"You're no match for me. It's just the two of us in this room, and you can't beat me. Be good and listen. Quitting smoking is only tough for the first few days. Just push through it. For your future health, stop making trouble."
"Can I pat you to sleep?"
Like hell!
Zhan Jingchun opened her mouth to curse him, but Peng Fei was quick. He thrust his palm towards her mouth.
"Ah," Zhan Jingchun's mouth was covered.
He's using his hand to cover her mouth? Does he think I won't bite?
Zhan Jingchun bit down hard on his palm.
Peng Fei acted as if he felt no pain, letting her bite him.
They remained locked in this stalemate for a long time. Only when Zhan Jingchun tasted blood in her mouth did she let go.
"Are you sick?"
Peng Fei said, "If you say I am, then I am. I won't argue. Are you done throwing a tantrum? If you're done, let's sleep."
Zhan Jingchun wasn't done. She tried to struggle again, but Peng Fei was like a mountain, pinning her down tightly.
The room had no lights on. In the darkness, they continued to toss and turn. After who knows how long, she was tired, stopped resisting, and fell asleep.
She woke up in the morning to find Peng Fei already up.
Only then did she realize she had slept so soundly last night, without a single dream. Her body, which had been weary for a long time, felt much lighter.
Zhan Jingchun rubbed her head and walked out. Peng Fei, dressed in clean clothes and wearing a housekeeper's apron, was bringing breakfast to the dining table.
"You're up. Go wash up quickly. Breakfast is ready. Come eat after you're done."
Zhan Jingchun glanced at the table. It was quite a spread.
She didn't know when he woke up, but he had cooked a fragrant millet porridge, pan-fried egg crepes, and stir-fried two vegetable dishes.
Whether it was because she hadn't eaten a proper breakfast in a long time, or because she hadn't eaten his cooking in a long time, it smelled wonderful.
Zhan Jingchun, feeling a bit pathetic, secretly swallowed her saliva and feigned arrogance as she went upstairs.
She washed up at a leisurely pace, then sat down to do her skincare.
The porridge was getting cold, so Peng Fei had no choice but to bring it up to her.
"Can you eat before applying your creams? The food's getting cold."
She deliberately said she wouldn't eat, "Who cares about your cooking? Your skills are nowhere near Auntie's. I don't care for it."
"I know I'm not as good as Auntie, but I'll improve slowly. I've already made it today, so just eat something to get by."
"Why should I settle? My family never settles for mediocrity. If you can't cook it well, then don't cook it. Stop wasting my things here. Take it away!"
He had spent over an hour painstakingly preparing the meal, and she dismissed it as bad without even looking, clearly looking for fault.
Even if it tasted worse, it would still be better than what they had in the village. She could eat it then.
Fearing she was deliberately being difficult and harming herself, Peng Fei didn't take the tray away. Instead, he placed it in front of her and walked over, straddling her lap.
He wasn't using much force, just hovering, and they made eye contact. He was threatening her.
"Are you looking for an excuse not to eat? This trick might work on Auntie, but not on me. If you don't eat, I'll use the old method and force-feed you. You don't want to try that again, do you?"
Zhan Jingchun immediately recalled the days in the village when he had dictated her meals. She raised her hand to hit him, but Peng Fei caught her wrist.
"I told you, you can't beat me in a fight. I'll indulge you in everything else, but not smoking and eating. Listen to me, eat now, and from now on, you have to eat on time every day, or else..."
Or else your head!
Zhan Jingchun tried to lift her foot to kick his back, but she forgot her foot was under the table. With a sudden lift, her big toe hit the underside of the table. The pain made her immediately wince.
"Ah!"
Peng Fei heard a thud and quickly stood up, looking at her foot.
It was the middle of winter, and this girl was wearing white fluffy slippers that left her toes and heels exposed. They offered no protection.
"Did you hurt your toe?"
Concerned, Peng Fei immediately squatted down, took off her slipper, and cradled her foot in his arms.
"Let me see where you hit it, is it your big toe? It's already red. Don't cry, don't cry, I'll blow on it."
As he spoke, he lowered his head and gently blew on her toe, like he was comforting a child.
It was like this when they were at his house before. Zhan Jingchun didn't cook or do chores, and he still had to serve her meals, wash her feet, and bathe her.
After washing her feet, Peng Fei would often hold them and dry them for her.
It had been a long, long time since she had experienced this. She thought it would never happen again, but he still remembered.
After blowing and massaging it for a long time, Peng Fei finally let go of her.
Zhan Jingchun's temper had subsided considerably. Knowing she wouldn't get her way by refusing to eat, she ate some with a sullen face.
Peng Fei was delighted. Before taking his bowl downstairs, he asked her what she wanted for lunch.
"I'll try my best to learn. You can order whatever you like."
When he treated her with this attitude, where he let her get angry but didn't take it to heart, Zhan Jingchun was helpless.
She thought seriously for a moment and named two dishes. Peng Fei agreed and happily went downstairs to research.
Zhan Jingchun was bored. She stayed in the room for a while, doodled for a bit, and seeing the good sunlight outside, she wandered downstairs.
Peng Fei was busy in the kitchen, and a waft of aroma, distinctly festive, drifted out.
Zhan Jingchun was a bit curious about what he was doing, but she was too proud to ask. She just ambled into the courtyard.
Mimicking a housekeeper, she trimmed the branches of the ornamental trees and watered the flowers.
As she was playing, a childlike voice called out from outside the fence.
"Sister. Your watering can is so pretty, can I borrow it for a while?"
Zhan Jingchun looked up. Outside the fence stood a little girl, about four or five years old.
She had two small braids, tender white cheeks, a clear voice, and big, watery eyes. She looked incredibly adorable.
Zhan Jingchun couldn't help but think of her nieces and nephews, and her maternal instincts flared.
"Of course. What's your name? Where do you live? Does your mom know you came out? If she can't find you, will she be worried?"
The little girl's chubby hands gripped the fence, looking inside with all her might.
"My younger brother is sick, and my mom and dad are with him at the hospital. It's just me and the nanny at home. Auntie is cooking, so I came out by myself. Sister, I really like your watering can. Can you reach it out for me to touch?"
So that's how it was. Neither of her parents were home. Zhan Jingchun felt sorry for her. She told her to wait and went out with the watering can.
The two of them, one big and one small, squatted by the fence playing. Peng Fei finished cooking and came out to look for her.
"Why did you come out? You're wearing such thin clothes, aren't you afraid of getting cold... Who is this little girl?"
The little girl looked up when she heard the voice. Upon seeing Peng Fei, her eyes immediately lit up.
"Is it you? I know you! You're that handsome guy from TV! My mom likes you a lot, and I like you too. How did you get here?"
"Are you cooking? You can cook? Brother, can you give me a hug? Can I go to your house to eat?"
Peng Fei was also a person who really liked children, especially little girls. His face immediately softened as he squatted down.