Chapter 236: Grocery Shopping

Returning home, Xiang Ri was taken aback to find someone had arrived even earlier than he had. 

After all, he had skipped two classes to get here. For someone to beat him home could only mean one thing—they were also part of the truancy brigade. 

But what truly surprised him wasn't their early return. No, what shocked him most was the scene before him: this person wasn't shirking responsibilities to laze about. Instead, they were industriously cooking in the kitchen! 

Following the sounds from the kitchen, Xiang Ri stepped inside, just in time to witness Miss An carefully scooping a golden fried egg from the pan onto a large plate. The plate already held at least ten identical fried eggs. 

"An Xin, what are you doing?" Xiang Ri approached, baffled by her zeal for frying so many eggs. After all, yesterday's egg-laden meal had left him so stuffed he'd entertained thoughts of ending it all. Could she really be plotting another eggy assassination? 

Startled by the sudden voice behind her, An Xin's hand trembled, nearly dropping the egg. She turned around to find him standing there, her gaze instantly transforming into a coquettish glare. "Xiang Kui, you scared me!" 

Xiang Ri froze in place, immediately struck by her charm. That gaze, delicate and alluring, was almost lethal. 

Her current attire only amplified her appeal. She had shed her blazer, leaving her in a crisp white shirt tucked neatly into tailored black slacks, accentuating her slender waist and elongating her legs. 

But what truly captured his attention was the blue-and-white striped apron wrapped snugly around her, perfectly outlining her graceful curves. She looked far less like a chef and more like a career-driven woman who had rushed into the kitchen without time to change—a vision irresistibly captivating. 

An Xin noticed his prolonged silence and the mischievous glint in his eye as he edged closer. Realizing his intentions, she instinctively took a step back. 

But Xiang Ri moved faster. Without warning, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her lightly. 

"Mmm—" An Xin squirmed in protest. The clatter of metal hitting the floor startled Xiang Ri into loosening his grip. 

Freed from his embrace, An Xin seized the fallen spatula and glared at him. "You're so annoying! I'm trying to fry eggs here!" Her flushed cheeks betrayed more embarrassment than anger, making her scolding seem almost like a playful pout. 

"Heh heh~~~" Xiang Ri licked his lips, savoring the taste of her kiss. 

"Get out! I don't want to deal with you right now!" An Xin huffed, trying to push him out of the kitchen. It wasn't his audacious kiss that truly bothered her but rather the overwhelming shyness it stirred within her. Though they had shared more intimate moments before, she still struggled to remain composed. 

"Are you really trying to chase your husband away?" Xiang Ri teased, thoroughly enjoying her flustered reaction. Watching the woman he loved blush in his presence was his favorite pastime—her shyness only fueling his mischievous desire to provoke her further. 

"I don't want to talk to you! You're always bullying me!" An Xin pouted, rolling her eyes at him before turning back to her eggs. 

"Xin Xin…" Xiang Ri murmured in a saccharine tone, wrapping his arms gently around her waist from behind. His lips hovered near her ear as he whispered, "You're breaking my heart. Are you planning to abandon your husband?" 

"You're insufferable!" An Xin squirmed, her ears tickled by his breath. His hands, too, wandered mischievously, straying toward her most sensitive spots. 

Frustrated, she twisted her waist in an attempt to break free. When that failed, she spun around, pinched his waist hard, and glared at him. "Xiang Kui, if you keep this up, I'll really stop talking to you!" 

"Alright, alright…" Xiang Ri quickly released her, noticing her growing irritation. Not wanting to push his luck, he swiftly changed the topic, though his gaze remained fixed on her with a hint of mischief. "Xin Xin, how did you manage to get home before me? Don't tell me…" 

Before he could finish, An Xin cut him off. "Don't call me Xin Xin! Ugh, so annoying! And for your information, I didn't skip class. We didn't have any morning lectures today!"

"Oh, is that so?" Xiang Ri replied noncommittally, his tone laced with skepticism. He noticed An Xin's evasive gaze and could easily tell how much of her story was fabricated. With a teasing smirk, he added, "I seem to recall you rushing off to class this morning. How is it that you suddenly have no lectures now?" 

"That's because I forgot… Oh, stop being so nosy!" An Xin retorted, her tone a mix of embarrassment and annoyance. Suddenly, she grabbed the large plate of fried eggs nearby and thrust it toward him. "Since you're so free, why don't you help me taste-test?" 

Instinctively, Xiang Ri took a step back, his expression one of exaggerated horror, as if faced with a malevolent ghost. "You're not seriously planning to poison your husband, are you?" 

"What did you just say?" An Xin's eyes narrowed, her brows furrowing dangerously. The spatula in her hand was already poised for action. "Are you implying that my cooking could double as poison?" 

Heaven as his witness, Xiang Ri could swear he meant no such thing! 

However, eating too much of the same thing—even if it wasn't poisonous—could certainly lead to death by nausea. 

Naturally, as the brilliant and tactful man he was, Xiang Ri knew this wasn't the time for honesty. Instead, he diplomatically said, "That's not what I meant, Xin Xin… I was merely trying to say…" 

"Say nothing! Just eat all these eggs!" An Xin interrupted before he could finish, shoving the plate toward him. 

Faced with the overwhelming smell of fried eggs just inches from his nose, Xiang Ri fought the urge to gag. His earlier suspicion was now all but confirmed: this girl was definitely plotting his demise. 

"Fine, I'll eat!" With no other choice and unwilling to hurt her feelings, Xiang Ri resolved to devour the golden heaps of eggs before him. Even if it meant he'd vomit out his liver later, he was determined to finish every last bite. 

Suppressing his nausea, Xiang Ri picked up his chopsticks and grabbed an egg. Just as he was about to take a bite, An Xin suddenly smacked it out of his hand and back onto the plate. Startled, he stared at her in confusion. "What are you doing?" 

An Xin pouted slightly, but her eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief and affection. "Alright, I know you can't eat anymore. Honestly… seeing you try so hard already makes me happy. It shows you care about me." 

Xiang Ri was rendered speechless. What was this girl up to? One moment, she insisted he eat, and the next, she stopped him—only to follow it up with some cryptic sentiment. Judging by her satisfied expression, she seemed rather pleased with his reaction. 

Seeing his bewildered expression, An Xin couldn't help but laugh triumphantly. "I get it. Eating too much of the same thing will kill anyone's appetite. That was just a little punishment for scaring me earlier. Let's see if you dare to do it again!" 

Xiang Ri smiled wryly, realizing she had seen through everything. Clearly, she'd been trying to mess with him all along, just as she had yesterday. But now, their relationship had evolved, and she no longer seemed inclined to torment him further. Her intervention to stop his "self-inflicted punishment" made that abundantly clear.

"Still, there's one thing I don't quite understand," Xiang Ri began. "Why did you fry so many eggs today?" 

"For lunch, of course!" An Xin replied with a serious expression. 

"Lunch?" Xiang Ri's face instantly changed. "Didn't you already figure out that eating too much of the same thing kills your appetite? Don't tell me you did this on purpose?" 

"You're accusing me unfairly again," An Xin retorted, casting him a dissatisfied glance before muttering in mild frustration, "I wanted to make a proper lunch for everyone, but who knew there wouldn't be any other ingredients left—just eggs." 

"That's impossible!" Xiang Ri exclaimed, his mouth agape. "I distinctly remember there were plenty of vegetables and meat in the fridge this morning." 

"Oh, those? They're right here." With that, An Xin kicked a small trash bin nearby and lifted the black plastic bag covering it. 

The moment the bag was lifted, a foul stench wafted out, making Xiang Ri recoil in disgust as he hurriedly covered his nose. 

An Xin, however, was clearly more prepared. As soon as she unveiled the contents, she darted far away, hands clasped tightly over her nose. 

"What the hell happened here?" Xiang Ri asked, staring in disbelief at the bin filled with black, unidentifiable sludge. He didn't need to guess; he already knew it was the very same ingredients he'd seen in the fridge that morning. 

Feeling embarrassed, An Xin explained from a distance, "I wanted to prepare a feast, but somehow everything I cooked ended up like this. I had no choice but to fry eggs for you all." 

Xiang Ri was utterly dumbfounded. A feast? Who did she think she was? Someone who'd barely set foot in a kitchen suddenly aspiring to create a culinary masterpiece? He was just thankful all the appliances were electric and not gas-powered. Given her chaotic tendencies, he shuddered at the thought of how many explosions or poisonings might have occurred otherwise. 

"Sigh…" Xiang Ri let out a long, weary breath. "Well, since we have nothing else to do today, I'll teach you how to cook a few dishes properly." 

After all, he'd already promised Chu Chu that he'd cook lunch himself. And letting An Xin continue her disastrous experiments would only invite calamity. Better to teach her directly and avoid any future regrets. 

"Really?" An Xin's face lit up with excitement, only for her enthusiasm to dim slightly as she remembered something. "But… we're out of ingredients." 

"No problem," Xiang Ri said nonchalantly. "We'll just go buy some. It's still early, anyway." 

"Go grocery shopping? I want to come too!" An Xin's eyes sparkled with delight. She looked even more thrilled than before, as if she'd stumbled upon a new and fascinating adventure. 

"You? Fine." Xiang Ri had initially intended to refuse, but seeing her eagerness, he knew there was no stopping her. Oh well, he thought. With me around, things shouldn't get too out of hand… hopefully.