The Taste of Love Starts in the Kitchen (GL) - Chapter 21

After her shower, Qian Qian poured herself a glass of water from the dispenser. On the way back, she couldn’t help opening the fridge door—and her eyes lit up. There were still some leftovers from last night.

After the awful day she’d had, her heart was full of frustration. She opened a bottle of red wine and laid out the food on the table, preparing herself a late-night feast.

Song Baili’s cooking was top-notch. Even after reheating, the dishes hadn’t lost any flavor. Each bite tasted just as delicious as the night before. As she chewed, the corners of her eyes gradually turned red. A wave of emotion welled up inside her, blurring her vision with tears.

Was it because the food was so good?

Or because she missed someone she wanted to love but couldn’t?

After a few glasses of wine, her fair cheeks were tinged with red. Half-squinting, she looked at the empty plates and wine bottle on the table and gave a small smile. Nothing had gone to waste, and that filled her with a strange sense of accomplishment.

Downing the last sip, she pushed herself up from the table, wobbled a few steps, then collapsed onto the couch. Reaching for her phone, she opened her contacts and scrolled down slowly until she found the name—and called.

“Hello.”

The call connected. A gentle woman’s voice came from the other end. Qian Qian pressed the phone close to her ear, and her eyes immediately turned red. Her throat tightened, her mouth opened, but all the words in her heart couldn’t make it out.

“Qian Qian?”

Hearing her name, warmth suddenly rushed through her chest. A misty layer of tears clouded her vision again. She lowered her lashes as a few teardrops slid down her nose and into her mouth, leaving behind a salty bitterness.

Song Baili thought she heard soft sniffling from the other end. She glanced at Song Qinyao sitting beside her, then quietly got up and stepped out onto the balcony.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you okay?”

Qian Qian wiped her tears with the back of her hand, feeling a little nervous. She stammered, “I’m fine. I just… just…”

Just really wanted to hear your voice.

She clenched her free hand into a fist and pressed it against her lips, closing her eyes with a sigh. Still, she didn’t have the courage to say it out loud.

“Did you make it home?”

“Mm.”

Song Baili finally felt a bit of relief and let out a quiet breath. She looked up at the twinkling stars in the night sky. The scattered lights reminded her of a certain girl’s eyes when she smiled—so bright and shining.

“Did someone bully you again?”

Qian Qian’s eyes shimmered. She paused a moment and softly said, “Yeah.”

Song Baili’s brows furrowed, her fingers gripping the balcony railing so tightly they turned white. Inwardly, she cursed the jerk, heart aching for Qian Qian’s pain.

But it wasn’t her place to meddle in someone else’s relationship. If they were still clinging to each other even now, maybe it was a case of one willing to hurt, and one willing to endure. By tomorrow, they’d probably be out on another sweet date again.

That thought darkened her eyes a little. She slowly released her grip on the railing, feeling tightness in her chest. Taking a deep breath, she cleared her throat and said, “Love is never easy. I hope the two of you can eventually work things out and be happy.”

Qian Qian’s heart instantly went cold. The gentle light in her eyes faded, replaced by a deep ache. Even when Li Shao yelled and cursed at her, she’d never felt this miserable.

“Song Baili… do you really mean that?”

Song Baili froze. Her breath caught in her throat. After a brief pause, her voice came calm and even. “Of course I do.”

Qian Qian pressed her lips together without answering. Her eyes welled up again. She held her forehead, thumb pressing against her temple, fighting back the sadness. But thinking it through, it wasn’t like Song Baili could say anything else. She couldn’t expect her to admit she wanted them to break up.

It was all just wishful thinking on her part.

Qian Qian gave a soft, self-deprecating laugh and shook her head. After swallowing down the lump in her throat, she adjusted her breathing and hoarsely replied, “Thank you.”

Her voice was a little raspy.

After she said that, silence fell between them. From inside the house, Song Baili saw Song Qinyao waving at her and mouthing words.

“I’ll hang up now. Get some rest.”

“Okay. You too.”

The call ended with a series of “beep” sounds. Qian Qian still held the phone to her ear, dazed. Then she slowly sat up, straightened her back, and tilted her head upward. Warm tears slid silently down her cheeks.

With only a few days left until the competition, the kitchen was always full of busy people. The air was thick with the scent of oil, vinegar, and spices. Pots and pans clanged all day long.

It seemed like everyone was determined to win—everyone except…

Qian Qian glanced at Song Baili, who seemed indifferent and unhurried. A wave of irritation surged in her chest. It was like the emperor wasn’t anxious, but the eunuchs were. Watching everyone else rush around, she couldn’t concentrate on the account books anymore. After flipping through a few pages, she got up and walked to the bar counter.

She looked around, then walked over to Song Baili. Lowering her voice so others wouldn’t hear, she asked, “Are we practicing today?”

Song Baili’s eyelids twitched. She paused what she was doing, hesitated for a few seconds, then turned to ask, “Aren’t you going on a date today?”

It was like a hammer suddenly struck Qian Qian’s head. Her face turned pale, and her whole body trembled. She stared at Song Baili with wide eyes.

Seeing the fire in her eyes, Song Baili flinched slightly and quickly added, “Then what do you want for dinner?”

Qian Qian’s chest tightened painfully. She lowered her eyes and replied in a weak voice, “Anything’s fine.”

Song Baili nodded gently. Seeing how downcast Qian Qian looked, a wave of emotion surged in her heart. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the words caught in her throat and never made it out.

After all, the one who tied the knot had to untie it. No matter how many comforting words she said, they meant nothing compared to one sweet sentence from Li Shao. Her heart settled again, and she turned back to her work.

Qian Qian looked up at her, working quietly like nothing had happened. She pouted, disappointed, and walked away.

Seven people had signed up for the contest, but only five showed up.

Li Shao kept looking toward the entrance, visibly annoyed. He made a few phone calls, cursing under his breath, his expression growing darker by the minute.

Boss Qian leaned back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other. He tapped his fingers on the table while glancing at the time, then looked over at Li Shao.

There was a new face at the judges’ table. As soon as this blonde-haired, green-eyed woman walked in, the male judges couldn’t stop staring. Their smiles were filled with a certain sleaziness.

The moment Song Baili saw the woman, her eyes widened. She stared blankly for a few seconds, then rested her chin in her hand, thinking.

Suddenly, she remembered who it was—food influencer Dominique.

With a striking look, perfect figure, and over a million followers, she spoke fluent Chinese, had traveled to over a hundred countries, and tasted nearly every cuisine. She had also won several cooking competitions in her home country and ran several highly successful restaurants.

Dominique, who had been looking at her phone, suddenly looked up. Her deep, starry eyes and flawless nose gave her face an elegant glow. She turned slightly to Li Shao and said in a low voice, “Xiao Li, it’s unfair to keep waiting. No matter how good someone’s cooking is, if they can’t show up on time, they should be disqualified.”

Then she turned to the five remaining contestants. Her eyes were sharp and commanding, and her presence instantly filled the room. When her gaze landed on Song Baili, she paused for a beat—clearly taken aback.

With limited space in the venue, each contestant drew a number. They took turns in the kitchen and had thirty minutes to complete a dish.

Song Baili opened her paper slip, raised an eyebrow, and smiled without realizing it. She folded the slip and followed the others out of the kitchen.

Outside, Song Qinyao saw the restaurant’s “Closed” sign. She walked up to the glass door and peeked inside. Seeing no one, she tried the door and found it unlocked. With a shrug, she walked in.

“Sorry, miss, we’re closed today—”

Qian Qian came striding over. At the sound of her voice, Song Qinyao turned around. Their eyes met, and Qian Qian froze, the smile on her face stiffening. She cursed inwardly:

What’s this sister-obsessed girl doing here again?

“I heard my sister has a competition today, so I came to check it out.”

Song Qinyao’s long, upturned eyes sparkled as she smiled sweetly. Her whole face radiated charm. But despite the beauty, Qian Qian felt a chill go down her spine, and goosebumps broke out on her skin.

“Well, go ahead. But there’s no food today. I can get you a drink if you want.”

“No need. I’ll wait and eat with my sister later.”

Qian Qian nodded. Hearing her keep calling Song Baili “sister,” and knowing they lived under the same roof and could eat together anytime, she couldn’t help feeling a little envious.

She sighed and said, “Bai-jiejie treats her family so well.”

“Bai-jiejie?”

Song Qinyao raised her eyebrows, leaned against the wall, and crossed her arms. She quietly took two deep breaths to suppress the sudden irritation in her chest.

Qian Qian lowered her head slightly, her clear eyes glowing softly. A light blush spread across her cheeks. She smiled gently and said, “She’s older than me, so I call her ‘jiejie.’”

She looked just like a girl in love.

The smile never left Song Qinyao’s face, but her eyes glinted sharply. As she glanced at Qian Qian’s face, her heart seethed with jealousy—but she didn’t let a trace of it show.