Chapter 38

Chapter 32: Leisurely Days

After putting the rice on to cook, Li Shenxing took out a baking tray, lined it with aluminum foil, and placed the eel, sliced scallions, ginger, garlic, and button mushrooms inside. He poured in some soy sauce, salt, olive oil, black pepper, and a bit of chili powder, then mixed everything evenly. After that, he sealed the aluminum foil tightly and put it in the oven to bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes. During this time, he sliced and shredded white radish, onion, zucchini, and shiitake mushrooms, and arranged them in a clay pot.

He then cut the previously cleaned crabs in half, placed them in a basin, and evenly coated the crab meat and shell with sauce before putting them in the clay pot. He added water to cover the crabs, and if he had anchovy broth, it would be even better. After bringing it to a boil over high heat, he turned it down to a simmer to slowly cook out the flavor of the crabs.

Two minutes before it was done, he added enoki mushrooms, green onion rings, and green yang peppers, and the spicy crab soup was ready. Neither dish was particularly difficult, but making them taste good was not easy.

After finishing lunch, Li Shenxing noticed that Hyo-ri still hadn't come down. He went upstairs to find her and discovered that after taking a shower, she had gone back to bed for a nap.

Li Shenxing quietly walked to the side of the bed, bent down, and gently kissed her round shoulder that was exposed from under the blanket.

Hyo-ri turned over and woke up, mumbling, "Oppa, your stubble is tickling me."

"It's time for lunch. Let's eat lunch and then you can sleep. Come on, get up," Li Shenxing said, stroking her hair.

"Clothes," Hyo-ri said, opening her eyes and looking at him.

"Lazy cat," Li Shenxing said, tapping her forehead. He then found her a set of loungewear to wear, and they went downstairs together for lunch.

After lunch, Hyo-ri was surprisingly energetic and had no more sleepiness.

"Since you don't want to sleep, let's go to the sunroom. We can soak up some sun and get some calcium."

"Sure, I want to drink the milk tea you make."

"Got it. You go up first, and I'll make the milk tea now."

If you want to drink milk tea, you can make it at home. The method is very simple: put a little water in a pot, bring it to a boil, and add black tea. If you have tea bags, it's even better, as it can save you the filtering step. After the tea leaves have steeped, pour in pure milk and continue to simmer until it just starts to boil, then turn off the heat and filter out the tea leaves. You can add white sugar or condensed milk according to your taste. If you add condensed milk, the milk tea will be more fragrant and smooth.

[Personally, I think it tastes better without water, using full-fat milk for a richer flavor.]

Li Shenxing brought two cups of hot milk tea to the sunroom upstairs.

"Oppa, sing a song for me. I haven't heard you sing in a long time. I've already brought the guitar."

"Okay, but I need to tune it first. I haven't used this guitar in a long time."

He sat down next to Hyo-ri, took the guitar, and started tuning it.

Hyo-ri took a cup of hot milk tea, took a sip, and looked at the man beside her, thinking: Such a comfortable day is truly intoxicating.

"Okay! What song do you want to hear?" Li Shenxing asked Hyo-ri after tuning the guitar.

"Hmm..." Hyo-ri thought for a moment, "Need You Now—Right Now I Need You."

Li Shenxing recalled for a moment, then started playing.

After playing the intro twice, he began to sing with his magnetic voice:

"Picture-perfect memories scattered all around the floor

Reaching for the phone 'cause I can't fight it anymore

And I wonder if I ever cross your mind

For me it happens all the time

It's a quarter after one, I'm a little bit alone and I need you now

Said I wouldn't call, but I lost all control and I need you now

And I don't know how I can do without

I just need you now

Another shot of whiskey can't stop looking at the door

Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before

And I wonder if I ever cross your mind

..."

After finishing the song, Li Shenxing was about to take a sip of milk tea to moisten his throat when he saw Hyo-ri had fallen asleep with her head tilted to the side.

"Who was so energetic just now?" Li Shenxing whispered, put down the guitar, and carefully picked up Hyo-ri, carrying her to the bedroom.

He gently placed her on the bed. Hyo-ri turned over, hummed a couple of times, and continued to sleep soundly.

Li Shenxing returned to the sunroom, put the guitar back, drank the milk tea in one go, washed the cup, and put it back in the kitchen.

Then he returned to the bedroom, took off his clothes, and went to bed with Hyo-ri for a nap.

.................................................................................................................

"Shenxing, it's time for dinner. Stop playing with those two little rascals and go wash your hands," his cousin said, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, calling to the group of one big and two small in the yard.

"Got it," Li Shenxing replied, "Let's go back and have dinner." He led the two little rascals into the house.

While eating, his aunt said to Li Shenxing, "Shenxing, during your stay here, you and Hyo-ri should come over for dinner. There aren't many days in a year when we can have dinner with your grandmother."

"Sure, Aunt. I would have brought Hyo-ri over even if you hadn't said anything. It's such a good thing to have a meal without having to cook, right, Grandma?" Li Shenxing said with a smile.

"You little rascal," Grandma said, tapping his head lightly with a smile.

After a warm and harmonious dinner, Li Shenxing and Hyo-ri took Dofu for a walk on the nearby beach.

At dusk, walking on the beach under the sunset was a unique experience. The vast sea and sky, with the sunset dyeing the clouds at the horizon in various beautiful shapes.

"It's so beautiful!" Hyo-ri said sincerely.

Li Shenxing turned his head, and the orange-red light shone on her, making her every smile and frown as beautiful as the sunset. He couldn't help but pull her to him, and as they stood there, the setting sun cast a long shadow behind them.

After a long while, they parted, and Li Shenxing held her sweetly and said, "I love you, Hyo-ri."

"Me too," she replied with a smile.

Li Shenxing smiled slightly, needing no more words. He held her hand, and they slowly walked along the path away from the beach, with Dofu happily running around them.

Today was Li Shenxing's birthday, but since he wasn't interested in celebrating, Hyo-ri followed his lead and didn't do anything special, not even a cake.

In the evening, the two of them didn't go anywhere but stayed in and watched a movie together on the sofa.

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