"Alright, you cook, and I'll watch."
Seeing Nangong Qingcheng's stubborn expression, Jiang Feng could only retreat with a bitter smile, curious to see what skills she had learned online.
Nangong Qingcheng snorted coldly before turning around and getting ready.
The dish she planned to make wasn't difficult—just broccoli stir-fried with shrimp.
The ingredients were all prepared; she just needed to cook it to prove herself.
Recalling the instructions she studied earlier, Nangong Qingcheng officially began.
Watching her clumsily wield the knife, Jiang Feng suddenly felt a jolt of panic: Might she actually cut herself?!
Before the thought even faded, his worry quickly became reality!
Nangong Qingcheng had just started slicing when she yelped softly, quickly pulling her left hand away from the celery, with her index finger sliced open!
All because she was too eager to impress Jiang Feng, she ended up cutting her finger by accident!
Jiang Feng immediately stepped forward, instinctively grabbing her injured finger and putting it in his mouth, gently sucking on it.
Nangong Qingcheng stared blankly at Jiang Feng; she hadn't expected him to do that!
Her finger in Jiang Feng's mouth tingled, sending an indescribable sensation.
That sensation quickly traveled from her fingertip to her palm and spread throughout her whole body...
Instantly, Nangong Qingcheng blushed, feeling embarrassed and self-conscious...
"Still willing to show off?"
Jiang Feng gave Nangong Qingcheng a glance, released her finger from his mouth, and saw that the wound wasn't big or deep—it wasn't a serious issue.
Nangong Qingcheng's face turned red and she finally didn't dare to argue back, her face full of grievance and regret.
Jiang Feng pulled a clean tissue from the side, gently wrapped her fingertip, and earnestly said, "Nothing can be accomplished in one go. You can't learn to cook on a whim; better to let me teach you honestly."
"I..." Nangong Qingcheng hesitated, and after learning the hard way, she didn't dare to show off anymore, only feeling more aggrieved and frustrated at her own ineptitude.
"Turn on the stove." Jiang Feng calmly instructed.
With lowered eyes, Nangong Qingcheng could only obediently turn the stove on as Jiang Feng instructed.
"Add oil," Jiang Feng continued.
"How...how much?" Nangong Qingcheng asked, blushing.
For beginners, the hardest thing to master is measurement. Terms like "a little," "appropriate," "some" are completely confusing, right?
Jiang Feng had no choice but to reach around Nangong Qingcheng from behind, guiding her right hand to slowly pour oil into the pan.
At this moment, Jiang Feng was entirely focused, sincerely holding Nangong Qingcheng close, to accomplish the task.
And Nangong Qingcheng hadn't realized that she was entirely nestled in Jiang Feng's embrace.
"The oil is hot. Add the vegetables now," Jiang Feng observed the heat and said.
"Mm-hmm." Nangong Qingcheng held the spatula in her right hand and supported the plate with the celery in her left, carefully putting the celery into the pan.
Jiang Feng found her defensive stance amusing—is she cooking or going to battle?
With no other choice, he stood behind Nangong Qingcheng again, tightly hugging her from the back. Holding her small hand with his big one, he gently said, "Don't hold the vegetables so high, or the oil will splatter when you pour them into the pan."
Nangong Qingcheng, feeling the warmth of Jiang Feng's breath on her ears, blushed and quickly lowered the plate, earnestly asking, "Like this?"
"Never mind, just watch me." As he spoke, Jiang Feng gently took hold of Nangong Qingcheng's tender hands from behind.
Only then did Nangong Qingcheng realize she was nestled in Jiang Feng's embrace. Her body tensed with a strong sense of shyness.
In her heart, an unprecedented feeling of shyness and apprehension rose—could this be what it's like to be pampered by a man?
She instinctively wanted to pull back, but before she knew it, Jiang Feng had already tightened his embrace from behind.
Helplessly, she could only blush and continue pretending to be oblivious, letting Jiang Feng teach hand in hand.
Soon, under Jiang Feng's careful guidance, Nangong Qingcheng managed to grasp some basic stir-frying techniques.
Watching her stir-fry the celery in the pan with a spatula, feeling quite delighted like a child getting a beloved toy, Jiang Feng smiled without saying a word.
Once the cashews and shrimp were cooked, Jiang Feng asked her to turn off the heat and serve the dish.
And so, a delicious-looking, colorfully fragrant dish of stir-fried celery and shrimp was complete.
Since Jiang Feng monitored the entire process, the dish was excellently cooked, with an enticing aroma wafting in the air.
Nangong Qingcheng couldn't help but sniff the dish with her delicate nose, proudly proclaiming, "If it smells this good, it must taste great!"
"It's your credit. Bring it out; I'll make two more dishes, and dinner will be ready soon," Jiang Feng said with a smile.
Although he enjoyed the process of cooking with Nangong Qingcheng, repeating this method for every dish would undoubtedly be exhausting.
"Oh..." Immersed in excitement, Nangong Qingcheng felt a slight pang of disappointment.
She also enjoyed the feeling of being tenderly pampered by Jiang Feng. Unfortunately, pleasant moments spent together are always so brief—it was already over.
If she didn't stop while she was ahead, she couldn't keep pretending any longer. She couldn't expect Jiang Feng to continue holding her hand, as even a fool could see she was doing it on purpose!
With that, she took a deep breath, resigned to carrying the broccoli dish, and walked out dejectedly.
...
Very soon, Jiang Feng cooked two more dishes and brought them to the table.
"Wow, such a sumptuous dinner tonight!"
Chu Feifei and Liu Shiyuan smelled the aroma and exclaimed as they approached the dining table!
They hadn't eaten Jiang Feng's cooking in a long time, and seeing the three dishes so appealing and aromatic, their appetites were immediately whetted.
"Try this; this one's made by Qingcheng," Jiang Feng said with a smile.
Nangong Qingcheng was slightly startled, then realized Jiang Feng was giving her credit. Instantly, her face reddened again!
She wasn't used to lying and felt embarrassed to even let Chu Feifei and Liu Shiyuan see her injured finger.
"Brother Jiang, you truly are amazing, even teaching someone with Qingcheng's talent..."
Liu Shiyuan took a bite of the shrimp, and the taste was indeed delightful, leaving a lingering flavor!
Chu Feifei was equally surprised, tasting it and showering her with praise.
Nangong Qingcheng shot Jiang Feng a sideways glance, then sat down, her vanity greatly satisfied.
Rarely did the whole family dine together, and they happily enjoyed each other's company.
During the meal, they occasionally chatted, with Nangong Qingcheng and Liu Shiyuan wondering where Jiang Feng had been over the past two days.
Jiang Feng maintained an evasive attitude, subtly changing the subject.
Just then, suddenly, his body tensed, and he choked, genuinely getting stuck!
Because under the table, sitting opposite him, Chu Feifei quietly extended her soft, alluring little foot over.
Her tender toes intentionally brushed against his calf...