Zhou Yuqian, of course, was deliberately not mentioning money. He was curious if Lai Hui would still cook for him if he stopped paying. The result was very satisfying; over the past week, Lai Hui had been like a housewife, cooking, cleaning, and keeping the place tidy, allowing him to come home and forget about work troubles, sit on the sofa to watch TV, or read in his study. During this time, Lai Hui would always make him coffee or brew tea. His sense of self-satisfaction quickly inflated, and he started to enjoy this lifestyle, declining unnecessary social engagements after work and heading straight “home” in Xiao Li’s car. Both had their own thoughts but managed to coexist harmoniously, at least without arguments. Zhou Yuqian began to think, perhaps this was what being at home felt like. Lai Hui began to wonder how long he intended to stay.
That evening during dinner, Zhou Yuqian, looking at the simple home-cooked dishes on the table, asked with unusual consideration, “Is cooking tiring?” Lai Hui thought he was referring to the overtime pay, and if she said it was hard, he might think she was trying to raise her price. Better to make him think she enjoyed it; perhaps he’d be even happier. So she smiled lightly and said, “How could cooking be tiring? As long as you don’t find it bad.” Zhou Yuqian was delighted; she was genuinely cooking for him. He then asked, “What about washing clothes?” Lai Hui’s smile grew brighter, saying, “Your clothes are dry-cleaned, and there are only a few undergarments to wash. Of course, it’s not hard!” Inside, she thought, “Now you should be even more moved, right?” Zhou Yuqian indeed beamed, placing a piece of fish in her bowl, his tone unusually gentle, “I won’t mistreat you!” Lai Hui thought he meant the overtime pay and was delighted, immediately saying, “Just tell me what you’d like to eat in the future, and I’ll buy the groceries!” Although their thoughts differed, they could still find happiness in their interactions.
