"Hey..." For some reason, I sounded particularly weak in my voice, as if I had taken a huge advantage of someone and felt guilty about it.
"Yuanyuan, is no one home?"
"Huh? There's...there's someone here!"
"Then why has no one answered the door after I've been ringing the doorbell for so long?"
"Wh...what? You...you're here again?"
"Here we go again? Aren't you happy to see us?"
"No...no...Dean, please wait a moment!" I said with a pained expression as I slowly wheeled the wheelchair to the back door of the kitchen, from where I could directly enter the yard.
Before they even reached the door, they saw Qu Ling, wearing a navy blue coat, holding a pale yellow, furry, unidentified object in her arms.
"Dean! What are you holding in your arms?" I hurriedly opened the door and looked into Qu Ling's arms.
“I got a puppy from the neighbor’s house to keep you company, so you won’t be bored at home alone.”
"Ah~~ What an adorable little Chow Chow!" My eyes lit up the moment I saw the puppy. My dad and I are well-known in Shili Street for our love of dogs.
The little Chow Chow was about a month old, round and fluffy, with a flat mouth and tiny green beady eyes—it was incredibly cute. After I took it from Qu Ling, I hugged it affectionately to my chest and wouldn't let go.
"Yuanyuan, you can just put the puppy on your lap." Qu Ling pulled my hand down.
"No, I want to hold it!" I pouted and clung tightly to the puppy. Qu Ling smiled slightly, patted my head, and said nothing more.
I don't know when, but Qu Ling pushed me and the dog into the house. The afternoon sun was bright and warm, and the air was filled with the unique aroma of shepherd's purse.
"Ah—my shepherd's purse buns!" I exclaimed, pointing urgently into the kitchen.
Qu Ling hurriedly pushed me into the kitchen, turned off the gas, and took the steamer off the stove.
"Yuanyuan, why are you all alone? Where did your family go?"
"They all went fishing, and there wasn't enough room in the car, so my dad asked me to watch the house." I put the puppy on my lap, moved to the sink to wash my hands, and hurriedly reached for the steamed buns.
After getting the steamed buns, he remembered that he should greet Qu Ling first. He grinned and held out the buns, asking, "Dean, would you like some steamed buns?"
"No, thank you. Is this all you're having for lunch?"
"Mmm!" I took a big bite of the bun and nodded.
Qu Ling frowned. "How can we just eat steamed buns?"
"I really want to drink soup too! But it's too much trouble to make, and I have trouble walking, so I can only drink some boiled water." I took big bites of the bun, and the little Chow Chow squatted on my knees, looking up at me intently.
Qu Ling looked around the kitchen and finally pulled out two tomatoes from some corner. "Yuanyuan, is tomato and egg soup okay?"
"Huh? Dean... Dean, what are you doing?"
"Make soup." Qu Ling deftly rolled up her sleeves and rinsed the tomatoes under the tap. "Yuanyuan, do you have any eggs at home?"
"Yes...yes, it's in the refrigerator."
"Okay. Eat your buns slowly, the soup will be ready in five minutes." Qu Ling chopped the tomatoes into chunks and cracked the eggs into a bowl, stirring them. I stared at him intently, thinking, "Wow, there are people who can cook so elegantly!"
Wiping away my drool, I hugged the puppy and asked, "Director, you can cook!"
Qu Ling put the scallions and tomatoes into the hot oil and laughed, "I've lived in England for so many years, and I would have no food to eat if I didn't cook for myself. This tomato and egg soup is delicious and simple, and it's a staple in my singles' diet."
I'm ashamed to say, all I can cook is instant noodles. And even then, Su Tiantian often belittles my noodles, calling them something no one would bother with.
The tomato and egg soup was ready quickly, and Qu Ling found a white porcelain bowl to serve it to me. The aroma of the soup filled the room immediately.
"Thank you," I said softly, holding the soup bowl.
"Careful, it's hot!" Qu Ling leaned over and gently blew on the bowl. I was stunned and didn't have time to back away, so our foreheads touched.
Qu Ling's breath carried a faint fragrance of October Yellow grapes.
The aroma, though slightly weaker than the soup's fragrance, lingered in my nostrils for a long time.
"Dean..." My face flushed, my breathing quickened, and my mind was a jumbled mess. I didn't know what I was going to say next. "Dean, why did you agree to the marriage arranged by Grandpa Qu?"
Qu Ling paused in her breathing, and steam from the soup rose up, creating a hazy, misty scene that blurred my vision.
“Yuanyuan, actually this isn’t just my grandfather’s idea.” Qu Ling’s voice floated up faintly through the mist.
"Huh?"
"Yuanyuan, I like you very much." Qu Ling finally raised her head, her eyes were pure black, the color of ink, her bright pupils were deep and dark, seemingly without end.
"Dean...Dean..." I stared at him, speechless.
“When I’m with you, I feel so happy, and I can forget all my troubles. You’re different from me; you’re crystal clear, inside and out. Compared to when you were little, you haven’t lost the beauty you had as you’ve grown up. Yuanyuan, you’re special.” Qu Ling’s face wasn’t smiling, but there was a kind of tenderness that was more touching than a smile.
"Dean..." I couldn't say anything except the word "Dean."
"Aren't you going to drink the soup? It's getting cold." Qu Ling pushed the soup bowl in front of me.
So I buried my head in my soup and drank until glistening beads of sweat appeared on my forehead.
"Yuanyuan," Qu Ling said after a long silence, slowly placing her hand on the back of my hand that was resting on the edge of the bowl. "If you really don't want to, just tell me, and I'll talk to Grandpa. I won't make things difficult for you."
"I...I..." I didn't dare to look up, only feeling a warm sensation on the back of my hand that was being covered.
After a long silence, Qu Ling whispered in my ear, "Actually, genuinely liking someone who isn't related to me by blood isn't something I'm good at. In my thirty years of life, I've only truly liked a handful of people. The first was my good friend Wu Jinshu; I was completely captivated by his gentleness and tolerance. The other is you, Su Yuanyuan. When you were still a chubby little one, you dared to order me around. I was already an eighteen-year-old adult then, and I willingly let you boss me around. Looking back now, it still seems unbelievable."