The morning sun bathed the small courtyard in golden light, filtering through the trees.
Inside the house, the faint sound of bubbling broth and the rhythmic chopping of vegetables echoed from the kitchen. Yue stood by the wooden counter, her sleeves rolled up, her delicate hands moving with practiced ease as she prepared their breakfast. Beside her, Lian mimicked her movements, her small hands gripping a knife as she carefully sliced green onions under Yue's watchful eye.
"Like this?" Lian asked, glancing up at Yue with wide eyes, her lips pursed in concentration.
Yue leaned in slightly, inspecting the slices. "Almost. A little thinner, or the taste will be too strong," she said, guiding Lian's fingers gently.
Lian nodded, her brows furrowing as she adjusted her grip, her expression serious.
Shen Xu sat nearby, sipping tea as he watched them from his seat at the low wooden table. His dark eyes, as unreadable as ever, observed the quiet domestic scene, though a faint trace of amusement flickered across them. The sight of Yue teaching Lian with such patience Lian's determination to get it right was oddly soothing.
"You're rather diligent for someone who claimed to have never cooked before," Xu remarked, setting his cup down.
Lian huffed, puffing out her cheeks slightly. "I never said I didn't want to learn. I just never had anyone to teach me."
Yue smirked, setting a pan over the fire. "At least she listens," she said, glancing at Xu from the corner of her eye. "Unlike someone."
Xu raised an eyebrow but said nothing. The teasing tone in her voice was familiar now, something that had grown over time, as natural as the wind rustling through the trees outside. He leaned back, letting the warmth of the moment settle around them.
After a while, Lian finished her task and stepped back with a satisfied nod. "Done!" she announced, beaming as she presented her neatly chopped onions.
Yue ruffled her hair. "Good job. Now go wake up the lazy one and tell him breakfast is ready."
Lian blinked, looking at Yue in confusion, then at Xu. "But he's right there."
Yue turned, locking eyes with Shen Xu as a slow smile curved her lips. "Exactly."
Xu sighed but didn't argue. Instead, he rose, stretching slightly before making his way toward the kitchen. As he passed Yue, he paused just for a moment. His gaze lingered on her hands, the way her fingers moved deftly, the way a few loose strands of hair framed her face.
"You're getting better at this," he murmured.
Yue tilted her head, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "At cooking?"
He met her gaze. "At living."
For a second, Yue said nothing. Then, a soft chuckle escaped her lips, light and clear like the chime of a distant bell.
"Well," she said, stirring the pot with a thoughtful expression. "I suppose some things are worth learning."
The smell of warm broth filled the air, mingling with the soft hum of quiet conversation. And as Xu took his seat at the table once more.
Yue focused on stirring the pot, the wooden spoon gliding through the broth with slow, deliberate motions. Lian, sitting at the table, swung her legs idly as she rested her chin on her hands, watching with bright curiosity.
"How do you know so much about cooking?" Lian asked, tilting her head.
Yue glanced at her, a small smile forming on her lips. "I had to learn. When you live alone, you either learn to cook, or you starve."
Lian frowned. "That sounds lonely."
Yue paused for a fraction of a second before responding, her voice softer. "It was."
Shen Xu listened in silence, his sharp eyes catching the brief shift in Yue's expression. There was something unspoken in her words, something deeper than just cooking. A life lived in solitude, perhaps not by choice. But he didn't pry.
Instead, he poured himself another cup of tea, the warm aroma rising in soft tendrils of steam. "Now she has someone to cook for," he remarked, taking a slow sip.
Yue shot him a look, her smirk returning. "And here I thought you were supposed to be the mysterious, quiet type. Since when do you make casual observations?"
Xu leaned back slightly, his gaze steady. "Since they started being true."
Yue blinked. For a moment, the air between them felt heavier, laced with an unspoken understanding. Then, just as quickly, she turned away, shaking her head. "Hmph. You're lucky I enjoy cooking, or you'd be stuck making your own meals."
"Unlikely," Xu said, setting his cup down with a quiet clink. "Lian would have taken over by now."
Lian puffed up with pride. "That's right! I'm learning fast!"
Yue chuckled, reaching over to ruffle the little girl's hair. "You certainly are."
A comfortable silence settled over them as the meal neared completion. The soft crackling of the fire, the occasional clatter of utensils, the rhythmic sound of chopping it all blended into the quiet harmony of their morning.
Then, suddenly, Lian perked up. "Oh! We forgot something!"
Yue blinked. "What?"
"The rice!" Lian gasped dramatically, hopping off her seat and rushing toward the storage container.
Yue's eyes widened. "Oh no, I was so focused on the soup"
Shen Xu exhaled quietly, standing up. "I'll do it."
Both Yue and Lian turned to him in mild surprise.
"You?" Yue repeated, raising an eyebrow.
Lian looked skeptical. "You know how?"
Xu ignored their questioning gazes and moved to the counter, scooping a measured amount of rice into a pot and rinsing it under cold water. His movements were methodical, efficient there was no hesitation in his hands, no second-guessing.
Yue leaned against the table, watching him with narrowed eyes. "You've done this before."
Xu didn't look up. "I've done many things before."
Lian gasped as if he had just revealed a great secret. "Did you have to cook for yourself too? Were you lonely, like Yue?"
Xu paused slightly but resumed washing the rice without answering.
Yue caught the hesitation. Her lips parted, as if she wanted to say something, but then she closed them again. Instead, she simply watched him work, her expression unreadable.
Lian, however, was still full of questions. "Did you have a family?"
This time, Xu did look up, his dark eyes meeting Lian's. He considered his words carefully before answering.
"Not in the way you mean."
Lian tilted her head, trying to make sense of his response. Yue, meanwhile, shifted her gaze back to the soup, stirring it absentmindedly.
"Then…" Lian hesitated. "You're not lonely now, right?"
The question hung in the air.
Xu's gaze flickered between the two of them the mischievous woman who had barged into his life uninvited, and the bright-eyed little girl who had nestled herself into their world so effortlessly.
He rinsed the rice one last time before setting it in the pot to cook.
"No," he said simply. "Not anymore."
Yue's hand stilled over the soup for just a moment. Then, with a small smile, she turned the heat down and let the broth simmer.
Breakfast was almost ready.