Chapter 27

Wen Xihan chose the supermarket closest to the apartment, the same one where she had stocked up on dry food last time. After parking the car, the two of them walked side by side into the supermarket.

Ruan Xinyi pushed a shopping cart at the entrance and exchanged a brief glance with Wen Xihan. Without saying a word, they silently pushed the cart down each aisle, casually browsing.

The first few aisles near the entrance were stocked with personal care products. Ruan Xinyi pushed the empty cart around and, in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere, casually asked, "By the way, do you have any dietary restrictions, sister?"

They were now in the snack aisle. Wen Xihan casually picked up a pack of blueberry-flavored cotton candy and placed it in the cart. "No dietary restrictions," she replied.

Perhaps Ruan Xinyi’s question had distracted Wen Xihan. The act of placing snacks in the cart was so natural that she didn’t notice it until she was about to add a second pack of pineapple-flavored cotton candy. She froze, her hand hovering in midair—unsure whether to place it in or take it out.

They had come to the supermarket to buy ingredients, but now they seemed to be shopping for snacks…

Ruan Xinyi didn’t think much of it. She gently took the snacks from Wen Xihan’s hand and placed them in the cart, even enthusiastically recommending, "These fruit juice gummies are good, too."

With that, Ruan Xinyi picked up a jar and added it to the cart.

"...” Wen Xihan silently put the cotton candy back on the shelf and glanced at the jar of fruit juice gummies Ruan Xinyi had just added. She didn’t take it out but instead pursed her lips and said, "Didn’t we come here to buy groceries?"

Ruan Xinyi let out a soft "Ah," walking leisurely behind her, clearly enjoying herself. "But it’s still early, and we’ve just finished dessert, so we’re not really hungry. We can slowly browse through everything, and by the time we’re done, the food should be ready."

Her reasoning made sense, and Wen Xihan couldn’t come up with a single rebuttal.

Realizing once again that Ruan Xinyi had led her along, Wen Xihan’s face turned a little colder. Deciding to drop her objections, she continued browsing the snack aisle to restock her pantry.

Unlike Wen Xihan, Ruan Xinyi didn’t care much for snacks. She dutifully followed her, pushing the cart and observing the types of snacks in the cart to better understand Wen Xihan’s preferences.

In no time, the cart was nearly half-full of snacks, and the two of them arrived at the yogurt section.

Wen Xihan grabbed several types of yogurt, and as they were about to leave the aisle, she suddenly stopped.

Ruan Xinyi, not paying attention, accidentally bumped the cart into Wen Xihan’s heel.

"Sister, I—"

"Don’t you want to buy something?" They spoke at the same time.

Wen Xihan glanced at the cart filled with snacks, all of which she had put in, while Ruan Xinyi hadn’t added a single item.

Ruan Xinyi shook her head and said softly, "I still have some at home, and I rarely eat snacks anymore. I’ll just pick up some fruit later."

Wen Xihan rolled her fingers and casually replied, "Oh," before walking straight toward the vegetable section.

Oh? Rarely eats snacks?

This little brat never tells the truth. Does she really think Wen Xihan didn’t see her and Zhou Xuan going down to the convenience store to buy a whole bunch of snacks that day?

After that, it was Ruan Xinyi’s time to shine. Wen Xihan acted as a bystander, silently watching as Ruan Xinyi picked out vegetables, stepping in only occasionally to help with the bags when needed.

Actually, while Wen Xihan had been picking snacks, Ruan Xinyi had already decided what to cook for dinner. She had mentally planned out the ingredients needed, taking into account what was already in the fridge. She knew exactly what to buy.

But since Wen Xihan was with her, Ruan Xinyi didn’t mind pretending to have no idea what she was doing, leisurely walking through the vegetable section.

Once they had bought all the vegetables they needed, Ruan Xinyi went to the seafood section and picked up some fresh shrimp.

Wen Xihan held the bag while the lively shrimp kept thrashing around in the water. Even after being placed in the bag, they were still jumping around, splashing water everywhere.

Wen Xihan frowned and instinctively took a step back, but she didn’t let go of the bag, still holding the corner firmly.

Ruan Xinyi scooped up another batch, but as she was adding them to the bag, some water droplets splashed onto Wen Xihan’s hand.

"Sister, give it to me," Ruan Xinyi said as she took the bag from Wen Xihan’s hands. She then reached into her bag, pulled out an unused tissue, and offered it to Wen Xihan to wipe her hands.

"Thank you." Wen Xihan, who had a mild obsession with cleanliness, eagerly took the handkerchief and wiped her hands.

When she threw the used tissue in the trash and turned back, she saw Ruan Xinyi tightening the bag's opening and making a small hole at the bottom to separate the water from the shrimp.

Wen Xihan silently labeled Ruan Xinyi as frugal.

After buying the shrimp, Ruan Xinyi also picked up some fresh pork belly and ribs, finally completing their shopping.

"Is there anything else we need to buy?" Wen Xihan handed the handkerchief back to Ruan Xinyi.

"Everything’s bought," Ruan Xinyi said, organizing the items. "Do you need anything else, sister?"

Wen Xihan shook her head without saying much.

At the self-checkout, the scanner beeped nonstop. Wen Xihan scanned most of the items, while Ruan Xinyi organized them and packed them into the large shopping bag.

"Beep—" The final beep was Wen Xihan scanning her payment code.

Looking at the "Payment Successful" page, Ruan Xinyi paused her actions and furrowed her brow. "Didn’t we agree that I’d pay for you?"

Wen Xihan, her expression calm, tucked her phone away and replied, without a hint of humor, "Then just transfer me the money for the groceries."

Ruan Xinyi: “???”

It had already been an hour and a half since they left the supermarket. The two large bags were packed: one filled with Wen Xihan's snacks and the other with ingredients that Ruan Xinyi had bought. Each of them carried one bag and placed them in the car's trunk.

While waiting at a red light, Ruan Xinyi took a piece of milk candy from her bag, tore open the wrapper, and hesitated for a moment before offering it to Wen Xihan.

Recalling their previous experience, Wen Xihan stared at the red light countdown and declined, saying, “No need, thanks.”

Ruan Xinyi didn’t move her hand and asked, confirming, “Are you sure you don’t want it?”

Wen Xihan glanced at the dashboard and saw a delicate hand holding a milky white candy. It had a strong milk flavor, and one side was printed with a cow logo—childish but cute.

The candy was now barely half a fingertip away from her lips, close enough that she could bite it if she parted her lips slightly.

Wen Xihan thought that, given Ruan Xinyi’s thick-skinned personality, she likely wouldn’t give up easily.

When the light turned green, she drove forward, coldly murmuring, “Mm.”

“Alright.” Ruan Xinyi didn’t insist. She withdrew her hand, popped the candy into her own mouth, and gently rolled it with her tongue, making a soft sucking sound.

Wen Xihan raised her eyes and, through the rearview mirror, looked at Ruan Xinyi sitting in the passenger seat, squinting her eyes while eating the candy.

For dinner, Ruan Xinyi had volunteered to cook at her place. Fearing Wen Xihan might change her mind at the last minute, she grabbed two bags as soon as they exited the elevator and pulled her into the apartment.

Wen Xihan reluctantly sat on the couch, and Ruan Xinyi enthusiastically poured her a glass of water before heading into the kitchen with the ingredients. Just seconds later, she peeked her head around the door and said, “Sister, take a seat. I’ll be quick. Help yourself to whatever you want, it’s like home here.” After saying that, she disappeared back into the kitchen.

Wen Xihan picked up the mug from the coffee table and took a sip. The water was warm, and the person who poured it had added a bit of sugar, giving it a sweet, just-right taste.

She took a glance around the living room. Since it was on the same floor, the layout of the two apartments wasn’t much different, and coincidentally, the decorations were quite similar.

However, compared to the other apartment, Ruan Xinyi’s place felt much cozier. It was evident that she had put thought into the decoration, even placing a slightly wilting bouquet of lisianthus on the dining table.

Setting the mug down, Wen Xihan walked over to the balcony.

By this time, the sun had already set, but a few clusters of evening clouds were still lingering in the western sky. The streets were bustling, yet the atmosphere was peaceful.

A gentle breeze stirred Wen Xihan’s hair, and she raised her wrist to tuck it behind her ear. Her gaze then fell on the two potted plants in the corner of the balcony.

One pot had two small blooming flowers, while the other had only a few slender green buds, leaving Wen Xihan unsure of what it was.

Noticing the soil was a bit dry and cracked, Wen Xihan grabbed a small watering can nearby and watered the plants, moistening the soil.

Afterward, she placed the watering can back in its place, rested against the balcony railing to enjoy the sunset for a while, before returning to the living room.

Though Ruan Xinyi had told her to relax and wait, Wen Xihan, out of basic courtesy, entered the kitchen and asked, “Do you need help?”

“No need…” Ruan Xinyi looked up to see Wen Xihan standing by the door with her arms crossed. Her peach blossom eyes were still captivating, but her expression was cold.

Ruan Xinyi rolled the words on her tongue for a moment and casually handed her a lettuce leaf. “Then could you wash the vegetables, please?”

Wen Xihan proceeded to wash the lettuce carefully.

She was very meticulous, washing each leaf multiple times, removing any blemishes with precision, until the lettuce could no longer be called raw—it was practically cooked.

Ruan Xinyi stared at Wen Xihan, who was washing (or rather, assaulting) the lettuce, and gulped. She reluctantly complimented, “Sister, you cleaned it so well. You could eat it directly like this, no need to boil it.”

Wen Xihan expressionlessly wiped the water off her hands, her ears slightly pink. “It’s unhealthy raw. You can still boil it.”

Ruan Xinyi: “…”

Though she had a rather lackluster helper, the dinner was finally ready by 9:30 p.m.

There were sweet and sour ribs, oil-braised shrimp, fish-flavored eggplant, stir-fried vegetables, and crispy pork belly. Ruan Xinyi had also carefully arranged the dishes on the table.

She set the table, then retrieved a bottle of white wine from the cabinet, slowly pouring it into a decanter. “Sister, would you like some?”

Wen Xihan glanced at the wine bottle, which was covered in English, making it hard to discern the brand. However, from the scent, she could tell the alcohol content was higher than regular red wine.

Perhaps it was the ambiance, but Wen Xihan nodded in agreement.

While Ruan Xinyi went to get wine glasses, Wen Xihan took a photo of the meal and sent it to Ruan Su.

Ruan Su immediately replied with a question mark.

Wen Xihan truthfully replied: [It was made by Ruan Xinyi.]

Ruan Su: [?!]

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