The Salted-Fish Alpha and the Actress Got Their Marriage Certificate - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

As dusk settled, wisps of smoke rose from the tranquil little village.

Ye Cike lifted the steamer’s lid, and a wave of hot steam hit her face. The fully cooked rice was white and glossy, each grain distinct, emitting a faint aroma of rice.

Even though the crew’s budget had been slashed in half, Ye Cike hadn’t skimped. She bought enough ingredients to prepare a simple meal of two dishes and a soup.

The cabbage soup on the table shimmered with specks of oil, while the mapo tofu, ladled out, had a thick, rich sauce sprinkled with vibrant green onions.

The braised pork ribs simmering in the pot, their sauce a deep, glossy brown, gave off a fragrance so rich it burrowed straight into the heart.

The cameraman sniffed, wondering why the crew’s boxed meals hadn’t arrived yet.

With a creak, the kitchen’s wooden door swung open.

Ye Cike turned at the sound, expecting Xi Ling, but instead saw Xu Chaochao and Xu Mumu poking their heads in.

“What are you two doing here?” Ye Cike asked, eyeing their outfits.

Their aprons and sleeves were smudged with ash and grass, and one of them had a bandage on her finger, looking rather pitiful.

Xu Chaochao pouted, her voice tinged with a sob. “Ye Cike, please, can we mooch a meal?”

“It smells so good! We can pay!” Xu Mumu added quickly, a bit embarrassed. “There’s no rice cooker here, and we had to burn firewood ourselves. We didn’t expect to mess up and burn the rice.”

Ye Cike raised an eyebrow, suddenly recalling the smoky smell she’d noticed earlier. She’d thought someone was burning weeds nearby.

It turned out to be these two sisters cooking, making quite a mess.

“Fine.” Ye Cike generously waved them in. “Twenty each.”

Xu Chaochao, already holding chopsticks and eagerly reaching for the braised ribs, froze.

“That’s too expensive!” Xu Mumu exclaimed, wincing. “Chef Ye, can’t you cut us a deal? What if we collaborate again in the future? Give us a break, yeah?”

Ye Cike didn’t flinch, playing the ruthless merchant. No collaboration was happening later, anyway.

“I spent fifty on these ingredients. How can I not make a profit?”

She didn’t care much herself, but Xi Ling had barely eaten at lunch and seemed picky. What if she had another low bl00d sugar episode?

The sisters didn’t haggle long. Gritting their teeth, they paid the meal fee and grabbed bowls to dig in.

They couldn’t resist. After physical labor, Ye Cike’s cooking was too tempting, enough to make anyone willingly play the fool.

Soon, the ribs were ready, and Xi Ling slipped in from behind the door. She blinked in confusion at the two extra people in the room.

“They’re here to mooch food,” Ye Cike said, holding a rice scoop. “How much do you want?”

Xi Ling glanced at the bowl in Ye Cike’s hand, her eyes flickering. “Just a little,” she said softly.

Ye Cike scooped half a bowl and gave her a questioning look.

Xi Ling shook her head. “Less.”

So Ye Cike halved the rice again, leaving just a thin layer at the bottom of the bowl.

“Isn’t that too little?” Ye Cike frowned. It was barely a mouthful for her.

“Thank you, it’s fine,” Xi Ling said, taking the bowl and picking up a small bite of rice. “I don’t have much of an appetite. Too much, and I can’t finish it.”

With that said, Ye Cike didn’t push. After serving herself, she handed the scoop to the sisters.

Xu Chaochao and Xu Mumu didn’t hold back, each piling their bowls high. Their chopsticks dove for the braised ribs, and if not for the cameras, they’d probably have gone for seconds.

Ye Cike mixed a spoonful of mapo tofu into her rice, the sauce coating the grains in a glossy sheen that looked mouthwatering.

She took a bite and squinted in satisfaction. The tofu was soft, perfectly salty, and the wood-fired stove hadn’t hindered her cooking at all.

“This is so good!” Xu Chaochao sighed. “Coming to this show was totally worth it.”

Xu Mumu nodded in agreement. “Forget the diet. We’ll deal with that tomorrow.”

The food earned their praise, and no chef could resist such compliments. Ye Cike’s opinion of the sisters softened, her gaze warming.

“Can we come back tomorrow?” Xu Chaochao asked, her almond eyes wide and round, her slightly chubby face adding a touch of cuteness.

Ye Cike agreed without hesitation. “Sure.”

The sisters erupted into excited chatter, talking about yesterday’s farming, the rice transplanter, and their chaotic attempt at cooking tonight. Their mouths never stopped, seemingly tireless.

Ye Cike occasionally hummed in response, but as the food on the table dwindled, she noticed Xi Ling had barely spoken.

Xi Ling ate slowly, chewing a small clump of rice for ages, as if savoring it. Her expression was neutral, giving no hint of like or dislike.

“Not to your taste?” Ye Cike asked.

Xi Ling paused, then shook her head. “No.”

Perhaps feeling her answer lacked conviction, she picked up a piece of rib, nibbling a tiny bite, eating even less than a cat.

“Xi Ling’s self-control is unreal. No wonder she’s so thin,” Xu Chaochao said, setting down her chopsticks after finishing. Her blunt nature didn’t catch Xi Ling’s unusual silence.

“I’m a bit dizzy,” Xi Ling said, putting down her bowl and chopsticks, her voice thick with a nasal tone, her eyes tinged with a faint redness.

Ye Cike instinctively reached to check Xi Ling’s forehead but stopped short, meeting her teary gaze.

“Sorry, I’m going to rest in my room. You guys take your time eating.”

Xi Ling turned and left the kitchen, not letting the cameraman follow.

Her slender figure vanished from sight, and Ye Cike set down her bowl, glancing at Xu Mumu, who was still eating.

Xu Mumu added another scoop of mapo tofu and waved understandingly. “Go ahead. We’ll wash the dishes when we’re done.”

Ye Cike immediately followed. Something was off with Xi Ling, and she couldn’t rest easy without checking.

She reached Xi Ling’s room and knocked.

“Xi Ling?”

No response. The room was dark, silent, with no shadow visible through the thin window paper. Ye Cike’s heart raced. Could Xi Ling’s low bl00d sugar be acting up again?

“If you don’t answer, I’m coming in.”

Ye Cike counted ten seconds, but no sound came.

Without hesitation, she turned the doorknob. The door wasn’t locked and opened easily.

A faint grassy scent hit her, tinged with a bitter edge. Ye Cike held her breath.

Omega pheromones, subtle but intoxicatingly sweet.

For a moment, Ye Cike forgot her purpose, drawn to the source of the scent, wanting to claim it.

Snapping back, she stumbled back a step, panic rising. Her instincts screamed to flee.

Help, Xi Ling’s pheromones are seducing me!

Ye Cike bit her tongue, her sharp canines piercing flesh. The taste of bl00d spread, pulling her back to reason.

Click! She flicked on the light and saw Xi Ling sitting on the bed’s edge.

Quiet as a pale shadow, Xi Ling looked up, a glistening tear hanging on her lashes. With a blink, it slid down her flushed cheek.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be picky,” she said, her voice trembling with a sob.

Ye Cike’s eyes widened. Why was she crying? She fumbled for a tissue, nearly dropping it in her haste.

“If you don’t want to eat, it’s fine,” Ye Cike stammered, trying to comfort her. “Don’t cry.”

Xi Ling didn’t take the tissue. The tear lingered on her delicate jawline, making Ye Cike inexplicably anxious.

The fresh, grassy scent, usually pleasant, now stirred only unease in Ye Cike.

Xi Ling was like a soft cake, radiating a sweet, tempting aura.

Biting her lip, Xi Ling’s teary eyes shimmered. “My heat might be coming early,” she said shakily.

Ye Cike’s heart nearly stopped.

Suppressing her own agitation, she closed her eyes, avoiding deep breaths, and pulled out a portable suppressant.

“Take this, okay?” Ye Cike’s tone was almost coaxing.

She just wanted Xi Ling to take it quickly, not daring to think of anything else.

Xi Ling slowly reached for it, her warm fingertips brushing Ye Cike’s palm, making her jerk her hand back.

She couldn’t stay here a second longer!

Xi Ling tugged at the serrated edge—

Rip! The suppressant packet didn’t tear. Xi Ling looked at the torn-off corner, her expression innocent. “What do we do now?”

Ye Cike: !