Chapter 22

The process of marinating lettuce was not at all simple, when you got down to the details.

Cheng Chen watched as Xu Nian washed the lettuce, then brought over the bowl, and smeared the sauce all over the lettuce, finishing by putting them orderlily at the bottom of the bowl.

“Do you want to try it out?” Xu Nian asked as he handed him the sauce.

Cheng Chen’s expression showed a bit of distaste. He was like a hunting dog, as he moved close to the lettuce that Xu Nian had finished marinating and sniffed it, and the sight of him furrowing his brows and moving his nose was a tad hilarious.

Xu Nian smiled as he said, “You can try some.”

The question “How do I try it?” was written all over Cheng Chen’s face.

Xu Nian got a bit of sauce onto the tip of his finger, then motioned to his boss to copy him. But, he’d evidently forgotten that Cheng Chen was not one to go with convention logic or moves.

When his wrist was grasped, Xu Nian hadn’t understood the situation yet. Cheng Chen’s face speedily moved near his, and the other’s tongue seemed to swipe over his fingertip for only a second. It felt like the sensation of a warm drop of water condensed from the surface of a hot water pipe had dripped with a ‘plop’ onto skin.

Cheng Chen smacked his lips, then muttered in a haughty manner, “Not bad.”

Xu Nian stared at his finger, which had been licked clean of sauce, and sank into a complicated mess of emotions.

At the door of the kitchen, Chen Di coughed, hand covering his face and said in a muffled tone, “Auntie told me to come over and see if you two needed any help….”

Cheng Chen tutted, and didn’t hold back at all. “Come and help marinate the lettuce.”

Chen Di obediently came over. No matter what, he was definitely better at doing these types of chores than Cheng Chen, so he only needed a quick glance over to understand what to do.

“I’m going to first take the ribs outside.” Xu Nian carried the dish out and added, “Wait a bit, I’ll be back to help you.”

Cheng Chen frowned. “It’s just that little bit of lettuce, Chen Di can do it by himself, what are you doing?”

Chen Di ：“……”

When you two were washing this tiny bit of lettuce together how come you didn’t feel like there were too many people?!

Outside, Li Fang had finished setting the table. She enthusiastically called Cheng Chen to come and sit down.

He didn’t know what intentions he had, but in Xu Nian’s eyes, the boss was really being way too considerate–he’d never listened so well and been so obedient before.

“Really, I apologize.” Li Fang said in guilt. “You’re guests, but you’re still helping.”

Cheng Chen’s expression was very calm, “It’s only natural.”

Xu Nian guiltily put a marinated rib into his bowl.

Cheng Chen gave him a side-eyed glace..

Li Fang continued asking, “How is Nian Nian’s performance with you? He hasn’t caused you any trouble, has he?”

“……” Xu Nian almost choked to death on the piece of rib that was in his mouth.

On the other hand, Cheng Chen said without a hint of being uncomposed, “He’s very obedient.”

Li Fang asked, “How obedient?”

Cheng Chen was a little smug. “If I tell him to go east, he doesn’t dare go west.”

Xu Nian coughed, “Ah hack hack hack !!!”

Li Fang seemed to feel that there was something strange in those words, but even after running it through her head multiple times she still couldn’t pinpoint where exactly the problem lay, so in the end she just wrote it off as “the mans a big boss, so he’s a bit blunt and eccentric”.

“Then in the future, sir, you don’t need to be polite either.” In order to keep this ‘iron food bowl', Li Fang sold Xu Nian off without a hint of reservation. “Sir, you’re our benefactor, Nian Nian should pay you back, even if he has to work as an ox or horse.”

Xu Nian：“……”

Rinrin: aiyoooo Ah yi (Auntie) your words are always so filled (unintentionally) with double meanings~