CH 92

While at work, Pei You suddenly realized that letting Zhou Qingbo stay idle at home might not have  been a good idea.

—This person was always up to some mischief when he had nothing to do. Now, suddenly not having to go to work or leave the house, Pei You was certain that he was devoting all his energy to causing some kind of trouble.

He Ping’s approval was like a shot of adrenaline for Zhou Qingbo. He seemed quite enthusiastic about the role of the “good house wife” and had even started acting as a “homemaker.”

Unfortunately, while he was quite capable of doing other things, his cooking skills were rather lacking. 

Pei You had to work an extra shift in the evening, and it was almost 8:30 PM when he struggled through Beijing’s rush-hour traffic to get home.

He parked his car in the open parking lot and as he walked towards the apartment building, he looked up. The living room of unit 1607 was pitch black and quiet. He couldn’t tell if no one was home or if Zhou Qingbo just hadn’t turned on the lights.

His chat history on WeChat with Qingbo was stuck at around 5 PM. Near the end of work hours, Zhou Qingbo had sent a message to Pei You, asking what time he would be back. Pei You had initially promised to leave work on time, but urgent tasks had held him back, leading to an impromptu meeting within his team to correct mistakes made by an intern.

Pei You was afraid that Zhou Qingbo might have been waiting anxiously, so he messaged him right away to explain the situation. However, he wasn’t sure if Zhou Qingbo was busy or upset. All he received was a dry “Got it,” without any additional words, and Zhou Qingbo hadn’t sent any more messages after that.

Pei You was a person who kept his promises, and he felt like he had stood Zhou Qingbo up. He had also become used to Zhou Qingbo taking advantage of situations and acting clingy to get his way, so when he saw Zhou Qingbo being unusually understanding, he felt uncomfortable and uneasy.

However, he didn’t think Zhou Qingbo was the kind of person who would leave home without a word when he was upset. After thinking it over, Pei You couldn’t help but send him a message before entering the elevator.

“I’m home,” Pei You said. “Heading upstairs now.”

After sending the message, the elevator doors slowly closed, cutting off the signal, and Pei You locked his phone and put it back in his pocket.

The timing was neither here nor there – those who left work on time were already home, while those who actually worked overtime hadn’t returned yet. The elevator leisurely climbed to the sixteenth floor, but Pei You hadn’t received a response to his message.

The sixteenth floor was quiet. As the footsteps echoed, the lights in the corridor gradually brightened. Pei You stood outside his apartment door, first knocking. When there was no response, he took out his keys, unlocked the door, and entered.

The apartment was pitch black, with no lights or air conditioning on. Pei You looked around in confusion. He was about to take out his phone to call Zhou Qingbo when he heard a faint rustling sound from behind the door.

Pei You immediately became alert. He was about to turn around when he felt someone approaching him from behind, and they covered his eyes with a hand.

Someone embraced him, chin resting on his shoulder, and said with a light laugh, “Would you like to eat first, or take a bath?”

Pei You: “…”

Pei You’s tense nerves relaxed. He tilted his head slightly, “looking” towards Zhou Qingbo, and sighed helplessly.

“I thought there was a thief in the house,” Pei You said. “Why didn’t you turn on the lights?”

“I wanted to give you a surprise,” Zhou Qingbo said confidently.

That was truly surprising, Pei You thought. I almost called the police just now.

“Next time… can you give me a heads-up?” Pei You clearly lacked experience in such unexpected playfulness between couples. He said diplomatically, “So I can be prepared.”

“How’s it a surprise if you’re prepared?” Zhou Qingbo smiled and gently tightened his arms. With a meaningful tone, he said, “Hurry up, choose one food first or bath first?.”

Pei You didn’t catch the flirtatious implication in his tone, nor did he really ponder the potential “trap” behind those two options. He simply treated it as a normal question and casually answered.

“Let’s eat first,” Pei You said. He pulled Zhou Qingbo’s hand down and asked warmly, “you must have been waiting long. Are you hungry?”

Zhou Qingbo tried to push his luck and leaned in, gently biting Pei You’s earlobe.

Zhou Qingbo asked suggestively, “Are you sure you don’t want to bathe first?”

Pei You: “…”

Zhou Qingbo’s tone was low and gentle, becoming even more intimate and tender in the deepening night. He changed his posture intentionally or unintentionally as he spoke, his fingers curling and pulling the corner of Pei You’s shirt. His fingertips traced along Pei You’s waist, suggesting a certain meaning.

Pei You fell silent for a moment and finally understood Zhou Qingbo’s intention.

Although he was slow, he was also a young man with normal instincts. He couldn’t withstand this kind of teasing. Just as Zhou Qingbo had touched him twice, he couldn’t help but inhale a breath of cool air, grabbing Zhou Qingbo’s wrist.

Zhou Qingbo’s lips curled into a small smile. He leaned forward without a word and pressed Pei You against the door, kissing him deeply.

The briefcase clanged to the ground as Pei You made a muffled sound, passively accepting the kiss.

Zhou Qingbo initially intended to stop Pei You at the door to distract him. However, as the kiss deepened, he too became passionate. He reached for the hem of Pei You’s shirt and led him stumbling into the apartment.

They kissed intensely, unable to part in the darkness. Unable to see anything clearly, they stumbled over a fallen suit jacket on the ground and collided into the wall behind them.

Accidentally, Pei You hit the light switch on the wall. The living room’s light flickered for a moment before blazing to life. Zhou Qingbo’s face changed, and he instinctively wanted to turn off the light, but it was too late.

Once the light was on, everything in the living room was exposed clearly to Pei You’s eyes. The scattered cabbage leaves on the dining table looked suspicious and disorderly, while the kitchen door was tightly shut, with smoke billowing out from within. At first glance, it resembled a hastily crafted scene from a fairytale, a misty haze obscuring everything.

Pei You: “…”

Pei You had never seen such a messy scene in his own home before, so he was momentarily stunned. He walked forward and pushed open the door to the kitchen.

Zhou Qingbo’s attempt at using seduction to distract him had failed, he was now caught in the act. He rubbed his nose guiltily and followed Pei You’s footsteps towards the kitchen.

The door slid open, revealing a narrow gap. The fumes of cooking oil rushed out through the gap, nearly choking Pei You unexpectedly. He almost thought the kitchen was on fire.

Fortunately, as the door opened, air began to circulate, dispersing the overwhelming fumes. The situation inside the kitchen became clearer.

The kitchen window opposite the door was wide open, allowing the thick smoke to billow out. With the door and the window forming a cross breeze, the room quickly cleared of the smoke, leaving only a faint burnt smell.

Two pots in the kitchen—one in the sink and one on the stove—lay in disarray. The flames on the stove were already put out, but the remaining heat was still felt. Burnt vegetables were stuck to the bottom of the pan, and the outline of some cabbage was barely recognizable.

Pei You glanced around, piecing together the situation in his mind. He realized that Zhou Qingbo had actually gone through the trouble of cooking at home. It was ironic, Pei You thought, too bad Zhou Qingbo didn’t have the talent for it; his approach was frustrating.

No wonder Zhou Qingbo hadn’t replied to his messages. He must have been busy “covering up the evidence.”

Despite the mess in the kitchen, Pei You didn’t feel irritated or angry. He looked around and couldn’t help but curl his lips, even feeling a bit amused.

No wonder Zhou Qingbo had clung to him as soon as he got back. Pei You thought, He probably wanted to distract me from what was happening in the kitchen.

When Zhou Qingbo was at the bar mixing drinks, his hands were steady and skilled, and he was good at it. However, he had never anticipated becoming a “kitchen assassin,” being the worst chef ever. Pei You couldn’t help but smile, finding the contrast quite amusing.

After tossing the pans in the bin, Zhou Qingbo felt somewhat embarrassed. He cleared his throat awkwardly and slowly made his way next to Pei You.

Zhou Qingbo muttered vaguely, “I have already ordered takeout to compensate, but it’s the peak delivery time, so it’s a bit delayed.”

Pei You had returned after a day’s work, and Zhou Qingbo had initially planned to surprise him. But instead of delight, he managed to make a disaster of the whole situation. Zhou Qingbo felt awkward and his mood had also dampened. He moved closer, wrapped his arms around Pei You’s waist, and pulled him out of the kitchen.

“Sorry,” Zhou Qingbo apologized sincerely, “Why don’t you go to the room for a while? The takeout will be here soon, and I’ll clean up afterward.”

Pei You stood by the trash bin, not allowing himself to be led out as Zhou Qingbo intended. Instead, he turned his head to look at him and asked, “Why did you suddenly decide to cook?”

“You’ve worked all day. I can’t expect you to come home and still take care of me.” Zhou Qingbo’s gaze shifted uneasily as he continued, “I thought I should at least cook for you.”

Zhou Qingbo indeed disliked hardships and troubles, but since the day he committed to being with Pei You, he never intended to escape his responsibilities in helping with the household chores.

The suspension from work had somewhat affected him, but he only vaguely sensed that he was standing at a significant turning point in life. However, he didn’t know where each path at the crossroads would lead.

He wanted to change, but Qing Shan remained an uncertain factor. Zhou Qingbo wasn’t sure when he would go back to work, and he hadn’t made up his mind about quitting either. He was like a graduate student navigating a job fair with his resume. Without knowing if the top choice company would offer him a job, he hesitated to even submit an application.

This vague sense of uncertainty translated into his sense of responsibility for the household. That’s why, rarely, Zhou Qingbo began to dabble in areas he wasn’t skilled at or interested in.

Unfortunately, he had failed.

Zhou Qingbo had a bold personality, so experiencing such failure was unusual. He sighed, his tone carrying a trace of barely perceptible grievance.

“Anyway, Never mind the failures.” Zhou Qingbo said, “I ordered local dishes for takeout. It’ll be here soon, and we—”

“It’s not a failure.” Pei You calmly reached into the cupboard, pulled out a clean plate, scooped up the limp cabbage that had been soaked in oil, and placed it on the countertop.

“It’s actually quite good.” Pei You pursed his lips, a faint smile playing on his face. His voice was unusually gentle as he continued, “I feel… happy.”

“Nonsense.” Despite Zhou Qingbo’s usual confidence, today’s setbacks had indeed affected him. He sighed at Pei You’s words and said, “Though you see me through rose-colored glasses, you can’t just make things up.”

“It’s the truth.” Pei You said seriously, “I’m not saying I’m happy with these poorly cooked dishes— I’m happy with you.”

He meant he was happy with Zhou Qingbo’s efforts.

Since the day he met Zhou Qingbo, Pei You knew he wasn’t the type to do household chores. He loved Zhou Qingbo’s exuberance and freedom, as well as his liveliness and openness. He had always known what kind of person Zhou Qingbo was, so he never needed Zhou Qingbo to cook or clean or be the “perfect boyfriend.”

In Pei You’s eyes, whether Zhou Qingbo was terrible at cooking, capable of handling household tasks or not, as long as he made the effort for him, Pei You was content.

Being in a relationship meant having something special that set it apart from being just ordinary friends. Just as Zhou Qingbo enjoyed how Pei You took care of him, Pei You similarly reveled in Zhou Qingbo’s constant evolution.

The trash bin filled with “failed” dishes, the traces of potatoes stuck to the sink, and the remnants of at least three dishes were all evidence of Zhou Qingbo’s efforts for the dinner.

Seeing this, Zhou Qingbo had indeed put effort into this dinner—perhaps more than once.

Compared to a perfectly executed dinner, Pei You felt that this was enough to satisfy him.

“So I think it’s quite good,” Pei You said. “Not being able to cook is okay; you’re just not skilled at it.”

Zhong Qingbo was an easy person to appease, and in just a few words, Pei You managed to charge him up. Emerging from his sadness, Zhong Qingbo still appeared to be concerned about the failed dinner, frequently glancing towards the direction of the trash can.

Pei You softened, intending to divert Zhong Qingbo’s attention. He strained his mind, urgently recalling Professor Zhou’s “Love Guide,” and reached out to hold Zhong Qingbo’s hand.

“Don’t worry too much about it.” This was the first time Pei You had taken such an initiative, and he appeared rather inexperienced. His gaze wavered momentarily as he attempted to sound natural, but he stumbled in his speech. “Since dinner didn’t work out – can I still choose the other option? Is it still possible?”