Wife, You Can't Run After Eating Chapter 8

Hello everyone! Sorry guys, I made an error with the posting and posted the wrong chapter on Sunday. This is the actual Chapter 8. So you'll get two chapters today to make up for it. It might be a little confusing but thank you for rereading this chapter and the next. This should help with the flow of the story again, thanks for having patience with me!

Also, we currently have a new Meraki-wide event, the ! If you manage to get some sentences about Perfect Fiancé right, we have up to two chapters unlocked. So why not participate? Just make sure not to give TOO many hints to others, yeah? 😀

Join  for Perfect Fiancé to discuss more awesome updates or other novels too~ Alrighty, let's get on with Chapter 8!

Chapter 8: Wooing A table of Sichuan dishes in a restaurant, yum!

Not far from Shenhai University, there was a small district in the ancient city. With white walls and black roof tiles, and cyan slate alleyways that were not even two meters wide, some of the houses had large blooming flowers just at the doorstep. When evening came, some of the elderly would gather in twos and threes together to enjoy the cool air.

If one was on a holiday, this would have been a good place to visit.

Only, this place was a hidden find, not many people knew of it and so those who often walked around here were people in the neighbouring areas.

Sitting beside a square table that was made of yellow pearwood, Su Jin peered in the half-opened window to gaze at the trellis of wisteria flower in the courtyard. Her beautiful phoenix eyes revealed a hint of bewilderment.

Up until now, she had yet to understand what had happened the night before. After the evening party, by coincidence, she met Fu Yanzhou and Xu Zixin. Both Xu Zixin and herself were committee members of the same year so although they were just acquaintances, they had met several times. As the current student council president, Xu Zixin was a beautiful and capable young lady. When Fu Yanzhou and Xu Zixin stood beside each other, they were quite a becoming couple. When she had met them, Fu Yanzhou was about to send Xu Zixin back to the dormitory. Standing by the building, the two people seemed reluctant to leave one another.

In Fu Yanzhou's gaze, one could see that it was filled with reluctance to part and an intense heat that she could not decipher. It was a stark contrast from the shallow, but gentle gaze he had looked at her with.

It seemed he really loved Xu Zixin.

That was what she thought.

However, this was sharply different from her pre-existing knowledge of the events that took place in the novel.

In her bewilderment, she had smoothly agreed to that fellow's request. Originally, she had just thought to casually treat him to a meal, but she had not considered that he would actually text an address to her this afternoon.

It was also surprising that this outsider would actually find this obscure and well kept secret restaurant, and was also able to book this private garden.

Still, this was good too. After eating this meal, she could call it quits and never ever meet him again.

Hm… Su Jin lowered her head to look at the watch on her wrist, it was already past five in the afternoon, why was Lu Xi not here yet?

As she was thinking this, she raised her head.

A slender and tall figure entered her vision.

The wisterias in the courtyard were blooming magnificently, intertwining intermittently on the trellis; the varying gradients of the deep and light purple flowers also hid the sky and covered the earth in its shade.

That person strode in in a graceful manner.

The scorching afternoon sunlight had already become warm; from the distant horizon, thin rays of scarlet entwined with the golden rays of sunlight glistening upon the side of that person's body as though it was guarding some sort of other-worldly being.

"This face of his really is rather becoming…" Su Jin was stunned and averted her gaze as she muttered lowly.

Walking through the door, Lu Xi saw the appearance of the girl who was sitting on the round yellow pearwood chair muttering in a low voice. His lips could not help but curl up as he walked to sit in front of her, and spoke, "sorry, I'm late."

"It's okay." Su Jin shook her head and handed the tablet on the side of the table to him.
"Hm?" Lu Xi was slightly surprised.

"Order the food." Su Jin smiled, "we agreed that I would treat you to a meal, so it can't be me who orders it."

Hearing this, Lu Xi laughed and reached out for the tablet and smoothly adjusted it to the Sichuan menu page and passed it back to her.

He knew that Su Jin was a little baffled as she took back the tablet and immediately stared at him with wide-open eyes.

Mapo tofu, diced chicken sautéed with green peppers, Szechuan pork in a spicy broth, Sichuan boiled fish…

Mapo Tofu (made with broad bean paste, fermented black beans, grounded Szechuan peppercorn powder, tofu, garlic greens and minced meat) Sezchuan fresh pepper chicken made from diced chicken, Szechuan pepper and long chillis Szechuan pork in spicy broth (made from pork, spinach, broad bean paste, chili pepper and Sichuan pepper in a broth) Sichuan boiled fish (made with fish and a soup base with broad bean paste and fermented black beans)

She suddenly raised her head to look towards Lu Xi.

The man before her was holding a Qinghua porcelain teapot to wash and sterilize the glasses(1). The scalding tea water was poured into a delicate teacup(2). The teacup was then blanched before the water was poured out once more. After the cup was prepped, it was filled to seventy percent with tea before it was placed before her(3).

Blue and white flowered porcelain teacup

(1)  (qīng huā bái cí) 青花白瓷 - 'qing hua' literally means blue flowers or as commonly referred to 'blue and white' and 'bai ci' means porcelain. The series of blue and white pottery covers a wide range of these decorative porcelain and potteries that were embellished with blue pigment and then going through a layer of glaze. These decorations have been widely used in Chinese porcelain in the 14th century; now most of the current wares are a copy of earlier styles.

Tea and tea water, usually tea water is more diluted.

(2) (chá shuǐ) 茶水 – 'cha shui' means tea water. The translation uses the phrase 'tea water' to express that it is made using inexpensive tea leaves which are prepared in large quantities only for washing.

(3) The art of tea is to warm the teacup using the first couple of rounds of tea from the pot. This is also to wash/rinse the tea leaves prior to drinking. The tea washing of cup not only warms the cup but infuses with the initial fragrance of tea. Tea is poured to the brim and sat for a while before tipping out. On the 3rd cycle, tea is then poured to 70% of the cup prior to drinking.

As his thumb and index finger gently supported the rim of the teacup, she noticed that the hand holding onto the teacup was slender and supple with trimmed and neat fingertips.

Su Jin, who had always had a hand fetish, did not even lower her head to look at his fingers. She could only blankly stare at the man who was leisurely blanching the rest of the tableware.

"Do you like it?" Noticing her gaze on him, Lu Xi's lips curled as he added, "Southerners really love fresh and aromatic cuisine, with flavours that are light and not greasy. So it wasn't easy to find a restaurant that could make such delicious Sichuan cuisine."

"How did you know?" Her mouth was ajar, and it was only after a few attempts that she found her voice again.

This was a preference of Su Jin Er.

"In the past, haven't I had two dinners with you," Lu Xi arched an eyebrow, "unless, I have gotten it wrong?"

After hearing his reply, Su Jin's mouth opened slightly because she was a little startled. For that past couple of meals, she had heeded the original main character's food preference since she was with the family. Hence, she was only able to take a few bites of her own favourite food. With just those small details, this person had actually deduced her preferences?

"If you don't like it," Lu Xi pushed the steamed utensils over, "the Cantonese cuisine at this restaurant is also pretty good."

"Compared to Cantonese cuisine, I like Szechuan cuisine even more." Cognizant once more, Su Jin gave Lu Xi a wide smile, "go ahead and order, I'm okay with any kind of Sichuan dishes."

After hearing Su Jin say this, he also smiled and Lu Xi directly ordered some dishes from the tablet.

Maybe it was because there was not enough space, therefore, this privately-owned restaurant did not receive a lot of customers on a daily basis. Currently, there was only the two of them and so the dishes arrived at an extremely rapid pace.

Looking at every dish that was placed on the table, Su Jin heavily sighed in relief and showed a satisfied smile.

The girl had an elegant countenance about her and with the softening of her features, her utter delight and pleasure were apparent.

Lu Xi's mouth curled up as he asked, "Jin'er, do you hate me that much?"

Deeply engrossed in the taste of the Sichuan food, the girl was surprised and blankly shook her head as she responded, "no, not at all."

"Then why do you always try to avoid me?" His face revealed an aggrieved expression as he persisted for an answer.

That was because… As the male lead, you should be together with the female lead right! Biting onto her chopsticks, Su Jin pondered for a bit and asked in return, "then what about you? Was it because of your grandfather's final wish that you've settled on me?"

"Initially, that was the case." Lu Xi admitted without hesitation, "Grandfather had told me that I had a fianceé called Su Jin and wanted me to meet her."

"Frankly, at the start, I was a little reluctant, so I used grandfather's name with an intention to discuss matters with your family. Only, at the airport when I saw you for the first time, I realized that, towards you, I…" His lips quirked into a smile and his peach blossom eyes were filled with warmth, "fell in love at first sight."

"Love at first sight?" Su Jin arched an eyebrow, "That 'love at first sight'- it is just a release of hormones that make one muddle lust over love."

With a slight stir in her features, a bit of indifference and disdain were clearly expressed in her phoenix eyes.

His eyes darkened lightly and the laughter in Lu Xi's eyes became gentle.

"Even so." He declared, "our marriage has already been set. Since you do not hate me, and I," he paused for a bit before he continued, "am bedazzled by your appearance. Then, why won't you give us a chance?"

"I'll let you understand me and also, let me understand you better."

"After understanding, what's next?" Su Jin frowned.

"After that…" Lu Xi held back the expression on his face and yet in his eyes, there was a trace of warmth that Su Jin could not comprehend, "I will be in love with you."

Love? Su Jin was surprised and looked over. In those familiar peach blossom eyes, there was an intense heat that was exactly identical to the one Fu Yanzhou had when he looked at Xu Zixin.

This person truly liked her and did not have a hidden agenda at all? Su Jin shook her head and questioned, "then, what about Xiyue?"

"Xiyue?" Lu Xi was mildly taken aback and when he had recovered himself, said, "Lin Xiyue? What does this have to do with her?"

"She's the actual descendant of the Su family." Su Jin's face was resolute as she continued, "you should be in love with her instead."

Raising an eyebrow, Lu Xi revealed a somewhat flabbergasted expression, "why would you think so?" Helplessly, his brows furrowed in deep thought before he asked, "Jin'er, have you heard about parallel universes before?"

"Yes." Su Jin nodded.

"A path that a universe travels; it is led by the different choices of an innumerable amount of people. Each person's choice will cause a minute change to occur in this course of this universe. Therefore, the final route will be totally different from the initial intended direction of the universe. A universe would have originally advanced along the set route., However, just a change in the course to make a bend in a corner, instead would create a completely new world. Perhaps your hypothesis is right, I should be in love with her and that should be the correct direction to follow. Be that as it may, Jin'er," Lu Xi's lips curled slightly, "in this world, there is no 'should be' at all. From the second you appeared before me, at that moment, that became my undoing."

"As for the world, at that split-second, it too forged onto another path."

Su Jin's eyes widened and she mulled over what he said.

Perhaps Lu Xi was only refuting her two words of "you should", but hearing what was said, it was earth-shattering and enlightening.

Was it truly so?

Ever since she came to this world, and at that moment wherein she replaced Su Jin, this world had already begun to show slight changes. Or perhaps, in another world where it followed the right path of events, there, Su Jin was still Su Jin and everything moved forward accordingly to the plot. As for her, in this world where she had appeared in, everything had already changed.

Just like Fu Yanzhou falling in love with Xu Zixin.

Like…

She raised her head, like him falling in love at first sight with her.

So, the original plot had no longer existed for a long time. Therefore, who knew where the future would lead.

As for her, she had long since become a part of this world, thus she was no longer a bystander.

"And so?" Looking at the pensive expression upon the girl's face before him, a trace of light flashed through Lu Xi's gaze. "And so, 'things that should be' will belong in another world's space and time."

"Jin'er… Are you willing to accept my pursuit now?"

Pursuit?

As she snapped back to her senses, it seemed like Su Jin had let go of some shackles. As a whole, she seemed to have livened up.

"Okay, I accept your pursuit, however…" Her lips curled as her face transformed into a dazzling expression and raised her cup towards the person who sat before her, "whether you are able to impress me or not, we'll just have to see how capable you are, Mr Lu."

"Naturally." Raising his own cup, Lu Xi clinked his cup against hers as the crisp sound resounded.

He smiled as his eyes were filled with certainty and confidence.

"I will definitely make you fall in love with me."

Translated by irisu-san

Edited by Ely, Minodayz

Chapter end