Chapter 125 - 116: Bedtime Massage

Chapter 125: Chapter 116: Bedtime Massage

Yan Xici was filming with intense focus, and Xiao Ran played his part perfectly.

After patting the excess moisture off the hairtail, he lit the stove, poured in the oil, and began to pan-fry the fish.

As the oil temperature rose, small bubbles began to form steadily around the fish. Its color gradually turned a beautiful golden-brown, and the skin grew faintly crisp.

Even through the screen, you could see that it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Once all the hairtail was fried, Xiao Ran scooped it out with a slotted spoon. Then, he began to prepare the washed scallions, ginger, and garlic.

He sliced what needed slicing and julienned what needed julienning.

As someone with several years of cooking experience, Xiao Ran’s knife skills were superb. The entire motion was fluid and smooth. A pair of hands like that, coupled with such skill—it was mesmerizing just to watch.

He didn’t rush to add the aromatics once they were cut. First, he bloomed some Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies in the hot oil to perfume it, then added the aromatics, followed by the pan-fried hairtail.

Finally, he added a large bowlful of water. Hot oil meeting cold water created a loud SIZZLE, and Xiao Ran instantly clapped the lid onto the pot.

Only then did he turn to the camera with a smile. "It tastes better if you let it stew for a bit. This is a braised dish, after all, so soy sauce and a good simmer are essential."

He wasn’t just making this up. This was the exact method his mom had taught him. In all these years, he’d never made it for anyone who didn’t love it.

Watching Xiao Ran speak so eloquently to the camera, Yan Xici looked at him with pure adoration. She couldn’t help but sigh, "Brother Xiao Ran, I really think you should consider becoming a food vlogger or something."

’Who would have thought! Not only is Brother Xiao Ran good with computers, he’s a natural in front of the camera, too. He’s just so amazing!’

’He gets more impressive by the minute!’

’I know nobody’s perfect, but to me, he just feels like the perfect boyfriend.’

Xiao Ran chuckled. "Well said. For your reward, you get to wash the dishes after dinner."

His handsome smile, tinged with his mischievous intentions, had a hint of wickedness to it.

He looked roguishly handsome.

The girl’s heart skipped a beat.

A faint blush spread across her face.

’This is killing me. Why does he have to smile at me like that!’

’What’s worse is that after seeing that gorgeous smile, I’ve lost all courage to refuse him.’

The girl sniffled and said coyly, "Okay, fine. Washing the dishes it is~"

’He already agreed to record the video for me, so it’s only fair that I wash the dishes, right?’

Ten minutes later, Xiao Ran’s hairtail was finally done. The girl promptly set her phone aside and carefully plated all the fish from the pot, making sure not to waste a single drop of the sauce as she poured it over the top.

The rich sauce over the steaming hot hairtail looked absolutely mouthwatering.

With the final shot complete, Yan Xici picked up her phone, completely satisfied. She gave the camera a sweet smile. "That’s all for today’s video! See you tomorrow!"

She waved at the camera, then tapped to stop recording.

She carried the hairtail Xiao Ran had made to the table, served two bowls of rice, and the two of them sat down and began to eat.

’I have to admit, Brother Xiao Ran’s cooking is amazing. When I weighed myself yesterday, I found I’d already gained four pounds! My weight shot up to 109—just one pound shy of 110!’

After dinner, the girl hurried to wash the dishes, and of course, Xiao Ran was right there helping her.

’After all, he was just teasing. He never actually intended to make her do all the work herself.’

Together, they happily cleaned up the kitchen. When they checked the time, it was already one o’clock.

Xiao Ran shrugged. "Looks like our nap is down to only four hours today."

He was someone who took his afternoon naps very seriously. ’No nap, no energy for the rest of the day!’

Hearing that it was time for a nap, an idea seemed to strike the girl. She said thoughtfully, "Hmm, I don’t really feel like sleeping right now."

Rather than sleeping, she was much more eager to start editing the video they had just filmed.

’The video isn’t even edited yet. How could I possibly focus on anything else?’

The thought of a hundred thousand likes filled her with energy!

But even though she didn’t want to sleep, she still wanted to be near him. "How about I just lie next to you and edit my video? I promise I’ll be super quiet. Can I?"

’For people in love, being apart when you could be together was a criminal waste of a perfect opportunity.’

’Like missing out on a million bucks.’

Xiao Ran shrugged. "Suit yourself."

’As long as she doesn’t try to climb on top of me again, I’m perfectly happy to have her beside me.’

Seeing that Xiao Ran had agreed, the cheerful girl immediately grabbed her laptop from the hanging chair and, with quick little steps, trotted right behind him into the bedroom.

’It was strange. When she first saw the apartment, she hadn’t thought much of it. But now, his bedroom held an irresistible allure for her.’

’Even the air itself!’

Kicking off her slippers, the girl smoothly climbed onto Xiao Ran’s bed.

She leaned against the headboard first, then bent her long legs, pressing them neatly together before setting her laptop on top of them. As usual, Xiao Ran drew the curtains and lay down.

Neither of them spoke. The air was quiet, charged with a subtle intimacy.

It was filled with a sense of genuine bliss.

Xiao Ran whispered, "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon," Yan Xici replied, tilting her head and offering him a sweet smile.

Xiao Ran promptly closed his eyes and began to drift off.

The girl didn’t disturb him any further and quickly got into the zone.

She transferred the video to her computer and began the editing process, carefully trimming clips and speeding up footage.

She sped up the unnecessary parts and added a touch of slow-motion to the parts she really liked. The video played back as she worked, and Yan Xici was completely absorbed in her task.

Normally, when she edited her own videos, she found fault with everything. She would second-guess every clip, repeatedly trimming and deleting until she was about to give up entirely.

But with Xiao Ran as the star, she made a miraculous discovery: there was almost nothing to cut. Every single shot was perfect.

Especially when his hands appeared over the cutting board, Yan Xici felt her heart begin to flutter.

’They were just so beautiful!’

’As someone with a thing for hands, she really had no power to resist.’

’If she had to describe his hands, they would be the very definition of perfect and sexy.’

At the thought of that word, the girl gulped.

She glanced over at Xiao Ran’s hands. ’God, I love them so much.’

’The more she looked, the more she felt an overwhelming need to touch them.’

She subconsciously glanced at Xiao Ran’s face and whispered tentatively, "Brother Xiao Ran, are you asleep?"

It hadn’t even been five minutes; there was no way he was actually asleep.

He hummed a drowsy "Mm."

Hearing that Xiao Ran wasn’t asleep, Yan Xici felt her opportunity had come. She licked her lips, gave him a sly look, and said in a probing tone, "Um, you worked so hard cooking today. How about I give you a massage?"

’To be honest, she just wanted to touch his hands.’

’To feel his knuckles, the soft pads of his fingertips... just the thought was pure bliss.’