Love Affairs in Melbourne-Chapter 336 - 331: Not So Easy (5)

"You didn’t go to the wrong house, this is your home.

Your parents said, you told them you’d come back tonight or tomorrow morning, after the opening event was finished.

Your dad prepared a lot of good food for you, fearing that you’d go straight to bed upon returning, he originally planned to wait for you.

It seems they just about got over their jet lag yesterday, so if they had to wait until very late for you today, then yesterday’s adjustment would have been for nothing.

Our whole family came to freeload a meal at your place today, so I couldn’t just eat without helping out.

Just so happens, because our two families bought these new houses, there are still some places that need to be fixed and adjusted.

That’s why I didn’t manage to adjust my jet lag yesterday.

I only got up today close to dinner time.

Now’s the time when I’m most energetic after waking up, so I volunteered to stay and wait for you.

This saves your parents from having to switch their newly adjusted sleep schedule back again.

The fish soup and tofu crab are still hot, do you want me to help you serve it?" Lei Pili explained why he was here.

It all made sense, nothing was unacceptable.

"No need, Brother Pili, I can serve myself. You should go sleep; you still need to adjust to the jet lag, or else you won’t be able to sleep during the day and work at night, right?" Yan Yan said with a smile, declining Lei Pili’s kind offer.

"You’re going to serve yourself? May I ask if you know where your kitchen is?" Lei Pili replied to Yan Yan with a smile of his own.

"Then please trouble you to show me the way, once I know where it is; I’ll be fine. I want to go up and change my clothes, clean up a bit, and then come down to eat." Yan Yan’s expression was one of respectful compliance, but her words clearly indicated that she wanted Lei Pili to head back to his own home as soon as possible.

Lei Pili had no intention of staying either; he first showed Yan Yan to the kitchen, then told her that her room was the third door on the right after going upstairs.

To be more specific, it was directly above the media room behind the living room on the first floor.

After Lei Pili had given Yan Yan very detailed directions, he went back to the living room and left directly through the front door.

Yan Yan had seen the photos her parents sent her yesterday and had a rough idea of which room was hers.

Lei Pili was so meticulous probably because he was afraid she wasn’t familiar with "the terrain", and might accidentally open her parents’ or the guest room’s door, disturbing their rest.

During their school days, Lei Pili didn’t seem to be especially meticulous, could this be a change brought about by the work environment?

Actually, Yan Yan also knew that Brother Pili was a good match.

But, unfortunately, when it came to Yan Yan, love was a matter of first come, first served.

If Qi Yi hadn’t appeared in Yan Yan’s life before she met Brother Pili, then it might have been a completely different story.

................

The night before, Yan Yan did indeed "come home to sleep".

But everything was new, and Yan Yan was actually quite unaccustomed to it.

Yan Yan was somewhat sensitive to sleeping in different beds.

If it wasn’t the bed she was familiar with, plus having had enough sleep in the past couple of days.

Yan Yan woke up early on the morning of July 17th, and without even the usual process of lingering in bed, she got up directly.

It had been a long time since Yan Yan had eaten a breakfast made by her own dad and Aunt.

She left her room, followed the smell down from upstairs, and took her place at the dining table in her own dining room, ready for "fruit-fruit time".

Early in the morning in New York, Yan Yan was eating soy milk, fried dough sticks, and glutinous rice for the first time.

Qi Yi, who was self-taught, had now acquired quite remarkable culinary skills.

But Qi Yi’s cooking had always been an extremely precise recreation of the recipes he saw.

Qi Yi’s meals were undoubtedly delicious, but they always seemed to lack a certain homely touch.

Not like the meals cooked by Dad and Aunt that felt so comforting.

The flavors you grow up with are always the most nostalgic.

As soon as Aunt placed the fried dough sticks on the table, Yan Yan grabbed one immediately.

Despite it being very hot, she couldn’t bear to let go, switching hands while she ate.

Making fried dough sticks was something Yan Yan couldn’t do, and probably Qi Yi couldn’t either.

Yan Yan had forgotten when she last ate fried dough sticks.

Moreover, Aunt’s skill in making fried dough sticks was extremely impressive and completely different from what Yan Yan had seen outside, where a large pot of oil was usually used.

The fried dough sticks from outside were fried in a vat of oil, but Aunt didn’t use much oil at all, essentially pan-frying them to create a texture that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

"I love Aunt’s fried dough sticks the most; they’re truly a taste to remember. If my cousin were here, I bet he could devour five or six in one go," Yan Yan said blissfully, cooing to her aunt.

"He would not, it’s just you who flatters me. Yan Ling has spent much time in Wenzhou these past few years; he’s fed up with them," Aunt said, chastising her son but smiling thanks to Yan Yan’s sweet talk.

"Really? Is Brother Yan Ling so daring? He doesn’t want to eat something this delicious? Wow, Aunt, Brother Yan Ling is too much. If he doesn’t want to eat them, couldn’t he at least think to pack one for me every day? It’s simply a waste," Yan Yan continued with a slightly exaggerated tone.

Aunt was quickly cheered up by Yan Yan’s words.

But the cheerful mood didn’t last long before Aunt’s expression turned serious again.

"Eeeek, what’s the matter? Who’s made my dear Aunt upset?" Yan Yan continued to munch on her fried dough stick, speaking with a playful and mischievous tone.

"Why didn’t Yan Ling come back with you yesterday?" Aunt asked Yan Yan.

"Oh, that, my cousin probably went back to his studio yesterday. We didn’t end up together; he went back before the award ceremony. I guess he hadn’t slept much over the last few days and went to catch up on sleep," Yan Yan thought for a moment before replying to Aunt’s question.

Everything was well arranged until almost the end of business hours yesterday; there really wasn’t anything to worry about. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

If it weren’t for the award and the "scolding," Yan Yan might have left early as well.

"Dad and Mom came and didn’t even come to see him; who knows who he ran off to find this time. He shouldn’t have been allowed to come to New York," Aunt complained.

"Ah-ha, Aunt, you’re implying something, aren’t you? But being as understanding as I am, I’ve already inquired for you. My cousin has no intention of rekindling anything with his ex-wife," Yan Yan continued, playfully ingratiating herself.

"He’s been back in the country for several years now, not dating seriously or looking for someone. Does that sound like he’s not rekindling old flames?" Aunt did not immediately believe Yan Yan’s words.

"Aunt, don’t worry, from what I, the seasoned spy, have observed, my cousin does have someone he’s interested in. It’s probably still new, and he may not want to go public with it just yet. Give it a little more patience, and don’t snuff out this spark before it can turn into a wildfire," Yan Yan was shamelessly bribed by a fried dough stick, spilling everything she knew.

"Really?" Aunt sounded a bit taken aback.

"Of course, it’s as genuine as a pearl." Although Yan Yan didn’t know who this person was, since her cousin mentioned it, there was no reason to intentionally deceive her.

"If you say so, I’ll believe you, Aunt," this statement, though declarative, still carried a hint of seeking affirmation from Yan Yan.

"Mhm, trust me, it’s true," Yan Yan reassured, patting her chest as if to guarantee it.

"Let’s not talk about your brother now. You need to take your own affairs seriously. If it’s Qi Yi, none of us would agree to that," Aunt suddenly changed the subject to Yan Yan.

"Ah? Why not? Who specifically are ’us’? Does that include you, Aunt? Haven’t you always been on Qi Yi’s side?" Yan Yan asked, a little worked up.