Brush Up Your Proficiency

Wang Hao quickly selected several common stir-fried dishes, and then the three of them began a major shopping trip.

By the time the three of them returned home, it was almost one o'clock in the afternoon. The grocery shopping had indeed taken some time.

As soon as they got home, Wang Hao told the guests to make themselves at home, while he took the groceries and plunged into the kitchen. He was too hungry and needed to prepare something quickly.

Cheng Yufei looked around the small two-bedroom apartment. Having grown up in comfort, Cheng Yufei had never lived in such a small place.

When she first entered the complex, the overall impression was that it was rather chaotic, so she didn't have high expectations for Wang Hao's apartment.

But after entering, she discovered that although the space wasn't large, it felt exceptionally tidy and clean, not as cluttered as she had imagined.

This pleasant surprise greatly improved her impression of the two siblings: if the apartment was so tidy, the owners must not be bad either.

"Xiaolan, you're amazing! You've managed to clean the place so well, it doesn't even feel like a rented apartment!" Cheng Yufei said to Wang Lan admiringly as she looked around the room.

"Oh, no, not at all! I didn't clean it. It's all my brother's doing! I only come to stay for a few days occasionally," Wang Lan replied quickly.

Immediately afterward, she started chatting with Cheng Yufei about family matters as if she had opened a floodgate.

After all, she was still a young and inexperienced girl, speaking without any reservations and saying whatever came to mind.

Fortunately, Cheng Yufei wasn't the kind of person with ulterior motives.

Cheng Yufei didn't interrupt Wang Lan's endless chatter.

On the contrary, she was filled with curiosity: What kind of person is Wang Hao? Why is he so indifferent to fame and fortune? And looking at the apartment they rent, it doesn't seem like he comes from a wealthy family.

As Wang Lan spoke, she described how a rural young man, fresh out of school, resolutely took on the responsibility of supporting his family, using all his earnings to cover his sister's educational expenses.

This strong sense of family responsibility and dedication deeply impressed Cheng Yufei, gradually building a tall, radiant, and responsible image in her mind.

If Wang Hao didn't have his superb cooking skills as a foundation, he would probably be just another ordinary person.

Cheng Yufei finally asked the question she had been most curious about:

"Who did your brother learn his cooking skills from? The food he makes tastes so unique and delicious!"

When Wang Lan heard Cheng Yufei ask this, she almost blurted out what Wang Hao had told her about the mysterious old man, but she swallowed the words back at the last moment.

Wang Lan thought to herself: My brother told me to keep this adventure a secret, and I must not break my promise.

Besides, even if I told Cheng Yufei about such a magical and fantastical thing, she probably wouldn't believe it, so it's better not to say too much.

Therefore, Wang Lan decided to keep her mouth shut and not mention it.

Then, Wang Lan put on a slightly mysterious expression and said softly, "Well, that can be considered a little secret. If you really want to know, you'll have to ask my brother!"

Cheng Yufei couldn't help but laugh at Wang Lan's cute, mysterious expression and didn't continue to press the question.

After all, everyone has their own secrets, and there's no need to pry too much.

At this moment, the two in the living room were chatting happily, while Wang Hao had already quickly and efficiently begun to display his solid basic cooking skills.

On the way here, Wang Hao had already decided on the dishes he wanted to make, including refreshing cucumber shrimp, rich and flavorful tomato potato beef soup, fragrant stir-fried squid with Dutch beans, spicy and tempting spicy chicken, juicy stir-fried shrimp, and a simple and delicious chives and eggs.

Among these dishes, processing the live shrimp was a bit troublesome, but only a little bit. Overall, the cooking difficulty wasn't too great, and they could be ready soon to soothe the three of their rumbling stomachs.

If it were just the two siblings eating together, they definitely wouldn't make so many dishes, because leftovers would be wasteful, which Wang Hao couldn't accept.

However, since Cheng Yufei was visiting today, Wang Hao knew from previous conversations that this girl, nicknamed "Big Eater Feifei," had a considerable appetite.

Therefore, he specially prepared a total of six dishes to satisfy his guest's appetite.

"Do you need us to help with anything?" Cheng Yufei gently pushed open the kitchen door and carefully peeked her head in, asking softly.

But before Wang Hao could answer, a rich aroma suddenly wafted over, instantly enveloping her whole being.

It turned out that while the two were chatting happily in the living room, Wang Hao had already started cooking, and his movements were quick and his skills were skilled. This amazing speed astonished Cheng Yufei.

"No need, just wait a little longer," Wang Hao said, focusing on stir-frying the dishes in the pot, methodically controlling the heat and seasoning.

Wang Hao turned on two stoves at the same time, but still seemed at ease and unhurried.

The warm sunlight streaming in from the kitchen window landed perfectly on his face, as if adding a beautiful filter to him, making Wang Hao, who already had an ordinary appearance, look particularly handsome and charming at this moment.

Cheng Yufei stared blankly at the scene before her, not knowing if she was mesmerized by the aroma of the food or what, and she actually forgot to respond for a moment, just staring quietly.

It wasn't until Wang Lan's crisp and sweet voice came that broke the silence: "I told you my brother doesn't need help cooking, but you didn't believe me, hmph."

Wang Lan walked briskly to the kitchen door, playfully patted the somewhat dazed Cheng Yufei, her eyes sparkling with a hint of a smile.

Wang Lan's pat instantly woke Cheng Yufei from her trance. Her body trembled slightly, and a trace of shy blush involuntarily appeared on her face, as brilliant as the evening glow.

She hurriedly lowered her head, her eyes darting around, and muttered in a low voice, "Where's your water?" Her voice was so soft that it seemed only she could hear it.

Then, like a startled deer, she hurried to the living room, trying to hide her inner unease.

However, Wang Lan didn't seem to notice Cheng Yufei's strangeness. She said straightforwardly, "Go sit down, I'll get you some water."