Halfway through the drive, He Bai took out his cell phone, looked at WeChat, and smiled slightly: Ji Chaozhou agreed to his friend request.

When he arrived at the company, He Bai made a post in his Moments that was only visible to Ji Chaozhou. It was a few photos of the breakfast he just had: two bowls of congee and a thermos. Cheng Liu’s hand was featured in one of the photos.

The text caption was: [Senior sister said that the congee cooked by the auntie at home was delicious. I will let her cook it again next time. Picture.jpg x 4]

After he finished sending it, he kept taking out his mobile phone to check WeChat.

Cheng Liu stood in the elevator and noticed through the reflection on the elevator doors that He Bai frequently looked at his phone. It probably wasn’t for work. He would need to respond if it was work; he wouldn’t look at it and then just put it away.

“Are you waiting for a message from someone?” Cheng Liu raised her eyebrows and asked, “Have you got a girlfriend?”

When she was waiting for Ji Chaozhou’s reply, she also liked to check her phone as frequently. Unexpectedly, Mr. He would also find a partner so soon. It seemed that their magical spring was indeed coming.

He Bai put down his phone: “… I don’t have a girlfriend.”

When the elevator doors opened, Cheng Liu turned around and patted his shoulder, saying very sincerely, “You can do it.” 

She had become friends with the one in her heart, and it seemed that she would be able to take the next step forward soon.

Of course, He Bai wasn’t really waiting for a message from Ji Chaozhou, but just the anticipation that he would see the pictures he posted made him feel good.

… …

Ji Chaozhou did see the post made by He Bai.

Ji Chaozhou never had the habit of looking at Moments before, but that morning he looked at Cheng Liu’s Moments. He had just added He Bai as friend and the man was obviously targeting him.

Ji Chaozhou held his cell phone and stared at the photo showing Cheng Liu’s hand for a long time, his eyes cold, and finally walked into the laboratory in silence.

… …

Cheng Liu finished her day at the company at around seven o’clock in the evening. By then, it had become completely dark outside.

She habitually sent a message to Ji Chaozhou: [Have you had dinner?]

After about ten minutes, Ji Chaozhou replied: [What about you?]

He actually started asking her!

Cheng Liu was moved and quickly replied: [Not yet, do you want to eat together tonight?]

Ji Chaozhou: [I don’t want to go outside.]

Young President Cheng displayed a rare astuteness, and she found a loophole in this sentence, [“Then let’s eat at home? Not eating is bad for your health.”]

Ji Chaozhou did not reply.

But Cheng Liu was accustomed to his silence.

Without outright rejection, there was still room for negotiation.

Cheng Liu: [What do you want to eat tonight? I’ll go to the supermarket to buy ingredients later.]

As she typed, she walked out of her office and said to He Bai, who was sitting at the desk outside, “I’ll get off work first, you should get off work early as well.”

He Bai looked up and frowned when he saw Cheng Liu hurriedly getting off work. Was she going to see Ji Chaozhou again?

At this time, Cheng Liu received a reply from Ji Chaozhou: [I don’t want to cook complicated dishes.]

She typed quickly: [Then let’s cook light and convenient dishes.]

It didn’t matter what she ate—Young President Cheng only wanted to eat dinner with her sweetheart.

… …

When Cheng Liu arrived at the underground parking lot of the company, Ji Chaozhou’s message came. It was a picture of a recipe: green vegetable and shredded chicken congee.

Of course, Cheng Liu said ‘yes’, and she drove all the way to the supermarket nearest the villa, ready to buy ingredients and bring them home.

This was the second time they would cook dinner together, and although it was just a congee, Young President Cheng felt like she had finally seen the light.

So she bought another pair of red paper cut-outs in the supermarket to celebrate!

Cheng Liu took the ingredients and paper cut-outs to the car, drove back to the villa, and went to the villa next door as soon as she parked the car.

“I’m back,” Cheng Liu said excitedly, carrying a bag of ingredients. 

Ji Chaozhou was sitting on the armchair, reading a book. He seemed to have been back for a while. He was wearing soft and loose home clothes, which gave him a sense of life.

He closed the book and placed it on the coffee table, stood up slowly, took the ingredients in her hands, and walked to the kitchen.

Cheng Liu followed.

The congee with green vegetables and shredded chicken shouldn’t be difficult. Just cut the spare vegetables and add them to the rice to cook.

However, it was Ji Chaozhou who was chopping vegetables today, and Cheng Liu had no room to interfere.

She stood aside and looked at Ji Chaozhou. He was wearing that blue cartoon apron. He was tall, with long legs, straight shoulders and a slim waist. He was chopping vegetables quietly, and every part of him attracted attention.

Cheng Liu found that no matter what he held in his hands, it seemed to have an artistic feel.

She stood next to him and took photos with her mobile phone.

This was the dish prepared by her beloved!

Ji Chaozhou caught a glimpse of Cheng Liu’s movements from the corner of his eye and did not stop her.

Cut the vegetables, add these to the rice, and cook for some time in the rice cooker.

While waiting for things to cook, the two returned to the living room.

Cheng Liu habitually sat on the armchair in the living room. She didn’t react, but Ji Chaozhou glanced at the armchair more than once before sitting on the larger sofa next to it.

“Are you free on the weekend?” Cheng Liu looked at Ji Chaozhou and tried to ask him out to promote their relationship.

Ji Chaozhou didn’t answer. He opened the book again, read for a while, and then suddenly said, “Your car is old, and I don’t like the smell in it.”

Cheng Liu was stunned. She had indeed been driving her car for many years now. Thinking of Ji Chaozhou’s sense of smell, she had no doubts at all about what he said.

“That……”

“You drive my car,” Ji Chaozhou said quietly, turning over a page of the book, his eyes still lowered.

Oh, so she was not being rejected! Cheng Liu quickly agreed, “Okay.”

Her car has indeed been driven for too long. She will buy a new car in a few days.

… …

The congee was cooked. Ji Chaozhou stood up and went over to bring the congee out.

He filled two bowls and pushed one bowl to Cheng Liu sitting across him.

Congee served by my sweetheart!

Young President Cheng naturally took photos to commemorate such a joyous occasion and happily posted them on WeChat Moments, posting nine pictures in a row: [The congee cooked by my friend is delicious! Picture.jpg]

She didn’t notice at all that the placement of the bowls tonight and the position where she sat were exactly the same as they were this morning.

If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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T/N: This is shredded chicken congee. I imagine the one Ji Chaozhou cooked had diced vegetables stirred into the congee base and not just toppings.

Red paper cut-outs come in a variety of designs and auspicious  themes. Last time, Cheng Liu bought a ‘double happiness’ cut-out that’s meant for weddings 😂

This reads ‘Spring’.

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Chapter 58.1 — Day 20: Housewarming
Chapter 58.2 — Day 20: Housewarming