Time reached noon. During this period, they had a few ordinary conversations. Gu Yu still seemed awkward and unnatural. He was inexplicably curious about Luo Ming’s opinion of him, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask.
He glanced at the time; it was 11:30. Putting his books away, he stood up and said, “It’s time for lunch. I’ll go cook. I haven’t prepared many dishes, so please forgive me.”
“How about… I do it?” Luo Ming looked up and blinked.
“That wouldn’t be right. You’re a guest. How can I let you cook?”
“What kind of Formalities are these? Gu Yu, why would you think that?” Luo Ming tilted her head to look at him.
Gu Yu fell silent for two seconds. This was the etiquette his Father had emphasized to him repeatedly when he was alive. For years, he had lived by these principles, but facing someone he knew well, it did seem unnecessary to be so particular.
“All right, then. Sorry for the trouble.”
“It’s fine. Why don’t I teach you how to cook while I’m at it? I’m quite confident in my culinary skills.”
“Really? Then, thank you.”
Luo Ming stood up and walked into the kitchen. She glanced at the ingredients scattered on the floor and formed a plan. Turning back to Gu Yu, who followed behind her, she said, “Gu Yu, go wash the cabbage. I’ll heat the oil.”
“Okay.”
Gu Yu picked up the cabbage from the floor, placed it in the sink, and turned on the faucet to rinse it. The icy water wetted his palms. He glanced sideways and saw Luo Ming seriously preparing the pot and heating the oil. Her movements were very practiced.
He could tell that Luo Ming’s family situation was just as poor as his. Although he didn’t know the specifics, it could certainly be described as meager. Yet, in the face of the same hardships, Luo Ming handled herself much better than he did. She was skilled and confident, showing none of the decay and self-abandonment he felt. She was like the stars that forever hung twinkling in the sky.
“That’s enough. It’s very clean now.” Luo Ming was mixing a sauce in a bowl and glanced at Gu Yu to remind him.
“Ah… right. Is there anything else you need me to do?”
“Slice the peppers.”
“Sure.”
Gu Yu took the peppers, put them on the cutting board, and began to slice. His movements with the knife were clumsy and awkward, clearly showing his struggle as a novice.
Luo Ming put down the bowl containing the dark red sauce. Looking at the pepper rings of varying thicknesses, she smiled, leaned in, and suddenly grabbed Gu Yu’s hand.
“Gu Yu, your posture while holding the knife isn’t right. Look, these peppers are cut too thick.”
“Huh? It’s wrong…?”
“It should be like this. If you aren’t used to it, you can go slower. Don’t hurt your fingers.”
Luo Ming’s hand was a size smaller than Gu Yu’s. Her skin was delicate and soft as it covered the back of Gu Yu’s hand. She couldn’t fully grasp it, yet she stubbornly pressed down, teaching him to cut vegetables hand-in-hand.
The feeling was indescribable. Gu Yu thought that Luo Ming was just doing it unintentionally and hadn’t noticed the distance. She was so close, pressed against him without any guard, holding his hand. If he lowered his head, he could smell the fragrance of her long, smooth black hair. If he raised his hand, he could pull the focused girl into his embrace.
In a momentary lapse of reason, he wanted to know if Luo Ming would be angry or resist if he hugged her like that.
The next second, he cursed himself. ‘What am I thinking? Just because she’s close, I want to be a creep? Luo Ming trusts me so much. If I keep this up, I won’t even have the right to like her.’
“Gu Yu.” Luo Ming noticed he was spacing out. She puffed out her cheeks with a hint of resentment. “Watch carefully, really.”
“Oh… right, sorry.”
“Forget it. Now let’s stir-fry. The oil temperature shouldn’t be too high, and leafy greens shouldn’t be over-fried…”
Gu Yu watched blankly as Luo Ming put the peppers into the pot and stir-fried them with the sliced potatoes. Her careful instructions rang in his ears.
The kitchen was actually very small and overly crowded. Fortunately, Luo Ming had a slender and delicate frame, allowing her to just barely squeeze in with him.
The cold white light from outside penetrated the window, illuminating the girl’s fair face like a hazy, dreamlike veil. Gu Yu stood in a daze, thinking again. ‘How wonderful would it be if I could see Luo Ming cooking in my kitchen every day? If I could be with her…’
‘…It will eventually end, no matter how beautiful it is now.’
Several dishes were served on the table thirty minutes later. Luo Ming held her rice but didn’t move her chopsticks. She watched Gu Yu take a bite of the food and waited for his evaluation, looking a bit nervous.
“It’s delicious. It’s definitely much better than what I make.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
Luo Ming smiled sweetly. The expected praise still made her very happy. She loved hearing the boy compliment her, no matter what it was about—just as she always felt joy when Gu Yu would steal glances at her during class.
She ate very little and was full quickly. Seeing that Gu Yu had a good appetite today—finishing his second bowl of rice and then adding a small third bowl—she felt a childish sense of accomplishment.
“Are you finished?” Luo Ming asked as she saw Gu Yu put down his chopsticks.
“Yeah. I’ll wash the dishes. I already feel bad enough letting you cook, so I can’t let a guest do this, at least.”
“All right, I’ll leave it to you then.”
Gu Yu carried the empty bowls and plates into the kitchen. Luo Ming stood up and sat back at the small table by the window. Their homework was still piled there, along with half of an orange that Gu Yu hadn’t finished.
Luo Ming peeled two segments and put them in her mouth. They were very sweet, just like this quiet and warm time alone with him.
She then pushed her pile of books together with Gu Yu’s. She took out her phone, found a suitable angle, and used the incoming light to take a photo.
The photo was very artistic: two piles of touching books, half of an orange-red fruit sitting on top, a withered sycamore tree outside the window, and fragmented, bright light shining through.
Luo Ming set it as the background image for her Social Platform account. She liked this photo.
After she was done, she propped up her face and stared out the window, dazed.
Gu Yu’s Residence was in a good location. It had a wide view, cleverly avoiding the obstruction of the old buildings. One could see most of the residential area at a glance. A few old men were gathered to play chess, and nearby, some middle-aged women were chatting while knitting.
But this place was too decayed. It exuded the wear and tear of age everywhere. A vibrant young man like him shouldn’t be shrunk away here forever. She would take him away. Her boy should walk toward the wider, brighter outside world with her.
“Do you want to watch some Television for a while?”
Gu Yu had finished washing the dishes. He was drying his hands with a paper towel as he asked her.
“Sure.”
Luo Ming sat on the sofa facing the old Television. Gu Yu sat down beside her, picked up the remote, and turned it on. He flipped through a few channels before finally stopping on a Romance Drama.
The plot was cliché and tacky, and the leads’ acting was poor. They attracted viewers almost entirely through their looks. After watching for a few minutes, Luo Ming turned her head to ask Gu Yu, “Gu Yu, do you… like watching this?”
“No. I only chose it because I thought you would like it.”
“You think I like watching this?” Luo Ming covered her mouth and chuckled softly, turning her head to look at him.
“Don’t you? I thought all girls liked Romance Dramas.”
“So, in your heart, I’m the same as other girls?”
“No, no. You’re special… that’s not right either. What am I saying?”
“You dummy, how did you get yourself all tongue-tied? I was just saying.”