Chapter 38

Wen Xihan held the snacks that Ruan Xinyi had shoved into her hands, wanting to say something but hesitating for a long time without managing to complete a sentence. “You…”

The day Ruan Xinyi and Zhou Xuan went to the convenience store downstairs to buy snacks, it was purely by chance that Wen Xihan happened to run into them.

Initially, she thought Ruan Xinyi was indulging her sweet tooth, buying all those snacks to stash in her drawer. But upon reflection, apart from seeing her sucking on a lollipop earlier that morning, Wen Xihan realized she had hardly ever seen Ruan Xinyi eating any of them.

Not to mention, the snacks in that drawer were mostly sweet treats.

“Hm?” Ruan Xinyi lowered her gaze, a playful strand of hair falling by her ear. She bent down, opened another drawer, and pulled out a bag of small bread, casually handing it to Wen Xihan. As she stood up, her voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of the drawer’s sliding rails. “It’s getting late. I’ll head back first.”

Quickly saving the last few slides of the PowerPoint presentation she had been working on, Ruan Xinyi shut down her computer. With a soft smile and a gentle tone, she said, “The weather’s been getting a bit colder these days. Don’t catch a cold, sister.”

Grabbing her bag, she put on the thin jacket draped over the chair. As she brushed past Wen Xihan, she heard a faint “Thank you,” spoken in Wen Xihan’s usual cool, slightly distant voice that was unmistakably hers. Yet, it felt oddly warming in that moment.

It was drizzling outside. As soon as Ruan Xinyi stepped out of the office, the chilly wind greeted her. She pulled up her collar and quickly walked toward the parking lot.

It was past seven, and the sky was starting to darken. The peak of rush hour was over, so there were fewer cars on the road now, and the traffic wasn’t as congested as before.

On her way back to the apartment, Ruan Xinyi stopped by the supermarket to restock her fridge. She also picked up two fabric tote bags for bento boxes—identical to the one she had given Wen Xihan that morning.

The bento box from earlier was still with Wen Xihan, and Ruan Xinyi planned to swap it out the next morning.

By the time she got back to her apartment, it was already past nine. Ruan Xinyi went straight to the kitchen and leisurely prepared the lunch bento for the next day. Only after finishing it did she let out a sigh of relief.

She took a relaxing bath, then wrapped herself in a bathrobe and slowly dried her still-damp hair. Pouring herself a glass of red wine, she first took a turn on the balcony, watered the potted plants in the corner, and casually draped a long scarf over her shoulder. Sipping her wine, she admired the night view and listened intently to any sounds from next door.

Wen Xihan hadn’t come back yet.

The flower she had planted earlier had sprouted several delicate, slender shoots, each tipped with droplets of water, brimming with life.

Her long index finger moved slightly as she held the wine glass, standing on the balcony for a moment. After noticing a silver-gray car slowly pulling into the parking spot below, she let out a sigh of relief and turned back toward the bedroom.

---

The next day, Ruan Xinyi still woke up early.

After slow-cooking a pot of pumpkin and millet porridge, she quickly fried a couple of side dishes.

This time, instead of using a bento box, Ruan Xinyi placed half of the food directly onto a plate and knocked on the door of the apartment across the hall.

She counted silently in her mind. Two minutes later, the door opened right on time.

Wen Xihan stood inside, dressed in sleepwear, still looking groggy. Her long, waist-length hair was slightly curled, and her beautiful face bore a clear trace of sleepiness. Her peach blossom eyes were hazy and blurred, and the usual cool, aloof look in her deep-set brows had softened.

The sound of knocking woke up Wen Xihan, whose reaction was slower than usual. She furrowed her brows, glancing at Ruan Xinyi while covering her mouth to stifle a yawn. Her eyes were slightly red and watery, and her voice carried a softer tone than usual. “What’s the matter?”

“Do you want some breakfast?” Ruan Xinyi got straight to the point, holding a bowl of pumpkin millet porridge and some side dishes, gently pushing them toward Wen Xihan.

The porridge was freshly made, steaming hot, and cooked to a creamy, golden texture. Its aroma filled the air.

A faint sound of swallowing came from Wen Xihan’s throat.

Ruan Xinyi continued, “I even added a few pieces of rock sugar while cooking.”

Wen Xihan’s expression shifted slightly. Perhaps it was because she had just woken up, or maybe the breakfast had piqued her appetite—or perhaps it was because the person before her was her little niece, Ruan Ruan. She stepped aside and let Ruan Xinyi into the room.

Carrying the breakfast, Ruan Xinyi effortlessly walked to the dining table, setting the porridge and side dishes in place. She turned to ask the still-dazed Wen Xihan, “Sister, where’s your lunchbox?”

Hearing this, Wen Xihan looked at her in confusion. Two seconds later, as if she finally understood, her gaze remained hazy. “It’s in the kitchen.”

If she remembered correctly, she had washed it last night and left it there to dry.

“Got it,” Ruan Xinyi replied naturally. “I’ll grab it. You should go get changed.”

Wen Xihan didn’t move, watching as Ruan Xinyi walked into the kitchen. Only then did she massage her temples and walk back to her bedroom.

After preparing the lunchbox, Ruan Xinyi closed the door lightly and returned to her side of the house, where she placed a pre-packed lunchbox on her dining table.

Wen Xihan was probably washing up in the bathroom, so Ruan Xinyi took the opportunity to set out chopsticks and a small spoon. Quietly, she closed the door and returned to her place across the hallway.

---

By the time Wen Xihan finished getting dressed and came out, Ruan Xinyi was nowhere to be seen.

She instinctively glanced toward the door but quickly looked away. Her gaze fell on the breakfast before her, lost in thought.

Whether it was Ruan Xinyi’s perfect timing or the fact that she had lingered too long in her bedroom, the porridge was at the perfect temperature—not too hot nor too cold. The first spoonful was filled with the sweet aroma of pumpkin and millet, soft and fragrant. The sweetness was just right, not cloying and perfectly balanced to highlight the natural sweetness of the pumpkin.

Swallowing the porridge, Wen Xihan picked up the spoon and took another bite.

The porridge warmed her stomach. After half a bowl, her stomach felt cozy and comfortable.

---

In the days that followed, Ruan Xinyi not only brought breakfast every morning but also took over Wen Xihan’s lunches.

Every meal was different, tailored to Wen Xihan’s tastes, complete with post-meal fruit. Gradually, Ruan Xinyi unknowingly refined Wen Xihan’s palate.

This realization dawned on Wen Xihan one Friday evening when she stayed late at work and decided to settle for some takeout.

After just one bite, she pushed the takeout aside in distaste. Frowning, she tossed it into the trash and walked to the break room for a glass of warm water.

The floor was nearly empty, with only a single wall light providing faint illumination.

Holding her cup, Wen Xihan paused as she passed Ruan Xinyi’s desk. Her eyes, behind the reflection of cold glasses, were deep and unreadable.

Moments later, she averted her gaze and returned to her desk as if nothing had happened.

On her desk were snacks Ruan Xinyi had given her—sweet milk, small bread rolls, and candies.

This time, after everyone had left, she shamelessly brought the snacks into her office and ate them openly.

Letting out a soft chuckle, Wen Xihan unwrapped a piece of fruit candy and dropped it into the warm water she had just poured.

The candy was sweet, and the water became sweet too.

---

With her lips slightly pursed, Ruan Xinyi seemed thoughtful as she casually asked, "Did Mom stop painting after having me?"

Uncle Cheng reminisced briefly, a complex emotion surfacing in his slightly cloudy eyes—one that Ruan Xinyi couldn’t quite decipher. "Not exactly. Miss did paint once when Little Miss had just turned a month old..."

But that was all Uncle Cheng said.

Lowering her gaze, Ruan Xinyi couldn't help but think of the yellowed photo album stored in Ruan Su's study.

She had seen Ruan Su flip through it many times, though it was mostly in the study. However, one evening, Ruan Su had brought the album into the living room.

Ruan Xinyi had been curious about the photos inside, but Ruan Su cherished it so dearly and was so guarded that she never gave Ruan Xinyi a chance to look. Over time, Ruan Xinyi gradually forgot about it.

Quickly collecting her thoughts, Ruan Xinyi resumed her usual calm demeanor and spoke with concern. "Mom really shouldn’t stay up so late. By the way, Uncle Cheng, neither you nor Mom has gone for a health checkup this year, right?"

Uncle Cheng's expression was warm and loving as he replied in a kind tone, "We haven’t had the time. Once things calm down, we’ll go. If Miss knew Little Miss cared about her so much, she’d definitely be very happy."

Ruan Xinyi smiled, rolling up her sleeves slightly as she headed toward the kitchen. "Uncle Cheng, I won’t be home for dinner tonight. I’ll make some chicken soup, and you make sure Mom drinks plenty of it tonight."

"Alright," Uncle Cheng responded with a smile.

That evening, during dinner, Uncle Cheng personally served Ruan Su a bowl of the black chicken soup that had been simmering all afternoon. He made a point of mentioning that Ruan Xinyi had made it. Ruan Su maintained her composed demeanor, sipping the golden broth lightly before offering a calm evaluation: "It’s alright."

However, the moment Uncle Cheng turned his back, Ruan Su quickly snapped a photo of the entire bowl of black chicken soup and sent it to Wen Xihan:

[Ruan Ruan made this for me. (Photo)]

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