CH 72

Unfortunately, when Ye Heng proposed having a meal, Shang Jin had to refuse because he really couldn’t make it. However, when he turned it down, he added, “Big Brother Ye should come over and eat at home tomorrow.”

This one ‘eat at home’ phrase made Ye Heng original dissatisfaction immediately dissipate.

Shang Jin always discovered what Ye Heng wanted to know the most.

Ever since Ye Zhou and Shang Jin started renting outside, the two people had also begun learning how to cook.

Of course, most of the time, they still eat at the canteen. Only on their rest days would they go to the supermarket to buy food, and then studied and cooked according to the recipe.

Shang Jin was able to finally send his annoying cousin away due to the upcoming New Year’s Day.

On the way back, he turned toward the supermarket and thought that even if he asked Ye Zhou, Ye Zhou probably wouldn’t be sure what his brother liked to eat, so Shang Jin took the liberty to buy some of the more higher-quality ingredients.

He ran into Ye Zhou at the entrance of the community.

“Why didn’t you call me if you were doing the grocery shopping?” Ye Zhou walked over and quickly took the things from Shang Jin’s right hand. Shang Jin’s hand was reddened from carrying the heavy things for so long. “You bought too much.”

“I wasn’t sure what your brother likes, so I bought chicken, duck, fish and meat.”

Ye Zhou took a peek in the bag and said, “So much? Can we finish eating?”

“We can. There’s a variety, but in small quantities.”

When they came home, Ye Zhou took out the ingredients before he understood what Shang Jin meant by ‘there’s a variety, but in small quantities’.

It was chicken, duck, fish and meat, but in fact, it was a fish fillet, a duck breast, several chicken wings, and a piece of pork belly. Incidentally, there was also a bag of shrimp and some green vegetables.

Ye Zhou changed into casual clothes and took the apron off the hook. Wrapping it around himself, he rolled up his sleeves and said, “Today, let me display my skills!”

“Don’t, I should do it.”

Ye Zhou said, “Didn’t you say that I made progress in cooking?”

Shang Jin coughed and said, “It’s only progress.”

Progress meant better than the last time, but it definitely wasn’t saying that the level was truly high.

Ye Zhou sheepishly took off the apron and said, “If you don’t give me the chance, how can I train to be a great chef?”

It was also annoying to mention this. When they started living together, the two people knew nothing about cooking. But Shang Jin practiced a few times with the recipes and was already doing a pretty decent job and even the taste was quite good. As for Ye Zhou, he seemed to be completely abandoned by God in this respect. He couldn’t be called a kitchen killer, but it didn’t taste very good.

The ordinary people consoled themselves that ‘the most capable do the most work’. With regards to cooking, out of the two, there was one who could do it well. But Ye Zhou obviously couldn’t be judged with ordinary people’s thinking.

Ye Zhou argued with conviction, “It’s because I can’t cook well that I should practice more! How can I shrink back when faced with difficulties? You and I are both ordinary college students. Based on what that you can do it but I can’t!”

Relying on the perseverance that grew in the face of suppression, the Shang Ye kitchen was taken over by Ye Zhou most of the time.

It was the first time Shang Jin so hated Ye Zhou’s stubbornness. The lazy him also couldn’t monopolize the kitchen rights even if he wanted to. The more Shang Jin said it was difficult to eat, the more Ye Zhou did it enthusiastically.

Fortunately, Ye Zhou really did as he said and got better the more he practiced, but it’s a pity that this was only better compared to Ye Zhou’s previous level.

Shang Jin sighed and said, “Today isn’t the time to show off your culinary skills.”

Ye Zhou was clearly aware of this kind of thing, but it was just his level was so put down that for Ye Zhou who was eager to excel, it couldn’t be said that it didn’t strike a mental blow.

Looking at his crestfallen appearance, Shang Jin picked up a potato on the table and tossed it to him. “But today’s the day to show off your knife work.”

Ye Zhou reluctantly replied, “That’s fine, too.”

When Ye Heng came, the little apartment was full of life.

The scent of the kitchen filled the living room. There were pots of flowers on the windowsill and there were very few of the two men’s knick-knacks scattered around the room. If one were to say what there was most in the room, it’d probably be books. You could see books lying on the table, on the bed, on the sofa and coffee table.

“Brother, wait first. We’ll be done in a moment.” After opening the door, Ye Zhou went into the kitchen to help.

Ye Heng followed him and appeared in the kitchen doorway. Shang Jin’s hair was a mess. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbow and a white half-length apron was tied at his waist. He seemed more in touch with life than when Ye Heng had first met him. However, when Shang Jin saw him, his appearance returned back to when he’d met him.

“Big Brother Ye.”

The kitchen was small and it was slightly crowded with two people. If there was another person standing in the doorway, it’d feel like they wouldn’t be able to walk.

Ye Zhou pushed Ye Heng into the living room and said, “Brother, you can watch TV. We’ll have dinner in a moment.”

“OK.” Ye Heng walked back to the small living room and sat on the sofa. His hand touched a book and he picked up, seeing two distinct handwriting in the pages.

One confident and at ease and one neat and handsome.

Half an hour later, Ye Zhou came out with the dishes and soon filled the round table.

Ye Heng looked at this full table and said, “It’s just three people. Why did you prepare so much?”

“Don’t worry, we can finish it.” Ye Zhou set the table with bowls and chopsticks. He sat down and urged Shang Jin, “What are you doing? Still not coming?”

Shang Jin came out with a bottle of red wine. Looking at the information on the wine, he said, “I got this bottle from home.”

“It’s not good to take things in passing.” He said this, but Shang Jin’s dad definitely wouldn’t blame him and probably would be happy instead. Since Shang Jin really didn’t spend the family money and didn’t use the family car, Shang Jin’s father had turned around and used all sorts of methods to get him to accept things.

After the meal, both hosts and guest were extremely satisfied. Like Ye Zhou had said, they completely finished it all.

Ye Heng was obviously satisfied with the results of this inspection. After dinner, his attitude toward Shang Jin was much better.

“Zhou Zhou, you can’t rush the matter of coming out.” On this point, Ye Heng felt a bit guilty toward Shang Jin. He himself hoped that the other could take responsibility in front of his parents, but he had another attitude towards his own brother. “Our parents really don’t…”

“I understand.” Shang Jin took a sip of honeyed water, “This kind of thing is hard to accept for the usual family. I also told Ye Zhou to not be impulsive and wait until his graduation.”

“You’re both good boys.” Ye Heng patted Shang Jin’s shoulder. “I’ll do my best to work on my parents in these two years so that they’d be prepared.”

“Thank you, brother.”

Ye Zhou came out from the kitchen with a plate of fruit and briskly said, “Come eat oranges. Shang Jin, where did you buy them? They’re so sweet.” Saying this, he broke off a segment and stuffed it into Shang Jin’s mouth. “Isn’t it very sweet?”

If Ye Heng wasn’t there, Shang Jin really wanted to say ‘you’re sweeter than the orange’.

The only single dog, Comrade Ye Heng, very tactfully said, “OK, there’s plenty of time to catch up later. Let’s stop here for today.”