Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
After returning home from the supermarket, Lou Cheng and Yan Zheke got busy. They had first planned the menu for the new year over the next two days before having “Couples Meat Mincing” and other various fanciful programmes.
Sssk. The pan of oil was boiling. Yan Zheke carefully placed the pork belly meat that was covered with egg, flour and other seasonings into the pot. She waited for them to be fried into a shade of gold before scooping them up and place them into a bowl beside the pan. After which, a hand emanating frosty fog quickly extended over, grabbed one of them and started tasting and feeling the aroma of the meat.
“Delicious…” Lou Cheng mumbled and put it to the mouth of the girl before saying, “Give it a try.”
This was a necessary meat dish for the new year in Xiushan. The choosing of ingredients, seasonings and cooking methods were all slightly different from other places. The final product was also more tender. However, one would be sick of eating it rather quickly too. Even with Lou Cheng’s appetite, he would barely be able to eat more than ten before having to look for other food to ‘neutralize’ it a little.
The meat was the tastiest when it was just scooped out from the pan. When his family wasn’t doing that well in the past, he would always stay beside the stove during the new year. Whenever a piece was ready, he would eat it till his mouth was full of oil, his stomach was inflated and started to feel sick before leaving unwillingly. Although Yan Zheke wasn’t too fond of rich food, she wouldn’t reject tender meat that was just fried. However she would eat just two pieces at the most. That alluring aroma and great texture was one of the signs of the new year foods in her homeland.
After the first meal, the tender meat could be placed in the fridge and kept for a long time. Lou Cheng’s mother, Qi Fang, always like to add a few pieces when she cooked Tofu vegetable soup. This was because it could add a little aroma of oil and make the soup a little thicker and richer. At that time, the tender meat would also not be so rich.
Yan Zheke opened up her teeth a little and bit on the meat Lou Cheng had brought over. After chewing a little, her eyebrows lifted and self-complemented,
“It’s really not bad!”
To be able to achieve this standard from just relying on the menu and some words from Empress Dowager… Please call me Master Chef Yan~!
She was full of confidence and started putting the other pork belly into the pan. Lou Cheng was quick to react and blocked the few oil drops that were sputtering out with his palm to remove any hidden dangers.
They tasted while they cooked and cooked while they tasted. When the two of them placed the dishes on the dining table, they were already half full.
“I’m so tired. I don’t want to cook anymore in the future unless there are holidays or festive events.” Yan Zheke stretched her arms and sighed. She was feeling proud and relieved at the same time.
Lou Cheng immediately extended his hands to give her a massage. With a smile, he continued, “Yeah. We can hire an aunt who can cook in the future and cook only when we feel like it.”
“However it feels pretty good to be watching you prepping while I looked for an opportunity to steal some food~” Yan Zheke lifted the wine cup filled with fruit juice, extended to Lou Cheng, smiled and continued, “To the first meal we made together!”
“To Master Chef Yan and Sou Chef Lou!” Lou Cheng also lifted his own glass cup.
In the Xing Province, Sous Chef was responsible for cutting vegetables and the secondary chef for matching other ingredients for a dish.
Ding! The wine cup touched gently and the liquid inside moved slightly. The couple each sipped a little and felt that the surrounding was very quiet. The lights were gentle and their hearts felt warm.
After getting full, Lou Cheng became responsible for clean up. Under the disturbances from Yan Zheke, who seemingly was drunk from drinking fruit juice, he had a tough time finishing up the dining room and kitchen.
Back in their room, the couple lay on the bed. They were leaning very very close to each other and chatted over random things and refreshed the network from time to time to find topics for discussion. It was as though time had slowed during this period.
Lou Cheng’s phone rang from time to time. They were all congratulatory messages for his birthday. Considering that China was twelve to thirteen hours ahead of America, it was already his birthday. However the couple was still stubbornly waiting for the arrival of midnight in Connecticut.”
Eleven thirty, Yan Zheke suddenly extended her legs to kick Lou Cheng,
“Cheng, go and bathe first.”
“It’s going to be twelve soon. I’ll go after twelve has passed.” Lou Cheng answered cluelessly.
“Just go quickly. Have a shower first! You are so smelly!” Yan Zheke used both of her hands and legs and pushed him off the bed. At the same time, she was too excited to wait for him to go for a shower.
Is this the prelude to a surprise present? The thought flashed past Lou Cheng’s mind as tried to understanding.
“Alright alright alright.” He pretended to be helpless and slow. Taking his clothes along, he walked out of the room and headed for the bathroom.
After taking two steps, he could hear the door closing and the sounds of the door being locked.
It must be! Lou Cheng entered the bathroom with a face full of smiles. While scrubbing himself clean, he slowed his pace and even started humming a song.
After twenty minutes, he walked out freshly clean. He returned to the door of the bedroom and attempted to turn the knob. However, it didn’t move.
“Ke?” He shouted with a clueless tone.
“Wait a minute, just wait for a little…” The girl’s voice was flustered.
“Alright.” Lou Cheng was smirking as he waited patiently. He counted the seconds and started pondering what kind of present would it be?
Eleven fifty-nine, he heard the lock being unlocked and Yan Zheke taking a few steps back.
“Come in.” said the girl with a tensed up voice.
“Mm.” Lou Cheng took a breath, held the knob, twisted it lightly and pushed the door open. The lights of the room were switched off, the curtains were drawn and only faint candlelight was illuminating the room.
In the dull and quiet environment, Yan Zheke was wearing a white floating veil with a wedding gown that perfectly complemented her great figures. Layers and layers of laces made it partially visible and partially opaque. Overall, it greatly brought out the pure and beauty of Yan Zheke like an angel who had descended.
At this moment, she was holding on to a cream cake that she had baked herself. On it was a total of 21 candles. The lights were flickering just like how he was feeling.
Seeing the shocked and dazed look of Lou Cheng, the girl felt a little embarrassed. She had even forgotten to say happy birthday! Lifting her chin, she continued,
“I had this custom made… We have not even taken our wedding photos!”
“Yeah,” answered Lou Cheng.
Yan Zheke covered her mouth and laughed. Turning her vision to the ceiling, she said,
“Then let me bring you to take our photos~ Tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow I have no lessons in the afternoon. We can go the harbour by the lake, riverside garden, Wilson Square, Adams Garden and Westminster building. Hm. We can take the photos ourselves!”
“You have done your research already?” Lou Cheng finally regained his senses and asked the question subconsciously.
Shouldn’t these things be done by me?
“Of course~” Yan Zheke replied with an elevated pitch. She continued, “This is your birthday present! Hm. I have a custom-made suit, shirt, vest, bow-tie, belt, shoes for you… When we are back in China during the summer holidays, we can get some Han costumes for the second set… Come, try it out…”
She turned around as she spoke, walked towards the cupboard and was about to take the set of clothes for Lou Cheng out.
However before she could walk closer, a pair of arms had gone around her waist and a strong body had leaned in from the back. She could hear and feel rather warm breathing beside her ears.
“This could be done tomorrow…” answer Lou Cheng with a low voice.
It had indeed become like this… Pervert… Yan Zheke smirked and turned around. She was prepared for this and lifted the cake in her hands. She wanted to smash it on some hooligan’s face and wish him a happy birthday!
Her turning around and the words of trying out the clothes were all targeted traps!
Lou Cheng had discovered it when she was getting ready. He found it hilarious and shook his head. In the end, he chose not to dodge it.
Seeing this, Yan Zheke’s motions became sluggish and the cake had stopped. She whined,
“Don’t waste any food…”
After speaking, she was full of smiles and her eyes were filled with tears. Looking at Lou Cheng’s eyes, she said softly,
“Cheng, happy birthday~!”
“Hmph?” Lou Cheng lifted his eyebrow.
Yan Zheke bit on her lips softly, looked angrily and said again,
“Dear, happy birthday…”
Puff. Lou Cheng extended her right arm forward and embraced his wife. Breathing out, he blew out the candle. The room was dark and was only illuminated by the faint light shining in from the outside through the window.
“Be careful of my clothes!” Her voice was shivering and resonating in the room. Lou Cheng had completely forgotten to savor the fact that he was a year older.
…
The next morning, Yan Zheke brushed her teeth hatefully. She looked at the spirited Lou Cheng who had just completed his training and was entering the bathroom to wash away the sweat on his body. One could easily see the word “Satisfied” on his face.
I was just being courteous when I said I’m at your mercy on your birthday. And you actually took it for real!
Tsk. I got to get an honest answer from him later on why he knew so much!
He really never tires in that aspect… I wonder how he will be like when I’m not around him…
Yan Zheke let her mind roam. After the two of them got ready, they got back to the room and started video conferencing with both their parents to send their greetings for the new year.
The first was Ji Mingyu, followed by Yan Zheke’s maternal grandparents. After which, it was the paternal grandparents. Lou Cheng waited for the girl to calm herself and the redness around her eyes to subside before asking her over to say something to his parents.
“Mom, dad, Ke is here.” Lou Cheng reminded them with a smile.
“Mom, dad.” Yan Zheke who was still a little lost and emotional followed. Suddenly, something struck her as her face blushed. Resisting the strong urge to run away, she mumbled and supplemented an additional line, “Uncle, aunt…”
The three members of the Lou family all broke into laughter but didn’t go on to tease her about this incident. They turned their topic for chatting to other matters. Yan Zheke was smiling gently and listening but had extended her hand to the back of Lou Cheng. She was pinching him from time to time but didn’t use much force, as she couldn’t bear to.
The couple started a brand new day amidst a joyous atmosphere. Yan Zheke went for her lessons first before heading to the vicinity of the harbour by the lake to have lunch. After which, they continued their wedding photo date and took picture after picture. However these were filled with memories. The memories not only resided in the camera but also resided in their brain.
In the evening, the tired (only limited to Yan Zheke) but excited couple finally returned home. They prepared another table of new year dishes and finished all of them.
After which, they curled up together and waited for the midnight again.
Unknowingly, Yan Zheke had fallen asleep, Lou Cheng tilted his head and looked on with smiles hidden in his gaze.
Approaching midnight, he woke the girl. Shaking his left hand, he sprinkled crystals across the room. Each crystal had a little spark hidden in it without any exception.
“It’s the new year! Time for fireworks!” Lou Cheng shouted softly with a face full of smiles. In his head, thoughts of the Nationals and him joining the professional circle in half a year flashed past his mind.
Yan Zheke looked on attentively at the beautiful and brilliant scene.
A new year and a new beginning. It is just that we are no longer alone.
