312 It's Hot In Here

"You both bond over your common misery, I'm gonna go check up on Xiu. She must be really tired, I really shouldn't have listened to her," said Zhao Wei to Ying and Dylan before she tried to pass through them to leave.

However, before she could, Ying held her arm. "Where do you think you're going? Stay here with your husband. He's already jealous enough that you're not giving him time and attention." She winked at Qiu Jiayi before patting her chest. "Leave everything else to me. If I'm here, no fear."

"It sounds more like, 'If I'm here, you can only fear.'" chuckled Xin Zimen at his own thoughts.

"I thought only I heard that," said Qiu Jiayi before both of them pursed their lips to hide their laughter.

Meanwhile, Zhao Wei nodded her head and pushed her son as well, "You go with her as well." Saying that she finally sat down beside her husband who placed his arm around her waist almost instantly.

"Uhmm... Just to be sure, should I close my eyes or should I just leave the room?" asked Xin Zimen looking at Qiu Jiayi and Zhao Wei. 

"Zi!" Qiu Jiayi said his name harshly while glaring at him.

"I'll take that as a warning to leave the room," said Xin Zimen and immediately joined Ying and Dylan who were enjoying at the way Xin Zimen teased his best friend even at this age. While Ying and Dylan turned towards the kitchen, he went upstairs.

"It'll be traumatic, I'm telling you," said Dylan to Ying as they approached the kitchen.

"Don't worry, I'm quite immune to such lovey-dovey acts," reassured Ying to Dylan with a confident stance. Seeing her confidence, he nodded. Suddenly, he felt her hand on his shoulder while she said, "By the way, it can't be more traumatic than seeing you in a pink apron."

Dylan looked down to find that he had forgotten to take off the pink cute apron that Xiu put on him after blackmailing him for a while. No wonder everyone looked at him so weirdly. Dylan wanted to say something but held back since they were now standing in the kitchen.

However, both Dylan and Ying were standing still at the door looking at the scene playing before their eyes. 

Inside, Xiu was now sitting at the counter with her legs dangling carelessly while Darren was the one holding the ladle and doing whatever she told him to do. Xiu was happily munching on the melon seeds that she found while staring at her boyfriend who looked so cool even when he was just stirring the Tangyuan soup.

"Is it done?" asked Darren with furrowed brows. He wasn't that good with Chinese food so he really couldn't tell.

Xiu who was busy daydreaming woke up from her trance and smiled at him, "Yes, turn off the stove now." 

"Okay," he turned off the stove and came to stand before her. "Anything else, Mademoiselle?"

Darren placed his hands on her knees and pulled them apart as he stepped in between her legs and leaned his head on her shoulder, "My energy booster is right here, how can I be tired?"

Xiu's hand ran through his thick hair. "When you're tired just say it that you're tired. Stop trying to be Mr. Perfect all the time."

Darren looked at her, "Are you saying I'm not your Mr. Perfect?"

Xiu brushed his hair off of his forehead and leaned a bit to press her lips against his forehead. Her lips lingered a bit longer against his skin while she said, "You're my Mr. Perfect already. That's why I said, you don't have to try so hard to act like it 24/7." Darren raised his brows at her in amusement while she added, "If you kept this up, it'll become very hard for me to catch up to you." 

"Huh?"

"Because I can't be as perfect as you are. I have way too many flaws," answered Xiu.

"I didn't fell in love with the perfect you," said Darren while he held both sides of her face. "I fell for this version of yours that is completely flawed. Because it made you become so real that I couldn't help myself from yearning for you."

His hands slowly went down to her stomach and he pinched her hard making her squirm, "Regan!" He laughed out before burying his face in her neck, "Yes, Sweets?" Saying that he nipped her skin making her body tingle as his tongue slowly caressed her skin, she ended up giggling. His hands were still on her stomach making her laugh harder.

"Stop that! Stop tickling me!" Xiu screamed at him to stop in between her laughter but it only encouraged Darren. Tears were already brimming in her eyes from all that laughter and she had to stop this. She wrapped her legs around his waist and caged his body. Looking directly into his eyes, she whispered, "This is not the way to play."

"Oh, really?" challenged Darren with his eyes. His face came close to hers, only a breath away as he questioned, "Why don't you tell me how to play then?" At the close proximity, she instinctively closed her eyes while he kissed her eyes softly before kissing the tip of her nose and just as his lips were about to touch hers, two annoying people disturbed him.

"Woah! It's hot in here!" 

Darren and Xiu heard Ying's voice which startled Xiu while Darren was left rolling his eyes. They both turned to look at Ying who was fanning her face while looking anywhere but them. Meanwhile, Dylan was trying to make his presence smaller.

"I told you we'll get burned here," chimed in Dylan with a heavy tone. He looked really annoyed by the fact that he had to witness yet another moment between Xiu and Darren. Why was he the one suffering today?

Ying laughed at his words but her eyes were now staring at Xiu and Darren.