I'll Teach You

At dawn, the sky was barely light.

Maybe it was the excitement, but Lin Sangyu woke up unusually early. The moment she opened her eyes, she looked around and immediately knew something was wrong.

Why wasn't she in Jiang Wenzhe's bedroom?!

Where was her big two-meter bed?

Where was her Jiang Wenzhe?

Lin Sangyu scrambled out of bed, threw on some clothes, and tiptoed into Jiang Wenzhe's room.

The already dim morning light, further muffled by the heavy handmade curtains, left the room in near darkness.

Lin Sangyu crept from the doorway to the head of his bed, then knelt down and leaned over gently.

Jiang Wenzhe was still fast asleep, showing no sign of waking. He lay on his side, his hair falling limply, his breathing deep and steady, unusually free of its usual cold sharpness.

Lin Sangyu rested her chin on her crossed hands, tracing his face in the dark. In the dimness, his bone structure appeared even more striking—deep-set eyes and brows, like a sculpted masterpiece.

With a soft patter, a raindrop fell from ten thousand meters above, adding a rare tranquility to the already quiet room.

Listening to the drizzle and inhaling the unique scent of cedar incense from his bedroom, Lin Sangyu felt drowsy again. Without realizing it, as she gazed at his handsome profile, her eyelids fluttered and grew heavy. Soon, she fell back asleep.

She slept for a full two hours, so much so that when Jiang Wenzhe opened his eyes in the morning, the first thing he saw was a fluffy head nestled beside his pillow.

Jiang Wenzhe extended his index finger and poked the round head.

"I'll have to consider getting into the habit of locking my bedroom door from now on," he said, his morning voice hoarse, like the first toll of a bell in a quiet ancient temple.

"Why lock the door?"

Lin Sangyu, who had already woken once, quickly regained her senses. She propped herself up, rubbing her eyes.

"To keep you out," Jiang Wenzhe said casually.

"Why lock me out?" Lin Sangyu pouted, her face full of displeasure. "And why did I sleep in the movie room last night? Wasn't I supposed to sleep with you?"

Jiang Wenzhe stared at her like she was an idiot. "What do you think?"

"Don't be so petty."

"Let me reiterate: you will never climb into my bed."

As he threw off the covers, he didn't hear the rain on the leaves, but felt a chill deep in his bones. He got up to open the curtains and window, to check the weather and let in some air.

As soon as he cracked the window open, a damp, cold spring breeze rushed in, lifting the stray strands of hair on his forehead.

Looking down, he saw the plants in the first-floor garden wrapped in moisture, washed bright, and the bluestone path glistening with a warm sheen.

So it had rained last night, and the temperature had dropped.

Jiang Wenzhe closed the window and turned to look at Lin Sangyu, who was still kneeling by the head of the bed.

Backlit, Lin Sangyu couldn't see his expression, but she didn't care anyway; she was still fuming.

Why couldn't they sleep together?

So she asked dismissively, "What?"

"Come here," Jiang Wenzhe said flatly, without emotion.

"Oh." Lin Sangyu got up from the floor and slowly shuffled in front of him.

His face dark, Jiang Wenzhe took her hand—ice cold—and said in a displeased tone, "How long did you kneel by my bed?"

As he spoke, he pulled a thick coat from the standing rack nearby and draped it over Lin Sangyu without ceremony.

Lin Sangyu hugged the coat and thought for a moment. "I forgot."

Then, a bit embarrassed, she added, "Are you worried about me? Afraid I'll catch a cold?"

"Don't kneel by my bed in the morning from now on," Jiang Wenzhe said, his eyes dark. "I don't care about fools."

"Fine... but if I can't sleep, can't I even just lie there?"

His voice rose, carrying authority: "No."

Seeing that he was unmoved by either softness or force, Lin Sangyu reluctantly agreed. "I'll do as you say."

"So why are you up so early today?"

Lin Sangyu grinned sheepishly. "I'm a bit excited for my first day of work."

How pathetic. For a job washing dishes, was it worth this? She'd gone to bed so late last night and was up this early. What about her health?

Jiang Wenzhe gave her a glance devoid of emotion, then turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Abruptly left behind, Lin Sangyu panicked and followed.

"Making breakfast. Do you want to go to work on an empty stomach?" Jiang Wenzhe didn't look back.

"What are we eating?"

"Whatever I eat, you eat," he said, his tone still flat.

Like a little tail, Lin Sangyu followed him into the open kitchen.

Under her watch, Jiang Wenzhe took two rested marbled steaks from the fridge, patted them dry, and dropped butter into the pan, which sizzled.

In no time, the steaks were seared to a golden brown on both sides, juicy and aromatic.

Lin Sangyu's eyes locked on, and she swallowed. "What's that? Smells so good."

"Steak."

"Looks delicious."

Jiang Wenzhe didn't reply, instead nudging her a step back to keep the oil from splattering on her.

After a moment, he asked, "What sauce? There's tomato, creamy mushroom, and black pepper."

Lin Sangyu looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Jiang Wenzhe sighed inwardly, spooned some sauce onto a small spoon, and, with a stern face, silently fed it to her to taste.

After tasting, she savored it and said, "I want the second one."

"That's creamy mushroom sauce."

"Okay, I'll remember. I like creamy mushroom sauce."

The seared steaks, drizzled with different sauces and garnished with fresh greens, were served to the table, filling the air with aroma.

As he picked up the cutlery, Jiang Wenzhe glanced at Lin Sangyu. "Do you know how to use a knife and fork?"

Lin Sangyu shook her head honestly. "No."

As expected. Jiang Wenzhe replied nonchalantly, "I'll teach you."

At the table, Lin Sangyu sat down first. Jiang Wenzhe walked behind her, wrapped his arms around her, enclosing her within his embrace, and guided her hands to pick up the utensils. "Remember, fork in the left hand, knife in the right, and cut like this."

His hot breath brushed against her ear, making her shrink her neck and stiffen. "Got it, got it."

Jiang Wenzhe straightened up. "Now you try."

Lin Sangyu copied him, cutting awkwardly and amateurishly, not quite standard, the utensils clinking against the plate.

Jiang Wenzhe forced himself not to look at the crookedly cut meat, and reluctantly said, "Not bad—at least you can cut through it."

The night before, he'd happened to watch a parenting video: "For a child's growth, give encouragement, not criticism-based teaching."

Encouraged, Lin Sangyu couldn't wait to spear a piece of beef and pop it into her mouth.

"Ah... hot, hot!" The meat touched her tongue, and she immediately flapped her hands by her mouth, trying to cool it down.

Jiang Wenzhe patted her back and said sternly, "Spit it out."

But Lin Sangyu, as if deaf, refused to spit it out. After fanning a few more seconds, the steak in her mouth gradually cooled. She suddenly acted as if nothing had happened, smiling as she started to chew happily, her mouth moving up and down. After swallowing, she turned to him and said, "It really is delicious. You cook so well."

Jiang Wenzhe took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and couldn't bear to look at her again.

After breakfast, he got up and began clearing the plates.

Lin Sangyu stood up quickly, reaching for the plate in his hand. "Let me wash them. You made breakfast."

Jiang Wenzhe tightened his grip, his tone cold and hard. "It's too much trouble."

Lin Sangyu's hand missed, and she muttered, "What's so troublesome about it..."

Then she watched as Jiang Wenzhe placed the plates and utensils into a machine that bubbled and foamed—looked like a dishwasher.

Lin Sangyu brought her hands to her ears, refusing to believe it, her mouth hanging open in shock. "I think I've lost my job."

Jiang Wenzhe chuckled at her. "Not exactly. Dishwashers use too much water and aren't faster than manual washing, so they're not cost-effective for many small restaurants."

"Great!" With that reassurance, Lin Sangyu's confidence reignited. "Then I'll go find a job today!"

"No rush."

With that, Jiang Wenzhe produced a phone from seemingly nowhere.

"!!!" Lin Sangyu's eyes widened, and as if receiving a holy decree, she cupped her hands upward. "Is this the legendary phone?"

Jiang Wenzhe was amused despite himself. He placed the phone in her palm and instructed, "These next few days, learn how to use a smartphone. When you're out alone later, I'll be able to reach you."

Lin Sangyu nodded like a pecking chicken, her eyes glued to the phone.

Watching the sparkle in her eyes as she examined it, Jiang Wenzhe's mouth twitched. He felt he could now understand the irritation parents felt when they saw their kids glued to their phones.

"Do you know how to use it?"

"I think so. I used to sit in a tree and secretly watch people use it," she paused, "and I've also watched you use it."

"Mm. I'm off to work. Someone will deliver meals at noon and at five o'clock. Remember to pick them up and eat on time." At the door, he turned back, uneasy, and added, "Don't keep your eyes glued to that phone all day."

Lin Sangyu didn't even lift her head, responding carelessly, "Okay, okay."

When the door clicked shut, Lin Sangyu, in slippers, holding her beloved phone, trotted triumphantly into Jiang Wenzhe's room, then dove headfirst onto his bed.

She propped up a pillow and, mimicking Jiang Wenzhe's posture of reading in bed, started playing with the phone.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Jiang Wenzhe was gazing at her through the security camera feed on his phone, watching her sit cross-legged on his bed, playing. He saw her round head and could feel her joy through the screen.

He suppressed the odd feeling within him, forced himself to turn off the screen, and looked out at the passing scenery.

On the broad road, vehicles flowed like a stream, flanked by towering buildings whose glass facades reflected the first light of dawn, clean and bright.

After a moment, finding the view boring, Jiang Wenzhe turned his phone back on.