Two steaks were pan-fried and served, then the candles were lit, and the lights in the room were turned off. The warm and romantic atmosphere was instantly established.
"Nuannuan."
Qin Tian smiled heartily and gallantly pulled out a chair for her.
Xia Nuannuan's small face was flushed as she walked over and slowly took her seat.
Qin Tian went around to the opposite side, opened the wine they had bought with a corkscrew, and poured her a small glass first.
He then poured himself a glass and sat down.
Xia Nuannuan sat quietly, her bright eyes blinking, and looked at him shyly.
"Here's to our family welcoming a new member today. Cheers."
Qin Tian raised his glass with a smile.
"Cheers!"
Xia Nuannuan sweetly echoed and raised her glass.
"Clink!"
The transparent wine glasses gently touched, making a crisp and pleasant sound.
The two took a shallow sip of the wine. Considering Xia Nuannuan wasn't a heavy drinker, Qin Tian had specifically chosen a wine that was easy to drink.
It was sweet rather than sour, with a rich grape aroma, clearly suitable for women.
"How is it?"
Qin Tian inquired.
"Mmm, it's better than I expected,"
Xia Nuannuan nodded with a smile.
"That's good. Try the beef, it should be just the right temperature now."
"Mmm-hmm!"
With that, they picked up their knives and forks and began to cut the beef.
The little grey dog also smelled the aroma and trotted to Xia Nuannuan's feet, sitting down and looking up at her expectantly.
"You want some too?"
Xia Nuannuan glanced at the dog, then looked at Qin Tian with a smile and asked, "Brother, can he eat this?"
"This is cooked, so it should be fine. But he just had his dog food. Don't worry about him for now. I'll pan-fry him a sirloin later!"
Qin Tian suggested.
"Okay!"
Xia Nuannuan nodded. She actually didn't really want to give her steak to the dog.
After all, this was their first candlelight dinner, and it was also her first time eating steak meticulously pan-fried by Qin Tian.
"Nuannuan, have this one. You can have my plate."
Qin Tian pushed his already cut steak over, smiling.
On the plate, the filet mignon had been cut into evenly sized, bite-sized pieces. Paired with the cherry tomatoes, fries, and broccoli next to it, it looked very appetizing.
Xia Nuannuan's heart swelled with sweetness, and she smilingly exchanged plates with him.
"Try it!"
Qin Tian gestured with his lips.
"Okay!"
Xia Nuannuan nodded vigorously, speared a piece of beef with her fork, and slowly put it into her mouth to savor it.
Even though it was well-done, the quality of the beef combined with Chef Qin's perfectly controlled heat made the meat tender and juicy, with an exquisite texture.
The seasoning consisted only of butter, black pepper, and a pinch of sea salt sprinkled on after cooking, ensuring the original flavor of the beef.
Xia Nuannuan's eyes sparkled as she looked at Qin Tian with adoration.
"Seeing your expression, it must be good."
Qin Tian smiled.
"Mmm-hmm, it's delicious. This is definitely the best steak I've ever had."
Xia Nuannuan nodded like a pecking chick, praising him excitedly.
"I told you, compared to complex Chinese cuisine, pan-frying steak is quite simple."
Qin Tian smiled confidently, speared a large piece of beef, and took a bite.
Except for a few vegetarians, such tender and delicious steak always brings a sense of satisfaction and happiness.
"Mmm, as expected of me. My first time pan-frying steak, and I did quite well."
Qin Tian nodded in satisfaction, praising himself.
"So narcissistic!"
Xia Nuannuan couldn't help but roll her eyes.
...
...
Both of them were quite satisfied with the candlelight dinner.
They had also drunk most of the bottle of wine. For Qin Tian, this amount of alcohol was nothing.
But Xia Nuannuan, who had a low alcohol tolerance, was already a bit tipsy as the effects kicked in.
Her beautiful face was flushed, and her eyes, like autumn water, seemed to be shrouded in a hazy mist, making her appear charmingly cute.
"Brother, Brother, you go rest. I, I'll clean up."
Xia Nuannuan swayed slightly as she turned to speak, her voice becoming a little muddled.
"You should go sit on the sofa. I'll do it!"
Qin Tian said with a chuckle.
"No, no."
Xia Nuannuan shook her head vigorously and said earnestly, "You made dinner, so of course, I should clean up. Go watch TV."
Qin Tian stood up and walked around her, placing his hands on her shoulders and gently pushing her towards the living room.
"You're a bit tipsy, why are you cleaning? Be good!"
"I'm not drunk, I only had two glasses."
"Yes, yes, you're not drunk. Sit down obediently, watch TV, and play with the dog for a while, okay?"
"Then, okay. Thank you for your hard work!"
"It's no trouble. What's this?"
Qin Tian gently pushed her down onto the sofa, then made a gesture to the dog, which happily ran over.
He crouched down, scooped up the dog in his arms, and handed it to Xia Nuannuan to hold. He then raised his hand and affectionately stroked her head.
"You find a movie first, I'll be right back."
"Mmm-hmm!"
Xia Nuannuan nodded her head dazedly in agreement.
Afterward, Qin Tian went to quickly clear the dishes, while Xia Nuannuan found the remote, turned on the TV, and started looking for a movie with the dog in her arms.
Qin Tian finished washing and clearing the dishes, then cut a fruit platter. When he returned to the living room, he found Xia Nuannuan asleep, her head tilted against the sofa.
She still held the remote in her hand, and the dog was dozing on her lap.
Perhaps sensing his footsteps, the dog's ears perked up, and it opened its dark eyes to look at him.
Qin Tian raised his right index finger and made a shushing gesture.
The dog obediently didn't bark. Its ears drooped again, and it settled down to sleep.
Qin Tian carefully placed the fruit platter on the coffee table, then walked over and turned off the room lights, leaving only the glow of the television.
As soon as he sat down next to Xia Nuannuan, he felt a weight on his shoulder.
Qin Tian turned his head and saw Xia Nuannuan resting her head on his shoulder, her sweet and lovely sleeping face just inches away.
"Brother..."
Xia Nuannuan nuzzled his shoulder with her head, mumbling something indistinctly.
Qin Tian smiled and gently kissed her forehead with affection.
Keeping his body as still as possible, he picked up the remote and turned down the TV volume slightly, settling on a variety show.
Time passed quietly.
After watching a short variety show segment, when the commercials started, Xia Nuannuan yawned and groggily opened her eyes.
"You're awake!"
Qin Tian looked at her with a smile.
"Mmm, how long did I sleep?"
Xia Nuannuan rubbed her eyes and asked.
"About half an hour!"
Qin Tian replied with a smile, picking up the fruit platter from the coffee table and handing it to her.
"Have some fruit. You can keep looking for a movie. I'm going to pan-fry that sirloin steak for the dog. It should be thawed by now."
"Okay!"