The Taste of Love Starts in the Kitchen (GL) - Chapter 49

As soon as the voice faded, the phone that was placed on the sofa beside Qian Qian suddenly rang.

Song Baili, who was sitting nearby, immediately noticed the vibration of the phone. She stood up and took it from the table.

When she saw the name displayed on the screen, her brows furrowed slightly, and her expression darkened involuntarily.

A few seconds later, she turned and handed the phone to Qian Qian, slightly tilting her head, trying to hide her emotions behind her tilted gaze.

Qian Qian glanced coldly at the phone screen, furrowing her brow as if the call had disturbed her peace.

Without hesitation, she placed the phone face down on the table, turned to Song Baili, and the smile at the corner of her lips rose quietly, like a flower nurtured by the spring rain.

Song Baili, whose fingers were gently moving, fell silent. The atmosphere, which had suddenly quieted, seemed to be filled with her unease. The ticking of the clock grew louder, and her eyes wandered, glancing around every corner, before finally looking up at the wall clock.

Finally, she couldn’t help but ask:

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay here? Is he going to come over often?”

“You mean who?”

“Song Yongjun, come on, don’t pretend. You two definitely have feelings for each other, I can see it!”

Qian Qian nearly spat out the water she had just taken as she was caught off guard by the sudden assumption. She almost laughed at the thought.

She hadn’t expected to be seen by Song Baili as someone so restless and eager for a new relationship right after ending one.

Her hands trembled slightly as she held the cup, and a sense of helplessness surged within her. She thought to herself that if she really had that kind of ability, love would have been an easy thing, and the person she liked would have already been hers by now.

But unfortunately, the person she cared about had spent most of the day at her house, and she hadn’t even touched his finger.

Qian Qian silently put the cup down on the table, making a sharp clink that not only echoed from the bottom of the cup but also served as an outlet for her displeasure.

As soon as Song Baili met Qian Qian’s gaze, she felt a chill run down her spine.

Qian Qian’s brow furrowed, and a clear displeasure showed on her face. She narrowed her eyes slightly, gazing intently at Song Baili, her voice calm but laced with cold sharpness:

“Who said we have feelings for each other? Nonsense!”

Song Baili instinctively adjusted her sitting posture, trying to appear more natural. Her tone was casual as she said:

“I’ve seen you two spending a lot of time together. Xiao Jun’s face is always full of happiness, so I thought you…”

Qian Qian couldn’t hold back anymore. She propped herself up with her elbow and leaned forward, almost closing the distance between her and Song Baili.

She tilted her head slightly, raised one eyebrow, and stared at Song Baili, her voice teasing:

“Oh, what’s with the sour face? Are you… jealous?”

Song Baili was taken by surprise as Qian Qian moved closer. She hurriedly tried to create some distance between them, her expression flustered, like a flower trapped in a corner, both startled and delicate, as if she couldn’t handle the situation.

She straightened up, her gaze drifting a little, her hand clenched into a fist near her lips as she let out a small cough. The sound felt especially out of place in the otherwise quiet room.

Regaining her composure, she spoke in a calm tone:

“Sorry, I thought too much.”

Qian Qian’s gaze stayed on Song Baili’s face.

She had recently noticed how close Song Baili and Dominique had become, seeing them often together. Dominique had been smiling like she had just gotten a good deal, and Qian Qian couldn’t help but wonder if something more was going on between them…

Suddenly, a certain memory surfaced in her mind, and her brow furrowed slightly. She recalled a moment—a scene on the terrace, the intimate pose of the two women, and the shocking image she had accidentally seen.

The details were still vivid in her mind.

She unconsciously pursed her lips, a barely perceptible hint of displeasure flickered across her face. Biting her lower lip, she fell silent for a moment before asking:

“You’re always concerned about other people’s business. What about you? Do you have someone you like?”

Song Baili paused, her fingers lightly gripping under the table, and her eyelashes fluttered.

She slowly raised her eyes, her deep and dark gaze revealing an unreadable emotion, her voice barely above a whisper:

“I don’t have anyone I like.”

A slight gleam appeared in Qian Qian’s eyes, but as joy flickered, her expression gradually calmed.

Hearing this answer brought a strange sense of relief to Qian Qian’s heart, though amidst her happiness, she felt a touch of melancholy, like a beautiful rainbow after rain, quickly fading behind the clouds.

Qian Qian thought to herself, It seems this older sister is hard to deal with. Despite all the hints—both obvious and subtle—she still doesn’t seem to get it. There’s not even a trace of a spark.

She kept her smile, but inside, she sighed. She gently tore off a piece of tissue, her mood complex as she rubbed it between her fingers.

Then, with a hint of unease in her voice, she asked:

“So, what kind of guy does Bai Sister like? Do you like the quiet, somewhat artsy type, or the one with sparkling eyes who looks like a cute cat when they smile?”

Song Baili felt Qian Qian’s eyes on her and, when she looked up, it seemed like some invisible force had bound her to that gaze. She couldn’t escape.

A sense of pressure rose in her chest, and gradually, a feeling of wariness began to surface as she realized Qian Qian’s stare might contain the intention to play matchmaker, to link her with someone.

Song Baili lowered her eyelids, soft as a feather, covering the emotions in her eyes. Her fingers lightly grazed the edge of her cup, feeling its coolness.

In that moment, her thoughts grew still and complex, her gaze dimming slightly before returning to her calm smile. She slowly spoke:

“I’m not thinking about relationships right now. I’m perfectly fine on my own, no attachments. I just want to live the way I want without being weighed down by anyone.”

Qian Qian’s face changed instantly, a fleeting sense of loss entering her eyes like a breeze brushing across the surface of a lake, leaving ripples.

She looked away, unsure of how to continue the conversation. Her hands were nervously clasped on the table, her fingers intertwining in a restless motion.

The atmosphere fell into an awkward silence, the stillness of the room making Song Baili’s unease rise.

To break the silence, she casually asked:

“Then what about you, Qian Qian? What kind of guy do you like?”

Qian Qian folded her arms across her chest, lightly resting her elbows on the table and leaning slightly forward. Her gaze was soft, like silk wrapping around the person in front of her.

“I like the kind of guy who’s smart but a little silly, who seems indifferent but is actually gentle, says little but can push a girl’s buttons sometimes. He’s talented but keeps it low-key—someone who’s both lovable and frustrating.”

Qian Qian’s eyes were warm and deep, gazing intently at the person in front of her, as if she wanted to understand all their secrets.

Song Baili gently rested her finger on her lips, lowering her gaze, her expression serious and deep.

After a moment of thought, her brow furrowed slightly, as if facing a puzzle she couldn’t quite solve.

“Does such a guy really exist?”

Song Baili, oblivious to the hints in Qian Qian’s words, was like a radio that couldn’t tune into the right signal when it came to feelings from women.

Qian Qian had already expected this response. Her mind was calm, having reached an accepting place. She shrugged helplessly, smiling with a touch of self-deprecation.

“Whether he exists or not doesn’t matter. I’m doing great on my own, living life my way.”

Qian Qian stared at the confused look on Song Baili’s face. She decided to go for it and boldly grabbed Song Baili’s hand, gently pulling her closer as she said:

“So, Bai Sister, what’s your plan? I’ll stick with you. We’ll take care of each other—You cook, I’ll clean, you do whatever, and I’ll do the same. Life will be full of flavor.”

The sudden contact made Song Baili’s cheeks flush slightly, as if an invisible current ran through her fingers and straight to her heart, opening a door within her at that moment.

She instinctively tried to pull away but felt Qian Qian’s firm grip.

A strange feeling stirred in her heart, a warmth spreading, her heartbeat quickening, and a faint, unrecognized sense of sweetness beginning to bloom.

After her bath, Song Baili sat on the sofa in her pajamas, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, a book gently opened in her hands.

The soft light in the room illuminated the pages, and the floral scent from the bathroom mixed with the fragrance of the book, creating a calm atmosphere.

Each page she turned, her eyes followed the words, occasionally blinking, her gaze absorbed in the world within the pages.

Qian Qian quickly finished her shower and skincare routine, then rushed to sit beside Song Baili.

They sat on the spacious sofa, Qian Qian slowly closing the distance between them, almost as if they were sitting on a tiny sofa, the space shrinking without notice.

As time passed, Qian Qian sat at the other end of the sofa, her gaze flowing over Song Baili like a silk thread, her emotions melting into her eyes.

Song Baili vaguely felt Qian Qian’s unwavering gaze and froze for a moment, her fingers trembling slightly on the pages. The words before her blurred for an instant, and she could almost hear her heart beating faster, the rhythm growing more intense.

She tried to maintain composure, pretending to focus on the book, deliberately avoiding meeting Qian Qian’s gaze.

Qian Qian twisted her body playfully, blinking her large, watery eyes, her voice sweet and soft as if melting into the air:

“Bai Sister…”

Song Baili responded quietly with a soft “Mm,” her body tilting slightly. One hand rested on the sofa armrest, and her long hair fell along her profile, like a soft barrier separating her from Qian Qian’s gaze.

Qian Qian pouted slightly, her lips turning downward in a subtle show of displeasure. Her long fingers curled tightly, as if squeezing her inner frustration into a small ball.

Then, taking a deep breath, she boldly grabbed the book from Song Baili’s hands.

The pages rustled as she casually tossed it onto the other side of the sofa, then lay down in a carefree and laid-back manner.

Their eyes met, and the air around them seemed to be enveloped in a thin veil. The faint electric charges in the atmosphere seemed to dance, creating an indescribable, subtle tension.

“Qian Qian, you’re not…”

Song Baili’s lips moved slightly. There was a hesitation in her voice, as if the words were caught on her tongue, before she suddenly held them back.

Qian Qian crossed her fingers, holding her breath unconsciously, her eyes fixed on Song Baili, the atmosphere tangled with complexity. She felt a mix of anticipation and a hint of unease.

“Say it, what’s wrong with me?”

“You’re not hungry again, are you? Want me to make you something to eat?”