Feeling a pang of guilt upon hearing Liang Yufeng's voice, Lan Lan’s usual assertiveness wavered. How could she let him see her falter? "Nothing, just stay a bit further away. I'll try it myself."
Liang Yufeng simply said, "Oh." He didn't sense anything amiss. Lan Lan always spoke to him like this. He obliged, moving a little further away, getting water from the refrigerator, and drinking it while watching Lan Lan work.
Despite the distance, Lan Lan could still feel his gaze fixed on her, like a thorn in her side. Her ears grew even hotter, and her movements became more tense. This was an unprecedented experience. She, a person with ample experience, was becoming so "flustered" under Liang Yufeng's scrutiny. If he knew, he'd surely be insufferably smug.
As Liang Yufeng had said, Lan Lan had high aesthetic standards and picked up cake decorating quite quickly. Especially after the "hand-in-hand instruction" earlier, she had gradually become proficient, her technique approaching perfection in both pressure and shape.
After finishing the three cake bases, she felt ready to be declared competent. The sense of accomplishment made her forget her earlier awkwardness. "I really have a talent for this. People with high intelligence aren't bad at anything, don't you think?"
Liang Yufeng, uncharacteristically, didn't retort. He nodded at her, and Lan Lan was quite pleased. "Now I just need to show it off on Aunt Jiang's birthday."
Having meticulously finished the cakes, Lan Lan finally realized it was almost midnight. She checked the time and told Liang Yufeng, "You should head back quickly. It's Monday tomorrow."
Liang Yufeng replied, "Mm." Before leaving, he took the cake Lan Lan had messed up with her piping. The other two, which turned out beautifully, were placed in the refrigerator by Lan Lan to be shared with colleagues at the company the next day.
After a few days of work, it was time for the Qingming holiday. The afternoon before, Xinhe was given time off. Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng met near the company and headed to Runcheng together.
This time, Liang Yufeng didn't even bring a driver; he drove himself. Lan Lan naturally sat in the passenger seat, holding a cup of coffee to stay alert.
"Where will we be staying?" Lan Lan casually chatted with Liang Yufeng.
Liang Yufeng casually mentioned an address, which sounded like the name of a residential complex. Lan Lan became curious. "Did you buy a place in Runcheng?"
Liang Yufeng replied, "Mm, just bought it not long ago."
Lan Lan teased, "Mr. Liang is truly wealthy and powerful now, buying property wherever he pleases. It's good to have money."
"It is quite good." Without his current power and wealth, how could he have the means to keep her by his side?
Liang Yufeng had bought a duplex apartment of over three hundred square meters in Runcheng. It wasn't as large as his villa in Nanjiang, but the overall decoration style was consistent, with warm-toned flooring and a strong American country style. He seemed to have a real fondness for this style.
Although it was a recently purchased property, all the appliances were complete. Even the kitchen was fully equipped with everything needed for cooking.
After putting her luggage away, Lan Lan was taken by Liang Yufeng to go grocery shopping. She rarely had time to go to the supermarket, and it was a rare treat to stroll leisurely in a relaxed state.
There weren't many people who recognized them in Runcheng, which greatly reduced Lan Lan's psychological burden. Liang Yufeng pushed the shopping cart, following behind her. She walked ahead, selecting items, and their roles were clearly defined: Lan Lan was responsible for choosing fruits and snacks, while Liang Yufeng handled the vegetables and all the ingredients needed for cooking.
Lan Lan went to the refrigerated section and picked up two boxes of durian. She happened to see Liang Yufeng selecting vegetables, his expression as serious as if he were at work.
"What's the difference between these two?" Lan Lan asked curiously. The two boxes of tomatoes in Liang Yufeng's hands looked quite similar.
"These ones have thinner skins. Thinner skins mean more juice, which is suitable for stewing beef brisket." Liang Yufeng had already made his choice and placed the box he deemed better into the cart. He then bought potatoes and carrots.
When it came to grocery shopping, she truly couldn't compare to Liang Yufeng. Later, when Liang Yufeng went to buy meat, she could only watch as a spectator as he made his selections.
The supermarket in Runcheng sold the local specialty qingtuan. It was the right season, so Lan Lan bought a few to liven things up. They also bought ingredients for making cakes, filling the cart to the brim before pushing it out.
At the checkout, they encountered an elderly auntie who was in line ahead of them. The auntie had brought her granddaughter along and was a very friendly person. Upon seeing the qingtuan Lan Lan had bought, she struck up a conversation. "The qingtuan here is very authentic. Don't let the fact that it's a supermarket fool you; it's better than those specialized qingtuan shops outside! My granddaughter loves buying them from here."
Given the auntie's warmth, Lan Lan naturally didn't want to be rude. "It seems I chose the right place."
"Aren't you two a young couple from Runcheng?" Seeing a man and a woman shopping, the auntie naturally assumed they were married.
Liang Yufeng had been silent, but upon hearing the auntie mention "couple," he instinctively looked at Lan Lan, curious about how she would explain their relationship.
"Mm, we're not from Runcheng." Lan Lan wasn't in the habit of explaining herself to strangers and didn't clarify their relationship.
Liang Yufeng's hand reflexively tightened on the shopping cart. Even though he knew Lan Lan didn't mean it the way he interpreted it, her words still made him excited and lose control.
"The young lady has good taste. Your husband looks reliable at first glance." The auntie seemed to admire Liang Yufeng and began praising him.
When the conversation turned to him, Liang Yufeng smiled at the auntie. "Thank you, Auntie."
The auntie didn't say much more before it was their turn. After paying, Lan Lan and Liang Yufeng pushed their cart of groceries to the parking lot.
As Liang Yufeng loaded the car, Lan Lan helped him. This was an experience they had never shared before. For a moment, Lan Lan truly had the illusion that they were a married couple.
Even during their college dating days, she had never gone grocery shopping with Liang Yufeng. Back then, she disdained such "time-wasting" activities, so Liang Yufeng always bought the ingredients for meals himself. She hadn't appreciated it much then and thought he was wasting time.
In the past, Lan Lan hadn't felt anything was wrong or that she had wronged him. But today, for some reason, watching his practiced movements as he loaded the car, a hint of guilt bloomed in her heart.
On the drive back, Lan Lan suddenly asked Liang Yufeng, "Do you often go grocery shopping?"
"Fairly often," Liang Yufeng replied vaguely. In reality, he made an effort to go to the supermarket himself whenever he could before Lan Lan visited, as he didn't trust others with buying ingredients.
"When we were dating in college, did we go often?" Lan Lan asked.
"Not really," Liang Yufeng told her. "We went to the wet market more back then. The same things were slightly cheaper at the market."
Lan Lan: "..."
"If you go often, you get to know the vendors and can even get a discount," Liang Yufeng said, lost in memories and speaking more. "There's a vendor I knew who now runs a fresh produce supermarket, and I often go there."