After a Contract Marriage with a Cold and Older Person - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Making Dinner

Ji Wenxu suddenly stepped forward, bending his waist slightly to look him in the eye.

Faced with the suddenly magnified face, Song Tingyun’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat, then began to race. He immediately suppressed his smile and frowned, asking, “What is it now?”

Ji Wenxu stroked his chin, “I didn’t expect you to laugh.”

Song Tingyun: ?

Ji Wenxu: “Actually, you should smile more often in the future when you’re not busy. It makes you look more approachable.”

Song Tingyun was speechless. He suspected his sudden rapid heartbeat wasn’t due to anything else, but purely out of being annoyed.

He stood up, ready to return to the study.

Ji Wenxu quickly followed behind him, like an inseparable puppy, chattering non-stop, “Why are you going back to the study to work again? It’s Saturday, for goodness sake! Can’t you relax a bit?”

Song Tingyun couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to him.

Ji Wenxu continued, “If you really don’t want to play games anymore, then come with me to the kitchen and make dinner, how about that?”

He had suggested it on a whim.

After all, before he moved in, the massive refrigerator contained nothing but mineral water and air. He didn’t expect Song Tingyun to actually join him in cooking dinner.

Unexpectedly, Song Tingyun suddenly turned around. Ji Wenxu couldn’t stop in time and almost bumped into him.

For a moment, their faces were extremely close. Ji Wenxu smelled a faint, subtle fragrance—not the cologne he had smelled on Song Tingyun before—and it was quite pleasant.

He quickly took half a step back, scratching his head awkwardly, and asked, “Why did you suddenly turn around?”

Song Tingyun tilted his head, looking confused, “Didn’t you suggest I should cook with you?”

This left Ji Wenxu speechless. He asked hesitantly, “Um… are you serious?”

After all, he hadn’t thought it through when he said it, and he didn’t expect Song Tingyun to take the casual remark seriously.

Song Tingyun: “Or what?”

Well, it seemed Song Tingyun wasn’t joking.

Ji Wenxu grabbed his wrist and walked towards the living room entrance, saying, “Since you’re going to be my helper, I’ll reluctantly prepare a feast tonight.”

Song Tingyun didn’t struggle out of his grip and followed behind him.

Ji Wenxu then said, “But it’s too early to cook right now, and there aren’t many vegetables in the fridge. We need to go buy some groceries at the community supermarket first.”

Song Tingyun’s expression was lazy, “Can’t we just call someone to deliver them?”

He was typically the kind of person who would avoid moving if possible, unwilling to expend too much energy on anything outside of work. Accompanying Ji Wenxu to play games today was already an exception.

Ji Wenxu quickly replied, “Just consider it exercise! You’re going to get moldy staying at home, aren’t you?”

Ji Wenxu was too headstrong. Even Song Tingyun’s refusal behind him didn’t work, so he was dragged out the door by Ji Wenxu, wearing slippers and a coat over his pajamas.

The afternoon sun was beautiful.

The sunset enveloped the city. Song Tingyun raised his hand to shield the evening light from his face.

He slowly narrowed his eyes, looking at Ji Wenxu walking slightly ahead of him. The sunlight fell on him, turning his soft chestnut curls into an orangey gold.

He was so tall.

The sunlight, it was really blinding.

Song Tingyun rolled his eyes, thinking.

…

In the supermarket, Song Tingyun walked in front while Ji Wenxu pushed the shopping cart behind.

They didn’t exchange many words.

Song Tingyun would pick up whichever vegetable caught his eye and put it into the cart. Ji Wenxu would follow behind, picking out the vegetables that didn’t look good.

Song Tingyun showed no sign of displeasure about this.

He felt like he had become a bit childish, such as deliberately picking out less-than-perfect vegetables for the cart.

Then he would hear Ji Wenxu’s endless nagging, complaining about how he had managed to grow up, and why he lacked even basic common sense.

Song Tingyun merely let the words go in one ear and out the other, not taking them to heart.

Song Tingyun paid the bill.

The two of them carried the purchased vegetables and left the supermarket to return home together.

The timing was just right to start making dinner upon arriving home.

The kitchen wasn’t small, but since they were both grown men, having them both squeezed into the kitchen made it feel surprisingly narrow.

Ji Wenxu hadn’t expected Song Tingyun to help him much, so he only assigned him the simple task of washing vegetables.

To be honest, Song Tingyun really didn’t want to be in the kitchen. Being forced to take on the chore of washing vegetables, his entire face darkened.

Ji Wenxu acted as if he didn’t notice the fantastic changes in his expression.

Corn and pork rib soup was simmering on the stove.

After the soup boiled, the fresh aroma of corn spread out.

Ji Wenxu reached out to grab the ladle, but Song Tingyun, who was washing vegetables nearby, reached out slightly and handed the ladle next to him to Ji Wenxu.

Ji Wenxu was stunned for a moment when he received the ladle, then said, “Song Tingyun, I’ve really figured something out.”

Song Tingyun didn’t look up. He was annoyed and restless from washing vegetables and didn’t want to talk to the person who made him work.

Ji Wenxu noticed his hands while washing the vegetables.

The water flowing from the faucet was cold. Song Tingyun’s slender fingers were turning red from the cold, the veins on the back of his hand were clearly visible, his wrist was thin, and the wrist bone protruded.

Ji Wenxu was momentarily distracted before he laughed heartily and said, “I’ve realized that maybe we can actually remain friends even after we divorce in the future. I feel like our personalities are a really good match.”

Hearing this, Song Tingyun raised his head and looked at him with an expression that said, “Are you serious?”

Ji Wenxu chuckled, “I’m not joking.”

Song Tingyun lowered his head again.

He said expressionlessly, with a cool voice, “I’m sorry to disappoint your expectation.”

“I won’t develop a friendship with my ex-wife or ex-husband.”

Ji Wenxu had heard Song Tingyun say this before, so it was expected, but this time he pressed curiously, “Why?”

Song Tingyun pushed up his sliding glasses, “To prevent them from being unable to resist rekindling our old flame.”

If it were anyone else, Ji Wenxu would have mocked them for saying that, but if it was Song Tingyun… he certainly had the credentials to say it.

But Ji Wenxu didn’t agree with him saying that about him. He countered, “We never liked each other in the first place, so how could we rekindle anything?”

Hearing this, Song Tingyun finally looked up again, but he didn’t say anything, only giving him a resentful look.

Ji Wenxu felt he was angry.

He was bewildered, wondering why this person was always sulking for no reason.

Fortunately, dinner was ready quickly.

Ji Wenxu felt that although Song Tingyun hadn’t been much help, the cooking process was indeed faster today, and even his cooking skill seemed to have improved significantly.

The two sat at the dining table, silently eating their meal in strange quietness.

Until a phone ring broke the peculiar silence.

It was Song Tingyun’s phone.

He put down his chopsticks, glanced at the caller ID, picked up the phone, and left the dining table to take the call on the balcony.

Ji Wenxu didn’t see what the caller ID said.

He usually wasn’t curious about Song Tingyun’s private matters, but Song Tingyun turning away like that made him extremely curious about who was calling. So, he deliberately slowed down his eating and tilted his head to listen.

Unfortunately, Song Tingyun’s voice was low, only occasionally giving a response. Ji Wenxu twitched his ear but couldn’t make out the details of the conversation.

However, he noticed that Song Tingyun suddenly looked very pleased.

This made Ji Wenxu even more curious.

Song Tingyun finished his call quickly and sat back down.

He hadn’t failed to notice Ji Wenxu’s subtle movements just now. Seeing him pretend not to care while being obviously interested, Song Tingyun intentionally acted as if he hadn’t seen anything.

Ji Wenxu predictably couldn’t sit still.

He pretended to be casual and asked, “Do you still have work calls this late?”

Song Tingyun suppressed his smile and said, “It was the bridal wear shop confirming the time for our appointment.”

Ji Wenxu was silent for a few seconds upon hearing this, then displayed a look of sudden realization, “Ah, right! We’re going to try on our engagement clothes tomorrow. I almost forgot.”

Song Tingyun had long anticipated Ji Wenxu’s lack of attention to their engagement, so he felt no inner fluctuation.

Ji Wenxu followed up by asking, “What time did they set?”

Song Tingyun put a piece of broccoli in his bowl, “Around nine in the morning. We can have lunch outside afterwards.”

“Sounds good,” Ji Wenxu had no objection. “I have no problem with that.”

After dinner, Ji Wenxu quickly tidied up the kitchen. These trivial chores were easy for him to do automatically.

When he came out of the kitchen, he saw the light spilling from the study again.

He had guessed correctly; Song Tingyun had gone back to work in the study.

Ji Wenxu pushed the door open and walked in, sitting cross-legged on the chair opposite the desk. Song Tingyun didn’t look up at him the whole time.

Ji Wenxu boredly twirled a pen, resting his other hand on his cheek, carefully observing Song Tingyun and asking, “I thought you should be heading to bed.”

Song Tingyun turned the page of a document, his expression normal, saying, “I have a lot of work.”

“I wasted so much time this afternoon because of you, so now I have to catch up on what I missed.”

Ji Wenxu felt bored and let out a “Tch,” then said, “How can you call it wasting time? Didn’t you have fun playing?”

Song Tingyun nodded as if acknowledging it, “Indeed. I should thank you.”

Ji Wenxu immediately feigned a generous look, “You don’t have to thank me then.”

But his expression still looked like he was fishing for praise.

Song Tingyun felt like he could see Ji Wenxu’s non-existent tail vigorously wagging behind him. He couldn’t help but chuckle softly, “Either stay here quietly, or go back to your room to sleep. Don’t bother me anymore.”

Ji Wenxu immediately covered his mouth. He had no intention of going back to his room to rest so early.

So, for the rest of the time, the two sat at the desk in silence.

Ji Wenxu played on his phone for a while, then casually pulled a book on social economics from the shelf to read, but he soon became bored.

However, he saw that Song Tingyun seemed genuinely focused on his work, and he felt embarrassed to disturb him again. After thinking for a moment, he pulled out a fresh sheet of A4 paper and picked up a pencil to doodle on it.

Song Tingyun glanced at him but didn’t intervene, letting Ji Wenxu do whatever he wanted, as long as he wasn’t disturbing him.

Time ticked by.

It was quickly past ten o’clock at night.

Ji Wenxu’s biological clock started kicking in, and he yawned several times, but Song Tingyun showed no sign of fatigue.

Ji Wenxu thought to himself that he really couldn’t out-stamina him in staying up late. So, he put down the pencil and paper and left the study to go back to his room to sleep.

Hearing the study door being gently closed.

Song Tingyun looked up for a moment, then lowered his head again.

Close to midnight.

Song Tingyun finally finished dealing with the piled-up work documents and got up to tidy the desk.

He first cleaned up the area in front of him. When he reached out to clean up the mess Ji Wenxu had left, his hand paused in the air.

He slowly frowned, picking up the A4 paper and turning it towards himself.

On the paper was a sketch of him while he was working.

The drawing style wasn’t refined, but the spirit of the subject clearly showed it was him.

Song Tingyun’s long eyelashes fluttered, his eyes slightly wavering. He then turned his head to look at the closed study door.