The next day, Su Yue still had scenes to film. Since the shoot was nearing completion, she couldn’t ask for leave. Luckily, she worked swiftly—each scene was completed in just a few takes, saving her a great deal of time.
When she returned home late in the afternoon, the house felt strangely empty. None of the servants were around, and little Jiang Haoyan had vanished as well. The quiet living room was occupied by only one person—Jiang Ci.
He sat there dressed in a sharp black suit, the very picture of restraint and precision. The tailored blazer fit perfectly to his broad shoulders, paired with a black shirt and matching tie that emphasized his lean frame. The cold, disciplined look exuded a quiet kind of allure—an abstinence beauty (a popular internet term in China referring to someone who is handsome yet emotionally restrained, evoking a strong sense of temptation).
“Where’s the child?” Su Yue asked, glancing around. Even the cilantro and chives—her two spoiled pets—were nowhere to be seen.
“Grandma missed him,” Jiang Ci replied lazily, “so I sent someone to take him there for a few days.”
He wasn’t about to let that little rascal stay here, running around and being a light bulb (Chinese slang meaning a third wheel). By noon, Jiang Ci had already packed a few sets of the child’s clothes and personally sent him, along with the cat and the silly dog, to Grandma Song’s home.
“What about everyone else?” Su Yue asked. The house was so silent it almost felt empty.
“Oh, I gave the staff a day off today,” Jiang Ci said casually.
“Then… shall we go out for dinner later?” Su Yue asked tentatively. It was her birthday—shouldn’t he be taking her out to celebrate?
“No,” Jiang Ci’s voice was calm, almost teasing. “I’ll handle it.”
He slowly took off his black suit jacket, unbuttoned his cuffs, and began rolling up his sleeves.
Su Yue blinked, startled. “You… cook?”
Jiang Ci raised an eyebrow. “You sound doubtful.”
“No, just surprised. I never knew you could,” Su Yue said with a small laugh.
He snorted softly. It was true he had never cooked before, but he’d been secretly studying recipes for days. Something this simple couldn’t possibly defeat him.
Su Yue fetched a brand-new apron and slipped it over his neck. The sight made her lips curve. The man was tall and dignified, his dark outfit sharply contrasting with the pale pink floral apron now tied around him. His cold expression remained unchanged, but the visual contrast made him look inexplicably cute.
She tied a bow neatly behind his back and grinned without meaning to.
“Funny?” Jiang Ci glanced down at her.
Su Yue shook her head quickly, stifling a laugh.
“Laugh if you want. It’s only for today anyway,” he muttered. He’d wear something that ridiculous only to cook for her. She’d eat his food first—and then, later, he’d eat hers.
Fair trade.
“Wait for me in the living room,” Jiang Ci said, curling his lips faintly before turning toward the kitchen.
Su Yue hesitated. It was hard to believe that Jiang Ci, of all people, could cook. After pacing for a moment, she decided to go check on him—but her phone rang before she could.
“Yueyue, Xiaoxue and I are at your door! Why is no one answering? Your doorman isn’t even here!” Jin Mingyuan’s lively voice came through the receiver.
“You’re here?” Su Yue was taken aback.
“Of course! Didn’t we agree to surprise you for your birthday last night?” Jin Mingyuan’s tone was exaggeratedly dramatic. “It’s freezing out here, Yueyue. Hurry and let us in!”
“Alright, wait a bit.” Su Yue hung up and called toward the kitchen, “Mingyuan and Xiaoxue are here! They said they came to celebrate my birthday—I’ll go open the door for them!”
In the kitchen, Jiang Ci’s handsome brows furrowed immediately. The little troublemaker was gone, yet now two noisy light bulbs had appeared. His expression darkened, though he said nothing.
Outside, Jin Mingyuan and Xu Xue stood side by side. Jin Mingyuan turned to tease Xu Xue, who was wearing an elegant white dress and soft makeup. “Xiaoxue, you look gorgeous today! What’s the occasion?”
Xu Xue’s pale face flushed slightly as she smiled shyly. “It’s Yueyue’s birthday. I thought I’d dress up a little for her.”
“That’s fair. We haven’t seen her in forever! I only catch glimpses of her online these days.” Jin Mingyuan adjusted the red gift box in her hands, and just then, she caught sight of a familiar slender figure stepping through the iron gate. “Ah, that’s Yueyue!”
“Why’d you come to open the door yourself?” she joked. “Did you miss us that much?”
Su Yue laughed softly. “Jiang Ci gave everyone at home the day off.”
“Huh? Then… are you going out to eat?”
“Jiang Ci’s cooking tonight,” Su Yue said, smiling as she thought of the man in the kitchen.
“What?” Jin Mingyuan nearly dropped her gift box. “Young Master Jiang… is cooking personally?” She gasped, “This I have to see!”
Beside her, Xu Xue’s gaze flickered strangely when she heard that.
“Jiang Ci won’t be unhappy we came, right?” Jin Mingyuan asked cautiously.
“How could he?” Su Yue shook her head with a small laugh. “He can be stingy, but he won’t mind if you’re celebrating my birthday.”
“That’s good. Here—this is our gift! And Xiaoxue brought a cake too,” Jin Mingyuan said cheerfully. “We didn’t get to celebrate you moving out from the Jiang estate and into your new home, so we thought we’d make up for it now.”
“Thank you,” Su Yue said warmly. “It’s freezing outside—come in!”
The moment they entered, Su Yue froze. Smoke was pouring out of the kitchen.
“Oh no!”
She hurried over. Inside, Jiang Ci stood before a smoking pan, holding a spatula in one hand, his expression dark as thunder. The fish inside the pot was burnt black—completely unsalvageable.
“Did it burn?” Su Yue asked gently, moving closer. The fish was clearly ruined.
Jiang Ci’s sharp features were set in a grim line. Was this tiny thing really that difficult?
“It’s fine,” Su Yue said quickly. “How about I just order takeout?”
She could tell from his tightly pressed lips that he was frustrated. He had gone to the trouble of cooking just for her birthday—how could she be mad? Her heart softened. She stepped closer, rested her hands on his shoulders, and lifted her face to kiss his chin lightly.
Her voice was soft as water. “Aoao (a pet nickname), thank you. Even if I can’t eat your cooking, I’m already happy.”
Jiang Ci looked down at her, his dark eyes filled with something unreadable. She can’t eat my food, he thought, but I can still eat hers.
Su Yue smiled up at him. “Come on, let’s just go out.”
Feeling the warmth of her lips still lingering on his chin, Jiang Ci’s mouth curved slightly. “Hmm.”
Meanwhile, Jin Mingyuan and Xu Xue were admiring the living room. The decor was understated but luxurious—each piece of furniture was custom-made, and even the lighting had a soft, cozy glow that balanced warmth with elegance.
“The food’s a bit burnt,” Su Yue announced, returning hand-in-hand with Jiang Ci. “We’ll order from a hotel instead—it should arrive soon. Make yourselves comfortable.”
When the two friends turned and saw Jiang Ci, they were momentarily stunned. He was tall, composed, and intimidatingly handsome—even more so in person. Jin Mingyuan quickly averted her gaze; she didn’t dare look too long.
Xu Xue, however, couldn’t help but glance again and again. The pink floral apron on his lean frame should have looked ridiculous—but instead, it made him impossibly captivating. Her heart skipped violently, and she quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the gift box.
The hotel delivery came soon after. Though the atmosphere was initially awkward, Jin Mingyuan gradually relaxed when she realized Jiang Ci wasn’t saying much—just quietly peeling shrimp for Su Yue. His scarred fingers moved deftly, piling plump, glistening shrimp meat into her bowl. The sight made Jin Mingyuan blink in surprise; she’d never seen such patience from him before.
Xu Xue’s movements were delicate and slow, her posture perfect. She barely touched the shrimp. While pretending to pick up vegetables, she watched Jiang Ci’s slender fingers slip a peeled shrimp into Su Yue’s mouth.
Though his face remained cold, his every gesture overflowed with care.
Xu Xue’s heart clenched. Her grip on the chopsticks tightened slightly. Then she smiled and said softly, “Yueyue, happy birthday! How about we have some drinks to celebrate?”
Her gaze flickered toward Jiang Ci as she asked, “Is that alright?”
“Drinks?” Jin Mingyuan perked up immediately. She hadn’t had alcohol in ages. Her birthdays with Su Yue had always been full of laughter, parties, and karaoke nights—this quiet dinner felt almost too tame.
Su Yue hesitated. She wasn’t good with alcohol; a little was enough to get her drunk. But seeing her two friends’ expectant faces, she turned to Jiang Ci. “How about a drink or two?”
Jiang Ci paused mid-motion, looking up lazily. “You want to drink?”
“Just to liven things up,” she said with a grin. “It’s my birthday, after all.”
“Sure,” he said simply. “I’ll get the wine.”
He didn’t object—because Su Yue, once tipsy, was always the sweetest. The corners of his lips lifted ever so slightly as he walked toward the wine cabinet.
The moment he left, Jin Mingyuan sighed dramatically. “Yueyue, your man’s getting more and more doting by the day!”
Su Yue laughed. “He really loves me.”
Her eyes curved gently, glimmering with a soft starlight. Jiang Ci wasn’t one for pretty words; sometimes his bluntness even annoyed her. But his quiet, thoughtful actions always melted her heart.
“I’m jealous,” Xu Xue murmured, her voice faint but tinged with envy. “You really chose right, Yueyue.”
Not wanting her to remember her ex, Su Yue quickly steered the conversation elsewhere. Just then, Jiang Ci returned with several bottles of red wine.
By the end of dinner, three bottles were empty. Most had gone to Jin Mingyuan, but Xu Xue had drunk quite a bit too. Su Yue, after only two glasses, already had flushed cheeks and hazy eyes that shimmered like water.
Jin Mingyuan, emboldened by wine, laughed louder and louder. Xu Xue leaned close to Su Yue and whispered, “Mingyuan’s drunk. Why don’t we just sleep over tonight?”
Su Yue, tipsy and drowsy, nodded. “Mm, sure.”
“Su Yue.” Jiang Ci’s low voice came from behind them, his tone dark with displeasure.
“Hm?” She looked up innocently, her cheeks pink.
“It’s late. Time for bed.”
Before she could react, his large hands slid around her waist and lifted her easily from the sofa.
“Ah—but Mingyuan and Xiaoxue…”
“They can do what they want. The guest rooms are upstairs,” he said curtly, wrapping an arm around her and leading her away.
Jin Mingyuan blinked, then burst into laughter. “Xiaoxue, let’s keep drinking.”
Xu Xue didn’t answer. Her gaze lingered on the pair walking up the stairs—on Jiang Ci’s arm around Su Yue’s waist, on the way her body leaned against his. Something unreadable flickered in her eyes.
Upstairs, Jiang Ci carried Su Yue straight into the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed.
The room felt warm and hazy, her head spinning slightly. When she felt him move away, she mumbled drowsily, “I haven’t showered yet… I need to wash up first.”
“Be good,” he murmured, his fingers undoing his tie, eyes dark as ink. “No need now. I’ll help you later.”
Su Yue, thinking he meant another bath like last time, shook her head weakly. “I’ll do it myself…”
Her words trailed off as her vision blurred. She felt his fingers brush over her collar, loosening the knot around her neck, then something soft touched her wrists—a satin ribbon.
Confused, she blinked up at him. “Aoao… why are you tying my hands?”
The deep glint in his eyes made her heartbeat stutter. She tugged lightly but couldn’t free herself. “I don’t like this…” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Jiang Ci’s fingers paused, then his low voice rumbled close to her ear—dark, teasing, yet unbearably tender.