The Taste of Love Starts in the Kitchen (GL) - Chapter 73

In front of Song Baili stood Qian Qian, holding an ashtray. Her eyes were wide and round, staring at them in shock, her expression frozen as if caught in a still frame.

The three of them stopped in their tracks, staring at each other, and the atmosphere around them seemed to freeze at that very moment.

Song Baili’s gaze lingered for a moment before she regained her composure. She placed her cigarette butt into the ashtray, the crisp sound breaking the brief silence.

“I’ll go wash my hands.”

Qian Qian’s gaze flickered, unwilling to meet their eyes. The emotions she had just gone through seemed to be transparent on her face, clearly visible.

Song Qinyao narrowed her eyes, watching Qian Qian closely, wondering how long she had been standing there and how much of their conversation she had overheard.

“With that expression, you must have heard everything, right? But my sister never said she liked you.”

Qian Qian’s eyelashes fluttered, her fingers subtly curling, and a faint, dismissive smile curved on her lips. She tilted her chin up and looked directly into Song Qinyao’s eyes, saying with determination,

“But she never said she didn’t like me either.”

“Listen to me, I think my brother is more suitable for you. Being my sister-in-law would definitely be better than being my rival.”

“Seems like you want to be family with me. How about I be your sister-in-law instead?” Qian Qian replied teasingly.

Song Qinyao covered her mouth lightly, suddenly bursting into laughter. Her crescent-shaped eyes sparkled, lighting up her whole face.

She leaned slightly forward, taking a step toward Qian Qian, her smile holding an edge of sharpness.

“Haha, you want to be my sister-in-law? Don’t dream about it. How about waiting until the next life when I become emperor and make you my prince? How’s that?”

Qian Qian’s teeth ground together, her gaze sharp like a knife, as though she could cut Song Qinyao into pieces with her stare.

The tension between them was palpable, the air crackling with a charged atmosphere. It was like a barrel of gunpowder ready to explode—any small spark could ignite it.

At that moment, Song Baili walked over. Instantly, both Qian Qian and Song Qinyao seemed to silently release their confrontational stances. It was as if a summer storm had passed, leaving behind a refreshing calm, and the pressure and hostility on their faces vanished.

In an instant, they both put on warm smiles, pretending to get along. At least on the surface, it seemed like their relationship wasn’t as bad as it had been moments ago.

“What are you two talking about so happily?”

“I told my brother what I really thought, and look, how happy she is,” Song Baili said, nodding toward Qian Qian.

Qian Qian wished she could burn Song Qinyao to ashes with her laser eyes. She cursed her a thousand times in her mind, but her face wore a smile that changed as often as a mask.

She walked over to Song Baili, gently hooking her arm, and said, “Yeah, I’m really happy! I have a friend who’s always worrying about finding a boyfriend. Little Jun just happens to meet her requirements, so I’m planning to set them up.”

Song Qinyao’s expression faltered. The light that had been in her face dimmed, as if clouds had blocked out the sun.

But then, in the blink of an eye, she seemed to remember something. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly, and her smile brightened like sunlight piercing through the clouds, spreading warmth across her face.

“Qian Qian, my brother is a rare good man—handsome and with a heart of gold. If you miss him, you’ll regret it.”

“Song Miss, many restaurant owners are afraid that ingredients won’t be fresh if they’re stored too long, so they’re eager to sell. Are you worried your brother’s flavor has changed, or are you worried he’s expired?”

Song Baili tried to hold back her laughter but couldn’t stop herself, letting out a little giggle like an uncontrollable sneeze.

Anger bubbled up in Song Qinyao’s chest. It felt like her feet were ready to spring off the ground in frustration. She wanted to stomp her foot, but she forced herself to suppress the impulse, pressing her foot down hard and holding back her fury.

“Sis, didn’t you say you were exhausted? Let’s go home quickly, no need to linger here.”

Just as she finished speaking, Qian Qian’s hand pressed more firmly against Song Baili’s skin. Her body leaned slightly, her forehead almost touching the other’s shoulder as if trying to stop her from leaving.

Song Baili gently turned her head, her eyes softening as they lingered on Qian Qian. A flicker of tenderness rose in her gaze, her brows lifting slightly as a soft smile curved her lips.

“The staff in the shop are barely enough to manage. You should rest at home, I’ll come check on you tomorrow.”

“Mm, I know.”

Qian Qian accompanied them to the door but suddenly called out to Song Baili.

Stepping forward, she wrapped her arms lightly around Song Baili’s neck, gently standing on tiptoe to pull her into a quick, affectionate kiss on the lips.

“Goodnight, Bai-jie.”

She hurriedly closed the door behind her. Song Baili stood there, her gaze blank as she stared at the wooden grain on the door, her mind drifting as if she were in a dream.

Song Qinyao saw this scene and was furious. Her face flushed with anger, eyes burning with rage. Her fists clenched tightly as she muttered through gritted teeth.

Finally, she turned away in a huff, her footsteps heavy as she stomped across the floor. The sharp clack of her high heels seemed to echo the anger and dissatisfaction in her heart, like she was sending her emotions out to the whole world.

Song Baili left the complex, got into the car, and buckled her seatbelt. As the car drove through the dimly lit streets, the scenery whizzed by, but her mind felt as though it were floating in the clouds.

When she finally arrived home, she entered her bedroom and turned on the shower to wash away the day’s fatigue.

The warm water drenched her body, each drop feeling like a gentle caress that stirred feelings of happiness inside her, creating ripples of joy in her heart.

She closed her eyes, letting herself be immersed in the sound of water falling. The kiss from earlier filled her mind, and a sweet feeling bubbled up inside her, like being wrapped in a warm current, her body warming up as if melting away.

In another room under the same roof, Song Qinyao, however, tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

On this quiet night, her emotions were like a stirred-up pond, restless and uneasy.

In the dimly lit room, she sometimes stared at the ceiling, sometimes closed her eyes as thoughts swirled in her mind. Memories from the past churned in her head, and a tear glistened in the corner of her eye, but she held it back, refusing to let it fall.

At this moment, she felt an unprecedented emptiness and helplessness, as though everything she had been pursuing for half her life was slipping away from her fingers and into someone else’s hands.

If her sister was really taken away by someone else, she didn’t know how she could go on with her life. The uncertainty felt like a dark mist, shrouding her future and filling her with deep fear and despair.

Song Qinyao didn’t sleep the entire night. Exhausted, she came downstairs and entered the dining room.

Her brow furrowed, her gaze heavy, her mood as dark as her expression.

The moment she saw Song Yongjun, her hands clenched into fists, irritation and unease surged within her. Her emotions were like a blazing fire, almost burning away all her patience and tolerance.

She glared at Song Yongjun, her temper flaring. She felt like her journey in love had been nothing but a string of misfortunes, all because of this fool stumbling in her way!

Everyone else was chasing women, but he was as slow as a clueless turtle!

Song Yongjun looked up, his gaze inadvertently landing on Song Qinyao. Though her makeup was delicate and elegant, the faint dark circles under her eyes couldn’t be completely hidden.

He felt the fire in her eyes, and her intense stare made him feel uneasy, as though he were trapped in a microwave, spinning around with no escape.

Song Qinyao turned her gaze away from Song Yongjun, focusing on the teacup on the table. Her brow slightly furrowed, and her hands lightly rested on the table as she let out a deep sigh.

“Look at you. Where were you wandering off to last night?”

“I was visiting your goddess with my sister.”

Song Yongjun’s expression brightened at the mention of this, and he set down his coffee cup. His eyes locked onto Song Qinyao’s face, concern evident as he asked:

“How is she? I was planning to go visit her yesterday, but she said she was fine and just wanted to be alone. She told me not to come.”

Song Qinyao shot him a sharp look, muttering under her breath:

“Looking at you, I’m reminded of that old saying, ‘you can’t make steel from iron,’ but you… you’re not even iron, just rust at best.”

Song Yongjun’s brow furrowed, and his body leaned slightly back as a trace of displeasure crossed his face.

Song Qinyao began to mock him the moment she sat down, her words stinging his pride, making his heart feel a little cold.

“You’ve got to think from my perspective. I’m a man, and Xiaoqian’s still a bit wary of me. If I rush things, I might scare her off.”

“Sigh, don’t expect to scare her off. I think she’s almost out of your league. And you, still single.”

Song Yongjun froze for a moment, staring at Song Qinyao in confusion and surprise.

After a brief silence, his expression grew serious, and his voice dropped, sounding defeated as he asked:

“Are you saying Xiaoqian has someone?”

Song Qinyao gave him a cold glance, crossing her arms and sighing silently. She thought her brother’s intelligence was probably as slow as the Earth’s rotation, hopelessly so.

“How is that possible? How could someone like that be around her? Can’t I compete with him? Do you even know who that person is?”

Song Qinyao’s gaze turned icy as it stayed on Song Yongjun. A mocking smile curved on her lips, and she let out a bitter laugh.

“If I compared you two to animals, you’d be a pig, and she’d be a divine phoenix.”

“A phoenix? I would never lose to some effeminate guy!”

“Sigh, I’ve already called you a pig, and it’s not unjust.”

Song Qinyao shook her head in resignation, raising her hand to cover her face.

At that moment, Song Yongjun felt as if his heart had been squeezed by an invisible hand, sinking into deep disappointment. His shoulders drooped, his body looked a little worn out, and the corners of his lips twitched as he whispered:

“So, what should I do now?”

“I have only one idea.”

Song Yongjun’s expression brightened as though he were a traveler in the desert finally finding an oasis.

“What’s the idea? Hurry up and tell me!”

He leaned forward, his hands pressing on the table, his eyes full of expectation as he looked at Song Qinyao.

“Forget her. Stop thinking about it.”

After speaking, Song Qinyao gently pushed her chair back, stood up with poise, her gaze dropping as she calmly brushed off her skirt. She gave Song Yongjun a helpless smile and gracefully left the dining room.