Before a plate of incomplete "flowers," Muffy pouted angrily at Yang Yi, who awkwardly held his chopsticks in midair.
"What do we do now?" Yang Yi was caught in a dilemma.
"Put it down! Let me take a picture first!" Muffy pursed her lips and pointed at the plate.
Fine. Yang Yi set the "pink rose" he had picked up back down. It looked the same as before, but the color was a bit darker since it had been dipped in sauce.
Muffy didn't mind, though. She cheerfully pulled out her phone and snapped a few photos. Of course, phone cameras in this era had low resolution, so the results were mediocre. Feeling unsatisfied, she ran off to grab Yang Yi's DSLR, had him take the pictures, and even posed for a shot with the "flowers."
In the frame, Muffy beamed with joy, sticking out her fingers in what she thought was a cute peace sign, radiating a girlish charm.
"I can't bear to eat them!" After all that fuss, Muffy grumbled as she sat back down. "These are works of art! How can you eat art?"
Yang Yi pondered for a moment and said, "How about I make something else? We don't have to eat this for lunch."
Muffy grabbed his arm and laughed, "Alright, I was just kidding! No need to go through all that trouble!"
"Here, you eat first!" Muffy picked up her chopsticks, took the "pink rose" that Yang Yi had already dipped in sauce, and held it up to his face. "Come on, open wide like a good boy!"
That was the tone she used to coax Xixi!
Muffy was clearly being playful. Her eyes, clear as autumn water, sparkled with mischief.
Actually, those were Muffy's own chopsticks.
But if he cared about that now, Yang Yi deserved to stay single!
Without hesitation, Yang Yi opened his mouth. He even bent down considerately, letting Muffy feed him the carrot "steamed dumpling." At the end, he lightly sucked on the tip of the chopsticks.
"Is it good?" Muffy asked eagerly, watching him chew.
Yang Yi nodded and said after swallowing, "Tastes pretty good. The meat filling has a nice texture, but it's a bit cold. You should eat up quickly!"
Muffy picked up another "pink rose." She didn't mind that the chopsticks had been in Yang Yi's mouth. She dipped it in sauce like he had and popped it into her own mouth to savor. The sauce, made from digestive-friendly vinegar and other seasonings, wasn't too salty, allowing the savory flavor of the meat filling to burst on her tongue.
"It's really good!" Muffy's eyes lit up as she mumbled with her mouth full.
She hadn't expected much—after all, many pretty dishes sacrificed taste for appearance—but Yang Yi's "flowers" turned out surprisingly delicious!
Plus, the meat filling Yang Yi had seasoned was not only flavorful but also locked in the moisture, making it even better than regular dumpling filling!
"Right?" Yang Yi smiled. Muffy's approval made all the effort he'd put into this dish worthwhile!
"You eat too!" Muffy picked up another "pink rose," dipped it in sauce, and offered it to him.
Yang Yi was taken aback. He hadn't expected Muffy to feed him again, so he lowered his head and took another bite.
As Muffy withdrew her chopsticks, a faint blush crept across her cool, elegant face. It dawned on her that she had just used those chopsticks to eat, so with them going back and forth, weren't they indirectly kissing?
To hide her embarrassment, Muffy looked down and attacked the other "flowers." But she hit a snag with the "green rose."
The cucumber slices weren't long enough and were too crisp to hold the meat filling well, unlike the others. If she wasn't careful, the whole thing would fall apart when she lifted her chopsticks!
"Hey, what do I do with this?" Muffy turned to Yang Yi for help.
Yang Yi smiled gently. He picked up his own chopsticks and said softly, "Let me handle it."
With a light touch, he steadily picked up a "green rose," dipped it in sauce, and held it out to Muffy.
"See, it works out. I fed you twice, so now it's your turn to feed me!" Muffy said, blushing as she ate the "green rose."
"The cucumber is pretty good too!" she mumbled.
"Then try the cabbage one." Yang Yi continued feeding her.
Muffy didn't just eat on her own, either. Caught up in Yang Yi's enthusiasm, she giggled and fed him in return. They took turns, one bite for you, one bite for me, quickly devouring the large plate of flowers. In the end, they even resorted to using their hands!
Yes, when Muffy couldn't pick up the "green rose" with chopsticks, she just grabbed one with her fingers, skipped the sauce, and stuffed it into Yang Yi's mouth. She laughed, "I'm full now! The rest are yours. You have to finish them, got it?"
Yang Yi nodded, but before he could swallow what was in his mouth, Muffy shoved another one in—still with her hand—playfully trying to cram his mouth full.
Yang Yi had no choice but to grab her hand. They stared at each other, eyes wide. At first, Muffy smirked like a prankster caught in the act, but as the gaze lingered, the temperature between them seemed to rise, and the air crackled with an electric charge.
Muffy pressed her lips together. For some reason, her heart was pounding wildly.
"Muffy..." Yang Yi finally finished chewing. He couldn't help licking his lips and spoke softly.
"Hmm..." Muffy felt Yang Yi gently holding her hand. She could easily pull away, but she didn't. She looked into his intense eyes, flustered and uneasy.
"Muffy, let's be together. I like you!" Yang Yi hadn't planned to confess again, but after grabbing her hand, he couldn't suppress the impulse.
How could she have predicted it? When Muffy saw the deep affection in Yang Yi's eyes, she was already mentally prepared.
She bit her lower lip. Though she couldn't hide her expression, her words still came out cool and stubborn: "No way. I can't let you off that easily!"
But that wasn't what she meant. She quickly added, "At the very least, you have to write me a new love poem on the spot. If I'm satisfied, then I'll say yes."
Yeah, she couldn't just agree so casually. Things that come too easily, men often don't cherish. She'd set one small hurdle for him.
The woman thought smugly.
Yang Yi felt a pang of disappointment at first, but after hearing Muffy's addition, he was overjoyed.
But then Muffy started second-guessing herself: "Would writing a poem be too hard? What if he can't do it?"
So she changed her mind: "Or you don't have to write a poem. Draw a comic instead—draw that shape of loving you. Make me laugh, and then it counts!"
Maybe Yang Yi could manage that?
But Yang Yi quickly shook his head and said, "No, no need to change. I'll recite a poem for you right now—one I wrote for you!"