Hard to Deceive

The structure of the kitchen was squarish and spacious.

The L-shaped dark-coloured kitchen counter had a refrigerator beside it, and a beige cabinet lodged on the top. The space looked more cramped than before because of the newly added electrical appliances.

Wen Yifan went next to him and looked at the noodles that had started cooking in the pot. She was silent for a while before rolling up her sleeves, turned on the faucet and washed her hands. Then, she pointed at the things beside the pot.

“Then I’ll put these back in the fridge?”

Sang Yan glanced sideways, “Vegetables stay.”

Wen Yifan, “Okay.”

She picked up the box of meatballs.

Sang Yan suddenly said, “We’re not eating meatballs?”

Wen Yifan paused, “You can put some if you want to.”

“Dumplings?”

“Just a few.”

“Oh.” Sang Yan took the soy sauce next to it and said, “Give me two eggs.”

“……” Wen Yifan was speechless when he still wanted everything in this situation. She didn’t want to waste food, she couldn’t help but said, “Sang Yan.”

Sang Yan, “What?”

Wen Yifan calmly reminded, “You cooked a whole bag of noodles.”

 “……”

At the end.

Only some vegetables and mushrooms were added into the noodles, and the rest were put back into the refrigerator. She took two bowls, one big and one small, from the cabinet and handed him the bigger one.

Sang Yan took it and filled the bowl with noodles.

Wen Yifan stood next to him looking at the overflowing noodles in the pot. In this situation, her help would be useless if she only ate a little. However, she was worried that Sang Yan would force her to eat one bowl after another.

He could really do that according to his personality after all.

Wen Yifan suddenly said, “I may not be able to help you much.”

Sang Yan just finished filling up his bowl and reached out to hers, “What?”

Wen Yifan gave him her bowl and tactfully said, “I’m not that hungry.”

“……” Sang Yan knew what she was thinking at a glance and said with a straight face, “I know.”

The Chinese New Year Festival was still airing but there was nothing between the two to talk about.

They simply just went back to the living room.

The noodles that were just out of the pot were scalding hot, so Wen Yifan placed the bowl on the coffee table.

At that moment, there was a sketch playing on the television and it seemed that more than half of it was already played. Wen Yifan didn’t watch the content before this, so she wasn’t quite sure what it was talking about. She was puzzled.

She watched the show for a while, but she couldn’t understand it, so she looked down and took a scoop of soup.

She stared hesitantly for a few seconds before drinking it slowly.

The taste was unexpectedly pleasing. 

Wen Yifan was relieved.

She happened to meet Sang Yan’s unpredictable eyes when she looked up.

“……” Wen Yifan gulped down the soup and politely commented, “Your noodles are quite delicious.”

“That expression of yours.” Sang Yan said slowly without moving his chopsticks, “I thought I had placed poison in the noodles.”

“……” Wen Yifan said, “I just never thought you could cook.”

Sang Yan whispered hesitantly but arrogantly, “Is there something I couldn’t do?”

Wen Yifan sincerely said, “Isn’t there quite a lot?”

Sang Yan raised his eyebrows, “For example?”

“For example,” Wen Yifan thought about it, “Cooking one-pax worth of noodles..”

 “……”

They were getting along better than usual, maybe it was because of the holidays, or maybe it was because of the minor mistakes when Sang Yan was cooking noodles.

Thinking that it was Chinese New Year’s Eve that night, Wen Yifan planned to make herself a simple Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner after coming back from work.

Wen Yifan suddenly found her predicament indescribable.

She didn’t think she’d be eating her ‘Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner’ made by this gentleman in her lifetime.

Wen Yifan’s speed in eating was not slow, but she still seemed to be chewing slowly. She soon finished eating the noodles in her bowl.

The show just happened to end, she got up and wanted to fill up her bowl again.

Sang Yan casually asked when he noticed her, “Where are you going?”

Wen Yifan paused and pointed in the direction of the kitchen, “Refill noodles.”

 “……”

Although he wanted her to eat a little because he cooked too much, but she still had to repay his good deed. So, Wen Yifan took the initiative to ask, “Do you want me to fill up your bowl?”

“Don’t eat if you’re full.” Sang Yan glanced at her and said slowly, “You’ll blame me if you overeat.”

“No.” Wen Yifan was stunned and continued, “I just want to eat.”

 “……”

Wen Yifan stopped asking when she saw there were still noodles in his bowl, so she went to the kitchen alone. She filled up half a bowl because she was worried of eating too much and couldn’t sleep because she couldn’t digest well. But the soup was a bowlful. 

She went back to the sofa and sat down.

Wen Yifan looked in the direction of Sang Yan.

She didn’t know when it started. 

His brows were relaxed and his posture was sluggish, he seemed to be in a good mood.

He was looking at the television at that moment.

Wen Yifan blinked and looked in the direction of the television. The previous magic show had just ended, and a singing performance had just started. The performers were some famous actresses. 

There were big bright smiles on their faces and they had sweet voices, which were very pleasing to the eyes.

 “……”

Oh.

Wen Yifan instantly understood.

 ……

It was getting late, Wen Yifan didn’t want to stay in the living room for so long

But before she knew it, it was past twelve o’clock.

Both of them sat at both sides of the sofa without much communication throughout the program, but neither of them went back to their room in advance. Wen Yifan would comment on the program occasionally and Sang Yan would casually reply.

The new year was coming

Wen Yifan suddenly realized that both of them had stayed up to see the new year in.

At that time, her phone vibrated.

Zhong Siqiao and Xiang Lang greeted Happy Chinese New Year in their group on time.

Wen Yifan moved her fingers and was going to reply. She saw, from the corner of her eyes, Sang Yan was looking at his phone. 

Sang Yan slowly looked up at her.

Wen Yifan naturally added, “Happy Chinese New Year.”

Sang Yan looked at her.

She didn’t expect him to reciprocate, so she planned to go back to her room after that.

But Sang Yan’s attitude that night was unexpectedly good.

He looked away and reciprocated. But his tone was perfunctory as usual.

“Hmm, Happy Chinese New Year.”

She went back to her room.

Wen Yifan took some time to reply to messages and soon put down her mobile phone to prepare to go to sleep. She turned off the desk lamp, opened her eyes and stared into the darkness with her thoughts drifting.

She recalled what had happened just now.

An idea came up inexplicably.

It turned out that the Chinese New Year Festival was interesting.

Wen Yifan stopped her thoughts and was going to  close her eyes and go to sleep. She suddenly remembered she just ate noodles. She immediately got up and brushed her teeth but soon realized that she was really too full.

She couldn’t remember the last time she slept without feeling full. 

Wen Yifan was still guilty.

This seemed to be the first time that they had eaten together since they met again.

And they were both unusually calm.

It seemed like their relationship had alleviated, and it also seemed to be toned down because of the festival.

It was a familiar feeling.

It was like going back to the time when they were in their second semester in sophomore year until their university entrance examination.

Wen Yifan had just moved to Beiyu City during that time and had spent several months in a new environment. She became more silent than in Nanwu High School. She had lived an enclosed dormitory life and went home once every two weeks.

She did nothing but study everyday.

Even her mobile phone was only turned on once in a while.

The examination result text message was probably sent to Sang Yan by her.

A few days after the final examination of the second semester of sophomore year, Wen Yifan received a message from Sang Yan.

Sang Yan: Are you free now?

Wen Yifan had a hunch that he might come over when she saw this message. 

Wen Yifan: What’s wrong?

Sang Yan: It’s my first time coming to Beiyu, I don’t know the way.

Sang Yan: It’s okay if you don’t have time.

Nanwu was not far from Beiyu, it would take about an hour and a half by high-speed train.

Wen Yifan never thought he would come, she was stunned for a long time when she saw the message. She immediately went out after asking for his location.

The temperature in Beiyu had dropped by several degrees because it had rained for several days.

Sang Yan didn’t know the exact location of her home, he only knew which high school she attended, so he waited at the entrance of her school for a while. He only wore short sleeves and seemed not afraid of the cold. He raised his eyebrows and smiled when he saw her.

“This fast?”

Before that moment.

Both of them had not spoken for a long time.

It was not solely because Wen Yifan transferred to Beiyu, both of them were like strangers at school even before she transferred. 

So, when he said that, Wen Yifan nodded in reply.

The atmosphere immediately became silent again.

After a while.

Sang Yan asked, “Let’s go grab lunch?”

Wen Yifan agreed and brought him to a nearby noodle restaurant.

Both of them ate noodles for a while.

People around them had a strong sense of existence.

Wen Yifan took the initiative to break the silence and softly asked, “When will you go back?”

Sang Yan looked up and asked, “When will you go home?”

Wen Yifan casually said, “Six o’clock.”

“Oh.” Sang Yan’s chopsticks paused and he smirked, “Then I’ll go back at six.”

 ……

That seemed to be a beginning.

Then, Sang Yan would come to Beiyu to find her once in a while.

It was not frequent, and he would just ask her to have a meal with him before leaving, it wouldn't take up too much of her time. Both of them didn’t talk much about themselves, as they just wanted to take this opportunity to meet each other.

There was no other purpose.

In the next few days.

Sang Yan still went out in the morning and came back home at seven or eight in the evening.

The time was exceptionally consistent, just like he was being kicked out by his family on time.

Wen Yifan asked him when his relatives would leave, but he didn’t look emotional, so he replied, “I don’t know.” to answer her question. She tried to put herself in his shoes and she really felt that he was quite miserable.

Being kicked out from his house during Chinese New Year.

She hadn't asked him about it anymore since then.

During noon on the third day of Chinese New Year.

Wen Yifan just came out from the washroom and when she looked at her mobile phone, she saw messages from Sang Yan that were sent ten minutes ago.

Sang Yan: I’ll be coming back this afternoon.

Sang Yan: Can I bring my sister along.

After a few minutes.

Sang Yan: Can I?

Wen Yifan had listed this requirement before they started to share this unit, they had to inform each other before bringing someone back.

Wen Yifan replied: Yes, you can.

After replying, Wen Yifan didn’t bother about it anymore. She turned on her computer, watched a drama, and before she knew it, it was time for dinner. She got up and went out of the room to get a cup of yoghurt in the refrigerator.

At that moment, the sound of the door opening from the entrance could be heard.

Wen Yifan looked in the direction of the door and saw Sang Yan coming in with his keys. He was carrying several bags of stuff in his hand. His expression was cold, he told the person behind him, “Go in barefoot, no shoes inside.”

The next second, Sang Zhi also appeared in Wen Yifan’s field of vision.

She didn’t take off her shoes immediately and ignored Sang Yan.

Sang Zhi subconsciously glanced around her house because it was her first time being here. Her eyes fixed on Wen Yifan when she noticed her existence, she blurted out, “Brother, is this your girlfriend?”

Sang Yan remained silent.

Wen Yifan smiled and took the initiative to answer, “No, we share the unit together.”

“Oh, but with such good looks……” Sang Zhi blinked and mumbled, “too bad it’s only sharing together.” 

 “……”

Wen Yifan didn’t bother them, she planned to return to her room after taking her yoghurt.

But the next moment, Sang Zhi asked again, as if she had reacted to the situation, “Sister, are you and my brother classmates in high school?”

Wen Yifan was stunned, “Do you still remember me?”

Wen Yifan had just met Sang Zhi several times.

She was still petite during that time, and she looked very young. And many years had passed, Wen Yifan thought she had forgotten everything about her, she never thought she could recognize herself.

Wen Yifan felt incredible looking at the child during those years becoming this beautiful, tall and slim girl. She couldn’t help but ask, “You were lost at that time, and asked me to help you to find your brother. Then, you said that you would treat me to an ice cream, do you remember?”

Sang Zhi thought about it and honestly said, “No.”

Wen Yifan, “Hmm?”

“I wasn’t lost at that time.” Sang Zhi slowly said, “But my brother said I was lost.”

 “……”

“So I could only be lost.” 

 “……”

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