Chapter Forty: When Did I Start Liking You?

Lin Ze didn’t need to check the internet to know—those words he’d said yesterday must have hit a sore spot for some people, and were now being used as ammunition by others. Yet he wasn’t bothered by it. It was just the fans who were a bit of a nuisance.

Today, Lin Ze decided not to spend time with those uncles and aunties, so they wouldn’t get dragged into unnecessary trouble. He and Su Zitan returned early to the villa. It was only three or four in the afternoon when they arrived, so the two of them went out to buy some groceries, planning to cook a meal together.

[This is wild. I go to Tongyin, and today the whole dorm is trying to buy smelly socks and rotten eggs to go throw at Brother Lin.]

[Tongyin folks, just stop. I’m from Shuyi, and our school already has a group organized to go tomorrow.]

[Whose fans are these even? Are they crazy? Aren’t you just making your idol look bad?]

It had been a while since Lin Ze last cooked. Today, Su Zitan picked the dish—she wanted tomato and egg noodles. Lin Ze tied on an apron and began chopping tomatoes in the kitchen, slicing them into small pieces with practiced hands. Then he cracked four eggs into a bowl, added a bit of salt, poured in some oil, and whisked the mixture. His movements were deft; it was obvious he cooked often.

Su Zitan pulled up a chair and sat quietly beside him, watching. Suddenly, something occurred to her, and she spoke to the camera, “Actually, I’ve always felt that Lin Ze learned to cook on his own, not from anyone else.”

Her words startled Lin Ze so much that he nearly cut his hand.

“For example, with simple dishes like stir-fried pork with chilies—Aunt Wang always adds a bit of bean paste and five-spice, and never oyster sauce. But the first time Lin Ze made it for me in middle school, he was so skilled. Even the order of adding scallions, garlic, or meat was different from Aunt Wang’s.”

Lin Ze felt a pang of guilt, though he didn’t show it. “I learned it online, really, just from the internet.”

“Oh?” Su Zitan blinked.

[Busted, Brother Lin’s been exposed!]

[I told you! I told you he’s an alien!]

[Alien? Spread the word—Lin Ze’s a changeling!]

Lin Ze ignored the barrage of playful comments and turned on the stove. He poured a layer of oil into the pan, and once it was hot, he poured in the eggs.

“A little tip for everyone at home: when you add the eggs, pour from higher up—this makes the scrambled eggs fluffier.”

Once the eggs set, he broke them up and, after they were fully cooked, set them aside. Then he started stewing the tomatoes.

“These days, tomatoes don’t have much flavor, so add a bit of ketchup,” he explained, stirring the tomatoes in oil until they softened and broke down.

[Got it, got it—Brother Lin is the perfect man!]

[That makes sense. I just made tomato and egg stir-fry the other day, and it had no tomato flavor at all.]

“Now we add some hot wa—oh no! It’s burning! Sticking to the bottom!”

[?]

[I was just starting to be impressed. Brother Lin, can’t you stay cool for a bit longer?]

[Ha! This is why Brother Lin’s number one at getting into trouble!]

After fussing for a while, Lin Ze tasted it. There was only a faint hint of charred flavor, but he’d already used up the ingredients. With a wronged look, he turned to Su Zitan, “Zitan, it’s just a tiny bit burnt…”

Su Zitan pinched his cheek—just out of the camera’s view—then took the chance to steal a quick kiss. “It’s all right, silly.”

“Heh, it’s just been a while since I cooked for you. Guess I’m rusty…”

Lin Ze returned to the stove, stirring the tomatoes. Once they were properly cooked, he poured in the eggs. Want sweetness? Add salt first. He seasoned everything, covered the pan, and left it to simmer on low heat, while water boiled in a second pot for the noodles.

Su Zitan liked her noodles firm and chewy, so Lin Ze drained them and rinsed them in cold water before adding them to the bowl. He topped them with the tomato and egg mixture.

A simple bowl of tomato and egg noodles was ready. It looked appetizing, though if you looked closely, you could see a few blackened bits of tomato.

“Wow!”

Su Zitan gazed at the bowl before her and swallowed hard. When Lin Ze brought over some cucumber salad and sat down, she finally picked up her chopsticks. She blew on the noodles and took a big mouthful.

The moment the noodles touched her lips, tears sprang to her eyes.

[Oh no, did the production crew put horseradish in the tomatoes?]

[Is it so bad she’s crying?]

[Ahem, as a foodie, I get it. If you’re really looking forward to a dish and it doesn’t live up to expectations, it’s enough to make you cry…]

Lin Ze was startled and quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe her tears. “What’s wrong? Is it that bad? Did it really make you cry?” he asked, worried.

Not bothering to wipe her mouth, Su Zitan threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

“Hmm?”

She let go, still chewing noodles, and asked, her words muffled, “Do you know when I really started to like you?”

That question stumped Lin Ze. They’d always been close, but he honestly couldn’t pinpoint when her feelings for him had changed.

“It was back in ninth grade. I was about to take my entrance exams, and after studying for days, my head was spinning…”

“My dad and Aunt Wang were both working shifts around the clock. It was midnight, my stomach was twisting with hunger…”

Lin Ze seemed to recall that night vaguely—the first time he’d ever cooked for Su Zitan.

With a smile, Su Zitan remembered, “I was working on homework when I heard noises in the kitchen. I went to check and saw you, standing on a stool, ladling a bowl of tomato and egg noodles for me.”

[Ah! So this is how the girls get their hearts stolen!]

[Stolen? It’s in the little things that true love shows.]

[Brother Lin knew it was late, that she was a teenager about to take exams—no spicy or greasy food to avoid breakouts, and he knew she was nervous, so carbs would help her mood. That’s why he made noodles.]

[Wait, is Brother Lin really that attentive?]

[Spread the word—Brother Lin is the most thoughtful!]

“That was the moment?” Lin Ze asked, eating his noodles.

Come to think of it, he’d burnt the tomatoes a bit that time, too.

“Yes. That’s when I realized that even though it looked like I was always taking care of you, you’d actually been quietly looking after me all along.”

Su Zitan picked up a few pieces of egg from her bowl and put them into his.

“I’m so glad we’ve come this far together.”