Chapter 70: Chapter 70

Shen Jianian followed the aroma to the kitchen. Zhou Rongzhen was standing with her back to her, focused on assisting the chef at the counter.

A few dishes were already prepared, covered with a warming lid, placed on the island opposite, and many processed ingredients awaited to be cooked, indicating that tonight’s meal would be very sumptuous.

Hearing footsteps, Zhou Rongzhen turned around suddenly, a little startled, and pinched her ear, smiling as she asked Shen Jianian, "Are you hungry?"

Shen Jianian smiled sheepishly and nodded slightly.

Zhou Rongzhen checked the time, it was half past seven: "Almost ready, we’ll start eating once Mr. arrives home."

Shen Jianian was slightly taken aback: "He’s coming back today?"

"You didn’t know?" Zhou Rongzhen was a bit puzzled.

Mr. didn’t inform Jianian about his return time? The two get along so well that she assumed Mr. had already told Jianian, which is why she came down so late.

"I didn’t know," Shen Jianian said, "he didn’t tell me."

"See, I spoke too much," Zhou Rongzhen jokingly scolded herself, pretended to tap her mouth, "Maybe he wanted to surprise you. He called me at noon and asked me to prepare a sumptuous dinner, specifically instructing to include roast chicken because you like it. He also said he would arrive in Yicheng around seven and asked me to tell the chef to prepare dinner a little later."

The oven dinged, signaling that the time was up.

Zhou Rongzhen didn’t have time to say more; she quickly put on cotton mitts and took out the baking tray. The roasted whole chicken was shiny and oily with a bright color. The surface was brushed with honey, giving off a sweet aroma.

"The lunar new year is also a new year. Mr. surely rushed back to spend it with you," Zhou Rongzhen asserted confidently.

Shen Jianian didn’t really care why Fu Jichen rushed back. At this moment, she was staring at the freshly baked roast chicken with her eyes glowing. She had finished lunch at half past eleven, and now, eight hours later, she felt she could eat a whole chicken.

The sound of the door opening echoed at this moment, and Zhou Rongzhen took off her gloves and walked out: "It should be Mr. who came back."

Shen Jianian’s gaze moved from the mouth-watering roast chicken to the doorway.

The door opened, letting in a burst of cold air. A tall and straight figure appeared in view, with a black coat accentuating his powerful and steady presence.

He turned slightly, and Shen Jianian saw clearly that he was carrying a transparent square box in his right hand, tied with a pink ribbon in a bow. Inside was a two-layered cream cake, exquisitely decorated like rolling waves, transitioning from white to light blue to deep blue, adorned with pearls and shells, resembling a delicate piece of art.

Surprise filled Shen Jianian’s eyes; he really knew today was her birthday.

Fu Jichen removed his coat with one hand and handed it along with the cake to Zhou Rongzhen, looked over in Shen Jianian’s direction, and after pausing with his dark eyes fixed on her, the first thing he said was, "Are you stunned?"

Before Shen Jianian could speak, Fu Jichen walked up to her. He looked a bit tired, weary from travel.

He pinched her cheek with cold fingers and smiled, "It’s your birthday today. Don’t you have anything to say?"

Staring at the well-defined face before her, Shen Jianian saw that his smile was not so cold and hard, his handsome brows and eyes were like a painting. In this second, just this second, something seemed to be stirring in her heart.

"I’m hungry." Shen Jianian turned her face, avoiding direct eye contact with him.

She quietly attributed the stirring in her heart to being touched. Besides Bai Changxia, having someone else remember her birthday, prepare a cake and her favorite dishes, and brave the wind and snow to return from such a distance, she ought to feel touched.

She was human, not cold-blooded, and her surroundings would affect her mood.

Fu Jichen saw her awkwardness, his smile deepened, and he washed his hands, grabbed her hand, and led her to the dining room: "If you’re hungry, why didn’t you eat something to hold you over, waiting for me?"

"I didn’t even know you were coming back today, so why would I wait for you?" Shen Jianian spoke the truth quite smoothly.

Fu Jichen paused, not embarrassed by his assumption, nodding, his voice distant: "True, you’re the most heartless in all of Yicheng."

The most heartless person poured a cup of hot tea, placed it by his hand, without lifting an eyelid: "Good that you know."

Zhou Rongzhen brought out the dishes she made onto the table. From their conversation, she knew it was Shen Jianian’s birthday today. Leaning slightly, she smiled warmly at Shen Jianian, "Jianian, happy birthday! Is it your twentieth?"

"Thank you, Aunt Zhen." Shen Jianian lifted her face with a smile, showing her pearly white teeth, "Today is my twenty-second birthday."

Her sweet and charming demeanor was different from how she was with Fu Jichen. Fu Jichen took note.

"You should have told me earlier, so I could’ve made you a bowl of longevity noodles in the morning." Zhou Rongzhen teased, "A birthday should be celebrated , eating longevity noodles makes it complete."

Shen Jianian said it was okay.

Fu Jichen chimed in from the side: "It’s not too late to cook them now. Have a few bites later for good luck."

Shen Jianian didn’t have time to stop her, and Zhou Rongzhen stepped into the kitchen, saying as she walked, "The gentleman is right, hold on, I’ll cook it for you myself."

Fu Jichen remembered something was missing, put down his teacup, stood up, and went to the wine cabinet, selected a bottle of expensive red wine, opened it, and poured it into the decanter.

"Want a drink?" Fu Jichen glanced at Shen Jianian inquiringly.

Shen Jianian lowered her head to peel shrimp, her pale fingertips tearing off the shell to reveal a plump, bright red shrimp, which she rolled in the dipping sauce bowl before eating.

Fu Jichen recalled how she got drunk at the Qin family’s wedding banquet last time and chuckled, "It’s no problem at home, a little bit won’t get you drunk."

He poured her a small half glass on his own, the rich aroma of the red wine almost overpowering the food’s fragrance.

Zhou Rongzhen brought over a bowl of longevity noodles she had cooked, topped with a poached egg, accompanied by greens and mushrooms, light yet flavorful.

"It’s cooked with bone broth, the taste shouldn’t be bad," Zhou Rongzhen urged, "Jianian, taste it!"

Aunt Zhen looked at her expectantly, her eyes full of genuine love, and Shen Jianian felt a warmth envelop her, her nose tingling slightly: "Thank you."

"No need to thank me."

If Fu Jichen weren’t present, Zhou Rongzhen might have patted her head, treating her like her own daughter.

Shen Jianian picked up the noodles and put them into her mouth without breaking them, eating little by little, her cheeks puffing up, and after chewing a few times, she swallowed and said, "Delicious."

Fu Jichen was completely ignored and coughed: "Didn’t you say you wanted to eat roast chicken? Why haven’t I seen you touch it?"

In her heart, Shen Jianian wanted to save the best for last, fearing the roast chicken would taste like her mother’s, or fearing it wouldn’t be the taste she remembered, leaving her conflicted inside.

Zhou Rongzhen didn’t disturb their meal: "Take your time eating, call me if you need anything."

Fu Jichen gave Aunt Zhen a look, recalling Shen Jianian’s demeanor when talking to her, showing she genuinely liked her, so he spoke up to invite her: "It’s a holiday today, join us for dinner."

Zhou Rongzhen paused, feeling honored and surprised, as she turned around: "This... might not be appropriate."

She had never dined with her employers in all her time working at Rose Manor, feeling a bit anxious.

Actually, the servants’ meals were not bad, prepared specially by the chef, served slightly later, usually after the employers were done and the table was cleaned.

Fu Jichen raised his chin slightly: "Sit down."

"Okay," Zhou Rongzhen could no longer refuse, adding a set of utensils, and sat somewhat uneasily across from Shen Jianian.

Shen Jianian took a few sips of red wine, her cheeks blushing under the light. Zhou Rongzhen, smiling gently, reminded her softly: "Drink a little less, there’s grilled lamb with red wine coming up, I’m afraid you’ll get drunk."

Shen Jianian obediently responded with an "um," put down the wine glass, her eyes scanning the roast chicken on the table, procrastinated it would go cold before she ate it.

She picked up a communal carving knife and cut off a drumstick, placing it on the plate in front of Zhou Rongzhen: "Aunt Zhen, you eat," then cut off another drumstick for herself.

Fu Jichen swirled his wine glass, his gaze calm as still water: "What about me?"

Zhou Rongzhen, hearing this, was caught off guard and about to offer her own portion as a gesture to him, then thought, her dish had been touched by herself, and knowing his mysophobia, he could never accept it, saying it would be inappropriate, so she repressed the urge to speak.

Shen Jianian met Fu Jichen’s gaze, pointing to the remaining roast chicken on the plate: "There’s still so much left."

Fu Jichen looked at her without speaking, emitting a strong aura of displeasure, his gaze nearly turning into sharp blades.

It proved that she was indeed the most ungrateful person in all of Yicheng; he pondered how he usually treated her compared to how she reciprocated, treating a housekeeper better than him.

He really didn’t care for roast chicken, but he couldn’t stand her having different attitudes towards him and others.

Inviting Aunt Zhen to join the meal was intended to make her birthday more cheerful, yet it now felt like he was only troubling himself.

Shen Jianian couldn’t comprehend his expression, seeing him silent for a long time, only exhaling cold air, she blurted out a line: "You eat the chicken butt."

Zhou Rongzhen was initially very tense, but unexpectedly hearing such a phrase, almost couldn’t help but burst out laughing, glancing over to see his face turn dark, she bit her lips tightly, not daring to make a sound.

To admit it, Jianian’s courage was quite large, daring to tease a tiger on the loose.