Chapter 383: Good Girl, Don’t Move
Cecilia Vaughn sprang into action, quickly tying on an apron and casually pulling the kitchen’s glass door closed.
Just as the door was about to shut, Adrian Law’s distinctly jointed hand gently stopped it in the doorway.
"Cecilia, are you sure you don’t need my help?"
Cecilia’s heart involuntarily skipped a beat, but she firmly resisted the handsome man’s charm.
"If I say no, then no! It’s not like I don’t know how to wash vegetables..."
What if Adrian starts helping, and the kitchen becomes his domain?
Although Cecilia is a foodie, she’s not exactly the kind of girl who loves cooking. It just touches her heart a little whenever she sees Adrian in the kitchen preparing meals for her.
Being able to prepare daily meals for the one you love must be one of the most beautiful things in this world, right?
And she also wants to experience this joy.
...
However... Cecilia couldn’t deny she sneaked in a bit of cheating.
Looking back, she saw him sitting upright on the sofa reading the financial times, and she breathed a sigh of relief, hurriedly taking out the lion’s head meatballs she had bought from the refrigerator.
Since Adrian’s tastes lean towards Crestwick cuisine, Cecilia didn’t dare choose any heavy or spicy dishes. Instead, she had Mona Summers pick some homemade lion’s head meatballs for her.
Recalling the method Mona had explained to her, Cecilia soon turned on the stove, pouring in a layer of olive oil.
When the olive oil started sizzling, she carefully dropped in the meatballs one by one, turning them golden brown.
After frying, Cecilia followed some methods she had found online, adding a few spices.
As the broth simmered, a rich aroma wafted from the pot.
Cecilia inhaled deeply with delight, only to be splattered by a bit of hot oil.
"Ow..."
Soon, a small water blister appeared on her finger.
"Cecilia, what’s the matter?"
The man in the living room lifted his head as soon as he heard the commotion from the kitchen.
Cecilia was nursing her aching hand, but upon seeing Adrian glancing her way, she quickly gritted her teeth and shook her head.
"It’s nothing. Don’t come over; I just thought I might have overcooked something."
She didn’t want Adrian to find out she had burned her hand with hot oil; knowing him, he would surely drag her out of the kitchen right away.
Overcooked?
Adrian didn’t seem too concerned. He shook his head with an amused smile.
"I told you, you’re not suited for the kitchen."
...
"Stop underestimating me! I’ll keep going, ignore me!"
Cecilia gritted her teeth and growled at Adrian before turning indignantly to the meatballs in the pot.
The lion’s head meatballs were golden, not burned.
But if she didn’t add water soon, they’d really burn dry.
Cecilia hastily fetched some filtered mineral water, carefully pouring it into the pot.
She then turned down the heat to let it simmer.
Will it be flavorful in the end?
Thinking it through, Cecilia decided to use a pair of chopsticks to delicately open a meatball, placing it on a plate to taste it.
Actually, it tasted pretty good.
—After all, the lion’s head meatballs were store-bought; Cecilia was just in charge of the finishing touches.
But it seemed lacking in salt.
Cecilia smacked her forehead, suddenly realizing she had forgotten to add salt.
Uh, and sugar too.
Cecilia quickly grabbed a small box of seasonings, scooped three big spoonfuls, and dumped them in without hesitation.
After some thorough fussing, she finally completed the main dish.
Next, Cecilia copied what she’d learned from online videos to make a dish of spicy and sour chicken, being careful to add only a small amount of chili to cater to Adrian’s taste.
Additionally, she prepared a simple stir-fry of romaine lettuce and a spinach and egg drop soup.
...
"Mission accomplished!"
Seeing her results, Cecilia cheerfully raised an eyebrow, her smile almost overflowing.
Adrian noticed the kitchen had quieted down and quickly approached.
"Cecilia, just sit, I’ll take the dishes out for you."
"Alright."
This time, Cecilia didn’t act coy. She raised her hands, smilingly motioning for him to untie her apron.
Adrian gave a slight smile, the two working in perfect harmony. He stepped forward, his articulate hand smoothly slipping off Cecilia’s apron strings with a gentle tug.
"Cecilia, you smell amazing."
He swiftly encircled her waist, pressing her against the counter.
A low voice whispered by her ear, teasingly suggestive, causing Cecilia’s face to flush red.
"Hey, I’m covered in the smell of cooking, how can that be nice?"
Adrian’s lips curled slightly, his hawk-like eyes fixed on her.
"Silly girl, no matter how you smell, you’re always fragrant to me."
"Such sweet talk."
Cecilia pretended to be exasperated, shaking her head, and poked Adrian’s chest with her finger.
"Don’t take advantage of me; it’s time to eat!"
"As the ancients said, one’s beauty is as delectable as a feast."
Adrian teased his little wife earnestly, but as he looked down, he noticed the blister on Cecilia’s hand.
The smile vanished from his face, replaced by a deep furrow of worry.
"Cecilia, did you hurt your hand?"
"Cough... It’s just a small blister from the hot oil, nothing serious. It’ll go away in a couple of days. Let’s eat first."
"Aren’t you worried about a scar, as a girl?"
Adrian shook his head disapprovingly and said directly to Cecilia, "Don’t move, let me find some ointment for burns."
...
Soon, he retrieved the ointment, carefully applying the powder to her palm, a hint of distress in his eyes.
"Cecilia, from now on, you’re not allowed in the kitchen."
"Isn’t that a bit extreme?"
"You’re all thumbs in there. You’ll just hurt yourself again."
Cecilia wanted to argue back, but facing the deep look in his eyes, she inexplicably lowered her head compliantly.
—Why did it feel like being chastised by a teacher?
She should feel indignant, yet there was a tinge of sweetness in her heart.
...
After applying the ointment, Cecilia eagerly pulled Adrian to taste her dishes.
She picked up a piece of the braised lion’s head meatball for him with her chopsticks.
"Try this, I specially learned to make this dish for you."
"Alright, let’s see."
Adrian took a bite with a gentle smile, but his expression changed a bit after a moment.
The taste was really...
"What is it? Is it not good?"
Cecilia looked at him in surprise, instinctively wanting to taste it herself.
Adrian quickly stopped her chopsticks.
"Cecilia, I prefer milder flavors. How about I take care of the lion’s head and you have the spicy and sour chicken?"