  He was certain she would be a part of his future. The upward arc never faded from his lips rather, it turned into a grin.

Time slipped past. Luo Jingyi carried the dishes, set them down on the dining table and called him. He salivated upon catching a glimpse of what she made. It was intensified by the delicious aroma that wafted to his nose. 

"It's delicious." Yun Jinghan exclaimed in approval after tasting the stewed meatballs.  He wasn't a big fan of chestnuts so his chef would omit it in the recipe. But he was surprised to find that even if she added them, he liked it.  It was refreshing and crisp.  

She simply smiled masking the sigh of relief she pulled inside her head.  In fact, she was on tenterhooks as she waited for him to taste the food.  While Aunt Alice and a few lauded her, it's her first time cooking for a man whose family runs a food corporation. There would be no shortage of talented chefs preparing delicious meals for him so she thought he would be picky. Moreover, given her past life experience, she never wanted to be humiliated again. 

Happy in receiving the compliment,  she picked her chopsticks and ate.  

"Where did you learn to cook?" Yun Jinghan asked as he tasted the sweet and sour Mandarin fish. She just poured the sauce on top so he could hear the crackling sound.  

Luo Jingyi's movement stopped for a second before she put aside the bowl in her hand. Seeing that he was waiting for her answer, she posed the question hesitantly. "Have you watched The Emperor's Women? It was a blockbuster film released earlier this year."

"No. Why?"

"It's a story that revolves around the women of the Emperor during the Han Dynasty. The emperor has stomach problems so he was very picky about his food. The empress who loves her husband dearly can't make delicious meals but even so, she tried her very best. The food she made was filled with love, care, and sincerity.  Every time the emperor tasted it, he would humiliate and ridicule her in front of his concubines. Even the empress dowager would join the fun. Because the empress was convinced by her maids that if she kept on trying harder, the emperor would reciprocate the same affection she has for him. Eventually, she became better. Sadly, he never loved her at all. He plotted the empress' death and when she died, he married his favorite concubine. What do you think of this?

Instead of answering her, Yun Jinghan placed a meatball in his mouth, chewed slowly before answering. "I'd say the empress is an idiot. Why force yourself into a man who doesn't favor you. Find a better man!"

Luo Jingyi froze and cast a glance on him. He appeared serious.

'I wish it had been that easy in that period.' she murmured inwardly. She was curious about the movie so she watched it. Although she didn't become an empress, the storyline was similar to hers. Shaking her head to ward off unwanted thoughts, she picked up her chopsticks.  

He didn't understand why the story tugged at his heartstrings. Yun Jinghan gave her a quizzical look. The movie she shared didn't answer his question earlier. An idea crossed his mind yet he was quick to sweep it away. In a very sure tone, he told her, "I don't think you'll ever insist yourself on a man." 

Luo Jingyi nearly choke. Her eyes flew to him.  "Why not?"

"That sweetie only happens in fiction written by die-hard romanticists."

It took a moment to digest what he said. Softly, Luo Jingyi chuckled.

'Ah she smiled at last.' Yun Jinghan happily went on with his meal.

"What if I tell you that I learned cooking because of a man?"

His movement abruptly stopped. He squinted at her. Jealousy got him. "For a man? Who? Wen Minghua?"

'No.' She wanted to refute then she realized Wen Minghua was the original's ex-fiance.

His heart softened seeing that pained expression on her. Putting his utensils down, he touched her hand.

"Sweetie, don't regret letting go of a man who doesn't appreciate your value. For such an amazing woman like you, you deserve an equally amazing man. Like me, for example."

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A/N: The last line was sweet. Yun Jinghan must have won over RomanticMe.