LVLYA

Chapter 18: Relying on Each Other for Sleep

There was no one at home. Cotton Candy was the first to come out and warmly welcome them, while Orange was in the corner of the sofa, simply lifting his head from the noise. After determining it was just them who'd come home, he then lowered his head and turned his back to them to continue sleeping.

Song Yu took off his outer school jacket. He told Yue Zhishi to sit on the sofa and asked him what he wanted to eat. Yue Zhishi had just lifted the dog into his arms, and he froze when he heard Song Yu's question — he placed the dog down and followed behind Song Yu into the kitchen. "Song Yu gege, are you cooking?"

Song Yu pulled down the apron hanging on the kitchen wall and tied it around himself. "Is it strange for me to cook?"

Yue Zhishi shook his head, sitting to the side of the kitchen island. The little Pomeranian dog climbed up his leg and snuggled into his arms.

"It's been a long time since I ate your cooking."

In the past, Song Jin's business had been a lot busier than now. Lin Rong had needed to help take care of the company and was constantly not at home, Song Yu and Yue Zhishi still very young at that time. They'd tried hiring a nanny, but she once didn't pay attention to the food she was cooking and gave Yue Zhishi an allergic reaction serious enough for him to stay in the hospital. They hadn't dared to hire any nannies from that point on. If Lin Rong was too busy, then it would be Song Yu who cooked. Being surrounded by cooking from a young age, Song Yu could be considered quite skilled at it.

Two little children, one small dining table and a few home cooked dishes — that was a memory Yue Zhishi could see by simply closing his eyes.

"I want ." The Pomeranian's head rested on the kitchen island, Yue Zhishi caressing his downy head. "And cake."

Song Yu turned his head back to him as he stood in front of the open fridge, pointing at the corner of his mouth and raising an eyebrow. 　

Yue Zhishi only then remembered. He touched his mouth and still felt some pain. "But I want to eat it."　

Song Yu didn't say anything, merely starting to prepare the ingredients. Yue Zhishi didn't want him to work by himself, so he also went over to help despite not really know how to cook. He could only help wash the vegetables. The scrape on his fist stung a bit from the water; Yue Zhishi didn't make a sound, only pausing his movements slightly, but the water suddenly stopped pouring from the faucet.

"You don't wash them cleanly enough." Song Yu tore off a kitchen towel and handed it to him.

Yue Zhishi wiped away the water on his hands. "Then..."

"Stand there," Song Yu said, head lowered and focused on cutting the vegetables. "It's fine if you just watch."

Cotton Candy happily ran over to circle around Song Yu's legs. Yue Zhishi bent over and picked him up, holding tightly onto his paws. "Don't bother gege."

Song Yu cut off a chunk of the beef tallow hot pot base Lin Rong had previously prepared. Once it went into the wok, it felt like the entire kitchen came alive from the hissing and steaming. Ginger and garlic went into the now melted chilli oil, the aroma spreading everywhere. Hot water was poured in while the wok was still hot, and the red soup bubbled up and down as it boiled.

Song Yu tasted it after he added in some further seasonings and found it a bit salty. He threw in a variety of cut vegetables.

As he watched over the wok, Song Yu separated the egg yolks from two eggs and mixed them with wheat free flour. He then gave Yue Zhishi the egg whites and a hand mixer, signalling him with a look.