Delicacy

"Yan Yun's tastes run sweet right? I asked the kitchens to prepare a squirrel mandarin fish (1) for you, here, try some and see if it's to your liking." 

Yan Zheyun hadn't tried the piece Liu Yao placed in his bowl yet but he could already feel a sweetness in his heart that radiated warmth to the rest of his body. Neither of them spoke about why a 'Northerner' like Yan Yun would develop staunch preferences from the south or any of the other strange little quirks about him he was certain Liu Yao had picked up on. But these small secrets that Yan Zheyun had no choice but to keep didn't really seem to be a problem anymore. He could tell that there was a slight shift in Liu Yao's attitude towards him, a genuine acceptance in the soft affection in his eyes that used to be more reserved until… 

Until recent events.