After eating like a group of escaped zoo animals, we all slump back into our chairs.
I stare at the battlefield on the table—empty plates, empty containers, empty wine bottles.
Everything is empty except my soul.
My brain is already fast-forwarding to tomorrow morning, where I stand in front of the sink, questioning every life choice that led me here. So many dishes. So. Many. Dishes.
Did we host dinner or survive a famine?
Silence hangs for a second.
Then Yuyu clears her throat and smiles sweetly.
"Yunhua, Jiang… thank you for such delicious food. I feel guilty eating all of this for free."
Free.
Ah yes. Free.
Paid in dishes and emotional damage.
Zeyan nods seriously. "Yeah, it really was tasty."
Jiang straightens a little, clearly proud. His ears might as well be wagging.
Then Lil Xin leans forward, eyes shining, and looks directly at Jiang.
"Then make food for me every day."
…Oh.
I slowly turn my head toward her.
She's still after my Jiang.
Still.
