He Did Not Like Homecooked Meals

Lu Jingren was moving the food around his plate using a silver fork, barely touching them. The girl was the same. She barely touched the food that was served to them.

It didn't seem like she despised it but she also did not show any enthusiasm. Then she looked at Lu Jingren, noticing that he also did not eat much of the food.

She paused for a few seconds as if thinking then she smiled slightly.

[I'm sorry. I don't really like to eat outside.]

Lu Jingren blinked. The girl placed her utensils down.

[It would be a waste for us to go home with an empty stomach. If you are willing, we can go to my apartment and I can cook us something to eat.]

Lu Jingren's face barely changed when he heard this. At first, he wanted to refuse. He did not like homecooked meals for a good reason even though other people often say that it's good for you.

When he was young, his cousins usually laced his food with drugs or laxatives. Sometimes, his brothers and sisters would also do the same. They would ask the maids to do it for them.

At that time, Lu Jingren was still very naive. He had only just lost his mother and was still very thirsty for love and affection from his family.

But...

Those people did not regard him as family.

When he was vomiting blood through his mouth after drinking a soup made by his cousin, he realized this very truth.

He was ten years old. It was June 15th, seven minutes past eight in the morning.

They were at the dinner table. His relatives looked at him once and went back to eating as if they saw nothing. The maids also looked away and went back to do chores.

His oldest brother sneered while the second had his lips quirked to the side, an amused gaze towards him. His sister glanced at him from time to time until she eventually got bored and moved on to eat the desserts on the table.

Why? It was the first question that sprang to his mind when he experienced that.

He did not understand it at first because he was still young but eventually when the same process was repeated a countless number of times, he began to despise eating homecooked food.

He only ate food outside that was not made by his family or any servants from there.

[It's fine for you to refuse.]

His fiancee's words snapped him out of his thoughts.

He was about to say no but he quickly realized that this was the girl that Grandpa and Grandma arranged for him. He found himself unable to refuse his fiancee's request because he did not want to disappoint the old Chen couple.

At the very least, he would try to get along with his fiancée.

So he nodded his head and they drove to her apartment.

He saw a very simple interior when he arrived. There was not much decoration. In fact, there were a lot of bookshelves filled with books.

[Feel free to sit down. You can read a book or watch TV if you want.]

Then his fiancee went to the kitchen. He grabbed a book and decided to read to pass the time. Eventually, he smelled the delicate aroma of freshly cooked food after a while.

Lu Jingren was not moved. This was exactly the smell of the dishes that his aunt used to serve him.

For a moment, he contemplated leaving but his fiancee's head popped out from the kitchen, her little face looking very innocent and naive.

[The food is ready.]

Lu Jingren got up. They sat at the table together. He saw a lot of dishes, ranging from vegetables to meat dishes.

[I'm sorry. I forgot to ask if you were allergic to any food. I was in a rush.]

His fiancee's apology was very direct and sincere. Lu Jingren stared at her. She smiled at him and handed him a pair of chopsticks.

He took his time choosing. His fiancee must have been uncomfortable because there was caution in Lu Jingren's movements.

He even asked if she had any digestive medicine.

[I have a medicine cabinet. Don't worry. I don't make it a habit to poison people with my cooking.]

She joked at him but he didn't find it funny.

He tried the food and waited for something to happen. To his surprise, he was still in one piece and no other ailments occurred on his body.

He looked at the empty plate before him.

For some unknown reason, he was able to eat everything without leaving any leftovers. He felt full for the first time in his life.

Strange. Very strange.

He glanced at his watch. It was past ten in the evening. His fiancee was washing the dishes in the sink. She must have felt his stare because she glanced at him.

[Is there something wrong? Are you still hungry? I can make something quick.]

He recognized the worry on her face. Lu Jingren refused.

When it was eleven in the evening, he stood at the door and she was there to send him off.

[Please take care on your way home.]

She smiled again and Lu Jingren noticed the abnormal beating of his heart. He tried to calm down but the more he stared at his fiancee, the faster it got.

He placed a hand on his chest, slowly realizing something.

Ah...

As expected, the food must have been laced with a drug.

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