The fragrance still lingered. The richness of the dishes was just like the woman in the kitchen—irresistibly tempting. The moment Guan Xing opened the door, the aroma drifting from the kitchen had already filled his senses.
"Husband, you're back. Was work tiring?"
Hearing the door open, a graceful and alluring figure walked out. Her face carried a gentle calmness, the unique charm of a woman at home, giving off a comforting warmth.
Apart from knowing Guan Xing's name and that he was a doctor, Sun Yiran knew almost nothing about the man before her. But a mature woman like her had many ways to understand a man. By now, she already knew one thing clearly—this man was worth trusting and worth giving herself to. That was enough.
She was not a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl who needed to know every detail about a man. A man needed his own sky; excessive restraint would only cause the rope to snap. What a woman needed was thoughtfulness and gentleness. This was something Sun Yiran, tempered by the hardships of life, understood better than anyone.
Guan Xing also felt a sense of comfort in his heart. The twenty-million gold card had been deliberately taken out by him. Ordinary people could never withstand such temptation. Yet this woman remained as gentle and sweet as ever. The moment she opened the door, that smile was still as intoxicating as before.
Changing into the slippers Sun Yiran handed him, Guan Xing smiled and said, "I really am a bit tired. What delicious food did you make? Just smelling it makes me hungry."
In truth, work itself wasn't tiring. Although Doctor Guan's reputation at Feiyang was well known and he saw quite a few patients every day, those who truly needed his attention were not many—never more than ten a day. This was thanks to Sister Fang carefully selecting the cases that genuinely required treatment.
But teaching a dozen underworld thugs a lesson was far more exhausting than going to work.
Sun Yiran beamed with delight. "I made a few Sichuan dishes today. Go wash your face, husband, and we can eat right away."
The title "husband" had felt a little awkward on the first day, but after several days, Guan Xing had grown used to it. Being called "husband" by such a beautiful woman was a matter of pride for any man. Especially with Sun Yiran's seductive beauty combined with her purity and gentleness—it was truly heart-stirring.
So Guan Xing did not resist.
After washing his face and changing out of his casual clothes, Guan Xing sat down at the table in the living room. Four steaming dishes were already laid out before him—three stir-fried dishes and one large porcelain bowl.
He recognized the three fragrant stir-fries at a glance: boiled pork slices, kung pao chicken, and mapo tofu—classic Sichuan dishes. Their color, aroma, and presentation were impeccable, making it impossible not to salivate.
If the three stir-fries carried the strong, spicy essence of Sichuan cuisine, then the large porcelain bowl was even more intimidating. It smelled wonderful, but the surface was covered with a layer of vivid dried chilies. Just leaning closer, a powerful wave of spiciness rushed toward him.
Guan Xing didn't know what was inside. He was just about to pick up his chopsticks to try when Sun Yiran walked out smiling, holding a bottle of red wine.
"Husband, I'm an authentic Sichuan native," she said cheerfully, looking at the dishes. "I'm not afraid of any level of spice—the spicier it is, the better it tastes. Next time we should have spicy hotpot. That's the real deal."
She placed a wine glass in front of Guan Xing. The red wine shimmered like rosy clouds, reflecting on Sun Yiran's face and blooming into a flower-like beauty. The faint but unstoppable smile at the corner of her lips seemed to contain endless joy and happiness.
"Alcohol may be the essence of grains," Guan Xing said, seeing the wine and recalling their previous encounters, "but you shouldn't drink too much. Being drunk isn't good for your health."
Sun Yiran's cheeks flushed shyly, adding even more allure to her face. She said softly, "Husband, I'm happy today—really happy. Let me drink a little, okay? I promise I'll listen to you in the future." Her tender, pleading gaze made it hard for Guan Xing to scold her.
"All right, just a little. But don't overdo it," Guan Xing smiled faintly, then pointed to the large bowl covered in chilies. "Yiran, what is this?"
"Fish hotpot. My favorite. Try it," she said with an expectant look.
Though startled, Guan Xing still reached out with his chopsticks. He could handle spicy food, but not usually to such an extreme. Were dried chilies really that delicious?
With a soft laugh, Sun Yiran couldn't help herself. She cast him a flirtatious glance and said, "Husband, you're mistaken. The good stuff is under the chilies. Let me get it for you."
As she moved the chilies aside with her chopsticks, tender pieces of fish surfaced, along with white-green bean sprouts, soft black vermicelli, cubes of blood curd, and large cabbage leaves. The contents were rich and abundant.
She placed a piece of fish into Guan Xing's bowl. Her eyes carried a ripple of emotion that even she herself couldn't fully understand. Guan Xing cautiously took a bite. The flavor was wonderfully fresh, with the spiciness enhancing the taste rather than overpowering it. After just one piece, his appetite was fully awakened.
"Excellent—really excellent," Guan Xing praised. After tasting the three stir-fried dishes as well, all of which were superb, he couldn't stop complimenting her. Sun Yiran was delighted and shy, a kind of happiness she had never experienced before slowly brewing in her heart.
"As long as you like it, husband, I'll cook for you every day," she said. Cooking simple home dishes had never felt like a special skill to her, but Guan Xing's quiet satisfaction and praise were the greatest encouragement she could receive. It made her feel that learning these skills had been the most worthwhile thing in her life.
Guan Xing truly liked it. Without hesitation, he nodded. "That's great. Yesterday's three-delicacy soup was also very good. I like all of these dishes." He looked up at Sun Yiran with a smile and added, "Having a woman at home who can cook is actually pretty nice."
That simple sentence sent Sun Yiran's emotions soaring. Could it be… had this man truly accepted her?
"Husband, thank you."
"Why thank me?" Guan Xing said with a self-mocking smile. "A beautiful woman like you, with such good cooking skills—no man would be willing to let you go." Deep down, he knew he hadn't escaped her charm. Otherwise, he would have sent her away on the very first day.
Crystal-clear tears of happiness fell. Sun Yiran's tearful, peach-blossom-like face looked so pure it made one afraid to look directly at her. She said softly, "Husband, other men want to keep me because of this face. But you… you truly cherish me."
She took out the card and gently placed it in front of Guan Xing.
"There's too much money here. Husband, I'm willing to live a simple life. Take it back."
Guan Xing pushed it back toward her and looked at her deeply. "No need. If you've truly decided to stay, then keep it. I'm not exactly poor, and I still have more." Since she had passed the first test, he no longer felt worried. Perhaps, without realizing it, he had already accepted her.
Sun Yiran did not refuse again. She took the card back. Her tears hadn't dried yet, but she smiled with seductive radiance. Glancing at Guan Xing, she teased, "Husband, I couldn't tell—you're actually a billionaire. I knew it. Heaven was bound to arrange a good ending for me."
But what she said next left Guan Xing both amused and exasperated.
"Husband, then… how much money do you actually have? I need to plan. With twenty million, we can live comfortably. If there's more, I could even live the life of a rich young madam."
Guan Xing was speechless. This woman really wasn't treating him like a stranger at all.
"Hey, hey—what are you doing? Yiran, please. You're not my wife yet, okay? And you're already checking my finances? That's classified—for now."
"You—" Sun Yiran was momentarily thwarted, but instead of getting angry, she smiled even more seductively. "Fine then. Come—let's drink a cross-cupped toast. Tonight, we enter the bridal chamber. I've already made up my mind anyway. You men—if you don't get some advantage, you never give up."
As she spoke, she truly leaned in. Holding her wine glass, she threaded her arm through Guan Xing's, lifted her slender neck, and drained the red wine in one smooth motion. A rosy glow instantly spread across her face. Combined with her already radiant beauty, she looked like a fairy at sunset—mysterious, hazy, and irresistibly enchanting, stirring the heart beyond control.