Volume One, Chapter 14: Speed and Passion

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Lin Feifei raised her shy little fists and started pounding me wildly, gritting her teeth as she said, “Your heart isn’t the color of a woman’s period.”

I couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. “I’ll make you a special brown sugar drink.”

Lin Feifei pouted. “I’ve had brown sugar water before; it doesn’t work.”

“This one’s specially made. If it doesn’t work, I’ll eat the pot.”

With that, I grabbed the groceries I’d bought downstairs and walked into the kitchen.

I put red dates and brown sugar into the pot, added water, and brought it to a boil. Then I cracked two eggs, poured in fermented rice wine, and simmered it for another five or six minutes. Finally, I added a small handful of goji berries. The brown sugar egg fermented rice was ready.

Back when Kuang Li had her period, her pain was even more intense than Lin Feifei’s. Every time she had her period, I’d make her this brown sugar egg fermented rice to ward off the cold and replenish her blood. Touching these familiar ingredients inevitably stirred up memories. Although it was in the past, a small sadness lingered in my heart.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I carried the brown sugar rice wine over to Lin Feifei.

“Here, drink this. The pain won’t be so bad.”

Lin Feifei looked at me skeptically but took a tentative sip. Suddenly, her almond-shaped eyes widened in surprise, her face lighting up with delight.

“This is so delicious! I could drink two more bowls.”

I glanced out the window at the sky filled with sunset hues and chuckled softly. “Save some room for dinner.”

Lin Feifei fumbled for her phone on the table and handed it to me. “You pick whatever you want to eat. It’s on me.”

I gently put the phone back on the table and smiled. “Whatever you want, I’ll cook for you.”

Her clear, bright eyes widened in astonishment. “You can cook?”

I smiled proudly. “Of course. I’m a master of boiling plain water.”

“Pfft!”

I used my phone to order some ingredients, and when they arrived, I carried them into the kitchen.

Lin Feifei wasn’t feeling well, so tonight’s meal was mainly light vegetable dishes. I was bustling around the kitchen when she suddenly tiptoed in.

I looked at her in surprise. Perhaps it was the effect of the brown sugar egg fermented rice; her usually pale cheeks finally had a flush of color.

She looked at me with amazement. “You really can cook! You look like you know what you’re doing!”

I gave a wry smile. My cooking skills were honed by Kuang Li. Life in the big city is tough: rent alone takes up almost a third of my salary. To save money, I always cooked for myself—even bringing lunch to work that I had prepared in the morning. Occasionally, we’d splurge on a restaurant or mall meal.

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Seeing I didn’t say anything, Lin Feifei smiled knowingly. “I get it now. You must have learned from your ex-wife.”

I chuckled. “More accurately, life itself trained me.”

She pouted, still doubtful, and asked, “Really? Talking about your ex-wife—doesn’t it hurt to bring up old wounds?”

I shook my head and smiled. “Not at all. She was the one who cheated first. Why would I be upset? For people like her, my heart is harder than a butcher’s cleaver!”

Lin Feifei looked at me intently and cautiously asked, “Do you still hate her?”

“Hate her? With my current anger, if you threw me in water, it’d boil!”

Lin Feifei’s lips twitched upward, forming a beautiful curve. “You sure are a loudmouth!”

I gave a dry laugh and looked her over. “Aren’t you supposed to be feeling unwell? Why aren’t you lying down?”

Lin Feifei’s eyes stayed fixed on the food in the pot, smiling brightly. “No matter how bad I feel, I can’t skip a meal.”

I thought she was joking, but I underestimated her stamina. For someone as slender as her, I thought two dishes would be enough for both of us. Yet, before long, the dishes were devoured like a whirlwind.

Lin Feifei put down her chopsticks, licking her lips with satisfaction.

“Your cooking is amazing. The only downside is you didn’t make enough. Next time, cook an extra dish!”

I sized her up again, admiring her slim figure like a ballet dancer, and couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“I thought you’d be full after a few bites. Turns out, you can eat more even after you’re full.”

Perhaps feeling grateful, Lin Feifei gave a sly fox-like smile and sighed wistfully. “I can’t help it—your cooking is too good. I wish I had a boyfriend like you.”

My heart skipped a beat, surprised and unsure how to respond. This was a sensitive topic. I half-jokingly smiled, “Did Xie Zian never cook for you before?”

At the mention of Xie Zian, Lin Feifei’s face showed some disdain as she pursed her lips. “He was an expert at ordering takeout.”

Her expression grew more complicated as she glanced at me quietly. Her lips parted softly. “It’s been a long time since anyone cooked for me. The last time I ate a meal made by my mom was probably three years ago…”

Her bright eyes suddenly dimmed, sadness crossing her features. The atmosphere grew heavy, and I quickly changed the subject.

“I’ll give you a riddle. If you guess it right, I’ll cook for you for a whole month!”

Her eyes, which had lost their sparkle, immediately regained their usual charm and liveliness. She smiled warmly at me. “That’s your promise! Hurry up and say it!”

“When Xie Zian and I are together, name a movie.”

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Lin Feifei thought for a moment. “The Great Eunuch Li Lianying?”

“...”

“Of course not.”

She furrowed her delicate brows. “I really have no idea.”

I took a deep breath and gritted my teeth. “Fast and Furious.”

Lin Feifei looked puzzled, so I explained further, “He’s the speed, and I’m the passion.”

“...”

I finished washing the dishes and was about to leave when Lin Feifei stopped me.

“What if you leave and my stomach suddenly starts hurting tonight?”

I was taken aback and looked at her with a mix of amusement and disbelief. “Then I’ll come see you first thing tomorrow morning.”

Lin Feifei shook her head firmly, refusing.

“But what if the pain starts tonight?”

I joked, “You survive seven days of bleeding and all kinds of torment every month, and you’re afraid of just one night?”

Her face flushed red all the way to her ears. Hands on her hips, she glared at me and started to play the spoiled card.

“I’m sweating up top and bleeding down below. My stomach, waist, and legs hurt—how could you heartlessly leave me home alone?”

I was at a loss for words. Although I knew it wasn’t serious, faced with her alluring, pleading eyes, I unexpectedly agreed.

Perhaps because I had stayed at her place before, this time I felt completely at ease instead of awkward. I calmly began setting up the sofa bed.

While I was making the bed, Lin Feifei grabbed her pajamas and went into the bathroom. Listening to the sound of running water, I puzzled over why she wanted me to stay.

Just as I was lost in thought, a sudden splash came from the bathroom, followed by Lin Feifei’s sharp scream...