Expression Through Cooking

"Mum, I'm home!" Lai exclaimed, stepping inside the house.

She stepped aside, ushering Bai to enter the house. He stood in the living room with her, and she closed the door, feeling a bit awkward.

She had never brought a guy to her house before due to obvious loan shark reasons. She had only dated two times, and in those times, she never once invited her boyfriends to her house.

"Um, please take a seat," she pointed to the couch, "Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Tea? A glass of water, perhaps? My dad has some alcohol if you want some..."

He saw her fidgeting and thought how nervous she suddenly became was rather...cute.

"A glass of water, please," he smiled at her, and she nodded.

After placing her phone and things on the kitchen counter, she walked to the fridge.

She grabbed a glass from the cupboard, poured some water from the fridge, and walked to him, handing him the glass.

"Thanks," he said, taking it and having a sip of the icy water.

"Please give me a few minutes," she told him, "Let me go leave my stuff, and I'll see you out."

He nodded, and she walked to the kitchen counter, grabbed her stuff, and headed to her room. Upon arriving in her room, she quickly closed the door and felt her legs go weak.

She fell to the floor and covered her face, which, mind you, had turned super red like a freshly, ripe tomato.

"I must be going crazy," she blushed, "Why is my heart beating so damn fast?"

The shoulder angel and devil appeared, and she shook her head.

"We-"

She dismissed them with her hands and shook her head. They disappeared in a puff of smoke before they could finish their sentence.

She was so not in the mood to see and listen to their nonsense right now. Well...her nonsense since they were her.

She put her tote bag and clothes on her bed. Her clothes were now clean and dry. He had her wet clothes dry-cleaned and placed in a medium-sized paper bag for her.

She sighed, calmed her racing heart, and left her room.

"Hahaha," she heard laughter coming from the kitchen as she walked down the stairs.

She raised her eyebrows, wondering what her mother and future boss were laughing about.

"I'm telling you that's what Lai Lai did," she heard her mother say, "She was only five then. Everybody was shocked that such a tiny person made a ten-year-old boy cry."

Her eyes widened when she found Bai sitting on the chair by the kitchen counter while her mother cut up the ingredients for dinner.

When she stepped closer to him, she gasped.

"Mum!" she ran to his side and grabbed the photo album, holding it close to her chest.

He turned around in his seat and crossed his arms, staring at her amused. She was a blushing mess.

"Why would you let him," her eyes darted to him and then to her mother, "see my pictures?"

Her mother rolled her eyes.

"What's the big deal?" her mum asked, adding the chives into the pot, "He's your friend, is he not?"

Lai pressed her lips together.

'No, he's not,' she thought, internally groaning, 'Friend? Nah, I don't think so. Our relationship is hard to describe. Acquaintance, maybe? He's my potential boss. I don't know- argh!'

"Exactly. We are friends, right?" she heard Bai ask her with a slight close-lipped smile and steepled fingers.

'Why is he looking so smug? It's kinda pissing me off. He's enjoying this, isn't he?' she frowned.

There was silence in the kitchen except for the sound of the soup boiling.

"Argh, either way my pictures are embarrassing," she mumbled.

"I better take my leave," Bai said, standing up.

Her mother shook her head, 'no.'

'What is my mother thinking, now?' Lai widened her eyes, 'Why can't Mr. Ying leave?'

"It's late right now," her mother said, a worried look on her face, "Is it okay for you to drive? Why don't you join us for dinner? You can stay the night and leave early tomorrow."

He turned to face Lai, and she looked away, averting her gaze.

'Don't look at me,' Lai bit her lip, 'It's your choice.'

"Um..." he was unsure of what to say.

"Yeah," he then heard her say a few seconds later, "You should stay for dinner and..leave later."

She cleared her throat, feeling awkward and shy.

"Then, if it is okay with everyone," he said, a smile plastered on his face, "I would love to stay for dinner, Mrs. Xiulan. However, I can't stay the night."

Lai's mother clapped her hands in satisfaction.

"Great," her mother exclaimed, "And please call me Aunty Ai."

Bai nodded and smiled. He watched as Lai's mother walked towards her daughter and stood in front of her, her palm facing up.

Lai pouted and reluctantly gave her mother the photo album.

"Now, be a good girl and make dinner to thank your kind, handsome friend for his help," her mother told her, patting her shoulder.

Lai sighed and walked to the kitchen. She stood in front of the pot and continued with the cooking.

"Mr. Ying, please make yourself comfortable," her mother told him, and she turned to face her daughter, whose back was currently turned as she was focussed on cooking.

"Honey, call me once dinner is ready," her mother said, walking away, "I'll be in the guest room for now. I need to try and call your father."

The room was now silent, with just Lai and Bai. She focussed on cooking, not daring to look at him. She could feel his amber eyes burning holes in her back, but she chose to ignore it.

"It smells good," he heard her say, causing her to flinch as he was now standing next to her.

She blinked multiple times at the sudden closeness of his body next to hers. She did not see or hear him walk towards her since she was so engrossed on the food she was making.

"P-please take a seat, Mr. Ying," she pushed him to the seat behind him.

He sat down and almost had the urge to tug the pink apron she was wearing and make her land on his lap.

"I don't want your clothes to get dirty with oil stains," she said, walking back to the stove, "Plus, you could get burnt, so..."

She cleared her throat, and he smirked, crossing his arms and legs.

"So, you care if I get hurt?" she heard him ask.

She ignored him and replied a minute later.

"Maybe."

He was expecting her to say 'no.' He covered his face, feeling embarrassed at her answer.

"That's good enough for me," she heard him mumble, causing her to almost choke on air.

When the food was ready an hour later, he watched her pace back and forth in the kitchen, grabbing cutlery and crockery and setting it on the kitchen table.

"Mum!" she exclaimed, walking out the kitchen and staring up the stairs leading to the second floor of the double-story house, "Dinners ready!"

"Coming!" her mother replied.

She sat at the kitchen table, and Bai sat opposite her. He looked at the food on the table and saw that Lai had made some spaghetti with chives sauce.

There was garlic bread and chicken soup on the table.

"Oh, um," he looked up at her as she spoke, "Are you allergic to anything?"

He shook his head.

"Just shellfish," he told her, and she sighed in relief.

"Then," she suddenly crinkled her nose and mouth as she smiled, "Take this food as an expression of my gratitude. It's not like the fancy food you're used to eating, but I promise it still tastes just as good."

She lifted her hands to touch her hair and let out a tiny groan of pain as she felt her body ache from her fight with those men.

She placed her hands on her high pony, removing the scrunchie that had tied it.

"You really saved me back there," she said as her hair gently fell on her shoulders and looked luscious around her beautiful face, "Thank you, again."

He watched her beaming face and felt his heart swell. The woman was absolutely breathtaking.

"You're welcome, Lai," he said, clutching his chest, which felt like it was going to burst at any moment.

She nodded, and her mother came down the stairs, taking a seat next to her.

"Oh, it smells delicious," her mother said, rubbing her daughter's back, "Thanks for the food."

"Thanks for the food," Lai and Bai said in unison and they all began to eat.