I Married My Love Rival (GL) - Chapter 13

Luo Simo, however, showed no sign of embarrassment and remained completely composed, turning to the refrigerator to fetch ingredients.

“I don’t have any fresh fish, only frozen fillets. Can I make you fresh fish tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

Ji Ran’s voice was still muffled and slightly unnatural. She didn’t dare to look at Luo Simo.

“I’ll handle the fish and meat. Could you help me peel the garlic and chop the side vegetables?”

“Okay.”

Ji Ran silently picked up a small basket to collect the garlic and other vegetables, then asked Luo Simo.

“Is that all?”

“Of course not enough.”

Luo Simo placed many more vegetables and side dishes that needed preparation into Ji Ran’s small basket.

“Just wash and chop them. Be careful not to cut your hand.”

“This much?”

The basket instantly became heavier.

Though confused, Ji Ran dutifully carried the basket to the sink and started washing and chopping the vegetables seriously.

“How should I prepare this cucumber?”

“Stir-fried.”

“Then how should I cut it? Like those slices for a face mask?”

Hearing that description, Luo Simo paused her knife from slicing the fish, turned her head to look at Ji Ran, and Ji Ran also looked at her with a bewildered expression, holding the knife.

“I mean, cut it into rounds?”

“Anything works. You can cut squares if you like, as long as they are slices.”

“Then I’ll cut it into rounds like this.”

Shouldn’t the normal description be ‘sliced’ or ‘cubed’?

“Do you usually slice cucumbers to use as a face mask?”

“Of course not. It’s useless.”

Alright, at least she’s not that foolish.

After slicing the cucumber and putting it on a plate, Ji Ran started washing the green bell peppers one by one.

“Should I slice the peppers into strips or chunks?”

“Cut whatever you prefer. Oh, put on gloves, or they’ll sting your hands.”

Saying this, Luo Simo took gloves from the cupboard by her leg and handed them to Ji Ran.

“Okay.”

Soon, Ji Ran was almost done preparing her vegetables. Luo Simo was marinating the meat, having just taken some of the scallions, ginger, and garlic from Ji Ran’s prepared pile.

Taking off her gloves, Ji Ran, having nothing else to do, decided to tease Luo Simo. She curled her index finger into her palm, then exaggeratedly gasped—”Hiss!”

“Oh no! I cut my hand!”

Ji Ran had just placed her knife on the cutting board when Luo Simo urgently took a large stride toward her.

“Where did you cut it? Is it bad? Let me see.”

Luo Simo hadn’t even had time to put down the bottle of cooking wine in her hand.

“My index finger! It’s been severed! Hurry and help me find it! We might be able to reattach it at the hospital later!”

Ji Ran’s acting skills were terribly poor. She couldn’t help but smile after saying the words “index finger,” and the urgency on Luo Simo’s face slowly faded into a look of speechlessness.

However, Ji Ran, still smiling, professionally finished her lines.

Seeing that Luo Simo wasn’t smiling, Ji Ran put her covered hands in front of Luo Simo.

“See? The index finger is gone. Aren’t you going to help me look for it?”

Luo Simo stared at the person in front of her as if she were an idiot, but the idiot hadn’t finished her fun and continued.

“You can’t find it, right? Look! It’s here!”

The perfectly intact index finger popped out from between her hands. Ji Ran found herself hilarious, wiggling the finger in front of Luo Simo.

I really don’t see what’s so funny about this, Luo Simo thought, but seeing Ji Ran laughing so happily, she sighed and played along with a small smile.

She smiled for a moment, then immediately stopped, her tone serious.

“Don’t make jokes like that again. You might actually cut yourself one day.”

“Okay, definitely no next time.”

Looking at Luo Simo’s serious expression, Ji Ran recalled how she looked when she was drunk a few days ago.

She can put on such a stern face, but when she was drunk, didn’t she still call me ‘Jie-jie’ (older sister)?

Also, what if she had “cut” her middle finger instead of her index finger, and then flashed the middle finger at Luo Simo?

Would she hit me with the cooking wine bottle in her hand?

Luo Simo had no time for these kinds of random thoughts. She put down the cooking wine bottle and went to inspect Ji Ran’s work.

Hmm, everything is done quite well. Though the knife skills could use improvement.

“We’ll cook the fish first. Spicy style. You watch and learn from the side. Ask me if you don’t understand anything.”

Bringing the side dishes to the stove, Luo Simo turned on the gas and the range hood. After wiping the pan clean, she poured in oil. Once the oil was hot, she added the marinated fish fillets.

The pan immediately sizzled loudly, making Ji Ran instinctively back away.

That’s scary…

Luo Simo, however, didn’t flinch. She expertly stir-fried the fish. The whole process seemed second nature to her. Ji Ran genuinely sighed in admiration: She’s practically an old chef.

The range hood had a silent feature, but it couldn’t be completely noiseless. Coupled with the sound of the gas stove and the pan, it was quite loud. Luo Simo didn’t want to talk in that environment, and cooking required concentration, so she remained silent, focusing intently on the task at hand.

The silence immediately upped her demeanor, and Ji Ran, watching from the side, didn’t dare to speak either.

An unexpected feeling of respect arose in her.

As a bowl of fragrant, spicy fish fillets was served, Ji Ran drooled and gave a starry-eyed look.

A woman who can cook well is truly charming!

I’m in love, I’m in love!

“I’ll help you carry it out!”

Ji Ran eagerly took the plate from Luo Simo’s hand.

“Be careful, it’s hot.”

After handing over the plate, Luo Simo picked up the pan and took it to the sink to wash. Ji Ran secretly glanced at what she was doing, then couldn’t resist reaching out for a small piece of fish as she walked out.

Too tempting…

“If you’re going to eat, remember to use chopsticks.”

Luo Simo, scrubbing the pan, didn’t even turn her head. The fish was so hot Ji Ran couldn’t speak after putting it in her mouth.

How did Luo Simo know I was sneaking a bite?

Ji Ran returned after placing the dish on the table. Luo Simo had finished washing the pan and was preparing the next dish. Seeing Ji Ran look at her quizzically, she explained:

“I could tell from the look in your eyes when you took the dish. I knew you’d have to eat a piece before leaving the kitchen.”

Her guess was spot-on. I really couldn’t resist before leaving the kitchen.

Ji Ran didn’t deny her gluttonous behavior, covering it up with a chuckle.

Seeing Ji Ran like this, for the first time in many years, Luo Simo was grateful for the pressures of her past life that had forced her to learn how to cook, and to cook well.

To capture a person, first capture their stomach. That adage was truly an unchanging truth.

After dinner, Luo Simo initially wanted to pull Ji Ran into an exercise session, but Ji Ran strongly refused. After that day’s workout in the gym, she had PTSD and absolutely did not want to go in there.

The mere thought made her entire body ache.

Luo Simo was slightly disappointed, having to work out alone.

Ji Ran continued to lounge outside playing games until Luo Simo returned from her workout, showered, and came to find her. Ji Ran was still stuck on the same level.

Seeing Luo Simo, she simply gave up.

“I can’t beat the boss on this level.”

She handed over the controller, making her intention clear.

Luo Simo was still drying her hair and didn’t take the controller, only sitting down next to Ji Ran.

“I’ll teach you. You play it yourself.”

“If I really can’t beat it, you help me, and I’ll dry your hair for you!”

Without waiting for a reply, Ji Ran put down the controller and snatched the towel from Luo Simo’s hand.

“Fine then.”

At first, Ji Ran was focused on the screen, learning Luo Simo’s maneuvers, but as a fragrant scent drifted into her nostrils, her attention slowly shifted to Luo Simo.

The black hair in her hands was wet. She carefully wiped it with the towel strand by strand, but the hair, hanging down her back, still dampened Luo Simo’s white shirt.

The shirt, meeting water, clung to her back and became somewhat transparent.

Luo Simo wasn’t wearing anything underneath her shirt.

The shirt was roomy, and Ji Ran, sitting behind and to the side of Luo Simo, could see half of her delicate collarbone.

Then, Ji Ran recalled her initial observation of Luo Simo. The shirt was a long style, so she seemed to be bare-legged.

Her gaze involuntarily moved to Luo Simo’s crossed legs. Indeed, she was bare-legged.

Furthermore, due to the cross-legged position, the sides of the shirt were pulled apart, and the bottom button was barely hanging on over her inner thigh, strained by the tension on both sides.

The faint scent was like a tickle in her heart. Ji Ran’s mind raced, and she even began to imagine if that button were to pop open…

Or if Luo Simo accidentally made too large a movement.

“Alright, the level is clear.”

The screen gradually darkened, displaying the word “VICTORY.”

Hearing that the level was cleared, Ji Ran didn’t immediately react, still in a daze. When she finally looked at the screen, she was pulled back to reality and felt a little flustered.

“Oh, good. Thank you. I’ll continue playing the smaller levels.”

Ji Ran took a breath, silently cursing herself for what she had been thinking, and didn’t dare to look at Luo Simo.

She was helping me play a game, and I was thinking all sorts of inappropriate things.

Luo Simo saw Ji Ran’s expression in the screen’s reflection, especially that adorable momentary daze, and couldn’t help but smile contentedly.

“Here’s the controller.”

Handing the controller to Ji Ran, Luo Simo took the opportunity to raise her hand and tuck the hair on the side facing Ji Ran behind her ear. The movement was entirely natural and casual.

Ji Ran looked up to take the controller, only to glimpse the person in front of her slightly lowering her eyes, tucking her hair behind her ear, and then slowly raising those beautiful eyes to look back at her. The amber in her pupils seemed to shine for a moment.

With Luo Simo’s looks performing that action, Ji Ran would be lying if she said she wasn’t moved.

She wouldn’t say her heart was utterly defeated, but at the very least, she had lost one battle.

Taking the controller, Ji Ran slowly found her voice.

“Your hair is so long. Why don’t you go blow-dry it first? Otherwise, you might catch a cold.”

“Fine. Call me if you get stuck again.”

Her objective was achieved, and Luo Simo readily agreed.

Let this person be alone for a bit to cool down, or the blush on her ears will spread to her face.

Luo Simo stood up to leave. Ji Ran pressed the controller buttons, but her heart was no longer in the game. Before Luo Simo got too far, she raised her voice and asked:

“Should I help you blow-dry your hair?”

Luo Simo turned to look at her, her expression seemingly contemplative.

This was unexpected. If I flirt too much in one day, will it be counterproductive?

There’s plenty of time. Maybe I should stop now?

“You helped me blow-dry my hair last time. Let me help you today. It’s a good way to foster our relationship, right?”

“When did you help me blow-dry my hair?”

Luo Simo had blacked out from drinking and didn’t remember anything from that night. If she did remember, she might be too embarrassed to show her face.

“You don’t remember, but you did. That’s the point.” Saying this, Ji Ran stood up and turned off the monitor, walking toward Luo Simo. “It’s decided. I’m helping you dry your hair.”

She wasn’t entirely sure what her motive was, but she wanted to do it.

After all, getting closer to Luo Simo wasn’t a bad thing.