Morning sunlight poured generously through the apartment windows, spilling across the kitchen tiles like warm honey. The faint scent of rice washing and chopped vegetables floated through the air. The world was peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Chen stood at the counter, sleeves rolled neatly, apron tied at his waist. Yun Hu sat beside him like a tiny supervisor, tail curling around his paws, occasionally flicking when bored. Chen moved with smooth, efficient grace — rinsing vegetables, slicing precisely, turning on the stove.
A picture of domestic perfection.
And Xu Jin had front-row seats.
He leaned against the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, watching silently. Not creeping. Not staring. Just… appreciating.
Unfortunately, appreciation soon evolved into temptation.
He cleared his throat lightly.
"Professor Liang."
Chen didn't look up. "Mm?"
"Let me help you."
Chen finally turned his head.
There was a pause.
Not rejection. Not acceptance.
Just… evaluation.
Xu Jin stood there — tall, handsome, useless in kitchen environments — smiling with the confidence of a man who had never once washed a dish in his life.
Chen sighed quietly.
"…Alright."
Yun Hu lifted his head sharply.
Concerned.
Xu Jin stepped in, visibly pleased with himself.
At first, the atmosphere was… slightly awkward.
The memory of the earlier fall still hovered invisibly between them. Not spoken of. Not acknowledged. Just lingering like steam above hot water.
Xu Jin picked up a bowl.
"What should I do?"
Chen pointed to the vegetables. "Wash them."
Simple task. Safe task.
Xu Jin nodded seriously, as though receiving a mission briefing.
He turned on the tap.
Water blasted like a waterfall.
Vegetables flew.
Water splashed onto the counter. Onto the floor. Onto Xu Jin's shirt.
Chen blinked.
Xu Jin froze.
Then slowly turned off the tap.
"…Is this how washing works?" he asked earnestly.
Chen rubbed his temple.
"It's not a pressure washer."
Yun Hu meowed in judgement.
Xu Jin tried again. This time gentler. Water still splashed. A carrot escaped and rolled across the floor. Yun Hu immediately chased it like prey.
Chen retrieved the runaway carrot with the tired dignity of a professor regretting his life choices.
"It's fine," Chen said calmly. "Move aside. I'll handle it."
"No," Xu Jin said immediately. "I can do it"
That was his fatal declaration.
Because once Xu Jin decided to "do," disaster was inevitable.
He tried cracking eggs.
The shell fell into the bowl.
The yolk fell onto the counter.
The shell remained proudly in his hand.
Chen silently handed him a tissue.
He tried stirring soup.
He stirred too hard.
Soup splashed onto the stove.
Steam rose like a warning signal.
Chen turned off the fire before the tragedy escalated.
At some point, flour appeared. Nobody knew why. Nobody knew how. But suddenly there was flour on the counter, on Xu Jin's sleeve, and somehow — on Yun Hu's tail.
The kitchen looked like a battlefield.
And at the center—
Xu Jin.
Determined. Smiling. Absolutely hopeless.
Chen exhaled deeply.
"Xu Jin."
"Yes?"
"You are banned from touching sharp objects."
Xu Jin nodded obediently.
Chen continued cooking while trying to guard the remaining ingredients like a man defending national treasures.
But Xu Jin still wanted to help.
So he picked up a plate.
Dropped it.
It shattered dramatically.
Silence.
Even Yun Hu froze.
Xu Jin slowly lowered himself to his knees, hands raised in surrender.
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.
At that exact moment—
Grandma entered the kitchen.
She stopped.
Surveyed the scene.
Flour dust in the air.
Broken plate pieces.
Soup splattered stove.
Chen stood with spatula in hand and controlled frustration in his eyes.
Xu Jin kneeling in front of him like a repentant disciple.
Grandma adjusted her glasses.
Then smiled.
"My, my," she said warmly. "What a loving couple you two are."
Chen's head snapped toward her.
Xu Jin's ears turned bright red.
Grandma walked in further, hands behind her back, inspecting the chaos like an art exhibition.
"So early in the morning and already kneeling before my grandson?" she teased. "Xu Jin, your sincerity is admirable."
Xu Jin cleared his throat awkwardly.
"…Good morning, Grandma."
Grandma patted his shoulder.
"Good luck," she said meaningfully.
Then turned to Chen.
"Chen-ah, let him out before the kitchen burns down."
Chen didn't hesitate.
"Xu Jin," he said calmly. "Leave the kitchen."
Xu Jin stood immediately.
"Yes, Professor."
He exited with wounded dignity, flour on his sleeve and the soul of a man banished from sacred land.
Grandma laughed quietly behind him.
Once peace returned, Chen restarted everything from the beginning. Washing. Cutting. Cooking. The movements steady again, frustration slowly dissolving back into calm.
Yun Hu sat beside him, tail now clean, purring softly.Breakfast was finally on the table.
Warm rice, sautéed vegetables, soup gently steaming, and two slices of cake sitting proudly like honored guests. The earlier kitchen catastrophe had been wiped away, leaving only the faint scent of soap and food.
They sat together.
Grandma picked up her chopsticks first. Yun Hu sat beside her chair, tail curled neatly, eyes shining with hope for bonus treats.
Chen began eating quietly, posture straight, movements elegant as always.
Xu Jin, however, was still wearing faint traces of flour on his sleeve. He pretended not to notice.
After a few minutes, Chen suddenly spoke.
"Xu Jin."
Xu Jin looked up immediately. "Yes?"
Chen's eyes were calm… but there was a playful sharpness hiding underneath.
"How exactly are you managing your job," Chen asked, "when you can't even wash vegetables properly?"
Grandma paused mid-bite.
Yun Hu lifted his head.
Xu Jin froze.
Then he let out an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well… I managed this past week," he said with a sheepish grin. "So I think I'm good now."
Grandma burst into laughter, covering her mouth.
Chen tried to maintain a serious expression—
But the corner of his lips twitched.
Grandma reached down and patted Yun Hu's head affectionately.
"You're a good boy," she told the cat. "Don't take after Xu Jin, okay?"
Yun Hu meowed proudly, as if promising loyalty to competence and not chaos.
Xu Jin placed a hand over his chest in mock injury.
"Grandma, that hurts."
Grandma only laughed harder.
Chen took another sip of soup, cheeks faintly warm, eyes bright with amusement.
They ate.
Xu Jin behaved.
Grandma occasionally smirked.
Chen ignored both.
After breakfast, Chen quietly cleaned the kitchen. No chaos. No flour storms. No kneeling disciples.
Just the soft sound of running water and clinking dishes.
Order restored.
Yet—
When Xu Jin stole a glance at Chen wiping the counter, apron still tied, sleeves rolled, hair slightly messy from steam…
He decided on one thing.
He would definitely enter the kitchen again someday.
Even if it cost him his life.
And Yun Hu, the household demon, flicked his tail — already prepared for future disasters.