Morning light filtered through the tall windows, painting the apartment in soft gold.Suo ran stirred beneath the blanket, his nose twitching as a rich aroma drifted through the room. For a few seconds he lay there. Another smell reached him, warm and comforting, and his stomach responded. "That smells so good..." he muttered sleepily as he pushed himself upright.
His oversized light-blue pajama shirt hung loosely off one shoulder, the sleeves covering half his hands, and his hair stuck out in every direction from sleep.Rubbing one eye, he shuffled out of the guest room and followed the scent toward the kitchen. The sight waiting for him made him stop in the doorway. Cai Lang stood at the counter wearing black T-shirt and dark lounge pants. His sleeves were rolled slightly, revealing strong forearms, and his hair was still damp from a recent shower, a few strands falling carelessly over his forehead. Steam rose from several dishes arranged neatly on the counter.
For a moment, Suo ran simply stared. "You cook?" he asked, disbelief clear on his face. Cai lang glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "Why? Doesn't it look like I can?" "That's not what I meant!" Suo ran protested immediately, stepping farther into the kitchen. "You just don't seem like the type." Cai lang turned back to the stove. "I eat." Suo ran rolled his eyes dramatically and pointed at himself. "I eat too, but my cooking skills begin and end with instant noodles." He gave a proud thumbs-up. "Very advanced technique."
Cai lang let out a quiet huff that was close to a laugh. "How impressive." "I know." Suo ran nodded seriously. "It's a gift." On the counter sat steamed buns, soft-boiled eggs, sliced fruit, warm porridge, and freshly brewed tea. Everything looked far too good for a casual breakfast. Cai lang placed another bowl onto the table before nodding toward a chair. "Sit. You barely ate yesterday."
Suo ran sat obediently and stared at the food. "Are you sure I can eat this?" Cai lang looked at him. "Why? Do you think I'll poison you?" "No."Suo ran reached for a bun before hesitating. "I'm just asking if it's edible." Cai lang reached over and snatched the plate away. "Then don't eat it." "Hey!" Suo ran grabbed the plate back with both hands and frowned. "Give that back." "I thought it wasn't edible." "I changed my mind."
Cai Lang watched as Suo ran quickly protected the plate against his chest like someone guarding treasure. "That was fast." "Food changes people." Suo Ran took a bite. The warm filling and soft bread made his eyes widen. He chewed twice before pointing accusingly at Cai lang. "You made this too good." Cai lang folded his arms. "That's a complaint?" "No." Suo ran took another bite. "It's suspicious." "You're impossible." "And yet here I am."
Cai Lang shook his head while suo ran happily continued eating. After several bites he looked up and nodded approvingly. "Ummm... it's not bad." Cai lang stared at him for a moment. "Not bad?" "Mm." "That's your review?" Suo ran smiled innocently. "Do I look like a food critic?" Cai lang gave him a long look. "Should I take that as a compliment?" Suo ran pointed his chopsticks toward him and grinned. "Yes, you can." To his surprise, a faint smile appeared on Cai lang's face. "Thank you, sir."
The unexpected humor caught Suo ran off guard and he aughed. Before he could respond, his phone buzzed on the table. He ignored it. A second buzz followed almost immediately. Suo ran glanced down. Lian Ziho: You alive? Lian Ziho: Want to meet later? Somewhere nicer this time? Suo ran found himself smiling before he could stop it.
Across the table, Cai Lang noticed it."Good news?" he asked while placing a cup of tea beside him. "A friend." Suo ran replied casually. "He wants to meet."Cai lang's hand paused briefly before continuing. "Friend?" His tone remained calm, but Suo ran caught the slight pause. "Which friend?" "You don't need to know." Cai lang sat across from him and rested one arm on the table. "As if I'm dying to know." "Then why are you asking?" Suo ran shot back.
Cai lang looked unimpressed. "Because you're currently staying with me." "It's temporarily." " Ok! Temporarily," Cai lang agreed. "Which means I still have the right to know where you're going and who you're meeting." Suo ran pointed at him. "That's not how rights work." "It is in this apartment." "That's definitely illegal." "Probably." Suo ran stared. "You admitted it?" "I don't have the energy to argue before breakfast." Suo ran laughed despite himself. "That's surprisingly reasonable."
Cai lang leaned back slightly. "So?" "So what?" "When are you meeting him?" Suo ran took a sip of tea. "This morning." After heard that something changed in Cai lang's expression and suo ran noticed. "What?" Cai lang looked away first. "Nothing." "That's a lie." "Finish your breakfast." "That doesn't answer my question." "Neither did you." Suo ran opened his mouth to argue before noticing that Cai lang had smoothly redirected the conversation. "You did that on purpose." "Did what?" "Changed the topic." "Interesting theory." "You're annoying." "I've been told."
Suo ran shook his head and checked his phone again. After a few more minutes he stood and grabbed his jacket. "I should go soon." Cai lang's gaze immediately dropped to the nearly untouched porridge and half-finished plate. "You're not finished." "I'll eat later." "No, you won't." "Yes, I will." "You said that yesterday." Suo Ran hesitated. "Okay, but this time I mean it." Cai Lang stared at him. "That's not helping your argument."
Suo ran moved toward the door anyway. "I'll be late if I don't leave now." Cai lang stood as well. The easy atmosphere vanished almost instantly. "You're dizzy because you don't eat properly." he said quietly. "I'm fine!" Suo ran insisted. "Really." He reached for the door handle. "Suo Ran!" The way Cai Lang said his name made him pause. He turned. Cai lang's gaze was steady, serious. "You rushed out last time!" he said. "You didn't come back on your own." Suo ran swallowed. "This is different." "How?" Cai lang asked. "It just is."
Cai Lang looked down at the breakfast he'd spent the morning making. Then he looked back at Suo Ran. "Eat!" he said. Not a request. Suo ran hesitated. For a second he almost sat back down but his phone buzzed again and he shook his head. "I can't." And something shifted behind Cai lang's eyes. "Fine!" Cai lang said, turning away. "Go."
Suo Ran lingered near the door for half a second, guilt tugging unexpectedly at his chest. "I'll be back soon!" he said softly. Cai Lang didn't turn around. "Do what you want." Suo ran stared at his back for another moment before leaving. The apartment door clicked shut. Cai lang stood alone beside the table, staring at the breakfast that had gone mostly untouched. "Okay," he muttered quietly to himself as he picked up the abandoned bowl. "It's not a big deal." He carried the dishes toward the sink and turned off the stove. "It's not like I care whether he eats or not." The silence offered no agreement. Cai Lang exhaled slowly and looked at the empty chair across from him.