11.2 - The Eleventh Flavor Part 2

Translator: tarararawr

The living room was still bright, even though only a small desk lamp was turned on.

The light and smell came flooding into her room at the same time when she opened the door. The light came from the living room lights and the sweet fragrant smell came from the milk tea. Xian Bei blinked and lowered her head slightly. She saw a wooden tray on the floor.

In the mug was a cup of sweet and rich milk tea with white steam rising.

Next to the rough ceramic bowl, there was a pair of chopsticks and a soup spoon placed on top of a napkin.

The bowl of noodles looked delicious. The sides were neatly placed on top. There were bright green vegetables, soft and delicate red barbecue pork, and a poached egg with a jiggly yolk. The soup base was some kind of broth and it smelled delicious.

Xian Bei swallowed and her stomach rumbled.

There was a kind of experience called second hunger. It meant that if there was delicious food in front of someone, the stomach could always be vulnerable to surrendering to hunger.

Xian Bei slightly bit her finger. She picked up the tray and stood up.

She raised her eyes timidly, and soon found Chen Zhuo.

The man was standing with his back to the counters of the open kitchen. He was probably focusing on his own bowl of noodles and not paying attention to her.

Xian Bei didn’t bring the food and drink back to the bedroom. Instead, she took small steps and walked to the dining room table to sit.

The table’s design was very similar to a bar counter.

Xian Bei sat down on the high chair. She propped up her lower body because sitting up required effort as her calves were dangling in the air

She took a sip of milk tea and instantly, tears were surging from her heart.

Wuwuwu 1 , it’s this flavor……this taste……

It’s just perfectly silky and smooth. She yearned for this day and night……

Her original flavor and 30% sweet drink. Her old lover and old friend.

At this moment, Chen Zhuo turned around and saw how there was one more person at the dining room table. He was surprised for a moment and soon after, he smiled.

The small thing walked in quietly and it took him a while to become aware of her.

But, it seemed like his……milk cap, no milk tea trap was the first test and it worked a little bit. At least the shy, little hamster was lured out from her hole.

Xian Bei was quietly inhaling the delicious noodles and was indulging on the milk tea she did not have for a long time.

It was like heaven on earth.

Until a tall figure arrived from the opposite side. Xian Bei regained her senses and looked forward. Her eyes met the man’s smiling eyes. It felt like static electricity was blowing up and she quickly looked away to stare at the soup in the bowl.

“Is it delicious?” The person in front of her asked.

She buried her head in the bowl of noodles and nodded.

“Is it enough?” Chen Zhuo continued asking.

The girl continued to nod too.

Chen Zhuo looked at her again and he went back to eat his own bowl of noodles.

He no longer disturbed the small girl, since eating while distracted can lead to indigestion.

From her side of the room, Xian Bei quietly raised her eyelids from the wavy and fluffy bangs covering her eyes and peeked at the man on the opposite side.

He had lowered his eyes in concentration. His eyelashes were perfectly thick and straight. He had that kind of tall nose and thin cheeks. He was eating a bowl of noodles similar to her own bowl.

When Xian Bei saw that the man had discovered her peeking, she lowered her head as quickly as thunder and slurped the noodles into her mouth.

Xian Bei swallowed her food and couldn’t suppress the corners of her lips from rising up.

I’m secretly happy.

She used all her strength to control her lips, but couldn’t stop it in the end.

She didn’t know what she was smiling at.

The meal was finished silently.

Xian Bei wiped her mouth with the napkin and stood to clean up.

Chen Zhuo shot a glance at her. “Put it there. I’ll do it.”

Xian Bei’s hands stopped. She took a deep breath, and then another one. Finally, she replied in a weak voice, “……I’m not busy……”

Only the heavens knew that it took a lot of effort for her to speak a sentence or even three words.

She was only afraid that he would be unhappy.

Not busy? Chen Zhuo frowned and he didn’t respond for a moment.

But in the next second, he suddenly understood. He couldn’t help but laugh and he deliberately joked in response, “You want to help me wash the dishes?”

Answering with a voice quieter than a mosquito, “……I can……”

“No need,” Chen Zhuo couldn’t control his smile. In the end, he sternly said, “You’re not busy now, but will you be busy later?”

Xian Bei subconsciously nodded since she was rushing to make the draft. Then, she realized it and shook her head, making her bangs shake too.

Chen Zhuo found her reaction amusing and only said, “It looks like you’re busy. There’s something I need your help on, but I need to go downstairs now. Can you wait a few minutes for me?”

Xian Bei obediently nodded her head.

——

Chen Zhup took the cups and bowls to the kitchen.

Xian Bei sat in the same spot and was lost in her thoughts as she waited.

She waited for a few minutes, and sure enough, she only waited for a few minutes.

After a while, Chen Zhuo came up and put something in front of her.

Xian Bei stared at it. Huh? Is it a drink?

It was glistening yellow and had a pure white cheese that was still silky soft and really thick. An overly sweet mango fragrance came from it.

The man in front of her introduced it. “The strawberry drink from before sold very well. This is a new drink. Cheese on top of fresh mango juice with light green tea.”

He raised his head. “Do you want to try it?”

Once again she’s trying a new drink……

Xian Bei felt flattered and suddenly felt a lot of pressure. She just ate someone’s homemade meal, so she must do well on this.

With a heavy responsibility, Xian Bei looked down to try to find the straw. However, she only saw the drink and did not see anything else.

Chen Zhuo was paying attention to her actions and asked, “What are you looking for?”

Xian Bei held out two index fingers and gestured for a long object in the air.

“Straw?”

Xian Bei nodded.

Chen Zhuo leaned back in the chair and slightly tilted his head, somewhat bemused. “Do you drink milk caps tea with a straw?”

Isn’t it like that? Xian Bei blinked.

The man leaned forward and put his hands on the table. Then, he grabbed the cup and opened the small lid. “It’s best to drink this type of milk tea directly.”

He slightly twisted his wrist. “Like this, the cup is tilted and you drink the smooth cheese. Then, the fruit pulp and finally, the flavorful tea.”

Chen Zhuo returned the cup. “There is a small chance that the straw will be able to suck in some of the cheese at the beginning. With this way, the flavors will not reach the best taste.”

It was like thunder piercing her ears.

So it turned out she was drinking it the wrong way? Was the way he showed the right way to drink tea?

Then, the Strawberry Milk Cap Tea from last time……wasn’t her evaluation too exaggerated……

With the shame of being seen through and criticized on the spot, Xian Bei all of a sudden became very red and she hurriedly said, “So…..sorry……”

“Sorry for what?” Chen Zhuo roughly understood what she meant. “You usually drink a lot of regular milk tea. It’s normal to not know how to drink milk cap teas this way.”

Chen Zhuo slightly smiled. “There is nothing absolute in the world. Drink it the way you like to drink.”

Xian Bei was still flustered and was afraid to hastily pick up the Mango Milk Cap Tea.

Chen Zhuo attentively watched her and after a long time he asked, “Do you want me to demonstrate?”

Xian Bei had other expectations, so she was slow to react. Demonstrate? Demonstrate what? She didn’t respond and saw Chen Zhuo pick up the drink in front of her again. “Shall I take a sip first? And then you can take a sip?”

His words had this sort of intimate and playful tone.

Xian Bei’s face was easily burning from the tone. Not just her face, but also her ears and head were warm.

……What did that mean…….he wanted to have the same drink with her? This…….wasn’t it too close……

A few seconds later, she heard the man give a low chuckle and saw him put down the drink again. She became aware that he stood up and left his seat.

But in the next few seconds, Xian Bei’s back was so straight that it was difficult to move.

It was because on her head there was a hand that played with her bangs.

The owner of the hand smiled, and in a deep and low breath, “I’m teasing you.”

The author has something to say:

An aggressive gentleman is terrible.

Footnotes

呜 (wū) – whimpering, crying sound