The car drove out of the Staff Apartments, a wheel of crimson clouds hanging high in the sky. The entire sky was a magnificent scarlet.
Huo Chuxue held the steering wheel, the corners of her mouth lifting as she couldn’t help but hum a cheerful tune. The previous gloom was swept away, her whole person suddenly clear and bright, her mood instantly improved.
She had just invited He Qingshi to eat at Tangshui Renjia without thinking, not really expecting him to agree. Acting on impulse, some words came out purely by instinct, bypassing her brain entirely. She hadn’t considered the consequences at all.
Some things, once you think them through too carefully, make a person easily shrink back in timidity, and you lose that solitary courage.
Just moments ago, she had invited He Qingshi to eat at Tangshui Renjia.
There was silence on the other end for several seconds, then a weak voice said, “I’m sorry, Doctor Huo, I’m already cooking. Let’s find another time.”
Huo Chuxue: “……”
“You can cook?” She was deeply surprised, perking up her ears to listen. Sure enough, she could hear sizzling sounds from his end.
“My culinary skills aren’t refined. I cook occasionally.”
Her reaction was almost subconscious, the words tumbling out, “Then can I come to your place for a meal?”
He Qingshi: “……”
Having put it out there like that, it was naturally hard for him to refuse. It was less of a request and more of a demand, leaving He Qingshi no room to decline.
He Qingshi was stunned by her directness. He paused, and only after a good while did he say, “Doctor Huo, you’re welcome.”
Just thinking about that conversation made Huo Chuxue want to laugh.
Her face really was thick-skinned!
——
This was Huo Chuxue’s second time at He Qingshi’s home, and she was already on a familiar path.
The evening glow reflected off the white walls, where the Boston ivy and trumpet creeper were lush and vibrant. A few long tendrils quietly reached into the small window on the left, inadvertently letting in large swathes of sunlight.
She gazed for a moment, then withdrew her gaze, a slight smile curling her lips, her mood excellent.
She stood at the door and rang the bell.
A moment later, He Qingshi came to open the door.
As the door opened, He Qingshi stepped aside. “Please come in, Doctor Huo.”
This time, Huo Chuxue finally saw He Qingshi in different attire. No longer in a suit, shirt, and tie, he wore a set of casual, plain-colored loungewear.
They say a suit is a symbol of a man’s refinement and status, but she felt suits were too formal, inevitably stiff and rigid. Moreover, the grays, blacks, and navy blues were all cool tones, giving a very cold feel that was hard to approach.
In contrast, this casual outfit was much more pleasing to the eye, making him look quite a bit younger.
He Qingshi found a new pair of women’s slippers for Huo Chuxue from the shoe cabinet in the entryway. “Lan Yi bought these before. Please make do with them, Doctor Huo.”
Huo Chuxue took off her flats and slipped her feet in. The size was just right.
She smiled. “They fit perfectly. No ‘making do’ needed.”
He Qingshi said, “It seems your feet are the same size as Lan Yi’s.”
He led Huo Chuxue to the living room and asked, “What would you like to drink?”
Huo Chuxue asked, “What do you have at home?”
“Tea and soft drinks. Also plain water.”
Huo Chuxue, feeling very much at home, took a clean glass from the coffee table and poured herself a glass of water. “Water is fine for me.”
He Qingshi said, “There’s fruit in the fridge. Let me get you some.”
He brought over a fruit plate, loaded with loquats, grapes, and longans.
Huo Chuxue picked out two loquats. “You go ahead with your work. Don’t mind me.”
He said, “Then have a seat for a bit. You can watch TV.”
Huo Chuxue took a general look around He Qingshi’s home. It was large, very empty, lifeless, lacking much lived-in warmth.
Living alone in such a big house, did he ever feel lonely?
Because Huo Chuxue was coming, He Qingshi had specifically added two more dishes. Originally, he would have just muddled through by himself and called it a meal.
He actually rarely cooked, mostly eating at the school or ordering takeout at home. Eating out too much grew tiresome, so he occasionally cooked for himself.
Sitting in the living room, Huo Chuxue heard He Qingshi’s voice from afar, “Doctor Huo, do you eat fish?”
“Yes,” she called back across the distance.
She watched a variety show for a while but found it boring. Her mind was restless anyway and couldn’t focus.
From the kitchen came the occasional sound of stir-frying, accompanied by waves of cooking aromas.
She turned off the TV and went to the kitchen to watch He Qingshi cook.
Leaning against the doorframe, she watched quietly without disturbing him.
Sunlight quietly crept through the window, falling on He Qingshi, soft and elegant.
The range hood rumbled incessantly, the noise loud.
To be honest, the sight of a man cooking wasn’t particularly pleasing; it actually seemed a bit clumsy. The oil bubbled in the wok. He poured in the greens, keeping his whole body far away, his face full of worry and fear. It was clear he didn’t cook often.
It was also quite an effort for him to have the enthusiasm to cook personally. If it were her, she’d just order takeout. That was much simpler.
A short while later, that dish of oil-blanched greens was barely finished. The heat wasn’t controlled well; it was overcooked. The leaves were a bit charred, and the color wasn’t very appealing.
Noticing Huo Chuxue’s gaze, He Qingshi was quite embarrassed. “I don’t cook much usually.”
Huo Chuxue expressed understanding. After all, not many young people these days were good at cooking.
She walked to his side. “Let me cook the fish. I’ll show you my skills.”
He Qingshi was surprised. “Doctor Huo, you can cook?”
She laughed. “Have you forgotten? My family runs a restaurant. How could the daughter of a master chef not have a few tricks up her sleeve!”
He Qingshi: “……”
She naturally took the spatula from his hand and said, “My dad always hoped I would inherit his mantle and take over the family business. It’s just a pity I had no interest in cooking and ran off to study medicine instead. My dad was quite helpless about it. Now he’s just eagerly hoping his future son-in-law will inherit the mantle.”
He Qingshi: “……”
Though, judging by the current situation, it seemed her father’s one remaining beautiful wish was also destined to be dashed.
Cooking a fish wasn’t difficult for Huo Chuxue. Frying the fish, adding ingredients, stir-frying—it was done in one smooth motion. In no time, a braised crucian carp, complete in color, aroma, and taste, was ready.
Huo Chuxue’s skills completely outshone He Qingshi’s. He Qingshi couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. The daughter of a master chef was indeed the daughter of a master chef. A casual stir-fry could leave him in the dust.
The two of them ate, the atmosphere surprisingly pleasant. Huo Chuxue suggested, “How about having some wine?”
He Qingshi, head buried in his food, heard her voice and looked up gently. “There’s no wine at home.”
Huo Chuxue: “……”
She gave a slight smile. “Men who don’t drink wine these days are rare.”
He said earnestly, “Drinking can easily lead to trouble. My alcohol tolerance isn’t good either, so I rarely drink.”
Unless he was particularly happy, like during Xiao Qingtian’s full moon celebration when he had drunk.
Nowadays, men who didn’t drink were truly a rarity. Luckily, he was a teacher with few social engagements, otherwise it would be hard to get by in this society. In the business world these days, what man didn’t drink? Contract after contract was signed over drinks.
That he didn’t drink made Huo Chuxue certain, even without thinking hard, that his social circle was small and he had few friends. This man really did live a solitary life.
In the end, they had to make do with Sprite instead.
Even without wine, that meal was still thoroughly enjoyable.
What you ate really wasn’t important; the key was who you ate with. The company mattered.
A man and a woman eating at home, while seemingly aboveboard, held no small amount of ambiguity.
Huo Chuxue’s heart was as clear as a mirror, but she was playing dumb while knowing full well.
With this layer of window paper between them, anything could be justified, excuses could always be found for self-justification. But once that paper was pierced, the situation would be entirely different. She was a smart woman who knew how to assess the situation. Without absolute certainty, she would never reveal her true feelings.
As for He Qingshi, he always felt something was a bit off, but upon closer examination, found nothing.
——
The meal ended as the sky was transitioning to evening, a dense shade of blue.
He Qingshi took Huo Chuxue to see the backyard. Not seeing it was one thing; seeing it was a shock. He Qingshi’s backyard didn’t look like a backyard; it was practically a small botanical garden.
A canopy was set up in the backyard, enclosed on all sides. Spider plants, pothos, ivy, asparagus ferns, roses, hydrangeas, cacti—flowers, grasses, all sorts of plants were grown in abundance. There were many she couldn’t even name.
The Boston ivy and trumpet creeper also originated here, climbing everywhere, covering several walls.
Countless plants met the eye, an endless expanse of lush green. Compared to the cold emptiness inside the house, this backyard was a completely different scene, full of vibrant life.
“Did you plant all these?” Huo Chuxue asked, her face showing astonishment.
“When I had nothing to do, to pass the time, I planted these.”
Huo Chuxue: “……”
Huo Chuxue’s mouth twitched. She thought, ‘Truly a man of letters and refined tastes. Not only does he wield the pen, he also enjoys planting flowers and grasses.’ If it were her, with nothing to do, she’d only pass the time by binge-watching dramas or reading novels.
She followed He Qingshi on a slow stroll around the garden.
She had grabbed a handful of loquats on her way out. After finishing them, her palm was full of pits. While He Qingshi wasn’t looking, she secretly stuffed them into a flowerpot by her hand.
He Qingshi noticed her action but didn’t call her out, pretending not to see. He just found it amusing inwardly, like she was a little kid.
Huo Chuxue’s eye was caught by a potted plant.
The plant had very thin stems, was short in stature, with broad, thick leaves shaped like bean pods, fresh and pleasing to the eye.
“What’s this?” Huo Chuxue squatted down and touched a leaf.
He Qingshi said, “Peperomia.”
The name matched the leaf—very elegant.
“What a lovely name!”
He Qingshi said, “This thing, placed indoors, can purify the air, remove formaldehyde, absorb radiation. Doctor Huo, you can take a pot back.”
Huo Chuxue’s eyes instantly lit up, excited like a child. “Really?”
“It’s a little thing, not valuable. Doctor Huo, just take it.”
“Then I’ll thank you in advance, Mr. He.”
——
Huo Chuxue happily made off with a pot of peperomia from He Qingshi. Back home, she placed it on her desk.
In her good mood, she didn’t forget to take a photo and happily posted it on her social media feed.
Huo Chuxue: “Little cutie, from now on you’re with me! (Smiley face)”
One or two hours passed, and there wasn’t a single comment. Only her mother had quietly given it a like.
How pathetic! These days, you post something and don’t even get a single comment!
Social media feeds were really becoming less and less interesting.
She silently deleted that post.
Only then did she remember that He Qingshi, that old-fashioned man, didn’t even have a social media account. It really was a wise move!