Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 563 The Little Demon 24

Yun Chu didn't bother guessing which kind of noodle soup he wanted, but she already had an idea in mind—a pot of the freshest and most comforting noodle soup would be the best solace for a tired body after a hard performance.

Yun Chu deftly opened the refrigerator's crisper drawer and, sure enough, found some of her usual ingredients: a handful of washed bok choy, a small handful of thin noodles, a few eggs, and a small box of seafood mushrooms.

There was also a small bag of fresh shrimp and a portioned chicken broth jelly in the freezer compartment—clearly, this was also something he had prepared for "unexpected needs."

Yun Chu's lips unconsciously curved into a smile, thinking to herself that this guy was indeed prepared for any eventuality.

She took out the greens, eggs, shrimp, and chicken broth jelly, turned on the gas stove, and the pale blue flame licked the bottom of the pot. The water in the pot soon made a soft sizzling sound, and wisps of white steam rose up.

Before the water boiled, she cut the washed bok choy into 1-inch pieces, drained the seafood mushrooms, and thawed and rinsed the shrimp.

The rhythmic chopping sounds on the cutting board were particularly clear in the quiet kitchen.

Once the water boils, the chicken broth jelly melts in the water, instantly turning the clear water an enticing light gold color, and a rich, savory aroma fills the air.

Yun Chu put the noodles in and stirred them to separate them, then added the shrimp, seafood mushrooms and bok choy in that order.

In a small pot on another burner, two poached eggs were slowly taking shape... The small kitchen was once again filled with the warm aroma of food, and the noodle soup in the pot was bubbling and rolling with fine bubbles, making the light even softer.

Just as Yun Chu was staring at the noodles, estimating the time, and preparing to scoop the poached egg into the noodle bowl—

The sound of a password being entered came from the entrance hall, followed by the creaking sound of the front door opening.

Chi Jingchen stepped into the house almost silently.

After removing his stage makeup and returning to his everyday attire, his face showed signs of fatigue from the performance, but his eyes still held the clarity unique to high excitement and the satisfaction of great success.

The hustle and bustle of Beijing and the overwhelming enthusiasm of the fans still seem to echo in my ears, and the rhythmic afterglow still lingers in my body.

However, the moment he stepped into the entryway, a completely different atmosphere from the silent night outside greeted him—

It was a bright, warm light, the familiar and appetizing aroma of food wafting from the direction of the kitchen, and even more so... a strange feeling of "home" being illuminated.

He subconsciously looked up, his gaze immediately captured by the room full of lights.

It wasn't the darkness and silence he left behind; the entire space was filled with lights, bright enough to dispel any shadows in any corner.

The soft ceiling light in the entryway, the floor lamp next to the sofa in the living room, and especially the warmest and brightest beam of light shining from the kitchen... all silently proclaim: someone is here, waiting for him.

An indescribable, warm current instantly filled his chest, a hundred times hotter than the most enthusiastic applause he had ever heard at a concert.

All the fatigue seemed to be washed away by the light, and a huge, almost joyful sense of relief suddenly welled up inside me.

He could almost picture that slender figure bustling about in the kitchen, the familiar and energetic sound of chopping vegetables seemingly right beside him.

An uncontrollable smile curved upwards, and all the anticipation and slight nervousness transformed into a sense of grounded joy.

He almost forgot the steps of changing shoes in the entryway, and walked lightly towards the source of the light and fragrance while still wearing his shoes.

Her footsteps were light and silent, but the heart in her chest beat exceptionally clearly and strongly in the warmth of the lamplight and anticipation.

Under the bright kitchen lights, Yun Chu, who was busy with her back to the door, was carefully picking up cooked noodles from the soup pot with long chopsticks, unaware of the figure standing behind her at the intersection of light and shadow, whose eyes were completely covered with tenderness.

Chi Jingchen stopped at the kitchen doorway, as if he had been tripped up by something invisible.

He looked at her: the warm yellow light enveloped Yun Chu's slender figure, the rising steam above the soup pot blurred her outline, and the air was filled with a rich and fragrant warmth.

This scene made his heart race more than any spotlight on stage.

Yun Chu was carefully placing the smooth poached egg into the center of the noodle bowl, her slender fingers holding the long chopsticks with the delicate care she was taking as if she were handling a precious treasure.

Chi Jingchen didn't say anything, he just stared at her quietly and greedily until the warm breath mixed with the aroma of food finally made Yun Chu belatedly turn her head.

"Ah!" Yun Chu exclaimed softly, her eyes instantly lighting up with surprise. "You're back? The noodles are just ready..." Before she could finish speaking, her words met his deep, bright eyes.

The warm kitchen light and her small shadow were clearly reflected in the light. He stood at the boundary between light and shadow, the fatigue from the performance still lingering on his brow, but his eyes were burning hot.

"You're back." Chi Jingchen's voice was slightly hoarse. He slowly walked into the space filled with light and fragrance, and went straight to the sink behind her to wash his hands. "It smells so good."

Two simple words, yet they brushed against Yun Chu's heart like a feather.

A small folding table was placed on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

Two steaming bowls of noodles lay quietly in simple white porcelain bowls—the clear, golden broth was topped with bright green bok choy, tender pink shrimp, and glistening white seafood mushrooms, while two soft-boiled eggs sank in the center like full moons, making it incredibly tempting.

The two sat side by side on the carpet beside the sofa, silent for a moment, with only the soft slurping of noodles echoing in the warm air.

The rising steam blurred the view and subtly brought the distance between them.

Chi Jingchen ate quickly but not roughly, clearly because he was hungry. With each bite, his furrowed brows relaxed a little.

Yun Chu blew out warm breath, occasionally stealing glances at him.

"Phew..." Chi Jingchen finally put down his bowl and sighed contentedly. Only clear soup remained at the bottom of the bowl. "This is still the most comforting."

He turned his head and looked unabashedly at Yun Chu, who was eating noodles in small bites beside him. His gaze was so focused that it made her cheeks start to burn.

"It's just ordinary clear soup noodles." Yun Chu lowered her head, using her chopsticks to stir the noodles in the bowl to hide her racing heart.

“It’s different.” Chi Jingchen’s voice was deep and gentle. “I can taste what special ingredients were added.”

"Huh? I didn't put anything extra..." Yun Chu looked up in confusion, only to meet his deep gaze—a gaze filled with clearly visible tenderness.

“It’s the taste of home, and…” He paused, a smile spreading across his eyes, clearly reflecting her slightly flushed cheeks, “the warmth of the lamp I lit for you.”

The wall clock ticked silently. The night deepened, and the city outside the window fell into stillness.

"Alright, go take a good bath and get some rest." Yun Chu neatly finished washing the dishes and took them into the kitchen. While washing the dishes, she reminded him without turning her head, "You've had a long day."

Yun Chu quickly tidied up, dried her hands, picked up her small bag, and walked towards the entrance as if she had done something perfectly natural: "I'm going back."

Just as Yun Chu bent down to change her shoes, her fingers touched the cold doorknob—

A warm yet firm force suddenly grabbed her wrist.