Chapter 226: Ning Xiechen and Yan Xi

In late autumn, Ning Xiechen woke up. Learning that “Floating Light” had quietly retreated from our country and “Black Peacock” Yan Xi had been captured, he was silent for a moment, his vision gradually blurring.

The patient had just woken up; the doctor said he couldn’t speak for long or overexert himself for now. Ji Chenjiao and Ling Lie had visited him twice, but neither mentioned what happened back then. It wasn’t until Ning Xiechen could walk in the courtyard downstairs with a cane.

“Captain Fu told me ‘Floating Light’ is still under investigation.” Golden-red leaves hung on the branches. On an autumn afternoon, the sunlight was warm, and the inpatient department was peaceful and serene. Although Ning Xiechen’s face was ravaged by illness, his eyes were as sharp as before. “I was trapped in ‘Floating Light’ for many years. Do you want to chat with me about anything?”

Ling Lie wove a little figure out of foxtail grass and shook it in front of Ning Xiechen.

Ning Xiechen smiled and reached for it. Ling Lie hid his hand behind his back. “Who is this? I’ll give it to you only if you guess right.”

Ji Chenjiao laughed. “Are you teasing a child?”

Ning Xiechen didn’t mind and actually started guessing with Ling Lie. “This is our Captain Xiao Ji, right?”

Ling Lie quickly put the little figure in his hand. “You really understand!”

Ji Chenjiao looked at the foxtail grass, remembering last year when he still considered Ling Lie a suspect, Ling Lie had also woven one of him. So many things had happened in over a year. Ling Lie had turned his peaceful life upside down, making it colorful and chaotic.

“That child…” Ning Xiechen sighed. “Yan Xi, how is he?”

Ji Chenjiao and Ling Lie looked at each other and became serious. Ji Chenjiao said, “He will stand trial together with Bai Lingxue and other captured ‘Floating Light’ members.”

“He…” Ning Xiechen was somewhat conflicted and hesitant, finally shaking his head helplessly. “A pity. He also made mistakes.”

Ling Lie briefly recounted Yan Xi’s confession. Ning Xiechen nodded. “He didn’t lie.”

Ning Xiechen looked at the clear sky, recalling the scene when that police officer, who affected many people’s fates, first appeared before him.

There were many unsolved cold cases everywhere. Yin Hanshan came to Xiarong City to investigate the Bi Jiang case, but instead of going through official police channels, he contacted Ning Xiechen in a private capacity, hoping to get clues from him, the captain of the Major Crimes Unit.

But Yin Hanshan was secretive about the clues he already had.

Ning Xiechen was experienced and understood that this situation usually meant the opponent was too powerful, and Yin Hanshan dared not reveal the investigation details casually. Ning Xiechen didn’t press; he tried his best to find whatever Yin Hanshan needed.

Yin Hanshan was much younger than him but seemed more perceptive. Once, after exchanging clues, they talked about personal matters. Yin Hanshan said he had met a boy at the border and lived with him for a few days. The boy was a member of a criminal syndicate but hadn’t done evil himself; he was just born in such a place, his short life pushed forward by crime.

Yin Hanshan said he used the kindness and innocence buried in the boy’s heart and, on a whim, made the boy his informant. The boy struggled because he appeared at the border to cross into our country, to hide and live a displaced life, but a life without crime.

Yet he painted a picture of an upright life for the boy. The boy hesitated and likely returned to the criminal syndicate, climbing up step by step according to his ideas.

Ning Xiechen said, “You did nothing wrong.”

Yin Hanshan shook his head with a smile. “But he’s not good at doing things like that. I pushed him into a fire pit he couldn’t handle. If I were to choose again, I might turn a blind eye and let him cross those high mountains.”

After finishing a cigarette, Ning Xiechen said, “You wouldn’t.”

“Hm?”

“Although I haven’t known you long, I know you aren’t someone who would turn a blind eye at such a time.”

Yin Hanshan seemed surprised by this evaluation and smiled. “Is that so?”

After that, Ning Xiechen met with Yin Hanshan from time to time. Then, Yin Hanshan left without saying goodbye.

Ning Xiechen initially thought Yin Hanshan had completed his secret investigation in Xiarong City, but half a year later, he felt something was wrong. Yin Hanshan seemed to have disappeared.

Did something happen?

Ning Xiechen consolidated the clues on hand and began investigating Yin Hanshan’s disappearance in his spare time. But Yin Hanshan was shrouded in mystery, and Ning Xiechen was very busy, so he failed to find out Yin Hanshan’s whereabouts.

Two years later, the Major Crimes Unit was investigating a tricky homicide case. Yan Xi got involved and provided Ning Xiechen with key ideas to break the deadlock.

Ning Xiechen was very interested in this young man with a somewhat mysterious background.

He vaguely sensed that Yan Xi approached him deliberately; actively becoming his informant must have had a purpose. But he couldn’t see through it for the time being, so he simply let Yan Xi get close to observe him.

Yan Xi was very talented in investigating cases, with a unique perspective, helping the police solve several homicides. At that time, a promising newcomer joined the Major Crimes Unit—Ji Chenjiao. Ning Xiechen wanted to cultivate Ji Chenjiao’s alternative analytical skills, so he let Yan Xi teach Ji Chenjiao.

The longer they interacted, the more Ning Xiechen felt Yan Xi’s strong sense of purpose. But Yan Xi was vigilant; he couldn’t probe anything, so he pretended to trust Yan Xi infinitely. This move even drew dissatisfaction from many people in the municipal bureau.

He deceived his own team members, and Yan Xi finally let down some guard. He discovered Yan Xi seemed to have come to Xiarong City because of Yin Hanshan, but he couldn’t tell if Yan Xi was friend or foe.

Both sides harbored secrets and tested each other. What he didn’t expect was that not only Yan Xi came to Xiarong City, but also another person—Bai Lingxue.

That day, Yan Xi asked to meet him at the edge of the North City District. They were investigating a cold case that happened there. The meeting place was an abandoned bridge opening. Yan Xi’s eyes shone as he asked if he had guessed his purpose.

He considered for a moment and said Yin Hanshan’s name. At that moment, he saw Yan Xi’s expression become vivid with excitement, but in the next instant, a bullet thudded into his body.

In Yan Xi’s frozen expression of surprise, Bai Lingxue walked out of the shadows of the bridge opening, his tone reproachful: “I told you, you can’t trust outsiders. He will get you killed, put you in jail.”

Ning Xiechen lost consciousness, feeling like he crawled in darkness for a long time, unable to see light. That should have been a dead end, but death was slow to arrive.

“Bai Lingxue didn’t kill me. I guess because Yan Xi didn’t agree. I woke up half a year after being shot, able to perceive everything outside but unable to move.” Ning Xiechen gently twirled the foxtail grass figure. “I was detained by Bai Lingxue in various places, often needing to be transferred. He used drugs from ‘Floating Light’s’ experiments on me, not letting me die, nor letting me truly live.”

“I haven’t seen Yan Xi since then. Listening to them, Yan Xi had returned to E Country. ‘Floating Light’ wanted revenge on Yin Hanshan’s murderer, but more than that, Bai Lingxue had even more evil purposes.”

Ning Xiechen frowned; this memory was very painful for him.

“Bai Lingxue probably has schizophrenia. He often played Yan Xi in front of me, calling me Captain Ning. Every time I heard him impersonating Yan Xi’s voice, I felt a deep fear.”

Ji Chenjiao hugged Ning Xiechen’s shoulders to comfort him.

“Last year, Bai Lingxue moved me to the basement of the Yu family villa. He visited me more frequently, impersonating Yan Xi every time. Actually, I could already get out of bed then, but in front of him, I could only pretend that only my brain could work. He told me some of ‘Floating Light’s’ plans. For the first time since the attack, I rejoiced that I was inside ‘Floating Light.’ Maybe…”

Ning Xiechen extended his slightly trembling hands and smiled. “Maybe I could help my team members, do something for the police uniform that once draped over my shoulders.”

Ling Lie said, “Captain Ning, thank you.”

In that small clinic controlled by “Floating Light” in Basun Village, it was Ning Xiechen who suddenly picked up the gun and ended “Na Sheng’s” life.

Ning Xiechen curved his lips, continuing to look at the sky. In this moment, he felt unprecedented ease and freedom.

After sending Ning Xiechen back to the ward, before leaving, Ling Lie asked, “Master, do you want to see Yan Xi?”

Ning Xiechen was silent for a moment, then gave the same answer as Yan Xi. “Forget it.”

---

Ling Lie saw Yan Xi quite a few times, but always as interrogator and interrogated. One day in early winter, Yan Xi suddenly applied to see Ling Lie in a private capacity. After layers of approval, the application passed.

Yan Xi was in good spirits. The days of waiting for trial didn’t seem too hard for him.

Ling Lie sat opposite him and called out, “A’Xue.”

Yan Xi smiled. “Remember when we were young, you taught me to kill. I said snow stained with blood represents evil; I didn’t want to be a blade of sin.”

Ling Lie nodded.

“But now I am already a blade of sin,” Yan Xi said. “A’Dou, you are my opposite. You walked to the side of justice.”

Ling Lie wanted to say if not for Yin Hanshan’s death, but swallowed the words. All assumptions were meaningless now.

Yan Xi said, “After you fell, I didn’t give up on you. I found people to save you.”

Ling Lie took a deep breath. “I didn’t fall on purpose. I wanted to wait until there was less snow to take you with me.”

Yan Xi nodded. “I know.”

After a silence, Yan Xi said, “You always disliked your name. Sister named us; you were A’Dou, I was A’Xue.”

Ling Lie said, “Didn’t dislike it.”

Yan Xi said, “You thought A’Dou was ridiculous. But you didn’t want to fight with me because if I were called A’Dou, I might cry from sadness.”

Ling Lie laughed. “You knew you loved to cry?”

Yan Xi also laughed. “Our names might have hinted at our final endings.”

The corners of Ling Lie’s mouth sank.

“Snow, in our village, represents sin.” Yan Xi sighed. “I never walked out of that heavy snow in the end.”

Ling Lie said, “But the name Sister gave you is the snow of the south.”

Yan Xi was silent for a while. “I didn’t blame Sister.” A few seconds later, he asked, “Is the snow in the south beautiful?”

Only then did Ling Lie realize Yan Xi actually hadn’t seen snow in the south.

“Beautiful.”

Yan Xi smiled again. “That’s good.”

The meeting wasn’t long. When Yan Xi was about to be taken away, Ling Lie looked into his dark green eyes and said, “If there comes a day when you get out, live like Yin Hanshan said.”

Yan Xi was stunned, then nodded. “Okay.”

Ji Chenjiao waited by the car for Ling Lie. It was cold. Although it was only a short distance, Ling Lie rubbed his hands from the cold. Ji Chenjiao handed him a rechargeable hand warmer.

Ling Lie laughed upon seeing it. “Who was the one who disdained this before?”

Ji Chenjiao opened the car door for him. “You talk too much.”

The car didn’t start immediately. Ling Lie said, “Not asking what we talked about?”

Ji Chenjiao said, “Can guess.”

Ling Lie: “Wow! You know Yan Xi so well? You know everything he says?”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Ling Lie: “I’m jealous!”

Ji Chenjiao: “Shouldn’t I be the one jealous? You grew up together, and now the only person he wants to see is you!”

Ling Lie activated his traditional skill—bringing up old scores. “Who was the one who said I looked like Yan Xi the moment he saw me?”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Ling Lie: “And said it more than once!”

Ji Chenjiao: “Not alike. Never alike. You are just you.”

Ling Lie laughed. “Why won’t you admit it?”

Ji Chenjiao: “I never said it. Not alike before, even less alike now.”

Ling Lie plunged into his arms. “Our Xiao Ji, how did you learn to deny till death?”

Ji Chenjiao rubbed his hair. “Because only denying till death can defeat pestering endlessly.”

Author’s Note:

Extra 2: Teaching Xiao Ji to Cook

Ling Lie felt his Xiao Ji was good everywhere, except that not knowing how to cook made people worry (blindly). He couldn’t understand how someone as smart as Xiao Ji couldn’t learn to cook. Cooking was so simple; even Zhao Fan could do it. How could Xiao Ji not?

Originally, he thought it was fine if Xiao Ji couldn’t cook. Anyway, there was him, the master chef who could make soy sauce meat buns immediately after eating one, at home. Xiao Ji just needed to follow him to eat well and drink well; he wouldn’t starve to death anyway. Cooking skills weren’t necessary!

As the saying goes, forced melons aren’t sweet. Since Xiao Ji couldn’t cook, he shouldn’t, to save producing a “Zhao Fan-like” person—making everything taste bad yet having a huge addiction. Who suffered most from Zhao Fan’s cooking? Of course, it was Yan Xiao, Zhao Fan’s partner. As teammates, they could refuse to eat if they didn’t want to, but Yan Xiao couldn’t. If Zhao Fan jumped up in the middle of the night wanting to make braised pork elbow, he had to want to eat it.

Ling Lie imagined that scene, substituting himself and Ji Chenjiao, and shook his head numbly—

Ji Chenjiao springing up in the middle of the night, boldly displaying his culinary skills, making garlic pork with white sauce in the kitchen, then turning back to pat Ling Lie. “Xia Xiaodou, dinner’s ready!”

Xia Xiaodou was so scared he carried the bed and ran away overnight.

So Ling Lie was very content with the status quo, deeply feeling that one cook in a family was enough.

But on Ming Shu’s birthday this year, one thing changed Ling Lie’s mind.

Ming Shu, a precious domestic Ragdoll cat, naturally had a very luxurious birthday. Before the actual day, he had already posted several Moments, showing off the trendy brands he recently bought and incidentally showing off the good figure of the Captain of the Major Crimes Unit of Dongye City.

“Tsk—”

Ling Lie sniffed disdainfully. Although he wasn’t as tall as Ming Shu, they had a tall guy in their family. Could the figure of the Captain of the Major Crimes Unit of Xiarong City be worse than Dongye City’s?

On Ming Shu’s actual birthday, he posted a nine-grid feast photo. Just a glance felt very magnificent.

Before clicking on them one by one, Ling Lie thought Xiao Yuan took the domestic Ragdoll to a high-end restaurant again. However, looking closely, weren’t those the Ragdoll’s table and plates?

Wasn’t that dog-head plate the one he gave Ming Shu last year? Ming Shu was reluctant to accept it then; look how well he was using it now?

That wasn’t the point. The point was—this table of feast was eaten at home!

Ling Lie immediately asked: You ate at home? Which hotel’s takeout?

Ming Shu replied instantly: How could this be takeout? My brother cooked it for me personally!

Ling Lie: “…”

Ming Shu, the domestic Ragdoll, quickly seized the opportunity to show off, introducing the taste of each dish in detail, regretting that Ling Lie wasn’t in Dongye City and didn’t have the fortune to enjoy it.

Ling Lie: “…”

Ling Lie fell into deep thought.

He considered himself someone who never compared, but Ming Shu’s nine-grid post annoyed him a bit. For Ming Shu’s birthday, Xiao Yuan made such a big table, full of love. For Le Ran’s birthday, Shen Xun also made a dozen home-cooked dishes, also full of love. For Zhao Fan’s birthday, Yan Xiao… Yan Xiao accompanied Zhao Fan to make a table full of food—if Zhao Fan didn’t cook, the dishes would actually look better.

All full of love!

Zhao Fan was a special case and should be treated specially, leaving aside for now.

Ling Lie thought, So when it’s my birthday, our Xiao Ji…

He slapped his forehead, thinking, But I don’t know when my birthday is!

Ji Chenjiao’s birthday was found out—October. Sigh, actually a Libra like Ming Shu!

Ling Lie had studied constellations with Shen Qi, learning a head full of fortunes. To be Ji Chenjiao’s older brother, Ling Lie unilaterally set his birthday in January.

Ji Chenjiao was speechless. “So hasty?”

Ling Lie hinted explicitly: “Boyfriend’s birthday is imminent. Xiao Ji, what are you preparing to give your boyfriend?”

This really caught Ji Chenjiao off guard because he also wanted to be Ling Lie’s older brother and had long arranged Ling Lie’s birthday in November, which was still early!

Ling Lie stared with those cat eyes, approaching. “You didn’t prepare anything, did you?”

Ji Chenjiao: “So you’re going to make a fuss?”

Ling Lie dragged out his bright yellow suitcase with a clatter, saying indignantly, “What kind of scum boyfriend did I get stuck with! I’m running away from home! Wait till I die outside, make him regret for life!”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Was there any way to ban Ling Lie from watching melodramatic TV dramas?

Walking to the door, Ling Lie turned around and saw Ji Chenjiao hadn’t chased after him yet. He thought, What’s with melodramatic TV dramas nowadays? Misleading the young lad from the village? Not watching next time!

Ling Lie cleared his throat, eyes rolling. “But based on humanitarian principles, I can give you a chance to win me back.”

Saying that, Ling Lie swung his hand forward. “Come on!”

Skits were staged at home from time to time. Ji Chenjiao was used to being an actor with Ling Lie. He walked over, gave Ling Lie a “door-slam,” and deliberately used a low, captivating voice to say, “Are we playing the domineering CEO or the passionate little wolf dog today?”

Hearing this, Ling Lie giggled twice, obviously already in character. But thinking of his serious business, he quickly stopped smiling and pecked Ji Chenjiao twice. “Playing chef today!”

Ji Chenjiao was slightly surprised. “Chef?”

The kind of chef wearing only an apron?

Not impossible…

Seeing Ji Chenjiao’s expression, Ling Lie poked his forehead. “Xiao Ji, are you producing waste material in there again?”

Xiao Ji: “…”

He wasn’t, he didn’t. Who proposed wearing only an apron?

Ling Lie looked innocent: “Was it me?”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

So it wasn’t wearing only an apron.

Ling Lie said, “Can you afford to play?”

Ji Chenjiao took a deep breath. “…Afford, to play.”

Like a child seeing someone else having a good toy but not having one himself, Ling Lie took out his phone and tapped in front of Ji Chenjiao. “Look, this is Zhao Fan’s birthday, this table of dishes, tsk tsk tsk! This is Le Le’s birthday, this table of dishes, tsk tsk tsk! This is Ragdoll’s birthday. Heavens, even a Ragdoll can have such a luxurious birthday, while I, a dignified human being…”

Ragdoll far away in Dongye City: ?

Who isn’t human? Ling Dog, stand up and say it!

The most nervous one right now was actually Ji Chenjiao. Ordering such a big table of dishes was no problem, but making him cook… What misunderstanding did Ling Lie have about his cooking skills?

Ji Chenjiao coughed tactically. “You want me to make such a big table?”

Deadly. Wonder if bowing to Zhao Fan as a teacher overnight would work?!

Zhao Fan: Hm? I heard someone wants to bow to me as a teacher?

Ling Lie said very understandingly, “Of course, you don’t need to do it this well right now. We’ll take it one by one. Xiao Yuan warmed milk for Ragdoll since childhood; you don’t need to compare with him.”

It would have been fine not to say this, but saying it aroused Ji Chenjiao’s damn competitiveness.

What did he mean no need to compare with Xiao Yuan? He insisted on comparing!

“You wait! What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you right away!” Ji Chenjiao rolled up his sleeves and shook the apron.

Ling Lie suddenly narrowed his eyes, admiring Ji Chenjiao’s smoothly muscled arms, thinking actually wearing only an apron is better!

But Ji Chenjiao had thrown “wearing only an apron” to the nine heavens, rubbing Ling Lie’s head. “Quick, say it, what do you want to eat?”

Ling Lie thought for a moment. It was freezing cold; he wanted something hot and not too heavy.

So Ling Lie said, “Want to eat tomato minced meat porridge.”

Ji Chenjiao paused.

Ling Lie: “What? Difficult? Then change to a simple one… crab roe soup dumplings?”

Ji Chenjiao: “…” What misunderstanding do you have about difficult and simple?

“Tomato minced meat porridge, okay.” Ji Chenjiao nodded confidently, ushered Ling Lie out of the kitchen, connected the Switch to the TV, coaxing him like a child. “You are the birthday boy today. Don’t come in and look. Play your game; leave the kitchen to me.”

Ling Lie held the game controller, worried for a moment, feeling his kitchen might suffer. But he was big-hearted and immediately jumped along with Mario on the screen.

Ji Chenjiao opened the fridge and started thinking about how to make this tomato minced meat porridge.

He had just checked the guide on his phone. This dish looked simple, but to make it delicious, it took some effort. For one, the tomatoes had to be diced carefully and fried in oil. The minced meat was even more troublesome; it had to be chopped very, very finely, combining fat and lean meat, otherwise it would be either dry or greasy.

Ji Chenjiao didn’t know how to chop meat, let alone mix minced meat with seasoning. He felt he would fail at this step. Also, when cooking porridge in a clay pot, he had to stir constantly with a spoon to avoid burning, but he only had two hands. How to stir porridge, chop meat, and fry tomatoes at the same time?

Ling Lie’s screams came continuously from the living room—

“Oh豁! Dead!”

“Aiya! Dead again!”

“Fuck! Why keep dying!”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

This ominous sound!

He had already boasted; he couldn’t let Ling Lie mock him. Ji Chenjiao’s brain spun fast, the thinking ability of the Major Crimes Unit Captain fully mobilized.

Ji Chenjiao quickly came up with a perfect (deceptive) plan—use a rice cooker to cook porridge, avoiding repeated stirring. He would dice and fry the tomatoes himself. After frying the tomato soup, pour it all into the rice cooker.

Here comes the key point. Didn’t he not know how to make minced meat? There was ready-made in the freezer! The wontons Ling Lie wrapped last week!

Wasn’t wonton filling just minced meat? After thawing, peel off the skin, pour into the tomato soup and stir apart. Tomato minced meat, achieved?

“Finally passed!” Ling Lie roared.

Ji Chenjiao hummed happily, washed the rice, finished the tomato minced meat soup, poured it all into the rice cooker instead of boiling water, selected porridge mode, one hour and twenty minutes, start!

With hands liberated, Ji Chenjiao felt he could give Ling Lie more surprises and make a few other dishes.

Ling Lie steamed soy sauce meat buns himself yesterday; Ji Chenjiao had seen the process. Didn’t Ling Lie want to eat crab roe soup dumplings? Ji Chenjiao couldn’t do this, but pinching a little rabbit or puppy seemed not too difficult.

Ji Chenjiao made up his mind and did it.

In the living room, Ling Lie listened to the noise from the kitchen that shouldn’t be making tomato minced meat porridge, resisting the urge to investigate, thinking: Xiao Ji definitely wants to give me a surprise.

I’ll just quietly watch him prete… no, watch him create a surprise!

“Beep—” The rice cooker signaled the porridge was done. Ling Lie heard it—Cooking porridge with a rice cooker?

Couldn’t hold back now. Ling Lie slid open the kitchen door.

Ji Chenjiao was holding a spoon, about to press open the rice cooker.

Ling Lie acted like he discovered a new continent. “You cooked porridge with a rice cooker?”

Now the porridge in the rice cooker was Schrödinger’s porridge. Before the lid was opened, no one knew if it was edible or not.

Ji Chenjiao was also a bit anxious. The steamer next to him was still steaming. He had been busy all afternoon and was sweating.

Facing Ling Lie’s questioning, Ji Chenjiao put on the professional temperament of a criminal police officer. “Don’t worry, it’s done. You take the first look?”

Ling Lie: “You dare not take the first look?”

Ji Chenjiao: “Isn’t this celebrating your birthday? Birthday boy first.”

Persuaded, Ling Lie took the spoon, walked to the rice cooker, and pressed—

Pop, the lid bounced up. After a burst of white smoke, Ji Chenjiao froze.

The tomatoes, the minced meat, all pressed dryly on the rice. How was this a pot of porridge? Calling it a rice bowl dish, the rice bowl dish would call the police station!

Ji Chenjiao: “I think it can still be salvaged.”

Ling Lie had already scooped up a spoonful of tomato minced meat ready to put into his mouth.

Afraid he would burn his tongue, Ji Chenjiao quickly snatched it, blowing on it for a while before sending it over. Waiting anxiously for Ling Lie’s evaluation.

Honestly, Ji Chenjiao wasn’t this nervous during the college entrance exam.

Ling Lie’s eyes lit up. “This minced meat is so fragrant. Why does it taste exactly like my wonton filling?”

Ji Chenjiao: “…” Because that IS your wonton filling.

Ling Lie didn’t finish the spoonful and fed it back to Ji Chenjiao. Ji Chenjiao breathed a sigh of relief after tasting. Since the taste passed, this porridge could definitely be saved. He quickly poured the rice cooker inner pot into the pot used to fry tomatoes just now, added water, and turned on the fire.

He thought, Boil a bit longer, stir a few more times, won’t it be fragrant tomato minced meat porridge?

Ling Lie figured it out now, pointing at the things soaking in the bowl. “Isn’t that my wonton skin?”

Ji Chenjiao: “Uh…”

Ling Lie rubbed Ji Chenjiao’s head. “You big clever guy!”

Ji Chenjiao was in the wrong. “You teach me how to make minced meat; next time I promise not to touch your wontons.”

“Minced meat needs teaching? Isn’t it learned at a glance?”

“.”

Ling Lie thought, Seems to have poked the stupid boyfriend’s self-esteem.

Ling Lie lifted the lid of the steamer again. White mist dispersed. The grotesquely shaped buns looked like swollen…

Ling Lie gagged at Ji Chenjiao on the spot.

Ji Chenjiao didn’t expect the perfectly fine cat heads before steaming to turn into this stuff in a blink. He even stuffed bean paste and egg yolk inside; how did this happen?

Ling Lie picked up the plate. “This is a cat head?”

Ji Chenjiao couldn’t bear to look and nodded.

Ling Lie: “This is a little tiger? This is a little dragon?”

Ji Chenjiao glanced. Fine, only the dragon still looks like a dragon because it’s long.

When the dough cooled down enough, Ling Lie took a bite. Ugly, but the taste was passable.

Ji Chenjiao didn’t believe it. “Really?”

Ling Lie: “Am I someone who flatter?”

At this time, the tomato minced meat porridge Ji Chenjiao salvaged was stirred enough. Changed into a clay pot, sprinkled with some chopped green onions, it actually looked decent.

But that plate of pastries was really too eye-stinging.

But Ling Lie didn’t care much. Bringing them to the dining table, he took photos properly. Just two dishes, left shot, right shot, he actually gathered a nine-grid.

That day, many people saw Ling Lie’s Moments: Birthday feast!

Have you seen a birthday feast with only tomato minced meat porridge and grotesque buns? Ming Shu fell silent, suspecting their little wild cat wasn’t living happily. Xiao Yuan also fell silent, thinking Ming Shu was too dramatic.

Ling Lie finished the porridge and buns spoonful after spoonful very quickly, wiped his mouth, and said he wanted a big meal next birthday too.

Ji Chenjiao felt guilty. How could he use this stuff to celebrate Ling Lie’s birthday?

He was wrong.

Learning from the painful experience, Ji Chenjiao decided to make a real feast for Ling Lie on his birthday next year.

On weekends, Ji Chenjiao practiced cooking hard at home, but maybe he lacked cooking talent in his destiny; no matter how he practiced, he was a cooking idiot.

Ji Chenjiao sighed.

A month passed. Ling Lie suddenly said to Ji Chenjiao, “It’s my birthday today. What are we eating?”

Ji Chenjiao was stunned. Why is it your birthday again?!

Ling Lie counted on his fingers. “None of your business? Anyway, I can have birthdays from January to September.”

Ji Chenjiao’s eyelids jumped. “What do you want to eat?”

Ling Lie walked around with hands behind his back. “Want to eat boiled pork slices.”

“…”

“I know you can’t, so I’ll teach you.” Saying that, Ling Lie put on the apron.

All afternoon, the kitchen clanged. Ji Chenjiao was tired, but at least he learned (and ruined) a dish.

Ji Chenjiao thought, Ling Lie is so good.

What Ling Lie thought was: Have a birthday every month in the future, forcibly teach Xiao Ji a dish. By next January, won’t there be a nine-grid!

Clever me!