Chicken Soup

During dinner, Li Changle watched Wang Siyi and noticed she looked relaxed, the previous distress gone. He let out a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness she's finally acting somewhat normal. If this went on any longer, I was seriously considering taking her to a psychologist.

"I'm planning to use the song 'Red Bean' that you wrote as the lead single for my new album. What do you think?" Wang Siyi asked directly after finishing her meal.

This time, it was Li Changle's turn to be stunned. Has she really come to her senses?

But then he thought it made perfect sense. She loved singing, after all. Even when she lacked good songs and a good environment, she had always been determined to sing and release a new album. Now that he had solved the song problem for her, she would naturally give it a try.

It's exactly as I expected. But seeing how upset she was earlier, I hope nothing goes wrong this time.

"This song was always meant for you. You can sing it however you want," Li Changle said nonchalantly.

"No, you wrote it, so I must get your opinion on it."

"Then, I think it's okay."

Wang Siyi nodded. "Then consider this song bought from you. I'll pay you the market price for a top musician – 500,000 yuan per song. Give me your bank account number, and I'll transfer the money."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Li Changle, who had just taken a sip of soup, choked when Wang Siyi mentioned paying him again, especially 500,000 yuan.

Wang Siyi quickly handed him a roll of tissues and then ran to pat him on the back.

"Are you okay?" she asked anxiously.

Why does this woman always want to give me money? I don't understand.

"I don't want this money. Consider it rent for living here," Li Changle said quickly after catching his breath and feeling fully revived.

"You're living here because you saved me. That's a separate matter. You write songs for me, and I pay you; that's only right," Wang Siyi said, frowning as she looked at Li Changle.

"In any case, I'm not taking the money."

What a joke! Does Li Changle need to be taken care of by a rich woman? I'm practically rich myself now.

The first royalty payment for Legend of Sword and Fairy 1 had already arrived – a full seven figures, and that was just from last month. When the money came in, he had sent 100,000 yuan to his family. He hadn't dared to send too much, fearing his parents would worry and think he wasn't doing legitimate work. Even so, they were shocked. And he hadn't even calculated this month's royalties yet; they would only increase from here on out.

Besides, I'm now a platinum author on Chinese Web Novel Platform! I'm the man who went from LV1 to platinum in less than three months in the platform's history. The title of 'fastest man on Chinese Web Novel Platform' is mine.

Although this rich woman was beautiful and wealthy, Li Changle was firm in his stance. No matter what Wang Siyi said, he refused to accept the 500,000 yuan.

"Since you don't want the 500,000 yuan, you have to promise me one thing." Wang Siyi thought for a moment. It doesn't matter if he takes the money now since he's not short on cash. If that's the case, then...

Her beautiful eyes glinted with slyness. "Then you'll live here permanently. You can't move out without my permission, and you have to stay here and help me clean the rooms."

What?

This is even more than 500,000 yuan! Either of these two apartments is worth millions. If she says this, isn't it the same as giving the apartments to me?

"I..."

"No refusing! If you refuse, I'll tell my dad you're bullying me," Wang Siyi said indignantly to Li Changle.

"What! You can't falsely accuse an innocent person!" Li Changle exclaimed in shock. Wang Weimin was an absolute doting father and quite controlling. If Wang Siyi hadn't fallen out with him, Li Changle suspected Wang Weimin might have kicked him out one night. If Wang Siyi were to complain to her father that he was bullying her, Wang Weimin would probably show up with a cleaver to have a "chat" about life and ideals. His life would be miserable then.

"Then you're not allowed to refuse."

"Sigh, fine, fine, fine. I'll live here. I won't move out until I'm old. Don't you regret it," Li Changle said fiercely, finally giving in. This woman is going too far. I've never met anyone so eager to keep me.

Wang Siyi hoped he would never move out.

"You said it! Pinky promise!" Wang Siyi excitedly reached out her pinky finger when she heard Li Changle say he would live there until he was old. Even though it was a joke, what if? She was taking it seriously.

"Hey, hey, Wang Siyi, what's wrong with you? I was just kidding. You can't get drunk off Chicken Soup, can you?"

Li Changle felt he couldn't handle the current Wang Siyi. She had started acting spoiled again.

"I don't care, I want to pinky promise, you can't go back on your word?"

"Go back on what?"

"You can't go back on anything!"

"Alright, alright, I won't go back on my word."

Li Changle helplessly linked pinkies with Wang Siyi. He didn't know what she was talking about, but she just kept insisting he couldn't go back on his word.

Was he the type of person to break his promises?

How could that be? His nickname, "Little Gentleman of Integrity," had been with him since childhood.

After the pinky promise, the chattering Wang Siyi suddenly quieted down, no longer speaking. Her aura turned cold and aloof again.

Li Changle looked at Wang Siyi, who was like a completely different person from moments ago, and felt a prickle of unease. How could this person switch personalities so rapidly, changing as soon as she pleased? It was unbelievable.

He was wondering why Wang Siyi could exhibit several different personalities all by herself. Could she have multiple personalities?

Li Changle recalled a Novel he had read, where the female protagonist had multiple personalities. It was said to be a psychological disorder.

This is a sickness, it needs treatment!

He hesitated, wondering if he should ask Wang Siyi if she planned to see a psychologist. But he felt it would be too presumptuous, and impolite, to ask.

Suddenly, Wang Siyi looked up, gazing gently at Li Changle, and said softly:

"I'm going to Shanghai the morning after tomorrow."

Li Changle was silent for a moment before replying with a simple "Okay."

"I want to drink Chicken Soup tomorrow, the kind I drank the morning after I got drunk."

Wang Siyi made a bizarre request.

Chicken Soup? Wasn't she drinking it every day? Li Changle felt that the Chicken Soup he made every day tasted the same.

"You were drinking Chicken Soup tonight, weren't you? The recipe is the same, is the taste different?"

Wang Siyi looked at Li Changle's puzzled expression. He also seemed to not understand what was different about that day's Chicken Soup compared to the usual.

But Wang Siyi could clearly feel that the Chicken Soup that morning warmed her heart more, and the taste was sweeter.

"It's different. The Chicken Soup that morning was delicious."

Wang Siyi shook her head, answering Li Changle's question.

"That's strange. Was the old hen fresher in the morning? No, the hens are killed fresh..."

"Is there a possibility that because you were drunk the night before and felt unwell, you subjectively found the Chicken Soup tastier?"

Li Changle cautiously probed.

"I don't know. Anyway, I want to drink the Chicken Soup with that taste from that morning. I don't care."

So, you want to get drunk again tonight? Li Changle couldn't bring himself to say such a thing, nor dare he do such a thing.

Wang Siyi's behavior when drunk was terrible. Li Changle had seen many people drunk, but he had never seen anyone like Wang Siyi who would smash doors and whose emotions would become tens of times more volatile than usual.

"Fine, fine, fine! I'll go buy you a chicken tomorrow morning. Drink it, damn it! If one bowl isn't enough, have two!"

Seeing Li Changle's reaction, Wang Siyi didn't get angry. Instead, her eyes curved into a smile. This guy's temper was just like that. They had lived together for so long, and she had never seen him angry even once. He had a very good temper.

She could bully him however she wanted; he wouldn't bully her back. Who told him he was so honest? Honest people deserved to be bullied, hmph.

The next day, Li Changle went to the market at six in the morning to buy a freshly killed old hen and some ingredients, and started busy in the kitchen.

Today, Wang Siyi also seemed to have woken up early. After washing up, she sat on the sofa watching Li Changle cook. Occasionally, she would hold up her phone and point it at him, doing something Li Changle didn't ask about.

"Breakfast is ready," Li Changle called out.

Looking at the pot of Chicken Soup on the table, along with two bowls of noodles, Li Changle felt a bit helpless. Waking up so early just to drink this Chicken Soup was really taxing.

Moreover, eating something so greasy in the morning wasn't very good for his health. But Wang Siyi never seemed to care about these things. Not only that, Li Changle had never even seen Wang Siyi exercise.

She had been living here for two months, eating heartily every day, and she was still as slender as ever. Li Changle's eyes practically popped out with envy.

"Nothing special."

Wang Siyi ran over excitedly, then took a small bowl and ladled some Chicken Soup. She skimmed off the oil, blew on it gently, and took a small sip.

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, but it wasn't very noticeable. She didn't say anything and silently drank the Chicken Soup.

This Chicken Soup tasted much better than the usual ones, but it wasn't the same taste as the one she drank the morning after she got drunk.

However, she didn't tell Li Changle. Li Changle probably didn't know himself where the problem lay.

Perhaps that was just an accident, or maybe, as Li Changle had said, it was an issue stemming from her being drunk that day.

She slowly finished the Chicken Soup and stood up. This time, she decided to clear the table and wash the dishes herself.

Because she was leaving tomorrow and didn't know when she would return, and Li Changle had always been the one to clean up, she wanted to do it once.

Li Changle didn't stop her. This woman couldn't possibly be so clumsy that she didn't even know how to wash dishes, right?

"Crash!"

A sound of breaking bowls and plates came from the kitchen, and Li Changle covered his face with both hands.

"I'm so stupid, really. I only knew Wang Siyi was a woman who only knew how to eat, but I didn't know she really couldn't even wash dishes."

Li Changle stood up and couldn't help but slap himself in the mouth.

Seeing Wang Siyi even trying to bend down to pick up the shards, he quickly shouted:

"Don't move!"

Wang Siyi, who had just bent down, paused her outstretched hand.

Li Changle quickly walked over and pulled her out of the kitchen.

"Fairies should be kept well, not eating mortal food. Why are you experiencing washing dishes for no reason?"

"Your hands, are they injured?"

Wang Siyi smiled sheepishly. Seeing that Li Changle's first reaction was to care about her and not blame her, she started to smile foolishly again.

"Hey, hey, I'm asking you, why are you smiling foolishly? I asked if your hands are injured."

Li Changle sometimes really wondered if Wang Siyi had seven personalities in her head, changing every moment.

"Huh? Huh?"

"I'm fine, sorry, I… I'm washing dishes for the first time."

Wang Siyi lowered her head shyly, her face blushing slightly.

"It's good that you're okay. You just stay put. I'll handle this kind of thing."

With that, Li Changle got a broom and dustpan, cleaned up the ceramic shards, and washed the bowls again.

Wang Siyi was still sitting on the sofa, head down, not speaking. She was a little dejected: "Am I really useless, not even able to wash dishes?"

"You're a fairy, you don't need to wash dishes. You just need to sing."

Seeing Wang Siyi looking like her life was in doubt, he sighed.

"Everyone is the same. No one is born knowing how to do everything. It's normal to break a bowl the first time you wash one."

"Oh."

"Can you take me to the airport tomorrow?"

Wang Siyi looked up at Li Changle with hopeful eyes.

"What time is your flight?"

"Nine-thirty."

"Okay, let's have breakfast before you go. I'll make you breakfast tomorrow."

Li Changle thought for a moment and said to Wang Siyi.

Wang Siyi just looked at Li Changle, her expression gentle. He was always so thoughtful. When he was around, she felt truly at ease.

"Thank you."

Li Changle lay in bed. It was already one o'clock, and he couldn't sleep. He realized that every time he thought about Wang Siyi leaving, and the possibility that she might not come back here for a long time, his heart felt heavy.

Did he… get used to her presence?

Li Changle thought about it seriously. When he first started living with Wang Siyi, he felt a sense of accomplishment watching her eat the meals he made so heartily.

Later, when she left, he lost all interest in cooking for a while and ordered takeout for several days.

Then she came back, and his joy in cooking returned. Moreover, because she was a picky eater, his cooking skills seemed to have improved quite a bit.

"Ah, case closed. There's no sense of accomplishment when you cook for yourself and eat it yourself."

Li Changle thought this, but he felt something was still not quite right. It seemed that ever since Wang Siyi got drunk that time, the frequency and variety of his cooking had increased.

"Going to sleep now. I need to go to the market to buy groceries tomorrow."

With a pile of unresolved thoughts, Li Changle fell asleep.

But Wang Siyi couldn't sleep. She looked around the familiar room. She had been living here for a month.

Ever since she got drunk, she hadn't returned to the apartment across the way to live.

She hadn't brought it up, and Li Changle hadn't noticed, or maybe he had noticed but hadn't realized it?

Wang Siyi was now very sure of her feelings. She liked Li Changle. This time, leaving was just to see if Li Changle truly had her in his heart.

She couldn't leave Li Changle. If Li Changle didn't have her in his heart, what should she do? Various thoughts swirled in her mind, unable to calm down for a long time.

The next day, Li Changle noticed that Wang Siyi had dark circles under her eyes, just like him. However, Wang Siyi seemed to be in a bad mood, so he didn't tease her or invite her to sit down.

Li Changle was making noodles, the same kind Wang Siyi had eaten the first time—simple Chicken Soup with blanched noodles.

Wang Siyi took a distracted sip of the soup, and her eyes lit up:

"How did you make this soup?"

"It's just Chicken Soup. I bought a free-range hen from the market this morning."

Li Changle yawned and said, "I slept too late last night and woke up really early. I'm a bit tired."

Li Changle had still noticed the frown on Wang Siyi's face when she drank the Chicken Soup yesterday.

Wondering where things had gone wrong, Li Changle pondered, wanting to try again.

"This taste, I really like it."

Wang Siyi said inexplicably.

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