The last time Shen Jin had cooked with Yun Xiaoran was when his parents visited. They had been forced to cook together to pretend they were a loving couple, and all she had felt was awkwardness and a helpless desire to get it over with.
Their coordination back then could hardly be called Pacific Rim-it was more like they were an Atlantic Ocean apart.
This time, though, Shen Jin felt that she and Yun Xiaoran were working better and better together. He chopped while she trimmed the vegetables, like a married couple, one making porridge and the other preparing the dishes.
As she trimmed the vegetables, Shen Jin also found opportunities to watch Yun Xiaoran in the kitchen out of the corner of her eye, stealing glances at him.
Yun Xiaoran was completely focused when he cooked. He kept an excellent rhythm, everything proceeding in an orderly fashion. Shen Jin cooked for herself too, but watching his slender, sunny figure in an apron left her dazed, her hands mechanically repeating the same motions.
Halfway through chopping, Yun Xiaoran casually washed a cucumber to eat.
"Here, a nice crisp cucumber."
Shen Jin had been trimming the vegetables, but at his words, she hurriedly washed her hands and accepted the half cucumber he had broken off for her. "Okay."
Yun Xiaoran went back to humming and cooking, adding, "Go keep Mom company for now. I'll call you when dinner's ready."
"Oh, okay..."
Holding half a cucumber, Shen Jin wandered out of the kitchen in a daze. Everything Yun Xiaoran had just done made him seem so much like a good, home-loving husband. From having her help him to sharing his food with her, he had captured the role perfectly.
"Xiaoran told me you registered your marriage half a month ago. How did you two meet?" Ning Xian asked, sitting idly on the sofa. She was curious how her daughter had managed to find such a good man.
From the moment Yun Xiaoran welcomed Ning Xian inside to every gesture and action afterward, she had been thoroughly satisfied with this son-in-law.
"Well..." Shen Jin's good mood evaporated as she ate her cucumber, trying to think.
She certainly couldn't tell the truth now, but she had no idea what lie to make up.
"It was like this, Mom. Jin'er and I met online..." Yun Xiaoran had no idea that Shen Jin was actually the Top Diva of Chinese Entertainment, the National Goddess. Otherwise, he would never have invented such an illogical story of how they met, not even under threat of death.
Yun Xiaoran spun a story about an insecure young music lover meeting an understanding older woman online and falling in love with her. He even invented a whole subplot about their online romance saving him emotionally.
What on earth is this? Ning Xian was a little touched by Yun Xiaoran's explanation, but the more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed. She had assumed he was a devoted fan of Shen Muge or something of the sort, which explained why he doted on her so much at home.
But judging from what Yun Xiaoran had said, it seemed he still didn't know Shen Jin's true identity.
"Ahem..." The older woman had clearly noticed something was wrong. She coughed and glanced at her sly daughter out of the corner of her eye, hoping she would explain what was going on.
"That's right, Mom. I met Yun Xiaoran online while I was working at China Star Entertainment. Later, we fell in love and registered our marriage."
Shen Jin caught on then. Not only did she play along with Yun Xiaoran's carefully fabricated story, she also made a point of telling her mother that she hadn't yet revealed her true identity to him.
"I see. I didn't expect the story of how you met to be so romantic," Ning Xian said thoughtfully, leaving Yun Xiaoran and Shen Jin laughing sheepishly to themselves.
Romantic? One wanted to marry a gay man, while the other wanted a sham marriage with a woman to fool his parents. They had stumbled into this together because neither had the full picture.
Shen Jin picked up food and ate distractedly. Yun Xiaoran sat across the table, while Ning Xian sat to her left.
"What's wrong? Is it not to your taste? Here, have a drumstick."
Seeing how distracted Shen Jin looked across from him, Yun Xiaoran figured that putting on a better performance in front of his mother-in-law would make their act more convincing. He picked up a piece of chicken and placed it in her bowl.
"Xiaoran, you don't have to spoil her so much. Shen Jin has been a picky eater since she was little."
Shen Jin: "..."
Watching how polite and attentive Yun Xiaoran was filled Ning Xian with delight. Though she was still scolding her daughter, her eyes had nearly narrowed to slits with her smile.
"Really? She eats almost everything I make, apart from the foods she avoids." Shen Jin had wanted to protest, but after hearing Yun Xiaoran say that, she kept quiet.
What do you mean?
I'm very picky about food!
It's just that his cooking is too good...
"Really? So you've forgotten your mother now that you have a husband. You can eat your husband's cooking, but not your mom's."
Though Ning Xian appeared to be scolding her daughter, she was actually using her words to subtly draw Yun Xiaoran and Shen Jin closer together.
Shen Jin lowered her head at that and said nothing, concentrating on shoveling rice into her mouth. In a way, she was acknowledging what her mother had said.
"Mom, let Jin'er know before you come next time so we can buy you some gifts. This visit was so sudden that we didn't prepare anything." Seeing that the conversation was heading somewhere troublesome, Yun Xiaoran changed the subject.
"Oh, I really did come too suddenly this time." Seeing how considerate Yun Xiaoran was, Ning Xian couldn't help smiling from the heart.
After dinner, Ning Xian was thoroughly satisfied with her inspection. She had booked a flight for that evening, so there was no reason to stay and disturb the newlyweds.
In the end, Shen Jin drove her to the vicinity of the airport with Yun Xiaoran, then they headed back.
On the way back, Yun Xiaoran once again sat stiffly in the passenger seat. Whenever he was alone with Shen Jin, he felt deeply uncomfortable, and his body involuntarily edged away from the woman behind the wheel.
Shen Jin had been in a good mood that evening. Her husband's performance had been commendable, and she had wanted to praise him. But when she glanced over and saw Yun Xiaoran quietly edging away from her, she felt distinctly displeased.
"What are you doing?" Shen Jin narrowed her eyes slightly, her beautiful gaze fixed calmly ahead as her red lips parted to question Yun Xiaoran.
"I... Well, Mom's gone now, so there's no need to keep acting, right?" Yun Xiaoran could only force himself to answer. But the moment Shen Jin heard the word "acting," she looked at him, deeply irritated, and said:
"What did you just say?"
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