"No, I bought all of them." Anju shakes his head.
"This bag?" Evie glances at his shopping bag.
"No, I bought too much. They're delivering the rest to the house. This one is for someone else." Anju hides the bag behind her back, her cheeks flushing slightly.
Evie smiles and doesn't press further. She wraps her arm around Anju's waist as they walk toward the elevator. "What else do you want to eat?"
"I'm full. Haven't you had dinner yet?" Anju turns to face Alexander.
"Not yet. I just finished work."
"You were so busy you forgot to eat?" Anju can't help scolding him.
"I lose track of time when I'm working. You can remind me when it's meal time from now on."
"Okay. I'll call you when it's time to eat."
"Good."
"What if you're in a meeting? Won't I disturb you?"
"No."
Anju nods. She figures if Alexander says it's fine, then it must be fine.
Later, it becomes a regular thing. Alexander's phone rings right in the middle of a meeting or while he's reprimanding someone in his office. He glances at the caller ID, answers, and says, "Okay, I got it."
Then he hangs up and continues the meeting or the lecture.
Everyone starts guessing. It must be the boss's wife calling at exactly noon and seven in the evening.
A rumor spreads through the company. The person the CEO fears most is actually his wife.
Since Alexander hasn't eaten, Anju joins him for dinner first. Then they go back to check on their home.
They walk around the mall. Alexander doesn't think any restaurant looks good. Finally, he decides to cook at home.
More precisely, Anju cooks.
Alexander's reason is that he hasn't had Anju's cooking in a while.
Anju points out that she cooked on Misty Isle.
Alexander says that was days ago. And at best, it was just a snack.
"Let me cook. You won't starve." Anju smiles.
"Good things are worth waiting for." Alexander grins.
Anju has nothing left to say.
They return to Sterling Manor. Anju takes a shower first and changes clothes. Then she heads to the kitchen to make dinner for Alexander.
Alexander also showers and walks into the kitchen.
"You can just sit in the living room. I'll call you when it's ready."
"It's fine. I'll guide you."
Anju is speechless.
She wants to say, why don't you just cook it yourself?
But she doesn't. She opens the fridge to see what's inside. Then she turns to Alexander. "Is it okay if I make you a bowl of noodles?"
"Yes." Alexander replies lazily.
Anju takes out lean meat, vegetables, and ramen noodles from the fridge.
"If you don't want ramen, is there anything else?"
"There's Yangchun noodles."
"Let's have Yangchun noodles then."
Anju puts the ramen back and takes out the Yangchun noodles from the cupboard.
"I don't want cabbage. Do you have lettuce?"
"No lettuce. I have Shanghai greens. Or—"
"No."
"Then I'll put less cabbage."
"Okay. You decide."
Anju is speechless again. She really wants to say, if I'm the one deciding, why did you just say all that? Are you sure you're not here to pick a fight?
Anju starts cooking the noodles. Alexander sits nearby, humming a tune. Something about cabbage in the field.
Anju almost laughs.
Alexander, are you sure you're not here to mess with me? Or did Ethan send you as a joke?
After humming a couple of times, he goes quiet. Anju finds it strange.
Having someone watch her cook feels like an exam at school. The invigilator is staring at her. Even if she's not cheating, she's nervous.
"Anju, you should wait until the water boils before putting in the noodles." Alexander speaks again.
"I know." Anju replies, putting the noodles back.
"What were you doing just now? Warming them up?"
"I was thinking about how much to put in." Anju answers through gritted teeth.
"I'll have two bowls. You can have one. Put a bag in it."
The next second, she remembers she's full. But then she thinks she'll be hungry after cooking.
It's normal to have a bowl of noodles as a late-night snack.
When the water boils, she puts the noodles in. She cooks them for a while. When they're almost done, she adds the chopped cabbage and seasoning. Then she turns off the heat.
"Anju, you're becoming more and more like a virtuous wife." Alexander says as he gets up to grab chopsticks.
Anju's face turns red.
But she can't help muttering, "That's what I am."
The image looks funny.
Anju's mind automatically pictures an orangutan sitting at the dining table, waiting to eat bananas.
Well, she has too much imagination.
Anju fills a bowl for Alexander and sits down beside him.
"You're not eating?" Alexander looks at her.
"I'm not hungry. You eat first."
"Eat slowly. It's more fun when two people eat together." Alexander says.
Anju looks at him. Finally, she doesn't say anything. She gives herself half a bowl and eats with Alexander.
"Who bought the cabbage? It's so old."
"I don't know." Anju hands her bowl over. Alexander naturally picks the cabbage into Anju's bowl.
After a while, Alexander says, "Is the dried squid expired? It's so hard."
Anju hands her bowl over again. Alexander picks the squid into Anju's bowl.
Anju feels like a trash can. She's eating everything Alexander won't eat.
After a while, Alexander opens his mouth again. Anju looks up. "Don't be picky."
Alexander laughs. "I was just going to say the noodles you cooked taste great."
"Then eat more and talk less." Anju says.
"Oh, I didn't expect to marry such a fierce wife." Alexander sighs and hands his empty bowl to Anju.
Anju takes it without thinking. She fills another bowl for him.
She's met the cold and aloof Alexander. She's met the shy Alexander. She didn't expect to find another side of him today. The goofy side.
So Alexander has many faces.
She almost feels like she's married to several different people.
"Ah—" Anju is startled by his face so close to hers. She looks up and stares at him.
"What are you thinking about?" Alexander asks with a smile.
"Nothing. Don't you know scaring people can kill them?"
"If you haven't done anything wrong, you don't have to worry about ghosts knocking on your door at midnight." Alexander grins.
Anju feels like a million horses are galloping through her mind. Finally, she can't help protesting. "Even if I haven't done anything wrong, I'm still afraid of ghosts, okay?"
She's afraid of ghosts.