Cheng Jia's voice interrupted Mo Xiuchen and Wen Ran's conversation, cutting through the warmth and subtle sweetness that surrounded them, a scene that would make anyone jealous.
Mo Xiuchen's deep eyes flickered slightly. Wen Ran, upon hearing the voice, looked up in surprise. When her gaze met Cheng Jia's, her expression showed clear astonishment, as if she had only just realized she was there. Her tone carried a hint of surprise. "Oh, Miss Cheng, you're here too?"
Cheng Jia smiled and pointed at the meal box placed on the coffee table. "Today is Young Master Mo's birthday. I didn't have a special gift, so I made some of his favorite dishes. I was just asking if he wanted me to call you, Miss Wen."
Wen Ran's expression of surprise remained. Her eyes swept over the meal box before she turned to Mo Xiuchen and said, "Since Miss Cheng made a meal for you, why didn't you call me to let me know?"
Mo Xiuchen furrowed his brows slightly, took the meal box from her hands, and explained gently, "I asked Cheng Jia to leave it here so I could later take it to the cafeteria as an extra meal. Didn't you want me to try the food you made? I was just about to check how it looks."
A flash of hurt crossed Cheng Jia's eyes. Her smile stiffened slightly as she watched Mo Xiuchen holding the meal box in one hand while leading Wen Ran toward the sofa with the other. Her gaze lingered on their intertwined wrists, and her lips pressed together involuntarily.
"Young Master Mo, since Miss Wen made you a meal, I guess mine won't be needed. I'll just take it back," she said, realizing that staying any longer would only humiliate herself. She didn't want to watch their affectionate moment any further and chose to leave on her own.
Mo Xiuchen gestured for Wen Ran to sit on the sofa opposite him and nodded indifferently. "That's fine. You worked hard all morning—take it back and eat it yourself."
Cheng Jia pursed her lips, glanced at Wen Ran sitting on the sofa, and unwillingly carried her meal box out of the office. As she shut the door behind her, jealousy and resentment flashed in her eyes. She clenched her teeth before stepping away in her three-inch heels.
Once she left, the spacious office was left with only Wen Ran and Mo Xiuchen. The atmosphere subtly shifted.
Watching Mo Xiuchen skillfully open the meal box and take out the dishes, Wen Ran unconsciously clenched her hands. Her clear, bright eyes were fixed on him, feeling a little nervous. She had spent the entire morning preparing this meal—would it make him happy?
As Mo Xiuchen arranged the dishes and soup on the coffee table, the aroma gradually filled the office. His expression remained calm, his gaze as deep as a tranquil lake, revealing nothing of his thoughts.
After staring at the food for several seconds, he finally looked up at Wen Ran. Seeing the faint nervousness in her delicate brows, his eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, "When did you learn to cook?"
"Huh?"
Wen Ran was momentarily stunned by his question. She blinked in confusion, and when she saw that he wasn't displeased, a smile appeared on her face. "Why don't you try it first? I'll tell you afterward."
"Alright."
Mo Xiuchen chuckled softly, picked up his chopsticks, and placed a golden piece of crispy fish skin into his mouth. After a moment, a gentle smile surfaced in his eyes. "Not bad. Now can you tell me?"
He handed her another pair of chopsticks. Wen Ran took them, grinning playfully. "I only started learning two days ago. So far, I've only mastered these three dishes."
Her answer was within Mo Xiuchen's expectations, yet an invisible string in his heart was plucked, sending ripples through him.
He looked at Wen Ran. Her eyes were clear and bright, her smile soft and warm. Sitting there quietly, looking at him—it reminded him of the little girl from years ago whose face he had never clearly seen.
She had only started learning two days ago and could make just three dishes. Now, all three were laid out before him.
Just like how, years ago, that same little girl had risked her safety to save him, filling his heart with an overwhelming warmth. That warmth now melted away the ice that had settled over him for years.
"Did you learn to cook just for me?"
He suddenly wanted to hear her say it out loud. It had been too long since someone had treated him this kindly.
Wen Ran nodded without hesitation, speaking with ease. "Of course! This is my birthday gift to you. If you like it, finish it all. If not, well, there's nothing else."
At the end of her sentence, she shrugged and made a playful expression, as if telling him he had no choice. In Mo Xiuchen's eyes, she looked incredibly adorable.
Amused by her expression, he laughed. His already handsome features were illuminated by his smile, making him even more strikingly attractive.
"This is enough for two people. I definitely won't be able to finish it all myself, so you'll have to eat too," he said.
"No problem."
Wen Ran agreed readily. She had brought the meal to share with him, after all.
Mo Xiuchen raised an eyebrow. "Then let's eat before it gets cold."
With that, he picked up a whole fish, expertly removing the meat from the bones with practiced ease. Not a single bone remained in the fish meat he placed into her bowl.
Wen Ran watched in astonishment. Only when Mo Xiuchen offered the fish to her did she exclaim, "Your deboning skills are amazing!"
Mo Xiuchen chuckled. "My skill at deboning fish is no worse than your cooking. Don't worry, there won't be a single bone in what I give you."
Wen Ran inspected the fish in her bowl. Indeed, there wasn't a single bone. Her face lit up with a bright smile as she picked up a piece and took a bite, delighted. "I used to love eating fish, but after getting fish bones stuck in my throat twice, I started avoiding it."
Mo Xiuchen took a bite of his own fish, chewed carefully, and said matter-of-factly, "That's easy to solve. If you ever want to eat fish, I'll debone it for you."
"Really?"
Wen Ran's eyes lit up. If someone was willing to handle the bones, she'd love to eat fish again.
"You cook, and I'll handle the fish."
Mo Xiuchen proposed his deal. He enjoyed this feeling of being cared for, and he wanted it to last.
Wen Ran pondered for a moment before nodding. Since she had learned to cook for him, she was naturally willing to make meals. Looking at the smile in his eyes, she recalled what Xiao Liu had said—that he smiled more often now.
With that thought in mind, she immediately agreed. "Alright, deal!"
After happily finishing their meal together, Wen Ran chatted with Mo Xiuchen for a while. When the afternoon work hours approached, she didn't want to take up too much of his time, so she offered to leave.
Mo Xiuchen called Xiao Liu to pick her up. It turned out Xiao Liu had never gone far and was still near the MS Group building.
Mo Xiuchen walked Wen Ran downstairs and only turned back after watching her car drive away.
As soon as Mo Xiuchen's figure disappeared from the rearview mirror, Wen Ran turned to the driver and said, "Don't take me home yet—take me to the hospital first!"