Chapter 62: Breakfast Plans
"Mom! Did you buy groceries today?"
Yawning and stretching, An Yuan called out as he stepped out of the bathroom.
"Just got back from the market. They're still on the table, haven't unpacked them yet," his mom replied from the kitchen. Then, with a teasing smile, she added, "So... how was last night?"
"Nothing special," An Yuan said casually.
His mom shot him a disappointed look. "Come on! You need to work on your relationship. Do I really have to teach you everything?"
Ignoring her, An Yuan grabbed the basket of groceries from the table. "I’m taking these with me. Gonna cook for Chengzi and show off my skills a little."
"Oho! You’re finally getting it, win her over through her stomach! That girl’s been a foodie since she was little!"
"You even know how to cook? I’ve never seen you in the kitchen before. If you get stuck, video call me. Don’t embarrass yourself in front of Chengcheng."
An Yuan rolled his eyes and continued rummaging around the house.
"I’m taking the fruit too."
"Check the fridge. There should be some… oh, frozen ribs… never mind, just grab a bag. Take everything you might need."
"If her mom comes back, let me know so she doesn't get misunderstood."
"Alright, I’m off."
His mom grinned, already picturing her son and Chen Cheng getting married and giving her a bunch of grandkids.
But as soon as An Yuan left, she opened the fridge and stared at the nearly empty shelves. Then, glancing at the dining table and table, she realized he had practically looted the house.
"I think I'm just eating air today!"
………………………………………
Using the spare key, An Yuan unlocked Chen Cheng’s apartment with ease.
As soon as he stepped in, he heard the sound of running water from the bathroom.
Carrying a big bag of groceries, he walked straight to the kitchen, neatly organizing everything into the fridge. Just as he finished prepping the ingredients, Chen Cheng emerged from her shower.
"What’s for breakfast?"
Her hair was wrapped in a towel, and she had changed into a loose boyfriend shirt, a long-sleeved shirt that barely covered her thighs, leaving her smooth, slender legs on full display.
An Yuan glanced over briefly. The damp shirt clung to her collarbone, slightly transparent in spots, revealing glimpses of fair skin underneath. He quickly looked away and focused on the food.
"How about sandwiches? I brought some toast from home. Want ketchup on it?"
"Sounds good!"
Chen Cheng leaned against the kitchen doorframe, arms wrapped around her stomach, watching him cook.
It was as if nothing had happened earlier.
There was no way she’d ask if he had noticed what she was doing before. And An Yuan, thankfully, wasn’t dumb enough to bring up that awkward topic either.
Still, she felt uneasy.
Every now and then, she caught him sneaking glances at her. His gaze seemed... different. It made her feel tense, self-conscious.
"Why do you keep looking at me like that?"
"I’m not sneaking glances. I’m just looking openly. What’s wrong with that?"
"Tch~" Chen Cheng took a step back, pretending to be scared. "Your eyes look kinda weird... You’re not thinking something weird, are you?"
Without hesitation, An Yuan denied it. "I'm not interested in men."
Of course, in his mind, he definitely saw her as a girl.
But no matter how tempting her body was, he would never admit it out loud. What if it ruined their friendship? That was a risk he wasn’t willing to take.
...Wait.
Could it be that she was eyeing his body too?
The thought made him recall the scene from earlier, waking up to that.
Was Chen Cheng just acting on teenage impulses, or had she actually been thinking about him?
Maybe both?
Teenagers were naturally drawn to the opposite sex, and she wasn’t immune to that. Besides, she had always been a bit of a pervert.
Back in the day, she used to send him all kinds of questionable anime pictures and even shared spicy content with him. Her tastes were definitely... on the extreme side.
Would Chen Cheng really be into guys? Could her preferences really change in just a month?
"An Yuan, I want something warm. My stomach feels a little off."
Her voice pulled An Yuan out of his thoughts.
"Grab two bottles of milk, I’ll heat it up for you."
"Okay."
An Yuan added, "By the way, when it’s that time of the month, you should at least wear pants or a jacket. I don’t want you catching a chill and making your cramps worse."
Although he really wanted to look more, his 'little brother' was about to give out.
"Got it~ You sure nag a lot," Chen Cheng muttered.
Even though the windows were closed, the morning air was still a bit chilly.
She had woken up feeling playful, but now she just flopped onto the couch, wrapped herself in a thin blanket, and groaned while clutching her stomach.
"That’s what you get for not wearing pants," An Yuan remarked as he walked into the living room, carrying a plate of sandwiches and a cup of warm milk. He set the food on the table and sat down next to Chen Cheng.
"Come on, eat."
"My stomach hurts~"
"Not complaining about my nagging now, huh?" An Yuan chuckled, grabbing the remote to turn on the TV. He flipped to a morning news channel for background noise. "Painkillers are bad for your stomach. Can you still manage without them?"
"Yeah, I can handle it."
With a sigh, Chen Cheng sat up, shifted closer, and rested her head on An Yuan’s shoulder.
Feeling her weight against him, An Yuan glanced at her from the corner of his eye, unsure if he should react.
It was normal for friends to lean on each other, nothing intimate about it. But since he saw Chen Cheng as a girl now, the situation felt different.
Her damp hair was cool against his skin, carrying a faint floral scent from her shampoo. She looked drowsy, barely keeping her eyes open, still clutching her stomach like she was in pain.
But truthfully, she wasn’t feeling that bad. She just liked the idea of acting weak around An Yuan so she could enjoy being taken care of.
"Here, drink your milk. It shouldn’t be too hot anymore."
"Mm. What’s for lunch?"
"You haven’t even finished breakfast and you’re already thinking about lunch?" An Yuan took a bite of his sandwich, mentally going over the ingredients he had. "How about three dishes and a soup? I can make beef soup with Chinese herbs, stir-fried pea shoots, sweet and sour ribs, and steamed scallop egg custard."
Chen Cheng raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Do you even know how to cook? If it tastes bad, you’re eating it all yourself."
"You seriously doubt me?" An Yuan smirked. "I used to cook all the time when I had free time. Even if I wasn’t good at first, I got plenty of practice."
"For real?" Chen Cheng took a sip of her milk, then mumbled, "Ugh, this isn’t helping. My stomach hurts more now."
Just as she was about to complain more, she suddenly felt a warm hand press against her lower stomach, gently massaging it.
She froze.
Wait! What the hell was An Yuan doing?!
"Massaging helps with cramps, right?"
She stared down at his hand in disbelief, her ears burning. She tried to act like she didn’t care and shifted her gaze to the TV, but her mind was in chaos.
Even her own parents had never touched her stomach before!
"...Yeah, it does feel better."
Chen Cheng held back her expression, suspecting An Yuan's intentions, and glanced at his seemingly honest face out of the corner of her eye.
So he was just taking care of a sick friend?
The warmth from his hand was oddly comforting. Relaxing into the moment, she leaned further into him, practically resting against his arm while absentmindedly scrolling through her phone. Her thoughts drifted back to their middle school days, how An Yuan used to lie on her lap playing on his phone.
Thinking about it now, that whole situation felt super sus.
The gender roles had flipped, and while it was a little awkward, it wasn’t a big deal, right?
"After you eat, dry your hair properly. Keeping it damp will make you sick."
"It’s so long, though... such a hassle. You dry it for me later."
Without realizing it, Chen Cheng's voice was soft and sweet, like she was pouting, completely irresistible. Something so sweet An Yuan had no way of refusing.
"...Alright."
Swallowing hard, he forced his gaze away from the way her loose shirt collar slipped slightly open.
Damn it, why do my hands have to be so damn eager?!