Ancestor

(Thanks to Xi Ce for the two monthly passes, Nineteen Loves Drinking for the monthly pass, and Chasing Deer Between Cliffs for the tip.)

"Why?" Xiao He asked, puzzled.

"No reason. Just a feeling." Huang Ling smiled at him, then continued eating her daily set meal. Hers was teriyaki chicken leg with several side dishes, and it looked delicious too.

But when he saw that teriyaki chicken leg, Xiao He suddenly remembered the one Ye Wanqing had made for him yesterday.

Hers had been pretty good too. Thinking that, Xiao He lowered his head and continued eating his Hainanese chicken rice.

Although this Hainanese chicken rice cost over fifty yuan, he felt the owner's cooking was worth the price.

And as they continued their meal, the restaurant quickly filled up. Most of the customers were regulars whose names the owner knew.

"Xiaoxiao, Old Li's drinking set." The owner handed a tray to his wife, who blew him a kiss before placing it in front of an elderly man.

Honestly, Xiao He was a little envious of the owner and his wife. They seemed deeply in love, their eyes full of affection whenever they looked at each other... unlike him and Ye Wanqing, whose gazes were always filled with anger.

Though things had improved somewhat lately, living together was still difficult for the two of them. Even if their impressions of each other had improved, the conflicts in their habits and values could not be changed. They were utterly incompatible.

After the meal, when Xiao He was about to pay, Huang Ling had already paid for her own portion. She smiled faintly at him. "Didn't I say before? We're splitting the bill."

"But I think..." Xiao He had barely begun when Huang Ling interrupted him. "Want to see a movie this afternoon?"

Xiao He had really wanted to go, but then he remembered that Ye Wanqing had class that afternoon and he still had to bike her there.

"Maybe another day. I have something to do this afternoon..." Xiao He said with a wry smile.

"Mm..." Huang Ling looked a little cute with her lips pursed. "All right, then. There haven't been any good movies lately anyway."

Hearing that, Xiao He was somewhat relieved, and the two of them started back. But when they passed a residential complex, Huang Ling pointed at it and said, "I live in there."

"Isn't that only two blocks from our place?" Xiao He said with interest. "Maybe we can visit each other sometime."

"Mm, that sounds nice." Huang Ling smiled. "At home, you won't have to worry about anyone finding out, right?"

"Mm... sorry." Xiao He said somewhat awkwardly, feeling as though he had been seen through.

"I'll head back first, then." Huang Ling raised her little hand and waved. Though she was petite, her fingers were long and slender.

Before long, Xiao He returned to the foot of his own building. After thinking for a moment before going upstairs, he bought a tub of ice cream. Once he opened the door, he tentatively called out, "I'm back, Wanqing?"

Tuantuan came to greet him, the little furball affectionately rubbing against his leg.

As for Ye Wanqing, she ignored him completely. Xiao He had thought she had already gone to class, but after changing his shoes and entering the living room, he saw Ye Wanqing sitting cross-legged on the sofa, watching a drama.

"What the hell? If you're home, at least make a sound." Xiao He jumped in surprise.

"Squeak." Ye Wanqing replied expressionlessly. Xiao He knew she was still angry, so he went over and handed her the ice cream. "Look, I bought you ice cream."

"I'm not a child." Ye Wanqing said sulkily. "Besides, we have to eat according to the meal plan on the list now. If I eat this ice cream, my calorie intake for today will exceed the limit."

"Oh, right..." Xiao He suddenly remembered. "Then I'll put the ice cream in the fridge."

Ye Wanqing gave a soft huff, too lazy to pay him any attention. Xiao He glanced at her. She sat cross-legged like some burly old man, not ladylike in the slightest, making him silently shake his head.

After putting the ice cream away, Xiao He came up behind Ye Wanqing and smiled. "The place I went to today was really great. The owner's cooking was amazing, and it was cheap too."

"Mm." Ye Wanqing answered coldly. Xiao He tentatively asked, "How about I take you there tomorrow?"

"I have training at the Special Response Department tomorrow." Ye Wanqing replied blandly. Xiao He suppressed his anger. "Then the day after tomorrow."

"I have classes during third and fourth period the day after tomorrow. There won't be time at noon." Ye Wanqing remained just as cold.

"..." Xiao He was about to explode, but after thinking about it, he really had been in the wrong for leaving her home alone today. So he held back his temper. "Then today! We'll go this afternoon, all right?"

Ye Wanqing frowned slightly and shot him a sidelong glance, seemingly not expecting him to persist.

"I'll take you to your classroom for class later. When you're done, I'll pick you up, and then we'll go eat together. Perfect timing too—we can walk back after dinner, which will count as completing the forty-minute walk on the list." Xiao He laid out his plan.

After thinking it over, Ye Wanqing finally chose to compromise. "All right."

However, that afternoon, when he brought Ye Wanqing to the entrance of Willow Restaurant, it was already closed.

Only then did Xiao He notice the business hours posted on the door: "10 a.m. to 4 p.m."

"So unreliable..." Ye Wanqing muttered softly beside him, arms folded.

"Sorry!" Xiao He pressed his hands together toward Ye Wanqing. "I didn't notice the business hours! She said it was a one-star Michelin restaurant, so I thought it had to be open all day! I mean, who wouldn't want to make money when there's money to be made? But who knew..."

"What do we do now?" Ye Wanqing pressed her lips together and frowned.

"How about I treat you somewhere else? It's a weekday, so most places probably won't be crowded." Xiao He said, pulling out his phone. Ye Wanqing sighed. "Whatever. Hurry up, I barely ate at noon. I'm starving."

"Okay, okay..." Xiao He replied repeatedly. "Let me see what's around here..."

After searching for a while, Xiao He said excitedly, "Hey, this place called Late Rice looks good! I heard their pickled cabbage fish and chopped chili fish head are famous. It's even two-star Michelin..."

"I can't eat spicy food," Ye Wanqing said flatly.

Angry. Xiao He's face tightened.

Ye Wanqing glanced sidelong at him, figuring he was about to blow up too.

"Then let's have barbecue." Xiao He took a deep breath and replied, "Some beef won't be too high in calories either."

Ye Wanqing sighed faintly. "All right."

"What a little ancestor..." Xiao He muttered irritably. "Come on, this way."

After they arrived, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing found a place to sit.

"I've never treated even my parents this well." Xiao He glared at Ye Wanqing as he placed grilled beef into her bowl.

"Then you treat your parents terribly," Ye Wanqing said dismissively, picking up the grilled meat and eating it.

"Actually, I'm pretty filial at home, you know?" Xiao He frowned unhappily. "What I mean is, I've never taken care of them like this, grilling the meat and putting it right in front of them..."

"That's only because you didn't check their business hours..." Ye Wanqing curled her lips. Xiao He's face darkened. "You little brat, you're so cute, so why is that mouth of yours so merciless?"

After a brief silence, Ye Wanqing added, "Still, this barbecue place tastes pretty good too."

"Just wait. I'll bring you there again this Saturday." Xiao He said with a frown. "You have to try that place."