Wang Qiqi yawned as she glanced at the time on the computer—it was almost midnight. "Do you two want something to eat?" she asked politely. If Fatty hadn't been around, Wang Qiqi wouldn't have bothered asking; she would have immediately retreated to the nearby covers to sleep. But since Fatty was here, as the host, she felt obligated to at least inquire.

Han Tao looked at the tired expression on Wang Qiqi’s face. "You go sleep. We don't need anything." Besides, even if a certain someone truly craved a late-night snack, he could just make him some noodles. You couldn't coddle someone too much from the start; that was bound to cause trouble later.

Fatty was just about to declare what he wanted when he didn't expect Han Tao to react so swiftly, immediately rejecting the idea of a late-night snack. Heavens, Fatty felt his stomach rumble. "I..."

Wang Qiqi was about to head back to her room, but upon hearing Fatty's voice, she looked over at him while stifling a yawn. She knew that certain someone wouldn't let her off the hook so easily.

"Go to bed. If you get hungry later, I’ll make you some noodles," Han Tao said, casting a displeased look at Fatty. He huffed, "Besides, a certain someone ate quite a bit for dinner. I'm worried if he eats again now, he'll get terrifyingly fat." In fact, during their time in the States, a certain someone hadn't managed to keep the weight off at all. "Hurry up and get to work. Let's aim to finish this today." If he had time to think about eating, he might as well finish the work so they could sleep earlier, and then he wouldn't feel hungry.

Wang Qiqi almost offered to go to the kitchen to whip something up, but she saw Han Tao shaking his head at her repeatedly. She could only turn and head upstairs. Honestly, translating those few drafts had been tiring. It had to be said, if you did this work continuously, you wouldn't feel the strain, but after a break from handling these assignments, Wang Qiqi felt her brain was genuinely tangled. Since there was nothing else to do, she might as well go to bed early and rest.

Fatty watched Wang Qiqi’s figure practically fly past his eyes and shot a fierce look at Han Tao. "You're making the late-night snack later. I want beef noodles." Fatty thought he had seen some braised beef in the fridge; that stuff was excellent, perfect to go with noodles.

"Deal." Since there was beef and noodles at home, Han Tao knew perfectly well that Qiqi had intentionally cooked them and stored them in the fridge so that he could make some rice or noodles if he got hungry. "In the future, when Qiqi isn't home during the day, we can have braised beef noodles or beef over rice." Han Tao thought to himself, I hope you don't get sick of it later.

What? Eating this frequently during the day? Fatty's face tightened a bit. That was too ridiculous. "Can't we switch up the flavors?" Although the beef was good, eating it constantly would eventually become monotonous.

"We have curry beef, braised pig trotters, braised spare ribs. Don't worry, Qiqi only cooks one pot at a time, and she switches flavors once it's gone." Han Tao was indifferent; he never tired of Qiqi's cooking. "If you’re not satisfied, you can cook it yourself." Hmph, Qiqi cooks for you, and you still act so picky—that’s just detestable. "If Qiqi gets back early in the evening, she’ll whip up some stir-fries. Don't worry."

Fatty’s previous complaints vanished when he heard there would be stir-fries in the evening. "Mmm, I was just asking. Since we're busy with work and not great cooks, we should focus on earning money." Having received the information he wanted, Fatty lowered his head and got back to work earnestly. "Sigh, it looks simple, but it’s not easy to actually do."

Han Tao grunted in response. "You only know it's not easy after you've done it. Forget it, for the sake of the money, let’s work hard." Since we've already accepted this job, we can't return it; it concerns our reputation.

Fatty was just venting. "Work hard, work hard."

Wang Qiqi didn't know what time Han Tao and Fatty worked until. She felt like she had slept for a long time when a cold body snuggled into the covers next to her. Wang Qiqi asked drowsily, "What time is it?"

"Still early, not even five," Han Tao replied, his spirits also low. He had intended to get to sleep before two. He was worried Qiqi would be cold sleeping alone. Although they had laid out an electric blanket, he’d only warmed the covers slightly out of concern and then turned it off. But he and Fatty got so engrossed in their discussion, and the progress was going well, that by the time they snapped out of it, it was already past four. Fatty had rushed to the bathroom for a quick shower and then burrowed into bed, forgetting to put another log in the fireplace nearby; Han Tao had to do it for him.

Not yet five, Wang Qiqi hummed, turned over, and drifted a little further away from Han Tao to continue sleeping. It wasn't that she disliked Han Tao, but his body felt like an ice block. If she stayed close, Wang Qiqi worried she’d turn into an ice sculpture too. Even though she had slept for a while, the covers weren't scorching hot, but they were definitely warmer than his body. Wang Qiqi genuinely regretted letting Fatty stay in the living room. If she were lying by the fireplace, the bed would be wonderfully warm.

Han Tao watched Wang Qiqi, who was now about two fists away from him, thinking, My body isn’t warm, but Qiqi, your body isn't warm either. Never mind, he decided to wait until his body warmed up a bit before moving closer. Qiqi had work tomorrow.

When Wang Qiqi heard the alarm, she groggily crawled out of the covers, immediately feeling a chill the moment she emerged. "Aish, is the fireplace out of fire?" Wang Qiqi hadn't fully woken up yet and thought she was still sleeping in the living room, wondering if Han Tao had forgotten to add wood when he got up during the night.

A moment later, Wang Qiqi's eyes opened completely, and she realized she hadn't slept in the living room at all. "No wonder it's so cold. Sigh." Wang Qiqi shivered as she climbed out of the covers, pulling on her clothes. While the inside of the covers was still quite cozy, it was truly frigid outside. Wang Qiqi briefly considered swapping sleeping spots with Fatty, but she knew Han Tao wouldn't agree. After all, her room was a private space, while the living room was more open. If it were just her and Han Tao, it wouldn't matter, but if they were in the middle of something and Fatty suddenly appeared, that would spell disaster.

Han Tao habitually reached out to touch the spot beside him, finding nothing. He opened his eyes with a yawn. "You’re up?"

Wang Qiqi let out a soft affirmation, gave him a light kiss, and said, "I'm going down to make breakfast, and then I'll bake some cakes. Remember to take them out of the oven later." Although the aroma of baked goods drifting out signaled they were done was one thing, saying it personally was entirely different.

Han Tao kissed her cheek in return. "Don't work too hard. If you run short on time, skip the cakes." He knew exactly how rushed his wife was in the mornings—top-speed, military-drill efficiency, absolutely no time wasted. "If there are no cakes, we still have beef. I can make Fatty some noodles. Don't take such good care of him, or he’ll think about staying here every time he gets a holiday." You should be hospitable to guests, but not too hospitable, or certain people won't be polite—like how Fatty was yesterday.

"Don't worry, I wake up early." Hearing his words of concern, she replied, "I’m not just making them for you; I'm thinking I might want one when I get hungry tonight too." After returning to her room yesterday, Wang Qiqi felt terribly hungry. She rummaged through her room cabinets and found absolutely nothing to eat. Too reluctant to go down and play the cook, Wang Qiqi could only endure it.

"Morning." Wang Qiqi walked into the studio carrying a large bag and found several people gathered around the dining table, looking like wandering spirits. It seemed they had pulled another all-nighter. Wang Qiqi silently supported them in her heart, hoping they could nail this current project so everyone’s bonus would be good. "Mark, here is your sandwich with hot cocoa. Nick..."

Wang Qiqi pulled out the breakfast she had specifically bought for Mark and the others, one by one. As the market situation became clearer, everyone’s mood relaxed. Especially since Qiqi was coming in every day now, the guys had taken to demanding she bring breakfast every day, claiming the costs could be reimbursed anyway, saving them the trouble of paying upfront and then collecting later. Wang Qiqi pouted. Hmph, it wasn't the payment process they found troublesome; it was that the specific breakfast items they wanted required stopping at several different places, and the cleaning lady certainly wouldn't run errands for them—she was paid for cleaning, not for being a delivery girl.

Mark and the others had their eyes wide open the moment Wang Qiqi pushed the door open, especially Mark, who was listening intently to which breakfast items Qiqi had brought. When he heard he was included this time, "Angel, looks like you got here quite early today." Mark happily took the sandwich from Wang Qiqi's hand. "Only this place makes a decent sandwich like this, but due to ingredient shortages, they limit sales daily, and I can never wake up early enough. I have Angel to thank for letting me have one today. Angel, buy a few more times in the future." Mark had actually thought he wouldn't get the good sandwich today, not realizing how reliably 'Angel' could deliver. If he weren't worried about offending her, Mark would have truly wanted to hug Angel to show his gratitude to Qiqi.

The rest of them received their breakfasts from Wang Qiqi's hands. Hearing Mark’s comment while distributing the food, Wang Qiqi felt like kicking him twice. "Didn't you say this place doesn't limit how much they sell?" Hmph, they were bullying her because she didn't know the details. She rushed to buy the items and leave, not bothering to investigate. But they forgot that while waiting in line, she overheard people chatting about how popular this shop’s items were. After suffering a few setbacks, Wang Qiqi prioritized going there first today, regardless of whether her schedule went smoothly, just so she could snag the last two sandwiches.

Finally, Wang Qiqi pulled out her own breakfast portion—it was the same as Mark's, except she didn't get the hot cocoa. Taking a bite, Wang Qiqi admitted the taste was genuinely better than the sandwiches she usually ate. However, if she had to wait in line early in the morning for it, Wang Qiqi felt she could pass. The food was good, but having a date with the Duke of Zhou [sleeping] was much better.

Mark had expected Wang Qiqi to only buy one sandwich for herself. He kept his eyes glued to the one in her hand. "Aren't you eating breakfast at home?" Since Angel had resumed her normal office schedule, she ate breakfast at home every day. Why was she eating this one? Mark didn't think she skipped breakfast at home, and even if she did, she didn't need this sandwich; she could just have some of his. He wouldn't mind sharing; he could eat one now and save the other for around ten o'clock.

Mark stared intently at the segment of his sandwich that disappeared with each bite, feeling a pang of heartache every time.

After stuffing the last bite into her mouth, Wang Qiqi slowly said, "There were only two left, so I bought them all. There’s no reason I should run around and not try them myself. The flavor is decent." Though, Wang Qiqi privately preferred her homemade multigrain porridge. She certainly couldn't say that in front of Mark, or he'd accuse her of having no taste, wasting such delicious food.

Decent? Mark pursed his lips. "Truly lacking taste. If I'd known that was your review, you shouldn't have eaten such a big sandwich all by yourself." Mark thought she should have just eaten a quarter or half, since her review wasn't enthusiastic. He, being un-picky, would have been happy to eat the rest.

Wang Qiqi knew Mark was feeling the pinch. She wagged a finger at him. "I got up early and ran to several places this morning; there’s no reason I shouldn't taste it, especially such a sought-after sandwich." If she hadn't managed to buy one, fine, but since she succeeded, she definitely couldn't miss out.

Mark bit into his sandwich with a frustrated expression, truly heartbroken. Otherwise, he could have had an extra half today. "Right, Angel, is the main course you’re preparing ready? You know we have high expectations for the meal you cook." They had tasted her pastry and found the flavor quite good. Now they were curious if her Chinese cooking skills surpassed her baking. They also didn't know what dishes she planned to make. Honestly, they had eaten Chinese food before, and tastes varied, leading to private debates among them about which Chinese dishes Angel would cook. Of course, as long as it tasted good, they wouldn't mind.

Wang Qiqi knew they were eager to find out what dishes she would make and that they were privately discussing their favorites. Her strategy was simple: maintain mystery. She would not reveal the two dishes she was making until the very last moment.

It wasn't that Wang Qiqi enjoyed being mysterious intentionally, but she worried that if she announced her dishes, someone might protest, demanding to know if she would consider making their preferred dish. If it were one or two people, maybe she could handle it, but with many people holding differing opinions, Wang Qiqi felt her head would ache trying to decide whose suggestion to follow. At this point, Wang Qiqi remembered something else: she had previously mentioned bringing Han Tao over. After all, he was her boyfriend. If she and Han Tao went over for a Christmas Eve party, leaving Fatty alone at home, wouldn't that be a bit much? What would he think? Of course, that was assuming Mark and the others wouldn't mind an extra person joining.

Should she ask Mark first, or hear Fatty's thoughts? Wang Qiqi couldn't decide immediately. If Mark agreed but Fatty refused, it wouldn't matter; she could just prepare three dishes. But what if Fatty wanted to join the fun, and Mark and the others objected? That would truly be playing games.

Mark noticed Angel seemed preoccupied and focused on eating his sandwich, which he felt tasted best while hot, though it was still decent cold. He just preferred it hot.

Wang Qiqi hadn't even entered the living room with the bag containing the list of daily necessities Fatty had written down yesterday when she heard loud arguing coming from inside. She was startled, wondering what was wrong between Fatty and Han Tao. They usually only bickered occasionally when they shared an apartment back in the capital; although they might disagree on work matters, they never fought this fiercely. Had they encountered some huge problem?

Wang Qiqi hurried into the living room carrying the bag, only to find them each seated in front of their computers, typing furiously while speaking heatedly. She realized they weren't arguing but intensely discussing something. "Seriously, can you two discuss things without getting so agitated? It sounds like a fight. Thank goodness we're not in an apartment building," or someone would definitely have called the police.

Hearing Wang Qiqi's voice, Han Tao and Fatty paused their rapid typing and looked at her in surprise. "You're back?" It was only past four; Han Tao wondered why Qiqi was back so early.

"I went to buy things for the Christmas Eve party. Nothing major is happening at the studio, so I left early." Wang Qiqi took advantage of the lull in work to do the supermarket run. Christmas Eve was only a few days away, so getting the supplies now meant she could take some time to decorate the studio later, otherwise, waiting until Christmas Eve would be exhausting.

Oh, going out to buy supplies for Christmas Eve, Han Tao murmured. "The shopping is done. You should have called me; I could have picked up some household necessities too." Although nobody placed much importance on this foreign holiday, they couldn't let the place look completely devoid of cheer.

"I bought some things—just some ribbon and a small Christmas tree." Wang Qiqi thought that since she had a car, there was no need to call Han Tao; he might as well rest instead. Wang Qiqi remembered vaguely hearing Han Tao say last night that he went to bed very late. "By the way, Fatty, what are your plans for Christmas Eve?" Since Christmas had come up, Wang Qiqi took the opportunity to ask.

Plans for Christmas Eve? Fatty found the question odd. "Aren't we spending it together? Qiqi, just decorate the place a little; it’s not Lunar New Year’s Eve."

"Last year, I spent it with a group of Chinese exchange students. It looked lively, but returning to the dorm felt so desolate. It wasn't as nice as our old gatherings where we ate together," Fatty recalled. After arriving in the US last year and experiencing that Christmas, Fatty lost all interest in subsequent so-called alumni gatherings. He felt he'd rather be sitting in front of his computer chatting nonsense with Han Tao and the others than being with them.

"Oh, right, do you guys have an event?" Fatty suddenly realized; it must be that they had an activity planned, otherwise Qiqi wouldn't ask.

Han Tao and Wang Qiqi exchanged a look, and Han Tao finally spoke. "Qiqi’s side has been busy with work lately, so many people couldn't go home or travel for vacation. So, they plan to celebrate Christmas Eve together, each preparing a dish they specialize in from their hometown. You know the cooking skills of foreigners; of course, the food isn't the most important thing, but everyone getting together to liven things up is."

"Then I think I'll stay home." Fatty thought it over. Staying home alone might not be lively, but it was certainly better than being bored elsewhere. Han Tao could go because he was Wang Qiqi's man; what was Fatty? Besides, those people might not even welcome him. Rather than ending up awkward, he might as well stay home. Moreover, Fatty held little hope for the culinary skills of those financial elites; maybe their food was just edible, like his own. "Just make sure Qiqi prepares a little extra delicious food for me then."

Fatty figured staying home was best. For instance, Qiqi might prepare more dishes out of guilt for leaving him alone. As for what dishes she'd make, Fatty thought he could certainly suggest something. As long as the meal wasn't too complicated, Qiqi would probably agree.

Wang Qiqi was initially touched that Fatty understood her so well. She had planned to ask Fatty his preference first, then go gauge the mood at Mark’s place. But unexpectedly, Fatty outright said he wouldn't go. He’d stay home alone. She was just about to exclaim what a good person Fatty was when she heard the second part of his statement. Well, she quietly shelved her previous thought. What good person? He probably just figured the party food wouldn't be as good as what she cooked herself. He was certainly quick at calculating his advantages. "Okay, I'll make a warming hot pot, but we’ll have to wait until Han Tao and I get back." Wang Qiqi could already predict what kind of fare would be at the party—certainly nothing substantial. She assumed people cared more about having a lively Christmas Eve celebration than the food itself.

Ah! Wang Qiqi and Han Tao were planning to come back to eat? Fatty felt utterly tragic. He thought he’d be eating alone—a bit lonely, perhaps, but he could enjoy some wine, video chat with his girlfriend, and eat the food Wang Qiqi specially prepared. He thought it would be the height of comfort, but Wang Qiqi shattered his beautiful dream just like that. That was too mean! "You guys are coming back to eat what? Eat more at the party!" Hmph, there would be delicacies from all over the world there; why come back to steal her Chinese food?

"If you don't come back, how will you eat the delicious food I make?" Wang Qiqi would rather take the trouble to come back herself than prepare all the food before heading to the party. Otherwise, Wang Qiqi figured that by the time she and Han Tao returned together, all that would be left would be bones or scraps.

The fatty fellow hadn't expected Wang Qiqi to threaten him like that. He desperately wanted to argue that they were going to a Christmas Eve party, but he worried that if he pushed, Wang Qiqi might just feign death and refuse to cook, leaving him the one who suffered the loss. In the end, the fatty could only reluctantly agree. RS

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