Chapter 14: I’m Hungry

The transition from late summer to early autumn brought a drop in temperature. Xu Wu had changed into thin cotton pajamas—long sleeves and pants. Her damp clothes clung to her skin, the chill seeping through.

Her hand paused as she closed the first-aid kit.

Xu Wangshu, Wangshu.

Few people knew her nickname.

It was the name given to her at birth, one that had followed her ever since.

Lin Qingshuang, a first-time mother, had been rushed to the hospital in the early hours of the morning when her water broke. By dusk, under a sky blanketed by thin mist and rain, Xu Wu was born. That day, the clouds obscured the crescent moon, but as Xu Wu’s father arrived from solving a case at the police station, the mist began to clear. A sliver of moonlight pierced through the window in the hospital corridor, illuminating the quiet hallways as the cries of a newborn echoed from the delivery room.

When asked about her name, Xu’s father, inspired by the scene outside, chose a classical poem to name her. He gave her the formal name “Xu Wu,” and for her nickname, he chose “Wangshu.” The crescent moon had long been associated with this poetic term, and so she became “Little Wangshu,” then later, simply “Wangshu.”

Year after year passed. Her father was gone, her mother remarried, and her relationship with Zhou Jinye ended. Everything had changed; no one called her by that name anymore.

Perhaps it had been too long since she last heard her nickname. Memories stirred within Xu Wu, a wave of buried emotions rising unbidden. For a fleeting moment, an inexplicable sense of委屈 (grievance) surfaced.

In the vast silence of the room, neither of them spoke.

She averted his gaze, closing the first-aid kit tightly. Afraid she might lose control, she forced herself to compose her expression along with the lid of the box.

Unlike her response to Wei Ming’s question earlier, Xu Wu didn’t answer Zhou Jinye’s inquiry. She remained silent.

After a long pause, Zhou Jinye stared at her profile, breaking the stillness. “Are you hungry?”

She turned to look at him, finally parting her lips. “No, are you hungry?”

Her tone carried a hint of playful retort.

The half-eaten piece of bread on the table flashed in his mind. Without missing a beat, he replied calmly, “Yes, I’m hungry.”

“There are still some hairy crabs in my fridge,” Xu Wu glanced at his knee, where the iodine-soaked skin appeared darker. “How about I make you some crab roe noodles?”

“Alright,” Zhou Jinye said. By now, the iodine had dried. He rolled down his pants, slipped on his slippers, and followed her.

Xu Wu had just changed into fresh clothes and stepped into the kitchen when she saw Pudding trailing behind him.

Instant noodles, frozen dumplings, corn, breakfast buns… the fridge was stocked with convenience foods. The only item with meat was yesterday’s leftover hairy crabs. There wasn’t a single other protein-packed ingredient in sight.

Standing behind her, Zhou Jinye could clearly see the sparse contents of the fridge. After a quick scan, his brows furrowed slightly. “Are you planning to become a nun?”

“…”

“What?” Xu Wu retrieved the bowl of crabs, confused by his comment.

“Is everything you buy from the supermarket like this?” He gestured toward the fridge.

She placed the bowl on the counter and began extracting the crab meat with chopsticks. “Yeah, I live alone. Aside from breakfast and sometimes dinner, I’m usually at work. I just make do with simple meals.”

Zhou Jinye wasn’t idle either. He filled a pot with cold water and set it to boil.

The water soon came to a rolling boil. While Xu Wu stir-fried the crab meat in another pan, Zhou Jinye casually grabbed a large handful of noodles and tossed them into the pot.

The portion was generous, prompting her to ask, “That’s enough for two people—are you really going to finish all that?”

“Ah,” he frowned, staring at the noodles in the pot. “Was that handful really that big?”

“…”

Xu Wu assumed he was new to cooking and didn’t know how much to use, so she nodded in agreement.

“Then I can’t finish it either,” Zhou Jinye tilted his head, his dark eyes meeting hers.

If they couldn’t finish it, the extra portion would go to waste. The noodles were already softening in the boiling water. She pursed her lips. “Then I’ll eat the extra portion.”

As steam rose around the pot, Zhou Jinye covered it, a faint smirk of satisfaction tugging at the corners of his lips.

While the noodles cooked, he grabbed a dry mop to clean up the water stains Pudding had left behind in Xu Wu’s apartment. He also removed the cushion cover.

“You can leave that—I’ll take care of it later.”

“You just made me cook,” Zhou Jinye ignored her protests. “Pudding made the mess, so I’ll handle it. You shouldn’t have to do everything.”

Next, he picked up the wet papers Pudding had damaged, glancing at their contents. Just then, Xu Wu said, “It’s fine—they’ll dry on their own.”

Pudding wagged its tail, barking twice as it followed him.

The pink cushion cover dangled from his hands. Xu Wu glanced at it silently.

Bubbles from the boiling pot pushed against the lid, spilling over.

Xu Wu lifted the lid and ladled the noodles into bowls.

As Zhou Jinye washed the cushion cover, he watched her pour half of the crab roe into the bowl before adding chili sauce to continue stir-frying.

“Why go through all this trouble? Why not add the chili sauce all at once?”

“Aren’t you the one who can’t handle spicy food?” Xu Wu turned to look at him.

He had grown up in Linjing, where most locals couldn’t tolerate spice—including him. During their previous hotpot outing, while she savored the numbingly spicy broth, he stuck to milder options. Once, curious after watching her enjoy her meal, he tried a bite of her spicy dish. One mouthful sent him scrambling for water.

Now, the man before her remained silent, his eyelids drooping lazily, though something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

His expression baffled her. “I didn’t remember wrong, did I?”

“No,” Zhou Jinye took the bowl from her. “Back then, I couldn’t handle spice—but now I can eat numbingly spicy food.”

The warmth of his fingers brushed against her skin, causing her lashes to flutter slightly.

Pudding eagerly buried its face in its bowl. They quietly ate their meals without speaking further.

Since their reunion, Xu Wu hadn’t expected him to develop a tolerance for such spiciness. Their last hotpot outing had been overshadowed by the events of two nights prior, and she hadn’t paid attention to what he ordered.

Lowering her head, she wondered—had he learned to handle spice while abroad?

Zhou Jinye watched her. She remembered he couldn’t handle spice, but what she didn’t know was that during his early days overseas, unable to return home, longing for her felt like self-inflicted pain. Agony and resentment intertwined in his heart.

Later, he deliberately started eating extremely spicy dishes. To him, numbing spice equated to torture. Even when tears streamed down his face, he didn’t stop.

One time, two times, three times… Gradually, he grew accustomed to the extreme spiciness. But his heart…

At the table, both silently ate, each lost in thought.

Xu Wu finished first. After bidding him farewell, she began organizing her company materials. Meanwhile, Zhou Jinye cleaned up the dishes, took Pudding, and quietly left without disturbing her.

________________________________________

After finalizing the details of the advertisement shoot with Bo Heng Technology, Xu Wu discovered that one segment required filming in a popular small town. The trip would last three to four days, so she packed her clothes and essentials into a suitcase.

Just as she stepped out, she ran into Zhou Jinye dressed in formal attire, presumably heading to work. Politely, she greeted him with a “Good morning.”

Zhou Jinye glanced at Pudding, then shifted his gaze to her. She wore casual clothing and carried a large bag. “You’re going on a trip?”

Xu Wu nodded. “Yes, I’ll be away for a few days.”

Moments later, Pudding emerged from behind him. Spotting the large bag in her hand, it seemed to sense her departure.

Pudding leapt up, pawing at her bag in an attempt to keep her from leaving. Xu Wu crouched down, petting it gently. It had bathed yesterday, and its milky scent was especially strong today.

She smoothed its fur, speaking softly. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back in a few days. I’ll bring you a gift, okay?”

Pudding whimpered reluctantly but stopped tugging at her bag.

Knowing she wouldn’t see Pudding for three or four days, Xu Wu stroked it several more times.

When she tried to follow them downstairs, Zhou Jinye intervened, locking Pudding inside the house.

Zhou Jinye jingled his car keys. “We’re heading the same way—I’ll drop you off.”

She followed him into the car. As they drove, Zhou Jinye occasionally glanced out the window.

Yiming Garden was a residential area, and it took some time to reach the street lined with restaurants. Among them was a small shop specializing in breakfast.

Zhou Jinye signaled and pulled over. “Wait here—I’ll grab breakfast.”

Morning traffic was light, and he returned quickly with takeout in hand.

Warm items rested in her palms—a bottle of soy milk and two steamed buns.

Xu Wu frowned. “I’ve already eaten breakfast.”

“But I bought these—it’d be a waste not to eat them.” Zhou Jinye placed his own breakfast in the cup holder, raising his chin slightly.

She was even more puzzled. “But why did you buy so much?”

He released the handbrake, dragging out his response with a teasing lilt. “Ah, maybe the shopkeeper didn’t have change for the whole bill.”

“…”

Juices seeped from the buns, filling the air with their savory aroma. Her stomach, contrary to her earlier claim, seemed unsatisfied.

As her workplace approached, she tidied up the empty packaging and thought of Pudding’s reluctant gaze as she left.

“While I’m away, can I video call you to check on Pudding?”

Zhou Jinye glanced at her. “Sure. When I’m free after work, just message me on WeChat.”

“Alright, got it,” she replied.