Volume 1, Chapter 48: To Think He Can Blush

Ever since she was discharged from the hospital, Xu Mi had been recuperating well at home. Coddled by Lin Chen, who helped her massage her muscles daily, and eating and sleeping well, she had recovered a great deal of her strength.

Although she still felt somewhat weak in breath, she no longer needed a wheelchair to walk around the house.

Hearing Lin Chen’s suggestion, she immediately felt a surge of longing.

Then, she grew a bit worried. "What if my health isn't good enough, and I can't manage the hike..."

"We'll bring the wheelchair along."

Lin Chen cut in eagerly. "We have the car now anyway, so driving is super convenient. If you don't feel like sitting in the wheelchair, we can just push it slowly as we walk up the mountain, and you can sit down whenever you get tired."

Xu Mi smiled and nodded heavily. "Okay!"

When she finished washing up and came out, two bowls of noodles were already set on the table.

Clear soup with plain noodles, topped with a golden-yellow fried egg, garnished with emerald-green baby bok choy and a scattering of chopped scallions, it was a sight that instantly stirred one's appetite.

"It smells so good!"

Xu Mi widened her eyes in astonishment. "When did your cooking skills get so good?"

Although Lin Chen had stated from the beginning that he wanted to learn how to cook from Aunt Zhou, he usually had to work, and by the time he got home in the evening, it was already past seven o'clock, leaving him with very limited time to practice.

Yet looking at the two bowls of noodles before her, they could be described as nothing less than perfection.

Lin Chen chuckled. "Of course it's because my wife's love is driving my culinary skills to soar by leaps and bounds!"

"Eat up quickly, or they'll get cold. We still have to go to the hospital after we're full!"

He had already booked the appointment online the day before.

Xu Mi nodded and sat down to eat.

The noodles were chewy, and with a careful taste, one could even detect a faint aroma of wheat.

The egg, moreover, was fried to absolute perfection; with a gentle bite, the golden yolk flowed right out.

"A soft-boiled egg!" Xu Mi said in pleasant surprise. "I love soft-boiled eggs the most!"

"Lin Chen, you're amazing! This is the first time I've ever seen such a perfectly fried soft-boiled egg!"

Her eyes were bright and sparkling, filled with undisguised adoration.

Lin Chen felt his heart itch with fondness, though he was also slightly amused. "It's just a fried egg, is it really that exaggerated?"

"Of course it is!"

Xu Mi said earnestly, "Frying a sunny-side-up egg is the ultimate test of culinary skill. I tried learning it before, but it always ended up either too raw or too well-done, and I could never get it right. And look at you—you haven't even learned how to cook much, yet you managed to make such a flawless egg. Isn't that impressive?"

Flattered and floating on air, Lin Chen couldn't help blurting out, "Well, actually... I ruined ten eggs before I finally managed to make this one..."

Mid-sentence, he suddenly realized something was amiss and abruptly snapped his mouth shut.

Xu Mi giggled. "I knew it! Still, it's very impressive!"

Then, changing the subject, she asked, "This noodle soup—it's also the frozen broth that Aunt Zhou prepared in advance, right?"

Lin Chen looked somewhat defeated. "You figured it out?"

His cooking skills weren't actually all that great. To give Xu Mi a surprise, he had specifically consulted Aunt Zhou beforehand.

Using the broth that Aunt Zhou had brewed in advance and frozen in the refrigerator as the soup base, then frying the egg, all that was left to do was boil the noodles and greens to whip up a seemingly perfect bowl of soup.

Yet she had seen right through it instantly!

"It's fine, being able to pull this off is already amazing!"

Xu Mi took Lin Chen's hand. "Putting aside the soup base and the egg, I love these baby bok choy too! They're boiled to just the right degree, tender and crisp, and especially delicious!"

Her gentle, soothing voice, paired with her fair and delicate hand, instantly revived Lin Chen to full health.

"Wife, you're the best!"

Out of nowhere, Lin Chen leaned in and planted a kiss on Xu Mi's cheek.

Fragrant and soft—truly wonderful!

Xu Mi's face instantly flushed crimson. "You, how can you just do that?!"

Her shy and coy expression was breathtakingly lovely.

The more Lin Chen looked at her, the more his heart tickled, and he couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

He must have saved the galaxy in his past life to be able to marry this precious treasure.

He had only made a simple bowl of noodles, yet he was praised to the heavens, maximizing his emotional fulfillment.

And after sharing the same bed for so many days, she still blushed so easily.

How adorable!

Noticing him staring at her, Xu Mi blushed even more fiercely. "Didn't you say we're going to the hospital? Aren't you going to eat?"

"Eating, eating right now!"

Lin Chen hurriedly sat down, though he couldn't resist a cheeky remark. "Actually, I think I don't even need to eat. After all, my wife is so gorgeous—you're a feast for the eyes."

"I think looking at you is already quite enough for me."

"You're still talking!"

Xu Mi stamped her foot in embarrassment. "If you dare spout nonsense again, I'll... I won't talk to you anymore!"

"My apologies, Lady Wife, I was wrong! Please don't ignore me!"

"Then will you stop talking nonsense?"

"I won't say another word, I promise."

Breakfast ended amidst their playful bantering.

Once they were full, Lin Chen said, "Wife, I'll wash the dishes, you go change your clothes!"

"It's windy on the mountain, don't wear a skirt today. Don't you have a pair of pink pants? Wear those, and match them with that white knitted top, so you don't catch a cold from the wind."

It was still early summer, and the mornings and evenings could still be quite brisk.

Xu Mi, however, was somewhat reluctant. "But... didn't you say you wanted to take pictures? I want to wear a skirt."

There was a hint of a spoiled, feminine pout in her tone, one that she wasn't even consciously aware of.

Lin Chen sighed, took her hand, and said, "Be a good girl, wife. It's not that I want to dictate what you wear, but the temperature in the mountains is low, and your body is so frail right now. What would we do if you caught a cold?"
"Besides, my wife is naturally beautiful and looks like an immortal maiden; whatever you wear looks good."

"Especially the outfit I just mentioned—if you put that on, you'll look like a fairy descending to the mortal realm. All the women in the world put together wouldn't be as pretty as you. Be a good girl and listen to me."

Xu Mi was amused by his flattery and obediently nodded. "Alright, then I'll wear the outfit you picked."

Watching her head back into the bedroom, Lin Chen couldn't help but smile as well.

His precious wife was simply too perfect!

Once they had tidied up, the couple pushed the wheelchair out the door.

The parking spaces in their residential complex were fixed, so Lin Chen's car could only be parked in the lot by the park.

Pushing the wheelchair, the two of them strolled leisurely toward the park, chatting about daily trivialities along the way.

Just as Lin Chen was in the middle of recounting an amusing anecdote from his office, a child came running toward them.

As he got close, the child accidentally tripped and fell, instantly bursting into loud tears.

Xu Mi was startled.

Lin Chen hurried forward to help the child up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and, as if by magic, pulled a piece of candy out of his pocket.

"Don't cry. You're a big, brave boy—it was just a little fall, you mustn't shed little pearls over it!"

Lin Chen held out the candy. "If you keep crying, I won't give you this candy."

The child immediately shook his head. "I'm not crying anymore! I want the candy!"

"Such a good boy."

Lin Chen peeled off the wrapper and popped the candy into the child's mouth. "Go play now, but don't run too fast, you hear me?"

"Thank you, big brother!"

The child's mother hurried over, expressing her gratitude repeatedly before taking her child's hand and walking away.

Lin Chen stood up and sighed with a smile, "How cute!"

Xu Mi also watched the mother and child in the distance, a quiet longing unexpectedly stirring deep within her heart.

She had once been a firm advocate of non-marriage and a staunch follower of the DINK (Double Income, No Kids) lifestyle.

Yet ever since she met Lin Chen, her heart had long since unconsciously fallen to him.

And seeing the gentleness with which Lin Chen treated the child just now sent a ripple through her soul.

If they were to have a child, Lin Chen would surely make a wonderful father, wouldn't he?

Lost in thought, Xu Mi blurted out, "Lin Chen, do you like kids?"