Chapter 36: Don’t Be Worse Than a Rabbit

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Don’t Be Worse Than a Rabbit

With the snow-white scenery gone, Zhang Yun hurriedly said to defuse the awkwardness, "Try my sugar-tossed tomatoes!"

Xiuxun had felt that he deliberately stood at that angle after scooping water, and combined with his previous comments about steamed buns and dumplings being the most delicious, she was initially a little embarrassed and annoyed. However, seeing him holding a basin of sugar-tossed tomatoes, her heart softened.

When a boy had someone over to play, he would offer up his toys like a treasure. Zhang Yun was just an innocent big boy.

Zhang Yun smiled and said, "Give it a taste and give me some pointers. See if there’s anything I need to improve."

Xiuxun shot him a slight sideways glance and muttered, "Who makes this much... Put it down, you don’t have to hold it up!"

She picked up a pair of chopsticks, grabbed a small slice of tomato, and examined it.

"It’s a bit strange. It looks like they don’t have skin."

Zhang Yun watched her observe the food and put the bright red tomato into her slightly red, small mouth. He unconsciously licked his lips. His mouth was a bit dry...

"Wow! Your tomatoes are really good!" Xiuxun had originally thought they were a bit bizarre, but upon tasting them, she found them to be delicious.

"Then eat more first. I made so much. There’s also tomato juice!" Zhang Yun poured her another glass of tomato juice.

Xiuxun took several bites and quickly put down her chopsticks. "I should prepare the dishes first."

"Keep eating!" Zhang Yun pointed. "I’ve already chopped the eggplants and set them to float in water. They just need to be thrown into the wok. There’s quite a lot, so you can take the rest back later."

Xiuxun shook her head helplessly. "You’re really something, making so much of everything! Peeled eggplants need to be soaked in lightly salted water, or they will quickly oxidize and turn black."

"Haha, that’s why I’m telling you to take them back."

"Start the fire!" Xiuxun commanded. Although it wasn’t her own stove, she quickly found the ginger and garlic and started chopping. She then rapidly washed the wok and heated the oil...

While cooking the eggplants, she continuously explained the key techniques to Zhang Yun. Zhang Yun didn’t take any of it in. He was solely focused on watching Xiuxun cook. When she tossed the food with the spatula, her large movements caused waves to ripple across her figure, which was quite a beautiful sight...

"Are these the only two dishes?" Xiuxun took a look. Zhang Yun hadn’t prepared anything else.

"It’s enough. It’s a really big plate." Looking at the freshly cooked braised eggplants that looked very appetizing, Zhang Yun reached out, pinched a piece, and put it in his mouth.

"You haven’t washed your hands!" Xiuxun slapped his arm.

Zhang Yun rolled his tongue around the hot food and said, "De-li-cious! It’s much better than what my dad cooks!"

"It just came out of the wok! Let’s see if it doesn’t scald your mouth with blisters." Xiuxun chuckled softly. She was also happy to receive a good review.

Zhang Yun had helped her out greatly time and time again over the past few days. She truly had no way to repay him, to the point where she could only resort to doing that... Now that she could do something small for Zhang Yun, she was very glad.

Zhang Yun packed up the remaining eggplants and some of the tossed tomatoes. "Take these back with you!"

Xiuxun found it a bit funny. "I came to give you a few vegetables, and now I have to take some back!"

"They’re all prepared. It would be a waste if they can’t be finished!"

"Then I won’t hold back. You tossed these tomatoes really well. There’s no visible powdered sugar, but they’re sweet, sour, and delicious. It makes people want more after eating!"

Zhang Yun said casually, "If you like it, I’ll make it for you again next time."

"Thank you," Xiuxun thanked him in a low voice.

"Hey! It’s just some tomatoes, what’s there to thank..."

"For what happened this morning, thank you!" Xiuxun thanked him earnestly and formally.

After leaving the pharmacy, Zhang Yun was stopped again. Both she and Auntie Pang guessed that Zhang Yun must have agreed to some conditions and let them leave first so they wouldn’t feel burdened. That was why she was able to accept Auntie Pang’s suggestion. Later on, the incident in the cornfield didn’t succeed, and things had been awkward, leaving her no opportunity to formally thank him.

Zhang Yun smiled. "Just like with Li Bing, it’s a minor thing, a matter easily resolved."

After speaking, he became serious again. "A thank-you is a thank-you, but don’t do anything foolish! If it were any other man, he would definitely just... Even for me, I might not be able to hold back next time."

Zhang Yun sighed inwardly, "Besides rationality and morals, I don’t have any Experience either! They say the first shot is always prone to misfire. How could I withstand such intense stimulation? I didn’t even draw my gun today, yet Auntie Pang still misunderstood me as being ’that fast’..."

"I know..." Xiuxun’s nose tingled, and she said softly, "Zhang Yun, you really are a good person."

"Don’t give me the ’good guy’ card." Zhang Yun couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly. "I am a normal man. If you do this again next time, I won’t care about being a good or bad person."

"Mhm!" Xiuxun nodded vigorously.

Last time, Li Bing had mentioned acting bravely for a just cause and stealing fish, but like today, few men would dare to take on a matter involving three hundred thousand for themselves. That was a massive burden! Looking at this big boy, Xiuxun was filled with warmth. Although they had no special relationship, when she had been out of her wits today, he had given her the feeling of a solid backer! This was something she had never experienced before!

"I... will go back first." She was supposed to leave right after delivering the vegetables. Because of tension and embarrassment, she hadn’t even wanted to come inside. Now that she had to leave, Xiuxun felt a bit reluctant.

She obviously hadn’t been to the Zhang Family’s home or this kitchen for the first time. But being in someone else’s place naturally wouldn’t give her any special feelings. However, right now, because of Zhang Yun, she felt a strong sense of warmth.

"Bye bye, we’ll chat on WeChat later." Zhang Yun smiled.

"Okay." Xiuxun nodded. Other than adding Zhang Yun as a friend to thank him, she hadn’t privately chatted with him about anything over the past two days.

But today, from seeing him swim ashore in the morning, to noon, and just now... combined with previously falling into the fish pond and being carried up by him, these interactions had rapidly closed the distance between the two of them, reaching a level that could be considered intimate. Now, Zhang Yun was a close, unguarded person in her heart, someone she could safely chat with in private.

Xiuxun had just nimbly tidied up the stove. After she went out, Zhang Yun didn’t have much to clean up, so he quickly stirred the steamed rice! They were so large that the rice grains couldn’t be seen; only by stirring them up would his dad not notice the strangeness.

"Uncle Fu is back. I just brought over some vegetables for you..."

Xiuxun had just stepped out of the yard when she bumped into Zhang Fu returning. She quickly explained herself, secretly rejoicing that it was a good thing he hadn’t come back earlier.

"You cooked?" Zhang Fu placed his farming tools in the yard and came over to the kitchen to take a look.

"Haha, I made sugar-tossed tomatoes. I chopped the eggplants and was originally planning to wait for you to come back and cook them. Sister-in-law Xiuqin brought some vegetables over, so I let her teach me a bit. Of course, I haven’t actually practiced it yet."

Zhang Fu came in and took a look.

Zhang Yun handed over that large glass of tomato juice. "Tomato juice I squeezed, drink it like water!"

Xiuxun had drunk half of the glass of tomato juice poured for her. Zhang Yun didn’t want to explain too much to his dad, so he pretended he was the one who drank it and picked it up to finish. As the liquid entered his mouth, he suddenly remembered: wasn’t this the one Xiuxun had drunk from?

Zhang Yun wasn’t disgusted by Xiuxun’s saliva, but rather, he thought of the concept of an indirect kiss...

"Boy, a rabbit doesn’t eat the grass near its own burrow. Don’t tell me you’re worse than a rabbit!"

"COUGH! COUGH!" His dad’s sudden warning made Zhang Yun choke directly.

"Feeling guilty?"