MQSP - Chapter 5
Chapter 5
After putting Lin Yuqing's clothes in a basin to soak, Baiye hurried downstairs to the kitchen.
"Auntie, is the fish cleaned?"
"Hmm? There it is, lying there all clean. I guarantee it won't be jumping up again," Xia Xiaozi couldn't help but tease.
Baiye gave an awkward smile and rolled up her sleeves. She stared at the fish for a moment, recalling the recipe for pickled fish and the filleting technique she'd seen online.
She usually enjoyed studying recipes because Lin Yuqing loved good food. However, being at school all the time, she had memorized plenty of recipes but rarely had the chance to practice. When she finally picked up the kitchen knife, her hand trembled noticeably.
"Are you sure you can handle it? Want me to help?"
"I'll try!" Baiye took a deep breath. She pressed down on the fish with her left hand and held the knife horizontally with her right, clumsily slicing inch by inch. The fish was a bit soft and the knife wasn't sharp, making the process difficult. Baiye was so focused she didn't even notice Lin Yuqing standing at the kitchen door, hands on her hips, watching her with a grave expression.
"Be careful, don't cut your hand," Xia Xiaozi reminded her.
"Gu Baiye, get out here," Lin Yuqing snapped, her voice sharp.
Baiye jumped. Auntie Lin rarely used her full name. She subconsciously assumed she had done something to make her angry. She turned to look at Lin Yuqing in a daze, her hands frozen, completely at a loss.
Xia Xiaozi was also taken aback. Had the cat been let out of the bag? It couldn't be this fast!
"Go see what's got her so worked up now," Xia Xiaozi mouthed, nudging her chin toward the door.
"Oh, okay. Hey, save the fish for me to cook!"
"Got it."
Baiye washed her hands and left the kitchen. She saw Lin Yuqing sitting on the sofa, fiddling with the TV remote. She quickly poured a glass of water and placed it in front of her.
"Auntie Lin," Baiye said obediently, then stood to the side.
Lin Yuqing glanced at her, and Baiye guiltily lowered her head.
However, after waiting for a while, Lin Yuqing said nothing. Baiye was completely baffled, wondering what this was all about.
"Auntie Lin?"
"Um… if there's nothing else, can I go back to cooking?"
"Sit."
"Huh? Oh." She obediently sat on the adjacent sofa.
"It's been a while since I asked about your studies. How is school? Are you getting along with your classmates?"
Hearing this, Baiye's heart skipped a beat. Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched unconsciously.
"It's good. The school is great, I like it a lot. I'm getting along well with my classmates, too. I'll work hard for the final exams."
Seeing the girl looking like she was facing a formidable enemy, Lin Yuqing found it rather amusing. "You're in university now. You don't need to put so much pressure on yourself. Spend more time with your classmates, make some friends."
"Okay, I will."
Lin Yuqing fell silent again, frequently changing channels with the remote, seemingly a little displeased. She really disliked the overly formal, almost deferential way Baiye spoke to her. It felt too distant. But she didn't know how to bring it up, and after stewing in her own annoyance for a moment, she let it go.
Baiye glanced toward the kitchen just as Xia Xiaozi came out. "Xiao Ye, all that's left is the fish. We're waiting for you."
"Okay," Baiye replied. She looked at Lin Yuqing, who didn't seem to react much. After letting her know, she got up and returned to the kitchen.
【Lin Yuqing: So she only came back to cook?】
"How did it go? What did she say?" Xia Xiaozi asked in a hushed, conspiratorial whisper, glancing toward the living room.
"Hmm? She just asked about my studies. It was nothing."
"That's good, that's good." Xia Xiaozi patted her chest in relief.
"Auntie, does Auntie Lin really dislike me studying acting?"
"Tsk, well…" Xia Xiaozi thought for a moment, wondering how to phrase it without discouraging the kid.
"Actually… it's probably because she's been in the entertainment industry for so long. She knows how hard this line of work is and doesn't want you to follow in her footsteps."
"But hey, I still support your decision. If you like it, you should go for it."
"Yeah." Baiye nodded, a flicker of unease passing through her.
"Don't overthink it. Let's cook first. I'm waiting to taste your skills!"
"Okay."
Half an hour later, with Xia Xiaozi's help, the fragrant pickled fish was ready. Baiye ladled half a bowl of broth into a small soup bowl, laid a bed of vermicelli at the bottom, arranged a few slices of tender white fish on top, and garnished it with a few pieces of green vegetables.
"Alright, let's serve it. I'm starving just looking at it," Xia Xiaozi said, swallowing her saliva without exaggeration.
"Auntie Lin." Baiye set Lin Yuqing's portion on the table and called out to her.
There was a small soup bowl, three small dishes of stir-fried vegetables, and a small half-bowl of rice. Lin Yuqing had to maintain her figure and couldn't eat too much, so her daily meals were portion-controlled. No matter how delicious a dish was, once her portion was finished, that was it. Xia Xiaozi would not give her any more.
Lin Yuqing came to the table and glanced at the dishes. Her eyes paused on the bowl of pickled fish, and her brow relaxed.
Baiye secretly watched Lin Yuqing's expression from the side, feeling a sense of satisfaction at this sight.
Xia Xiaozi then brought her own and Baiye's food to the table. Lin Yuqing's just-relaxed brow immediately furrowed again. When she saw the large clay pot brimming with fish, the word "jealousy" was practically written on her face.
"Mmm! It smells so good!" Xia Xiaozi, not yet sensing the danger, said, "Come on, Xiao Ye. You worked hard today, eat up."
"Okay!" Baiye sat up straight, waiting for Lin Yuqing to pick up her chopsticks first.
Lin Yuqing picked up a slice of fish and examined it. It was cut quite thin, translucent and glistening. The tender white flesh was coated in broth, looking incredibly appetizing.
"Don't worry, this kind of fish is boneless," Baiye said, her face full of anticipation.
Lin Yuqing took a bite. The rich broth spread across her tongue—a slight sourness, a faint sweetness, and a hint of spice. The fish was very tender, melting the moment it touched her tongue.
Lin Yuqing pressed her lips together, savoring the taste.
"How is it? Is it good?" Xia Xiaozi asked on Baiye's behalf.
"The broth is too strong. It overpowers the natural flavor of the fish."
"…" Xia Xiaozi's smiling face immediately fell. This woman, would it kill her to give a compliment!
"I'll work on it again when I get back," Baiye said.
"I don't think you should. Cooking fish is such a hassle, and I'm not a big fan of it anyway. Besides, a certain someone doesn't seem to appreciate it, so don't waste your effort," Xia Xiaozi said in a seemingly detached tone, not daring to look at Lin Yuqing the entire time. She knew her boss's expression must be absolutely foul right now, maybe even murderous.
The other two didn't speak, and the three of them ate in silence.
A phone rang. Baiye paused for a moment before realizing it was hers. "Excuse me." She quickly got up, went to the coffee table, and picked up her phone. It was an unknown number.
"Hello, may I ask who's calling?"
"Ah, Baiye? It's Su Yu. We met this afternoon."
"Huh? Oh!" Baiye instinctively glanced at Lin Yuqing, then quickly turned her back and covered the receiver. "Sorry, just a moment."
"Excuse me, Auntie Lin, I have to take this call. You two go ahead and eat." She hurried upstairs.
Lin Yuqing, who had been enjoying her meal, suddenly lost her appetite. Watching Baiye's retreating back, her brows knitted together tightly.
"That's strange. Who was that? So secretive," Xia Xiaozi said, also very curious. The girl usually told her everything.
Xia Xiaozi continued to work on the fish, not noticing that Lin Yuqing had been holding her chopsticks motionless for a long time.
"Xiao Zi." After a while, Lin Yuqing, who had been lost in thought, seemed to have a sudden realization.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"Is she… dating someone?"
"Pfft… cough, cough… Wait a minute. You're talking about Xiao Ye? Dating??" Xia Xiaozi was stunned for a long moment, then almost burst out laughing.
"No way. How old is Xiao Ye? She wouldn't be dating so young…" Wait a minute…
"She's already nineteen. It's not considered dating too young anymore," Lin Yuqing said with a grave expression.
Right, nineteen!
Xia Xiaozi had always thought of her as the little kid who hadn't grown up. The sudden realization that the little kid she'd watched grow up was now nineteen left Xia Xiaozi visibly stunned.
Does this mean I'm getting old!?
"You… find a chance to probe her," Lin Yuqing said, finally forcing out the words after a long hesitation.
"Probe… probe what?" Xia Xiaozi was still lost in the thought of her own aging.
"Ah, a boyfriend? Okay, I'll go ask her in a bit." Xia Xiaozi had just agreed when she felt something was off.
"Hey, wait a minute. It's perfectly normal for her to have a boyfriend at this age. Why should I interfere? Besides, I'm not really interested in this topic. If you want to know, ask her yourself!"
"…" Lin Yuqing was completely rebuffed. "Is this how you act as her aunt?"
"I…" Xia Xiaozi turned her head, avoiding Lin Yuqing's gaze.
Meanwhile, Baiye had no idea that the two downstairs had let their thoughts wander off to who-knows-where. She was still thrilled to have received a call from Su Yu, whom she had initially thought was unreliable.
"Baiye, give me your email address. I'll send you the script. Prepare well. The audition is at ten a.m. on the Monday after next at the film studio. Is that okay?"
"Yes, no problem! Thank you, Director Su."
"Hey, no need to be so formal. Just call me Su Jiejie."
"Uh… okay, Su… Jiejie."
"There you go. See you then. Prepare well, I have high hopes for you!"
"Okay, thank you."
After hanging up, Baiye immediately texted her email address to Su Yu. She then paced around her room a couple of times to calm her excitement. No, she couldn't be too happy. She couldn't let Auntie Lin and the others see!
Baiye came downstairs with a normal expression. Lin Yuqing seemed to casually glance at her a few more times out of the corner of her eye. Xia Xiaozi was more direct, staring at her with a mischievous grin.
"What's wrong?"
"Ahem, Xiao Ye, who was that on the phone? So secretive you had to hide from us. Was it your boyfriend?" Xia Xiaozi waggled her eyebrows.
"Huh?" Baiye looked utterly shocked, almost biting her own tongue.
Lin Yuqing took in her expression and immediately understood. Such a surprised reaction at the mention of a boyfriend meant it definitely wasn't a boyfriend!
"I told you not to let your imagination run wild when you have nothing better to do. When did you pick up this gossipy habit?" Lin Yuqing righteously reprimanded Xia Xiaozi.
"Me!" I could just spit! …This soda is delicious…
Comments
Post a Comment