Chapter 13: A Neighborly Dinner and a Culinary Challenge

Cheng Lan glanced at his phone, noting that it was already past six in the evening.

His stomach rumbled in protest, signaling that it was high time to order takeout.

Acting as a gracious host, he decided to generously treat them to dinner tonight.

“Jinxuan, my classmate,” Cheng Lan called out, turning to the Qin Jinxuan seated beside him, ready to ask what she wanted to eat.

“Jinxuan, my classmate?” Seeing no response, Cheng Lan called her again, extending a hand to wave it before her eyes.

“Jinxuan, my c—”

“Call me Jinxuan.” Before he could finish his sentence, he was cut off by Qin Jinxuan, who had finally snapped out of her daze.

“Huh? Jinxuan, my c—”

“Call! Me! Jin! Xuan!” Qin Jinxuan enunciated each word, her pale pink eyes fixed on Cheng Lan with an undeniable intensity.

“Alright, alright, Jinxuan,” Cheng Lan conceded for the moment.

He felt compelled to clarify that his retreat was absolutely not due to seeing a shadow of her past life in the young woman.

It was simply because it was dinnertime, and he truly didn’t want to waste any more time arguing with Qin Jinxuan over such a trivial matter when they should be ordering food.

“That’s more like it,” Qin Jinxuan nodded with satisfaction. “Then I’ll call you Cheng Lan from now on too.”

‘What on earth was this woman’s problem?’

Cheng Lan cast a helpless glance her way.

“I’m about to order takeout; what do you want to eat?” He was genuinely hungry.

“Takeout?” Qin Jinxuan looked at Cheng Lan in disbelief. “Do you usually just eat takeout at home?”

“What else?” Cheng Lan retorted curtly. “Are you going to cook for me?”

Upon hearing this, Qin Jinxuan immediately sprang from the sofa and scurried towards the kitchen with quick, light steps.

She rummaged through every nook and cranny of the kitchen.

“Besides instant noodles, why is there nothing else in your kitchen?!” Qin Jinxuan’s voice echoed from the kitchen.

“I’m too lazy to cook, so I didn’t bother buying anything!” Cheng Lan shouted back towards the kitchen. “Alright! Just come out and see what to order! I’m feeling generous today, so it’s my treat! You won’t get this chance again!”

Qin Jinxuan emerged from the kitchen, casting a glance at Cheng Lan, who was already sprawled on the sofa. “Alright, come with me.”

“What for? Aren’t you going to eat dinner?”

“Just come with me, already!” Qin Jinxuan declared, grabbing Cheng Lan’s arm with both hands and unceremoniously yanking him from the sofa, pulling him towards the door.

“Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?” Cheng Lan stumbled a few steps, caught off guard by the pull.

“You’ll see when we get there; I won’t treat you unfairly.” She looked back with a smile, then softly called out, “Little Sister Lidoa, you should come along too.”

The three of them exited the apartment and headed next door.

*Beep, beep!*

After inputting the password, Qin Jinxuan pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“Please come in!” she offered with a slight smile to both of them.

“The ‘thing’ you said you had to do on the way to my place couldn’t possibly be this, could it?” Cheng Lan, looking utterly bewildered, tentatively asked Qin Jinxuan.

“Exactly!” She nodded. “From now on, we’re neighbors~ Please take good care of me~!” She even winked at him after she finished speaking.

Seeing Cheng Lan still standing motionless at the doorway, she simply grabbed him and pulled him inside.

Cheng Lan instinctively surveyed his surroundings—

Qin Jinxuan’s new home had a generally similar layout to his own, yet all the furniture and appliances within were brand new.

The entire place was spotless, as if it had just undergone a thorough deep cleaning.

“Why did you move here?” Cheng Lan turned to face the blue-haired girl.

“Because of you, of course~” She paused, a sly smile curving her lips. “To be precise, it’s so it’ll be more convenient for you to teach me abilities later, saving us both the trouble of running back and forth.”

‘You might as well make things a little more troublesome for me…’

Cheng Lan grumbled silently.

“So, why did you drag me into your house?” He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow.

“To make dinner, of course. Didn’t ‘someone’ just say they wished I’d cook for them?”

As Qin Jinxuan spoke, she retrieved two pairs of disposable slippers from the shoe cabinet and handed them to Cheng Lan and Lidoa respectively.

“For now, these are all I have. Please make do with them.”

“Thanks,” Cheng Lan said, taking the slippers.

“Thank you, Big Sister Jinxuan~” Lidoa offered a sweet smile.

The two changed into their slippers and stepped further into the house.

“You can rest over there for now. I’ll whip up a few simple dishes, and don’t you dare say my cooking is bad!” Qin Jinxuan flicked her hair, then swiftly tied it into a high ponytail.

“Big Sister Jinxuan, I’ll help too~” Lidoa volunteered.

“Little Sister Lidoa, she…” Qin Jinxuan looked at Cheng Lan, a hint of hesitation in her voice.

“Don’t worry,” he assured her. “All the AIs on Blue Star combined aren’t as capable as she is.”

“Then I’d be grateful for Little Sister Lidoa’s help~”

“Mm! Leave it to me!” Lidoa nodded, her silver twin-tails swaying gently with the movement.

“What do you want to eat? Just say anything.” Qin Jinxuan opened the refrigerator door, revealing it to be fully stocked with vegetables, fruits, and various meats.

“Twice-cooked pork, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, steamed meat patties, and tofu soup.” Cheng Lan rattled off three dishes and a soup without hesitation.

Qin Jinxuan’s movements paused, and she then turned to Cheng Lan, who was once again sprawled on the sofa. “Did I… cook these for you before?”

“Mm,” Cheng Lan nodded.

“Then I’ll just have to see,” she declared, tying on an apron and rolling up her sleeves, her eyes blazing with a competitive spirit. “Which ‘me’ cooks better!”

‘Why did she suddenly get so fired up?’

He looked with exasperation at Qin Jinxuan, who had already begun bustling about in the kitchen.

The dishes Cheng Lan had just named were all her specialties; otherwise, they wouldn’t have left such a deep impression on him.

****

With Lidoa’s help, Qin Jinxuan swiftly prepared dinner.

“Dinner’s ready!” the girl’s clear voice rang out from the dining room.

Cheng Lan casually picked a seat, his gaze sweeping over the vibrant, aromatic dishes on the dining table, and he couldn’t help but swallow.

“Hurry, try it!” Qin Jinxuan eagerly handed Cheng Lan a pair of chopsticks.

“Uh… you go ahead and eat first.” Cheng Lan hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering in the air, reluctant to pick up the chopsticks.

“W-why?” Qin Jinxuan’s brows furrowed as she asked anxiously, “Are you afraid my cooking isn’t good?”

“No, not that,” Cheng Lan shook his head. “I’m just afraid you might have added something to the dishes that shouldn’t be there.”

‘……’

The air instantly fell silent for a few seconds.

‘What on earth did my past self do?!’

At that moment, Qin Jinxuan’s mind was in turmoil, her face burning hot, as if she might spontaneously combust.

“Sigh.” She let out a heavy sigh, then simply picked up her chopsticks and, in front of Cheng Lan, tasted every single dish. “Don’t worry, see? I’m perfectly fine.”

Cheng Lan remained silent, quietly turning his gaze to Lidoa.

Lidoa immediately understood, picking up a small bowl and carefully tasting each dish as well.

“Master, absolutely no problem!” she declared, giving a thumbs-up.

“Then I’m relieved.” Only then did Cheng Lan finally pick up his chopsticks.

He picked up a piece of twice-cooked pork and brought it to his mouth—

It was tender on the outside, succulent within, rich with sauce, and perfectly fatty without being greasy.

“How is it?! How is it?!” Qin Jinxuan’s eyes sparkled as she eagerly questioned him.

“It’s good!” Cheng Lan gave a thumbs-up. “It tastes exactly like what I’ve had before!”

Upon hearing this, the girl merely pouted, a dissatisfied expression on her face.

‘Did I only manage a draw with my past self?’

She bit her lower lip, unwilling to accept it.

“So… what exactly did I add to the dishes before?” Qin Jinxuan, unable to suppress her curiosity, couldn’t help but ask.

At this question, Cheng Lan’s face instantly darkened. “Don’t ask. I’m afraid you’ll pick up bad habits too.”