Chapter 31.2

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Out of the corner of her eye, Qiao Ziman saw Chi Yin standing by the fridge, picking out ingredients. A plan formed in her mind. Sorry, little white flower, she thought, taking a deep breath.

Then, she turned and walked over to Chi Yin. Wrapping her arms around her waist from behind, she rested her chin on Chi Yin’s shoulder and softly whispered in her ear, “Babe… Do you need my help?”

Chi Yin’s body stiffened, and slowly, her ears turned a bright shade of red. Qiao Ziman stared at that spot with glee and, feeling triumphant, winked excitedly at He Cuizhen.

See? I told you she’s shy, Qiao Ziman thought triumphantly, as He Cuizhen seemed to temporarily put her suspicions to rest.

Dinner was prepared by Chi Yin, with Qiao Ziman by her side acting as the occasional helper—washing vegetables, handing over knives, and so on. Mostly, though, she was just observing.

Qiao Ziman couldn’t help but wonder, How is it that Chi Yin and I are both human, but our cooking skills are worlds apart? The gap was so wide that both Chi Yin and her mom had officially banned her from the kitchen. And now, she had to stand by and watch Chi Yin show off her skills in front of her mom, revealing yet another one of her many strengths.

Qiao Ziman sighed. I wonder if mom will be won over by the food.

Hearing her sigh, Chi Yin picked up a piece of caramelized sweet potato from the plate, dipped it in some cold water, and brought it to Qiao Ziman’s lips. “Wanna try?”

The sweet aroma filled the air. Qiao Ziman stared at the glistening treat, swallowed involuntarily, and obediently opened her mouth.

It was soft, sweet, and melted instantly on her tongue.

Qiao Ziman’s eyes sparkled, and in that moment, all thoughts of her plan to make her mom dislike Chi Yin were completely forgotten.

“Mom, you have to try this! Chi Yin’s cooking is just so, so, so good!”

Chi Yin handed the plate of caramelized sweet potatoes to Qiao Ziman, her eyes filled with a warm smile. “The seafood’s almost ready, and I still need to prep the fish. Take this out first and start eating.”

Such a little foodie, Chi Yin thought, watching Qiao Ziman nod eagerly before darting out of the kitchen like a gust of wind, excited to share the delicious food with her mom. Soon enough, from the living room, He Cuizhen’s voice rang out in amazement, “Yinyin’s cooking is incredible!”

Chi Yin’s smile deepened.

Before long, dish after dish of beautifully prepared food was brought out from the kitchen and placed on the dining table. There was cheesy baked lobster, perfectly steamed coral trout, plump and juicy hairy crabs, a light mushroom soup to cleanse the palate, and several refreshing stir-fried vegetables.

Qiao Ziman stared longingly at the feast before her, but when she lifted her head, she couldn’t help but notice the increasingly admiring, even doting, look in He Cuizhen’s eyes.

Directed at Chi Yin.

Qiao Ziman: “…” Alright, I get it.

Her mom had definitely been won over by the food.

Unbelievable, Qiao Ziman thought, feeling a mix of exasperation and defeat. Just like me—no self-control when it comes to good food!

Qiao Ziman let out a long, deep sigh as she shoved a huge chunk of lobster into her mouth, chewing furiously to vent her frustration. It really is delicious, she thought begrudgingly. She glanced over at her mom, who was already showering Chi Yin with endless praise, to the point of completely forgetting about Qiao Ziman’s existence.

Well, it looks like my plan has totally failed, Qiao Ziman thought, feeling defeated as she stuffed another big piece of fish into her mouth. At least the food’s good, she mused, fighting back imaginary tears.

After dinner, He Cuizhen rested in the living room for a bit, and when the clock struck nine, she stood up and headed toward the guest room. Before closing the door, she casually said, “Just pretend I’m not here.”

That left Qiao Ziman and Chi Yin staring at each other, wide-eyed. Chi Yin broke the silence first. “What does Auntie mean by that?”

“I… How would I know?” Qiao Ziman stammered, feeling a little flustered.

Chi Yin stood up, a teasing smile on her face. “So, are you going to sleep with me tonight?”

“Why would I sleep with y—” The words almost slipped out, but Qiao Ziman quickly changed her tone, “No way!”

Qiao Ziman definitely didn’t dare confront Chi Yin at this moment, so she softened her tone. “I mean, I’m not sleepy.”

“Oh, is that so?” Chi Yin suddenly leaned down, close to her ear, and whispered, “Babe…”

Her voice was soft and seductive, like a hook pulling at Qiao Ziman’s heart, making it tingle. But before she could react, Chi Yin’s next words came: “You’re not avoiding me, are you?”

Qiao Ziman’s heart sank instantly, panic rising. She shifted her gaze nervously, “Of course not!”

“Oh? Then come with me,” Chi Yin said, leading her into the bedroom. “Lie down.”

Qiao Ziman: “???”

A bit anxious, she asked, “What are you going to do?”

Without explaining, Chi Yin pushed her gently onto the bed. Qiao Ziman yelped in surprise and tried to squirm away, “Why are you taking off my clothes?!”

She panicked, her mind racing. Could it be that joke from yesterday about kissing today and… going all the way tomorrow is coming true?!

Chi Yin firmly pinned her hands with one hand, pressing down on her shoulder with the other.

Qiao Ziman couldn’t move for a moment, her voice trembling slightly. “Let me go… m-my mom’s still here.”

Chi Yin’s hands suddenly froze. After a brief pause, she explained, “Didn’t you strain your back today? I just wanted to give you a massage.”

That’s it? So she had been overthinking it all along. Qiao Ziman blushed with embarrassment and huffed, “Then you should’ve just said that!”

Without warning, Chi Yin’s hand slid in, her warm palm making contact with Qiao Ziman’s skin. The moment the warmth touched her, a tingly sensation spread across her back, causing her to instinctively bite her lip, suppressing any strange sounds from escaping her throat.

“If it’s too much pressure, just say so, and I’ll go lighter.”

Qiao Ziman pressed her nails into her palm and, trying to stay composed, responded, “Got it.”

Chi Yin’s massage was gentle yet firm, perfectly even. Soon enough, the soreness in Qiao Ziman’s back began to ease. Completely relaxed, Qiao Ziman couldn’t help but let out a satisfied hum. She couldn’t help but praise, “You’ve really got some skills.”

Chi Yin’s hand paused again, and she awkwardly replied, “It’s just… okay, I guess.”

After the massage was over, Qiao Ziman made an excuse about going to watch TV, but in truth, she just wanted to sneak back to her own room.

The moment she opened the door, though, she was greeted by the sight of He Cuizhen eavesdropping by the wall. Startled, Qiao Ziman quickly pulled her into the living room. “Mom, what are you doing?!”

Weren’t you supposed to ‘go deaf’ after 9 p.m.? Qiao Ziman thought with a strained smile.

He Cuizhen pointed toward the bedroom with a knowing look. “I didn’t expect things to be that… exciting between you two.”

Qiao Ziman: “…”

Great. Another misunderstanding. But hey, at least this one works in her favor. Crisis averted!

Qiao Ziman didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at this point.

Then, He Cuizhen suddenly changed her tone, looking at her with disdain. “I didn’t expect you to really be… the bottom in this.”

Qiao Ziman: “…”

“So, my dear mom, where exactly did you learn all these terms?”

“From the internet, of course.”

“You’re really keeping up with the times, huh.”

He Cuizhen shot her a glare. “Such a waste of the gift I brought for you.”

“A gift?”

He Cuizhen stood up and rummaged through the big bag she had brought with her, digging around for a while before pulling out a small black plastic bag. From inside, she carefully took out a pink box.

It looked a bit familiar to Qiao Ziman.

He Cuizhen handed the little box over with a serious expression. “You can’t always be on the receiving end. You should learn how to take the initiative and ‘plow’ someone else’s field for a change, alright?”

Qiao Ziman glanced down at the box.

Two big characters on top: Finger Sleeves.

Qiao Ziman: “…”

So this is the “special kind of love” her mom always talked about?

Too special.

So special that her legs wouldn’t move.

Seeing Qiao Ziman frozen in place, He Cuizhen, ever so understanding, gently held her by the shoulders and pushed her toward Chi Yin’s bedroom.

“Get in there, will you!”