More Than Just a Full Stomach

Night gradually fell.

By the time they emerged from the furniture store, the streets outside were already lit up with colorful neon lights.

The evening breeze carried a hint of chill, but Lu Yan's palm was warm.

Aemeath held a skewer of candied fruit she had just bought at a roadside stall. As she ate, she chattered away about how to turn their empty living room into the coziest place once the furniture was delivered tomorrow.

Lu Yan held her hand and listened quietly.

From that day on, the place where they lived had a name that could never be replaced: home.

And the girl who would give that home all its meaning was holding his hand tightly, pulling him along as she strode toward the tomorrow that belonged to them.

"A-Yan, you can have the last one."

When they reached the persimmon tree in the courtyard, Aemeath offered Lu Yan the strawberry she had deliberately saved on the bamboo skewer.

Lu Yan opened his mouth and took the last strawberry.

The sugar coating cracked crisply between his teeth, and sweetness spread across his tongue in an instant.

"Is it sweet?" Aemeath asked, blinking at him.

"Mm, very sweet, just like you," Lu Yan answered with a smile, taking out his keys and opening the door.

She said nothing more, only letting out a little giggle.

They pushed open the living room door to find the room as empty as it had been when they left that morning.

But to the two of them, it was as though the room was already filled with the furniture they had carefully picked out that day, crowded and cozy.

"A-Yan, go sit on the sofa and rest for a while!"

The moment they stepped inside, Aemeath eagerly kicked off her little leather shoes and dashed into the kitchen without even stopping to put her slippers on properly.

"I'll help you." Lu Yan changed his shoes, took off his windbreaker and hung it on the coat rack, then rolled up his sleeves and prepared to follow her.

"No! Stop right there!"

Aemeath leaned halfway out of the kitchen doorway and sternly refused to let Lu Yan come any closer.

"You said it yourself in the courtyard last night. You were going to entrust your stomach to me."

As she tied her apron strings, Aemeath lifted her chin, her eyes burning with serious determination. "Today, I'm going to redeem myself! I'll show you just how much homework I've secretly done to conquer your taste buds!"

Seeing Aemeath acting as though she were facing a formidable enemy, Lu Yan couldn't help chuckling.

"All right, I look forward to Chef Aemeath's stunning performance."

He didn't insist. Instead, he went back and sat down on the living room sofa, though his gaze never left the kitchen.

Sounds soon came from inside.

The rush of water from the faucet, the rhythmic thud of a knife against the chopping board, and the low hum of the range hood after it was switched on.

Lu Yan leaned back against the sofa and listened to the sounds, feeling a sense of security he had never known before.

He watched Aemeath bustling about in front of the stove.

She held her phone in one hand, her eyes fixed on the recipe video playing on it, while her other hand worked a spatula, constantly stirring the food in the pan.

Every now and then, a splash of oil from the pan drew a little yelp from her.

Sizzle.

As ingredients sizzled in the hot oil, a rich aroma wafted out through the gaps around the kitchen door.

Lu Yan sniffed, a little surprised.

This time, the smell... was unexpectedly normal.

There was no burnt smell, nor any of that indescribably strange odor, just a normal, appetizing aroma.

About forty minutes later, the range hood stopped.

"Ta-da-da-da!"

Aemeath came out carrying two plates, a little flour still on the tip of her nose. Her normally fair cheeks were flushed from the heat of the kitchen.

She carefully set the plates on the dining table, then ran back into the kitchen and brought out two bowls of rice and a bowl of simple vegetable soup.

As soon as she put down the rice, Aemeath made a heart with her hands in front of her chest, her bright eyes curving into crescents. "Aemeath's special dinner made with love, complete! Try it, quick, try it!"

Lu Yan looked down at the plate of sweet-and-sour spare ribs in the middle of the table. Although the color was a little dark, the sauce had reduced a bit too much, and the edges of a few ribs were slightly scorched, it was an enormous improvement over the dark cuisine she had made last time.

"It looks great." Lu Yan didn't hold back his praise as he pulled out a chair and sat down.

But instead of taking the seat across from him, Aemeath picked up her chair and squeezed it in right beside him.

She picked up her chopsticks, took a rib coated in sweet-and-sour sauce, and held it up to Lu Yan's mouth, her face full of anticipation.

"Open up, ah~"

Lu Yan obediently opened his mouth and bit into the rib.

The rib had been stewed until tender, and the meat came easily off the bone.

It was a little too sweet, and the vinegar's sourness was a little weak, but overall, it was definitely a passable dish.

Most importantly, Aemeath had learned to make it bit by bit for him.

"How is it? How is it?" Aemeath watched Lu Yan chew, nervously clutching the edge of her apron without realizing it.

Lu Yan swallowed his food and looked at her nervous expression.

"It's delicious," he said earnestly. "Even better than the tomato and eggs I made yesterday."

Aemeath's tense shoulders relaxed when she heard that.

"Really?"

Her eyes widened in delighted surprise, and she couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Hehe, I told you! There's nothing I can't do well once I set my mind to it!"

Aemeath picked up a rib and tried a bite herself, then frowned slightly. "Hmm... I think I might have added a little too much sugar. The video said two spoonfuls, but I was afraid it wouldn't be sweet enough, so I secretly added another half spoonful."

"I think it's just right. I like it a little sweet." Lu Yan smiled and ruffled her hair, then picked up his own chopsticks and began eating in big mouthfuls.

Watching Lu Yan enjoy the food without the slightest sign of forcing himself, Aemeath felt a sense of accomplishment fill her heart.

She didn't hurry to eat. Instead, she propped her chin in both hands, tilted her head, and watched his profile intently as he ate.

"A-Yan," she suddenly called his name softly.

"Mm?" Lu Yan turned to her.

"You've eaten the ribs I made, so from now on, your stomach has my mark on it." Aemeath leaned close, making no attempt to hide the possessiveness in her eyes. "If you ever dare eat food made by another woman, even a single bite, I'll be angry."

"I'll tie you up and bring you home, and you'll only be allowed to eat what I make."

At the cozy dinner table, this threat, so full of gravity, wasn't frightening at all. Instead, it held a sweetness that made his bones tingle.

"You won't need to tie me up."

Lu Yan picked up a rib and fed it to her, stopping her chattering little mouth. "I won't eat anyone else's cooking but yours. I won't even order takeout."

In that cloyingly sweet atmosphere, the two of them finished dinner, taking turns feeding each other.

Lu Yan polished off the entire plate of sweet-and-sour spare ribs, leaving not even a drop of sauce.

After dinner, Lu Yan firmly rejected Aemeath's offer to wash the dishes, pushed her out of the kitchen, and skillfully cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks himself.