Since Murphy was coming, Yang Yi didn't feel much like keeping the shop open anyway—after all, there were only a few customers each day. So he took down the sign early, closed up, and headed upstairs.
Yang Yi knew that Murphy had been so busy these past two months that she couldn't even eat on time, and her appetite wasn't great. So he had no intention of just throwing together a few random dishes to get by.
When Murphy arrived home with Xixi, Yang Yi was in the kitchen, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, busy cooking!
"Where's Xiaojuan?" Yang Yi asked in surprise.
Murphy pursed her lips and said with a hint of annoyance, "It's just us. Did you think everyone wants to appreciate your cooking? Xiaojuan has a date—some handsome guy has stolen her heart!"
This woman, when facing Yang Yi, seemed to be gradually letting down her guard. Every smile and every expression was full of charm, no longer wearing that cold, icy look like before.
"Daddy, it smells so good!" Xixi couldn't wait to take off her little boots and slipped into her slippers, walking ahead. When she reached the second floor, she sniffed like a little puppy, her eyes sparkling. "Is it time for dinner?"
Yang Yi took Murphy's bag and walked at the back, laughing. "Not yet, you'll have to wait a little longer. The deliciousness still needs a moment!"
But after Yang Yi ducked into the kitchen for just a few minutes, he came back out, carrying a plate of frosted strawberries. The bright red strawberries made Murphy and Xixi's mouths water, but the centers were hollowed out, filled with something white that piqued their curiosity.
"What's this?" Murphy couldn't help asking.
"This is called condensed milk frozen strawberries!" Yang Yi said with a slight smile. "I picked these big ones, cut off the stems, hollowed out the middle, poured in condensed milk, and then froze them in the fridge. It's a completely natural, handmade pre-dinner dessert. Give them a try!"
After setting the plate down, Yang Yi returned to the kitchen, but behind him, the two—one big, one small—with eyes already gleaming, couldn't wait to start eating.
"Ah, so cold!" Their voices were muffled as they exclaimed.
"Yummy, so yummy!" Xixi gasped for air but still shouted happily.
"Sweet and sour!" Murphy's voice sounded joyful, like a child who hadn't grown up.
Yang Yi was stir-frying in the kitchen and caught bits of it, couldn't help but smile.
……
Finally, it was time to eat. As Murphy and Xixi gazed longingly at the table full of dishes, Yang Yi served them the porridge he had carefully prepared.
"What's this?" Murphy asked, puzzled, looking at the soft, mushy porridge with its colorful mix of yellow, black, and light red ingredients.
"This is mixed grain porridge," Yang Yi explained. "It has pumpkin, black beans, glutinous rice, rice, millet, and peanuts, all boiled until they're soft and melt in your mouth. It's especially good for the stomach!"
Xixi couldn't resist sneaking a small spoonful and happened to get a peanut she liked. The little one blinked her big eyes and said happily, "Yummy!"
"Xixi! That's rude. Wait until your dad sits down, then we can all start!" Murphy, who valued manners, immediately put on a stern face and scolded her.
Xixi had no choice but to obediently place her little hands on her knees and sit up straight. But her eyes sparkled with mischief, and she stuck out her tongue at her dad in a playful grimace, as if secretly complaining about her mom's strictness.
Yang Yi smiled nonchalantly and continued explaining, though he kept it brief because Xixi was getting impatient to eat!
"Today's meal theme is 'Eat Well,' and to eat well, you first need to whet your appetite. So I have to recommend this sweet and sour squid—it's a twist on sweet and sour pork, but the base is squid, which is more elastic and chewy!"
"This is stuffed tofu. It might look like regular tofu, but inside it's filled with a mix of minced carrots and mushrooms!"
"And this is Xixi's favorite soda chicken wings—just lightly fried in oil, so it won't be too greasy."
"This is..."
Finally, Yang Yi finished, and the queen gave a satisfied nod, waved her chopsticks, and commanded gracefully, "Let's eat!"
Xixi had been drooling with anticipation. Hearing this, she happily scooped up her porridge with her little spoon and ate it with relish.
"Yummy! It's sweet, Xixi loves it!" Xixi said, her mouth full, probably having gotten some pumpkin. "It's tastier than Auntie's!"
Murphy said sternly, "No talking while eating, Yang Xiaoxi. How many times do I have to tell you?"
Yang Yi picked up a piece of soda chicken wings for his daughter and placed it on the small plate in front of her. He tried to mediate, "It's fine, it's just a meal. What's wrong with a little chat?"
"Of course it matters. Xixi is a girl—how can she eat like those rough men, talking with food flying everywhere?" Murphy wasn't happy with that and put down her chopsticks to argue seriously.
Well, if this turned into an argument, they wouldn't get to eat at all.
Yang Yi quickly shut his mouth and just kept serving them food. Xixi was too small to reach the dishes herself, so Yang Yi did what Murphy would have done, and he also gave Murphy some soft, smooth tofu and sweet and sour squid...
Murphy wasn't really used to others serving her food. Having been raised to be independent, she even resisted others' attentiveness.
But this time was a bit different—it was Yang Yi serving her.
For some reason, a strange feeling lingered in her heart.
Was it warmth? Happiness? Or something else? Murphy couldn't quite tell.
So she hesitated but didn't refuse.
"Actually... it's because his cooking is so good!" Murphy made an excuse in her mind. "Otherwise, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction!"
Yang Yi's cooking was, of course, a feast for the eyes and the palate. Murphy and Xixi ate until they were stuffed, unwilling to move from their chairs. In the end, Yang Yi cleared the dishes and suggested, "How about we take a walk on the embankment?"
"No, I don't want to," Murphy shook her head.
"What's the harm? It's evening now, and the embankment is basically empty. The breeze is nice too," Yang Yi urged. "Let's go out for a bit, clear your head. I'll drive you back later."
Xixi got excited and raised her arms high to get her dad's attention, shouting, "I want to go too, I want to go too!"
"Well... alright," Murphy hesitated but agreed.
The night breeze from the Grand Canal blew gently, and three figures—two big, one small—appeared on the dark embankment. Yang Yi walked at the back, carefully watching over the two in front. Xixi hopped and skipped ahead, but her little hand was held by Murphy.
The embankment was actually quite wide, with raised guardrails, but Murphy still wasn't entirely at ease.
In fact, this was the first time Yang Yi and Murphy had gone out for a walk together. If it weren't for Xixi, the ever-laughing little ray of sunshine, the atmosphere might have been a bit awkward!
But even so, Murphy and Yang Yi didn't know how to start a conversation. Silence, then more silence.
Yang Yi broke the silence. "I really like your song 'Strangers Like Us.'"
In the darkness, the water of the Grand Canal gently lapped against the embankment, the sound soothing. Murphy turned her head and saw Yang Yi's bright eyes in the night.
As if by some unspoken connection, Murphy's voice was soft as she said, "How about I sing it for you now?"
"But there's no accompaniment," Yang Yi said regretfully.
"Ink-black cold night rain... can't soak through my heart/Like this old path... waiting for one who won't come/Can never wash away, that deep brand of love..." Murphy's ethereal voice, carrying its own melody, began to sing softly.
Yang Yi fell silent, listening quietly.
Xixi, who loved hearing her mom sing, stopped being mischievous and obediently matched her mom's steps, as if swaying to the rhythm.
"...This road you say is a bit dark/But you won't give me company/So-called care is just coldness/Leaving me to carry the sorrow alone..."
Murphy's singing was melancholic and weary, like a wine that intoxicates without being harsh. Yang Yi found himself lost in it.
He gazed absentmindedly at Murphy's silhouette in the dark. This quiet, beautiful woman, like an orchid in an empty valley, stirred a sense of pity in him. He couldn't help but let his mind wander...
Strangers like us—so what path were the two of them walking now?