Cinderella Innocent and Boss Charming - Chapter 361

Chapter 361 I Like Everything You Cook

In the kitchen, a man in a white shirt was cooking in an orderly manner. He had not cooked for a few years, but he was not unskilled in the kitchen. This skill would always remain with him, ready to be utilized at any time.

He turned around and glanced at Du Xiaoxian, who was standing by the door and stunned. He snorted, saying, “You slept the entire afternoon. You sure know how to enjoy yourself.”

“It’s you. Why are you here?” Du Xiaoxian asked as she hid the wine behind her back.

“This is my home. Is it so strange for me to be here?” Gu Nianbin said coolly. Compared to his grim demeanor at noon, he was in a much better mood now.

Du Xiaoxian frowned and thought for a moment. She did not hear the sound of the car returning. Did she sleep so soundly? She asked again, “When did you get back?”

“I wasn’t feeling too well, so I didn’t go to the company this afternoon.”

Du Xiaoxian widened her eyes in shock. “You didn’t go to the company? You were here the whole afternoon?”

Gu Nianbin scoffed at her surprise. “You weren’t even aware that there was someone else at home. I have no idea what’s going on in your head.”

Du Xiaoxian was slow to react. At this time, she finally noticed the first half of what he said. She then asked, “Where do you feel unwell?” No matter how bad her relationship with Gu Nianbin was, she still had the instinct to care for him.

“Let me see.” She walked forward to check his forehead. Gu Nianbin turned his head and avoided her. His voice was gruff. “I’m fine.”

Du Xiaoxian dared to show her concern because his expression was calm and he had talked so much to her. She did not expect to be rejected. She was a little disappointed and stood there silently.

Almost all the men Du Xiaoxian knew wore white shirts, but no one looked as good as Gu Nianbin in them! Because he was at home, he had unbuttoned the top two buttons, revealing his wheat-colored skin. She could vaguely see his strong chest muscles. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his strong and powerful arm. He might have just woken up. His hair was a little messy, but there was no trace of exhaustion on his features. His eyes were deep-set, his nose was high, and his moist, thin lips were gently pursed. His jaw wasn’t tense, and his expression was relaxed. Du Xiaoxian’s eyes were nearly overwhelmed by the sight!

In fact, Lu Haochen was no worse than Gu Nianbin. However, from Lu Haochen, she did not get this kind of feeling that made her heart beat faster. A splatter of oil suddenly made a loud sound in the pan, startling her. She quickly walked to the wall to grab an apron without thinking. “Put this on so that it won’t stain your clothes.”

As soon as she said this, she felt that she was a little rude. Maybe he would reject her just like he did just now. However, Gu Nianbin lowered his head and actually let her put the apron on him. He naturally raised his hands, waiting for her to help him tie the apron around him.

Du Xiaoxian’s heart was pounding. Her throat felt so dry. She swallowed, and then reached out to tie the belt of the apron into a bow. She did not leave and just stood there after that. They were so close to each other. If she just took one step forward, she would be leaning against his back. However, this step seemed so far away from her. It was as if she was separated from him by the entire Milky Way and was unable to reach the other side.

She stood still. Gu Nianbin did not move either. They stood there like two wooden stakes. She was so nervous that she trembled non-stop. Finally, she made up her mind and took that step. She hugged Gu Nianbin’s waist and pressed her face against his back. “Brother, I was wrong!”

Gu Nianbin was stunned and froze in place. The air seemed to freeze, and the only sound that could be heard came from the pan. Smoke slowly rose from it along with a burnt smell. Gu Nianbin did not shake her off. He picked up the spatula and quickly stirred the vegetables in the pan. Suddenly, he said, “There’s garlic over there. Wash two cloves. Hurry up!”

The man did not respond for a long time. Du Xiaoxian was actually at a loss. When she heard this, she quickly answered and went to wash the garlic by the sink. The awkwardness disappeared just like that.

After washing the garlic, she took it to the chopping board to cut it. At this moment, Gu Nianbin turned to look at her and said, “Forget it. All the food is burnt. We can’t eat it.”

Du Xiaoxian walked over and looked at the food in the pan. “It’s not seriously burnt. It’s still edible. Let’s not waste it. If you don’t eat it, I’ll eat it.”

It was green pepper with fried beef, which was Gu Nianbin’s specialty dish. It had been a long time since Du Xiaoxian had eaten food cooked by him. She was willing to eat it even if it had been burned into a black lump. Gu Nianbin handed the spatula over to her and silently walked over to chop the garlic. After chopping it, he didn’t put it on the plate. Instead, he threw it into the pot, took the spatula, and continued to cook it in the pan. The fragrance of garlic seemed to cover the burnt smell.

“It smells so good!” Du Xiaoxian took a deep breath.

“It could have been even better.” Gu Nianbin sighed.

He said it very casually as though they were an ordinary couple. Du Xiaoxian suddenly felt like she couldn’t read him at all. In fact, she had never understood him. His attitude toward her seemed to be much better. However, as soon as she took the initiative, he would shrink back into his shell and keep a distance from her. Du Xiaoxian thought of a phrase—keep her at arm’s length. Well, it was not bad. It was better than having to deal with his icy-cold face.

After that, it made sense for her to continue to help him in the kitchen. Gu Nianbin still did not speak much and only spoke to her when he asked her to do things. Du Xiaoxian would always respond softly and do as she was told. When she did things, Gu Nianbin would occasionally glance at her. Even though Du Xiaoxian kept her head down, she could feel his gaze. It was like the light autumn sunshine. She felt a slight burning sensation when it landed on her.

The dishes were soon placed on the table. After Du Xiaoxian finished scooping the rice, she sat down and waited for Gu Nianbin to join her at the table to eat.

“Where is the bottle of red wine you just took?” Gu Nianbin asked as he walked out with a small plate of sauce.

“Do you want to drink wine?” asked Du Xiaoxian with some embarrassment when she recalled how she had thought he was a thief.

Gu Nianbin smiled, but there was a hint of self-mockery in his smile. “It’s rare that we get to have dinner together. Let’s have some!”

Du Xiaoxian got up and went to the kitchen to get the bottle of red wine. Seeing that there was only one glass on the table, she said, “Let’s get another glass. I want to drink some too.”

Gu Nianbin raised his eyebrows and glanced at her. He turned around and took out another glass from the wine cabinet. He then placed it on the table. Du Xiaoxian poured two glasses of wine. She picked up a glass and was about to say something.

Gu Nianbin suddenly said, “Have you washed your hands?”

Du Xiaoxian was stunned. She had washed her hands when she was helping in the kitchen. However, when she heard his disgusted tone, she hesitated for a moment before heading back to the kitchen to wash her hands.

When she came out, Gu Nianbin had already started eating by himself. She sat down silently, cleared her throat, and picked up her wine glass again to speak.

“Eat first. Don’t drink on an empty stomach,” said Gu Nianbin.

She was forced to put her wine glass down again. She picked up her chopsticks and ate two mouthfuls of rice. The plate of slightly burnt green pepper with fried beef actually tasted pretty good. She deliberately put the plate in front of her because she did not want him to eat the burnt dish.

Although Gu Nianbin did not say a word, he seemed to reach for that dish more frequently than her. They seemed to be in a competition and only ate that single dish. The beef dish was finished really quickly. Gu Nianbin stood up and put it back into the kitchen. After that, they both seemed to eat a little slower. As usual, Gu Nianbin remained silent. Occasionally, there were the sounds of chopsticks clinking against the bowl. Although it was quiet, Du Xiaoxian did not feel uncomfortable or sad. This was because the man sitting across her seemed to be in a pretty good mood. He seemed at ease.

Du Xiaoxian also relaxed because she was influenced by him. She even commented on the taste of the dishes. Gu Nianbin listened silently and finally said, “It’s good as long as you like it!”

A thought flashed through Du Xiaoxian’s mind, and she gave him one of her rare compliments. “I like everything you cook.”

The corner of his lips slightly curled. He looked like he was about to smile. He finished his last sip of wine and said, “I’m done eating. Take your time with the rest.” He quickly got up and left.

His easy-going tone stunned Du Xiaoxian. He was acting really different from usual today. Du Xiaoxian thought that they would be able to chat happily since he was in a good mood. Maybe the ice that was between them would melt.

She brought the bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen to wash them. Just as she rolled up her sleeves and was about to get to work, Gu Nianbin came in. He took a cup and brewed some tea. Du Xiaoxian was a little upset with herself. She knew that Gu Nianbin had the habit of drinking tea after a meal, but she forgot to make tea for him.

She walked over and said, “Let me do it!”

He caught her hand gently, and then immediately let go. His voice was a little gruff. “No need!”

Du Xiaoxian quickly retreated back to the sink to wash the dishes. She felt a little uneasy. He was probably upset with her. He cooked so many dishes, but she did not even make a cup of tea for him.

Before leaving, Gu Nianbin said, “There is a pair of rubber gloves in the cabinet…”

“It’s fine, I don’t need those,” Du Xiaoxian said.

His eyes focused on her face before he left with the tea.

Du Xiaoxian stood there and thought for a while. She ended up putting on the rubber gloves. She did not dare to go against him at all. If he felt she was disobedient, she would be in big trouble.

Du Xiaoxian finished washing the dishes and poured herself a cup of tea. She peeked out from the kitchen door and saw Gu Nianbin sitting on the sofa watching TV. She slowly walked over with the tea and sat down beside Gu Nianbin.

The two of them watched the news broadcast very intently. In the end, they also watched the weather forecast. Du Xiaoxian wanted to find an opportunity to talk to him. Now, there were only the two of them here. Even if they clashed countless times, no one would see them.

She pondered for a moment before saying, “Gu Nianbin.”

He crossed his arms and slowly turned to look at her with a forced smile. “I remember you only called me by my full name when you were angry before.”

“Nianbin.” Du Xiaoxian reacted quickly and immediately dropped his surname.

“Forget it. Just call me by my full name!” Gu Nianbin said.

To Du Xiaoxian, this was an improvement. Previously, he only allowed her to call him “Young Master”.

“Gu Nianbin, I think… I…” she stammered. However, at that moment, Gu Nianbin’s phone rang.

He answered the phone, and his expression gradually darkened. Du Xiaoxian could hear his tone becoming grim. “What on earth is he trying to do?”

The other party probably said something else, but Gu Nianbin sneered. “He sure has a lot of nerve!”

The other party seemed to be trying to persuade him. Gu Nianbin became impatient and said, “I know what I’m doing.” He then hung up the phone. When he looked at Du Xiaoxian again, the expression in his eyes had changed. A cold light flashed in his eyes and made her feel a little panicked about what was going to happen.

Du Xiaoxian thought that he would lose his temper, but he did not. He just went upstairs without saying a word.

Du Xiaoxian was baffled. She did not know how she had offended Gu Nianbin. Could it be related to that phone call?

She grabbed a pillow and held it in her arms. She sat cross-legged on the sofa, deep in thought.