IROAWTMTFL Chapter 27

Yan Yan’s scalp tensed up upon hearing this, and his heart was poked. What’s going on with Dr. Zhuang? He was like an immortal giving up his ascetic appearance and entering the world of mortals?

“Ge… gege.” ‘Forget it, he’s a sad person now, might as well coax him.’

Zhuang Yiyun’s lips curled up, like the first sunrise after a deep night, bursting above the horizon, illuminating the whole world, ending the long, cold night.

Yan Yan stared in amazement, never having seen him smile like this before.

“Thank you, Yanyan.”

Yan Yan’s face turned red instantly. He quickly turned his head, and the cotton swab he was holding was crushed, meeting a heroic end.

Yan Yan: “…”

He really didn’t want to embarrass himself like this, but it was really hard for him to call out “gege” like that. This was the third time, and it got more difficult every time! He knew Zhuang Yiyun had no ulterior motives for his beautiful body, but…

“I’m done, I’m hungry.”

“Should I cook some cognee?” Zhuang Yiyun asked.

“Cognee? I only had some plain cognee in the morning, should I have it for lunch too?” Yan Yan widened his eyes, his face conveying a mix of ‘Are you kidding me?’ and ‘Are you looking for a heating?’

Zhuang Yiyun cleared his throat to cover up the embarrassment. He really couldn’t cook, and he had to use his best effort to boil something. Even so, the taste was still indescribable.

But Yan Yan was sick, he shouldn’t do any cooking so now it was his turn to take care of someone, he could only…

“I’ll order takeout, what do you want to eat?”

“I want meat.”

“It shouldn’t be something too greasy.”

“I can’t eat braised pork, but you can’t keep me from having any meat, right Dr. Zhuang?” Yan Yan had the look of someone who might charge at any moment. Zhuang Yiyun really didn’t want to disappoint him, but he still said, “You can, but no spicy seafood or meat for now.”

“What’s the point of ordering takeout? Let’s cook at home.”

“Uh…”

Zhuang Yiyun hesitated, but Yan Yan was already walking to the refrigerator to check for ingredients.

“I can’t.” He was afraid Yan Yan would get sick from eating his cooking, and his stomach, which had just improved, might worsen.

Yan Yan suddenly understood his hesitation. He was wondering why Zhuang Yiyun looked so embarrassed. It was quite amusing, he could see the embarrassment on Zhuang Yiyun’s usually impassive face. YHe had already figured out that Zhuang Yiyun was a level nine newbie in life skills, so he hadn’t expected him to be able to cook.

Maybe his thoughts were, ‘Yan Yan took care of me when I was sick, so now it’s my turn to take care of him?” Yan Yan thought to himself that this person regards reciprocity as a life rule, which was why he had been dragged along earlier.

“How about I teach you?” Yan Yan rolled up his sleeves and headed to the kitchen but stopped midway, realizing that simply instructing wasn’t enough.

Zhuang Yiyun took the lead, elegantly rolling up his sleeves. His exposed forearm muscles were well-defined, with faint blue veins running beneath the pale skin, making him look particularly attractive. Yan Yan stole a glance and thought, ‘Well, he already knows my thoughts anyway, so why hide it? Might as well look openly. Besides, I can’t taste it, so looking is a gain.’

With that thought, Yan Yan, who had just recovered from his illness, became enthusiastic. As soon as he entered the kitchen, he grabbed an apron and handed it to Zhuang Yiyun to put on. Zhuang Yiyun wasn’t very skilled at tying the apron, so Yan Yan helped him out.

The distance between the two of them narrowed, and Zhuang Yiyun felt the warmth behind him. Yan Yan tied the apron strings around Zhuang Yiyun’s waist, saying, “Let’s just cook some noodles. It’s simple, and you should be able to learn.”

As he spoke, his warm breath hit the back of Zhuang Yiyun’s neck, making his skin tingle. He remembered Yan Yan kissing him at the nape of his neck in the same spot.

Some things didn’t require his brain to remember; his body had already memorized that sensation. His back muscles tensed uncomfortably like a drawn bowstring, and when Yan Yan was done tying the apron, he immediately stepped away slightly.

Yan Yan didn’t notice and went into battle mode, teasing, “You can’t even cook noodles? You’re really useless.”

Zhuang Yiyun replied, “…I always end up overcooking them, and they break apart when I try to pick them up.”

“That’s because you cook them for too long. After the noodles come to a boil for the first time, it’s best to add some cold water to maintain the texture.”

Cooking needed to be taught while doing it. Yan Yan directed Zhuang Yiyun to prepare the ingredients for the noodles- lean meat, spinach, and eggs. They started with the meat.

“Do you know how to cut meat?”

“Yes.” Zhuang Yiyun proceeded to cut the meat into large, uneven chunks.

Yan Yan closed his eyes to contain his frustration, but he couldn’t help but mock, “Dr. Zhuang, your image is crumbling. You’re in the kitchen acting like a maiden on her wedding day. My eight-year-old nephew at home is better at this than you.”

Zhuang Yiyun: “I’ve never really been in the kitchen.”

Yan Yan: “I heard that eating out abroad is expensive, and many international students cook for themselves. Didn’t you learn anything during your studies?”

“I was too busy. I spent all day in the lab, so I had to order food.” Zhuang Yiyun had to use his time efficiently to excel in the field of original pharmaceutical research at such a young age.

‘Okay, I get it, cooking is beneath you.’ Yan Yan accepted his fate. “Let me show you how. Watch closely.”

After washing his hands, Yan Yan expertly sliced the meat into thin, even pieces. The action was so fast and precise that Zhuang Yiyun was amazed. Just as he was appreciating Yan Yan’s skill, Yan Yan had already cut three pieces. He put down the knife and said, “Your turn.”

Although medical students mainly studied theoretical aspects, they also needed practical training. Zhuang Yiyun’s most frequent encounters with a knife were probably during his undergraduate years. However, surgery and chopping vegetables were two different things. He felt like he had the hang of it when watching, but when it came to actually cutting, he couldn’t do it properly, ending up with irregular chunks of meat.

Yan Yan couldn’t stand watching and decided to step in. To avoid any misunderstanding, he clarified, “I’m not trying to take advantage of you; it’s just more convenient to operate this way.”

With those words, Yan Yan moved closer to Zhuang Yiyun’s back and used his hands to guide Zhuang Yiyun’s hand holding the knife. The moment their skin touched, Zhuang Yiyun’s arm muscles tensed, and the knife nearly cut his hand.

Yan Yan leaned over Zhuang Yiyun’s shoulder, their height difference causing him to barely see the cutting board. His breath brushed against Zhuang Yiyun’s neck, and Yan Yan muttered, “This won’t work…”

When Yan Yan released his hand, Zhuang Yiyun’s fingertips still tingled from the contact. He remembered the times he had held hands with people. His first memories of handholding were when his mother led him out and brought him back home. He had never mentioned it, but the first few times he held Yan Yan’s hand, he had done so with determination, without thinking too much, and without any ulterior motives.

But now, in this not-so-spacious kitchen with just the two of them, their hands were stacked together. Yan Yan’s fingertips felt like they were filled with fire and electricity, and the sensation spread from his hand to his entire arm.

However, in the blink of an eye, he let go. When Yan Yan removed his hand, Zhuang Yiyun’s hand subtly lifted as if silently pleading. There was a faint sense of loss, like ink in water, dissipated before it could be fully realized.

“Stand behind me, or else I can’t see.” Yan Yan’s next instruction came before Zhuang Yiyun could think too much about it.

Upon hearing this command, Zhuang Yiyun stiffened like a robot. Then, Yan Yan pulled and tugged him, turning him into a posture where he was the one hugging Yan Yan.

A position that should belong to lovers appeared in this strange teaching scene. Yan Yan, who looked completely serious, grabbed Zhuang Yiyun’s hand, adjusted his posture, and held his fingertips to guide the knife, allowing him to feel the strength and the point of exertion.

Zhuang Yiyun’s cheeks were just inches away from Yan Yan’s forehead, and Yan Yan’s body temperature had already permeated him from all sides. There was also a faint scent of hospital disinfectant on him, and he often had that scent himself… At that moment, there was a feeling that they were originally one entity.

Zhuang Yiyun dared not take a deep breath; he was afraid Yan Yan would hear his racing heart.

“Like this, can you do it?”

“I can.”

Yan Yan’s ears trembled slightly, discreetly turning half red. This was torture. This was supposed to be a very romantic and sensual position. If he entered him from behind in this kitchen, he wouldn’t mind at all! Unfortunately, behind him was a handsome wooden panel, he kept moving backward, afraid of brushing against his butt.

He should just accept fate! This man was hopeless!

Even if he took the initiative, it was useless! Who let him be infatuated with the man’s good looks; he deserved to be ignored.

Yan Yan let go and stood aside. If Zhuang Yiyun wanted to cut meat chunks, he would let him. He would endure this meal without complaint.

However, this time, Zhuang Yiyun cut the meat properly, though slowly but steadily. Yan Yan joined in, helping by preparing scallions and ginger, selecting and peeling them.

“Cut the scallions and ginger roughly, then squeeze out the juice. Add a pinch of salt to the meat and marinate it briefly. This will help remove the pork’s gamy odor.”

Zhuang Yiyun turned to look at him with an expression that seemed to say, ‘Is making noodles really this complicated?’

“To make the food delicious, you need to pay attention to many details. For example, using scallion and ginger juice to marinate the meat. Many people use cooking wine, but it contains alcohol, which gives a slightly different taste.” Yan Yan felt novel about teaching Dr. Zhuang and he said enthusiastically, “You may have thought these daily tasks are mechanical and boring, but even these things require thought. My mom used to say, life is also an art, and sometimes it’s harder than advanced math.”

“Advanced math isn’t difficult.”

“Okay, okay, you’re the top scorer in math.” Yan Yan mocked, making sure his remarks matched.

“I’m not the top scorer in math.”

“So, what are you the top scorer in?”

“Everything else.”

‘Sorry, it is my fault for being an underachiever who just barely made it into a 985 university. I don’t understand the world of top students.’

“Province-wide top scorer?”

“Yes.”

“Where did you go to college?”

“Peking University School of Medicine.”

Yan Yan didn’t want to talk anymore! He decisively dropped this topic, he couldn’t give him more opportunities to show off.

Zhuang Yiyun recalled his days of studying medicine. They felt distant, both clear and blurry. It was so remote that he rarely reminisced about it.

“But you’re right, I may not have paid much attention to life.” He changed the topic without any transition. Yan Yan paused while pouring soup, gesturing for him to continue.

However, Zhuang Yiyun didn’t have more to say. Although he didn’t know how to summarize or articulate it yet, he had a clear feeling in his heart. He and Yan Yan had started off with his belated rebellion, stemming from his uncontrollable stubbornness. But Yan Yan’s arrival had added many colors to his originally black and white life.

This little liar seemed to have magic. With a wave of his magic wand, he could add colors to life.

A simple bowl of egg and meat vegetable soup noodles was soon ready. Although the meat was cut a bit too thick, the eggs were slightly overcooked, the vegetables were a bit too soft, and the noodles had a slightly mild flavor, the tender noodles still slid smoothly through their lips and into their stomachs. It tasted fresh, sweet amd delicious to Yan Yan. As for Zhuang Yiyun, he treated this bowl of soup noodles, which was his life’s peak-level, with caution, even when picking up his chopsticks.

Nourishing his hungry stomach with food he cooked made Zhuang Yiyun realize how such a simple task could bring happiness—his lips curled into a smile, and his heart felt warm. He felt at ease.

After the meal, Zhuang Yiyun suggested Yan Yan take a rest, and Yan Yan agreed verbally. However, as soon as Zhuang Yiyun went to work, Yan Yan headed to the broadcasting room. With the Lunar New Year just around the corner, tonight was his last formal live broadcast before the holiday. Who had time to sleep? Could sleep bring in some extra cash?

In the broadcast room, the setup was a bit outdated and unattractive, but facing a five-figure microphone, Yan Yan could endure it. After all, he wasn’t using a camera, so no one could see him.

When Zhuang Yiyun returned home from work in the evening, he didn’t find Yan Yan in the living room or his bedroom. As he walked past the broadcast room, he saw that the door was tightly closed, and there was an A4 paper hanging on the door. On it were chubby, childlike characters—

[Live streaming in progress, do not disturb.]

Above the text was a crude stick figure, holding a microphone and appearing to be having a great time. Oddly, even though it was just a stick figure, Zhuang Yiyun could tell the mood from it. It looked exactly like Yan Yan.

He was about to leave, but he heard Yan Yan’s voice from inside with a teasing tone, “Orange, don’t send me gifts anymore. Are you trying to force me to offer my body in gratitude?”

Zhuang Yiyun: ????