Chapter 25

Ning Yuxuan heard the voice coming from the phone and her hand trembled, nearly dropping the spatula.

Why had the person speaking suddenly changed to Xie Zhiyan?

After a second of stunned silence, Ning Yuxuan quickly pulled her earphones from her pocket and connected them via Bluetooth. She was joking; what if Xie Zhiyan said something strange, not knowing she was on speakerphone during a live stream? She wasn't planning on suddenly announcing her marriage on the show, catching Ning Fei off guard with such a shock.

The man’s magnetic voice drifted from the earphones, as if whispering right in her ear: "Are you ready?"

For once, Ning Yuxuan stuttered: "W-wait a second."

She steadied her heart, picked up the oil cruet from the cupboard, and added a little oil to the pan as instructed. A few seconds later, Ning Yuxuan had regained her composure, but the viewers in the live stream were not so calm.

[Why did she put on earphones!! Is there something we honorable VIP members aren't allowed to hear?!]
[Boo hoo, that’s so aloof! Such a pleasant voice, why can't you let us all enjoy it too!]

More viewers were discussing the situation regarding this mysterious male voice that had suddenly appeared.

[What is actually going on? Why was Ning Yuxuan calling for "Auntie" just a moment ago, and now it’s a man on the other end?]
[Could it be that this man has been the one on the phone with Ning Yuxuan all along? Were the things Ning Yuxuan said earlier just a smoke screen to confuse us?]
[I don't think so. First of all: Ning Yuxuan’s acting skills aren't that good.]
[Hahaha, the person above is hilarious. It's true; if you've seen Sister Xuan’s dramas, you know she definitely couldn't act that out.]

Some viewers guessed the truth:
[Did the original auntie have something to do, so she asked someone else in the family to help?]

Following Xie Zhiyan’s instructions, Ning Yuxuan proceeded step by step: heating the oil in the pan, frying the chicken wings until golden brown on both sides, and then adding various seasonings and cola in order. This was not her forte, so she focused her energy on not making a mistake, having no mind to ask Xie Zhiyan anything else.

Once she had finally added everything required and covered the pot with the lid, Ning Yuxuan asked him: "Where is Auntie Zheng? Why did it switch to you?"

Through the phone, Xie Zhiyan’s voice sounded even gentler than usual: "She said she was a bit tired and went to have a cup of tea to soothe her throat, so she asked me to cover for a while."

Ning Yuxuan: "Then has she finished her tea yet?"

Xie Zhiyan retorted: "You really don't want to hear my voice?"

Ning Yuxuan was still annoyed that he had startled her earlier: "I don't."

Xie Zhiyan chuckled, changing the subject: "Remember to keep an eye on the pot. Add a little salt when about half the liquid is left, and then you can start reducing the sauce."

Ning Yuxuan memorized it in her mind: "Anything else?"

Xie Zhiyan: "Be careful when reducing the sauce; if it burns, all your hard work will be for nothing."

Ning Yuxuan: "Got it, I’ve noted it down. You can go back to your business."

Xie Zhiyan: "Shall I come to see you after things wrap up tonight? I’ll bring you the gift for your aunt and the dried tofu."

Ning Yuxuan strongly suspected he was doing it on purpose, asking her out while the show was live so she wouldn't be able to refuse. However, she was indeed craving that brand of dried tofu.

Ning Yuxuan: "Fine, we’ll be in touch then."

The viewers in the live stream could only guess what the two were saying based on Ning Yuxuan’s fragmented responses.

[It seems the auntie really did go to rest, which is why someone else took over.]
[Ning Yuxuan seems quite familiar with this person. Are they friends? Could it be her boyfriend?]
[Allow me to ship this for a moment; the tone Ning Yuxuan used just now really sounded like she was pouting at her boyfriend.]

...

At the Xie residence, Zheng Xinmei sipped her tea. Seeing her son hang up the phone, she asked: "Finished talking?"

She knew her son’s personality well—almost all his focus was on his work, and she had never seen him take an interest in any girl. Over the years, many people had approached Zheng Xinmei to play matchmaker, claiming they wanted to introduce their daughters to Xie Zhiyan to "make a friend," when they actually meant a formal blind date. At first, Zheng Xinmei tried to persuade her son, but later, knowing he wouldn't agree, she found excuses to turn them away for him. For those she couldn't refuse, she would pass them to Xie Zhiyan for him to decline himself.

It was just that the house was too quiet. In the past, Ning Yuxuan would come over to keep her company from time to time, but as the young girl grew up and got busy with her own life, she visited less often. Every holiday, even knowing it would likely have no effect, Zheng Xinmei couldn't help but nag him. This time, while she was on the phone with Ning Yuxuan, her son had actually taken the initiative to ask about it, and later even took over the call. How could Zheng Xinmei not see the unusual nature of this?

Seeing her son nod, Zheng Xinmei calmly said: "Why the sudden interest in teaching that girl how to cook? You've been so busy with work these past few years; you haven't been in touch for a while, have you?"

Deep down, Zheng Xinmei suspected her son had feelings for Ning Yuxuan, but knowing he wasn't the type to talk about such things, she asked tentatively.

Xie Zhiyan replied candidly: "We hadn't been in touch for a while, but we have been seeing each other frequently lately."

Zheng Xinmei was surprised: "Is that because you invested in Huayuan?" She didn't know much about her son’s business dealings, but she had heard a bit about Huayuan being under Ning Fei’s name.

"Not entirely."

Zheng Xinmei was even more curious: "Then?"

Xie Zhiyan said calmly: "I am pursuing her."

Zheng Xinmei was stunned, her teacup suspended in mid-air, unable to put it down for a long time. She had only been trying to probe, never expecting her son to admit it so directly. It took her a long time to recover, and she couldn't help but ask: "Then... what does Xuanxuan think?"

Xie Zhiyan’s tone was calm: "She hasn't refused me."

Zheng Xinmei finally remembered to bring the teacup to her lips, took a sip, and savored the implication of her son's words. With Xie Zhiyan’s personality, if he could say it like that, it meant the matter was likely as good as settled. After a while, Zheng Xinmei couldn't help but let a smile touch her lips. She was traditional at heart; although she managed not to force her son into blind dates, she still worried that he would keep delaying marriage. Now that her son had finally come around, and the girl was the daughter of her best friend, it was a double joy.

Zheng Xinmei smiled: "Good, then pursue her well. If you need any help from us mothers, just say so." She paused, then couldn't resist adding: "Work hard. Before the end of the year... no, try to bring her home as your girlfriend by the end of this month!"

Zheng Xinmei had always liked Ning Yuxuan, and the two families had a close friendship. It wasn't that she hadn't thought about pairing her son with her best friend’s daughter. It was just that their personalities were almost polar opposites—one outgoing, one reserved; one passionate and impulsive, the other as steady as a mountain. Seeing that the two children didn't seem to have a spark, she didn't want to force a match. Now that she had suddenly received such good news, she couldn't hide her joy.

Xie Zhiyan was amused by his mother: "Why the sudden urgency?"

Zheng Xinmei gave her son a reproachful look: "You are about to turn thirty, yet you remain as stubborn as an iron tree that won't bloom. How can I not be anxious?" She was happy, and her words flowed more freely: "By the way, tell Mom, when did you start liking her? I never noticed it at all."

Xie Zhiyan smiled faintly: "It's been a while."

—

At the Gu residence, Gu Yunhao was pressing his lips together tightly, staring at the screen of his phone. Since his phone call with Cen Meng last night, his heart had not been at peace. It wasn't because of Cen Meng’s pleading, but because the thoughts that had occupied his mind many times before had intensified due to her words, refusing to leave him.

That night, Gu Yunhao even had a dream where he hadn't asked Ning Yuxuan to break up, and they were dating just as they used to. Ning Yuxuan was smiling like a flower, standing on her tiptoes to help him tie his tie. Gu Yunhao woke up halfway through the dream, his mood unable to settle for a long time.

Unable to sleep, he got up before dawn and rummaged through his closet for the tie Ning Yuxuan had given him. Past memories became incredibly vivid; Gu Yunhao could even recall what Ning Yuxuan had said when she gave him that tie. She said she hoped he would love her forever.

Back then, Gu Yunhao felt he had never really loved Ning Yuxuan; he was merely attracted to her appearance and had accepted her reluctantly due to his grandfather’s matchmaking. But now, Gu Yunhao felt his heart stirring. Ning Yuxuan had loved him so much, and they had only broken up for less than a month—if he went back to pursue her now, she would probably agree, right?

Taking the initiative to reconcile wasn't Gu Yunhao’s style, but in the past, Ning Yuxuan had apologized to him so many times and had been so yielding. If he were to lower his head just once this time, it wouldn't be shameful. Gu Yunhao couldn't control this thought and stayed awake until dawn.

At ten in the morning, he clicked on the variety show live stream right on time. Gu Yunhao didn't have the habit of watching variety shows, let alone having any interest in domestic trivialities. Yet, this time he was hooked, watching Ning Yuxuan busy in the kitchen; he even laughed out loud a few times.

When he saw Ning Yuxuan make a phone call, even though he knew there was no way she would call him, his heart rate accelerated for a moment. When the man’s voice appeared in the live stream, he stood up abruptly.

Isn't this Xie Zhiyan?

Ordinary viewers might not be able to tell, but Gu Yunhao was very familiar with that voice. Watching Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan laughing and chatting, Gu Yunhao felt the fire of jealousy burning uncontrollably. What were they doing? Flirting in public? He wanted to call Ning Yuxuan right then and there to tell her that Xie Zhiyan already had a girlfriend and not to be fooled by this cold-blooded, ruthless man.

Marriages among elite families were all about social standing; Xie Zhiyan could never truly give Ning Yuxuan a future—at most, he was just playing with her. Restrained by the fact that she was live-streaming, Gu Yunhao held himself back. However, he could no longer sit still. After pacing the room a few times, he dialed his close friend’s number.

"I’m not going to the gathering this afternoon; you all have fun. Yeah, I have a last-minute arrangement. Let’s meet another time."

...

At noon, through the joint efforts of Ning Yuxuan and Jiang Ning’an, they finally managed to complete five dishes and one soup. Although neither of them knew how to cook, they were not stupid. With someone teaching them step-by-step, the finished products actually looked quite decent.