The supermarket is located on a small street in the 8th Arrondissement of Paris. The storefront is small, but the interior is quite deep.
Cheng Che pushed the shopping cart behind Pei Jingshu, watching her weave between the rows of shelves.
The lobsters were in the seafood section, arranged in two rows in the freezer, their deep blue shells gleaming under the lights.
Pei Jingshu stood in front of the freezer, looked down at it for several seconds, then pursed her lips, raised her head, and spoke with a firm tone.
I can cook Boston lobster.
Cheng Che glanced at her and said with a smile, "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." Pei Jingshu nodded, her expression serious. "I've studied it specifically. I learned from a French chef for a week when I was in South Korea."
Cheng Che smiled and said, "Sure. I haven't tried your cooking yet. But you have my shredded pork with garlic sauce."
Pei Jingshu raised her chin. "That's different. Yours is home-style cooking, mine is French cuisine."
"Okay." Cheng Che waved to the France guy behind the counter and said in French, "Two lobsters, please process them."
Pei Jingshu paused for a moment, then turned to look at him. "You speak French?"
"I learned it while filming a while ago," Cheng Che said.
Pei Jingshu opened her mouth, her expression shifting from surprise to envy. "Just how many languages do you know?"
Cheng Che thought for a moment, "Seven or eight, I guess. I know a little bit of the commonly used ones."
Pei Jingshu glared at him, then didn't say anything more, but her expression clearly said, "How can this person know everything?"
Cheng Che smiled but didn't explain.
He doesn't actually have much of a talent for languages; it's just that once his intelligence reached ninety, coupled with his ability to " Comprehension by Analogy," he learned new things incredibly quickly.
Once you understand the grammar of a language, build up your vocabulary, and watch a few movies a couple of times, you'll be able to speak it.
The France guy worked behind the counter for a while, cleaned the two lobsters, put them in a bag, and handed them over.
Cheng Che took it, pulled a few bills from his wallet, placed them on the counter, and said, "Keep the change."
The waiter glanced at the money, his smile became much more genuine, and he added, "Enjoy your meal."
The two continued shopping in the supermarket.
Pei Jingshu took butter, garlic, onions, a small bottle of Korean chili sauce, and then picked out two bunches of green vegetables from the fresh produce section.
Cheng Che went to the rice section, found a bag of rice, and casually grabbed two cartons of eggs and a row of yogurt.
When it was time to pay, the cashier scanned everything and announced the price. Pei Jingshu glanced at it, her expression changed, and she muttered under her breath, "So expensive."
Cheng Che didn't pay attention and handed over the card to swipe.
He was poor for eighteen years, but he didn't develop any bad habits.
I don't smoke or drink. When I have money, it only costs me tens of thousands of yuan to buy mythical beasts in video games. My biggest expense is food.
Now that he has money, he's willing to spend some on good food, and he thinks it's worth it.
Back at the hotel, Pei Jingshu picked up the bag and headed to the kitchen.
Wilson arranged a luxury hotel for Cheng Che in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. The suite was very large, with a separate living room, bedroom, and kitchen, which was fully equipped with a stove, oven, and refrigerator.
Although Pei Jingshu usually sleeps in her own room, she spends most of her time with him and has become very familiar with the kitchen.
She placed the bag on the table, tied on her apron, and began to work.
Cheng Che sat on the sofa in the living room, intending to read a book, but his gaze couldn't help but drift towards the kitchen.
Pei Jingshu's movements weren't as professional as she claimed, as if she had "specially studied for a week," but she remained calm.
She rinsed the lobster first, then cut it into pieces with a knife, her movements a little clumsy, but she cut very carefully.
Melt butter in a pan, sauté minced garlic until fragrant, then add lobster pieces and stir-fry. The aroma will quickly fill the air.
Cheng Che looked at it for a few minutes, then opened the book.
About twenty minutes later, Pei Jingshu came out carrying two plates, making some noises as she spoke.
"Ta-da--"
The plate was placed on the table, containing bright red lobster chunks coated in butter and hot sauce, garnished with a few green cilantro leaves.
She ran back and brought out a pot of rice, placing it in the middle of the table.
"Korean-style stir-fried Boston lobster with butter and chili sauce," she said, her tone tinged with undisguised pride. "Try it."
Cheng Che picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of lobster meat, and put it in his mouth.
He chewed twice and raised an eyebrow.
"Tasty."
Pei Jingshu's eyes crinkled into crescents, and she seemed to have had her happiness switched on, laughing so hard that her shoulders swayed a couple of times.
"Real?"
"Really." Cheng Che picked up another piece. "It's better than the French food I eat out."
Pei Jingshu sat down opposite her with satisfaction, picked up a piece for herself, chewed it twice, nodded, and then added:
"It's really good. My cooking skills are pretty good."
The two chatted as they ate.
The lobster was very fresh, and the hot sauce was just right, with the aroma of butter and spiciness blending together perfectly, making it a great accompaniment to rice.
Pei Jingshu's mouth was glistening with oil as she ate. Occasionally, she would glance up at Cheng Che, see him eating intently, and then smile.
Halfway through the meal, Cheng Che put down his chopsticks and said something.
"How about I go to South Korea with you after the finals?"
Pei Jingshu paused for a moment, her chopsticks hanging in mid-air.
"Go to South Korea?"
"Hmm," Cheng Che said, "Didn't you say I hadn't come to see you? The finals are over, but filming in the Northwest China hasn't started yet. There's a period of time in between. I'm going to South Korea for a few days."
Pei Jingshu's eyes widened suddenly, becoming watery, as if she wanted to confirm that what he said was true.
But the next second, her expression fell, and she gave him a resentful look.
"My vacation is over. I have to go back to work when I get back to South Korea."
"I'll stay in your rented apartment while you're at work," Cheng Che said. "I'll still be there when you come home from work. It won't cause any problems."
Pei Jingshu hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head, her voice softening. "Is this really okay?"
Cheng Che smiled and said, "You don't want me to go? Then I won't go."
Pei Jingshu panicked, looked up, and blurted out in Korean, "No, no, go away!"
After saying that Cheng Che, she immediately shut her mouth, lowered her head, and poked the bowl twice with her chopsticks, her ear tips turning bright red.
Cheng Che looked at her like that, smiled, and stopped teasing her.
He picked up a piece of lobster meat, put it in his mouth, and chewed it twice.
I'm going to South Korea for a few days, firstly to keep Pei Jingshu, and secondly to see if I can further boost our international brand awareness.
The first stage of the Charisma Trial requires overseas exposure, and he is still quite far behind. Going to South Korea to show up, combined with the hype from winning the French Open, should be able to boost his popularity.
Anyway, the filming in the Northwest China won't start for a while, so there's no rush.