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n“Cook for us?” The class leader seemed to be looking down on me, “Do you even know how to cook?”

nOf course, for a single parent family like mines, I would have to bear with my dad’s cooking if I didn’t learn. My dad always reads a magazine while cooking and has mistaken sugar for salt multiple times.

nThus I proudly pointed at myself with my thumb and said:

n“Who says I don’t know how to cook. I might not know anything complicated, but I can still make simple dishes. How about I treat you guys to my noodle?”

nAh, I’ve already used this dirty joke three times, I should hurry and apologize before she turns really angry.

nI coughed and changed my previous remark:

n“If you don’t want noodles, I can make tomatoes and egg, or even over easy eggs.”

nThe class leader showed a bit of interest. She sat down at her seat, carefully rested her face on her bandaged hands and asked: “What else?”

nI racked my brains and replied:

n“Stir fried julienne potatoes, onions and meat, fried garlic shoots, those I can kind of make. I’m not great at cooking spinach soup or winter melon soup, but it’s still passable… to be honest most of my expertise revolves around noodles…”

nThe class leader thought quietly for a few seconds before lightly patting the desk and said: “Fail.”

nHuh, are you trying to score me on how well I would act as a stay-at-home husband? Are you really going to focus on your career after marriage and let a man cook for you like Loud Mouth mentioned?

nAs the master chef of class 2-3, the class leader looked at me in contempt before she began to order dishes:

n“I want to eat braised chicken with mushrooms, do you know how to make it?”

nWhat?? Can’t you order a simpler dish when it’s my first time as your head chef?

n“No, I can’t.” I replied honestly, “I’m only an entry-level chef, I can’t make high-level dishes, but if you don’t mind me buying half-finished goods…”

n“Don’t.” The class leader interrupted, “I have a frozen chicken in my fridge at home. If you’re willing to cook, then I can guide you.”

nAre… you trying to make a joke of me? Do you want to see a large man like me wear your small apron while being confounded by a frozen chicken? Shu Zhe might even come in to laugh at me, is this how you siblings repay your benefactors?

nClass leader, aren’t you usually pretty magnanimous? You still find time to give Xiong YaoYue study sessions even when she gives you a lot of trouble, but why do you hate me so much?

nI suddenly remembered Xiao Qin made sea cucumber and braised bamboo chicken with Auntie Ren before. The methods should be pretty similar to braised chicken with mushrooms.

nI told the class leader to wait for a second and went to ask Xiao Qin: “Do you know how to make braised chicken with mushrooms?”

n“Of course, as long as it’s something Ye Lin classmate loves to eat, I’ll force myself to learn even if I don’t know how to make it.”

n“No, no.” I said, “Even though I do like to eat it, this time it’s not for me, it’s for the class leader. You probably already know the class leader injured her hand, so that means she can’t cook tonight. Can you head to the class leader’s home after school and cook braised chicken with mushrooms for everyone?”

nXiao Qin’s expression made it seem as if she was sent from heaven to hell. I mean it’s expected since she was planning to have a romantic candlelight dinner with her boyfriend, but she was treated as a tool, a tool to help me with the favour of another woman… you should kill scum like me, you might as well dump me right now.

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nI couldn’t really hold back when I saw Xiao Qin’s look of disappointment, so I supplemented: “I won’t make you cook alone, I’ll be your assistant.”

nXiao Qin’s eyes lit up again.

n“If I can cook together with Ye Lin classmate… then the meaning is completely different. By the way, it seems I did eat a lot of the class leader’s cooking at my house last time, so I should repay her. Then it’s decided, let me show you cooking skills only a real girl would know.”

nNo one said you weren’t a real girl. But you better know how to actually cook braised chicken with mushrooms. When I went to your house with the class leader last time, most of the food you cooked were all fast food like fried chicken. If you turn the braised chicken with mushrooms into a mysterious black goop, then have fun watching everyone’s reactions at the dinner table.

nAfter Xiao Qin agreed, I ran to the class leader and told her not to worry. Xiao Qin would come over to cook, so their food worries would be solved.

n“Hehe, Xiao Qin will come with me to cook. You can just wait outside for the food.”

nThe class leader didn’t seem that happy when she heard the news. She looked at Xiao Qin who was two tables away and said quietly:

n“Is that so… it’s fine if Xiao Qin comes and helps, but I hope it doesn’t affect her studies…”

nHuh, you seem disappointed you can’t guide me in the kitchen. Do you want to laugh at me that badly? Do you not care even if I turn the dish into a nuclear disaster?

nAfter school, the class leader used supervising the students in charge of cleaning the class as an excuse to wait until everyone left before coming to find us at the school gates.

nAre you embarrassed walking home with me? Then you should have just left with Xiao Qin.

nThe class leader still wasn’t riding her bike today, it seems her butt is still swollen. I guess helping her cook will be my atonement.

nThe three of us walked with Xiao Qin on the left, the class leader on the right, and I was in the middle. The two girls were completely silent and it was a bit awkward.

nTwo girls from QingZi Academy High school division was walking towards us. The class leader’s height made them check her out, but they covered their mouths and laughed when they saw the bandages on her knees.

n“She should pay more attention when wearing a vest in the summer…”

n“She should wear knee pads if doing it on top of a bamboo sleeping mat. She looks smart, but I guess she doesn’t have any common knowledge.”

n“The guy looks pretty built, but it’s pretty obvious he’s not the caring type…”

n“Why are they all walking together? Is the one on the left his sister?”

nWho did it with the class leader on a bamboo mat? Who said Xiao Qin was my sister? Get the hell out of here!

nFor some reason Xiao Qin came to a halt when she heard their words.

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