Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Yeah, right.

That question is very sensitive. This calm atmosphere might be destroyed in the blink of an eye considering her behavior. Ray had better avoid it as much as possible if he doesn't want to be scolded.

Just as he was getting tired of looking at the pictures and closing his eyes, he heard light footsteps, then the steps stopped. He waited for a call to appear, but he didn't hear it.

—Someone may have stepped even closer.

Not sure if the steps were towards him or not, but he didn't hear another sound, except that he suddenly felt a touch on his cheek and was startled, practically catching the perpetrator's hand.

He didn't say anything, looking at the face of someone caught so close.

"Let go of my hand!" Alexa withdrew her hand roughly.

His fast heart immediately returned to normal. "What are you doing, sneaking around like that?"

"You slept too soundly," she didn't look at him and turned around. "I called you, but you didn't say anything."

Does anyone believe this nonsense?

Of course not.

But, he believed it.

When he asked her about her ex-husband, the woman didn't listen. The same thing might happen.

Ray took a breath. "Sorry, I'm a little sleepy, so ..."

"You have to guide me in making porridge," She interrupted him.

"... Huh?"

"..."

"You can't cook? Is this serious?"

Alexa tsked. "I can do it with my eyes closed, Mr. Sanders. But I'm not sure if you eat my cooking whether you'll still be alive, seeing as how hygienic you are. You'll understand what I mean."

This really offended him, but Ray wasn't angry.

"Oh."

"Hurry up. Fillo will also starve if I take too long."

With heavy steps, he headed towards the kitchen. The place that was originally dirty was clean in the blink of an eye. The furniture was in its original place. The smell of carbolic acid filled the air. He felt a little relieved.

In the pan, the rice and broth are ready to be boiled, the ratio is 1:9. Also some spices were still scattered on the table.

She crossed her arms like an old foreman ready to command. "So?"

Ray was about to say these words when she pulled out a chair and told him to sit down. So he complied. He looked at the food ingredients seriously, wanted to immediately execute them, then took paper and wrote down several easy recipes based on the existing ingredients.

"Diced chicken breast fillet, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons minced ginger, 1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms (sliced ​​1/4 inch thick), 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, sliced ​​scallions, onion fried red and fried dough slices."

Alexa read each word carefully, with measuring spoons to measure exactly, placing them in different containers.

"What is this ginger for?" she asked.

"To boil rice."

She nodded, crushed the ginger according to the measurements written by Ray and put it in a stewpan and put it on medium heat. She said, "You seem to be used to making porridge."

"My servant prescribed it, in case she wasn't around." He smiled a little. "This recipe is so good."

"What if what I make doesn't taste good?"

Alexa mixed the chopped chicken thoroughly with olive oil and soy sauce. Didn't wait for his answer at all. It was not a serious question in the first place. She will cook it anyway, if he doesn't like it, that's not her problem.

"Can you really cook?" He frowned.

She looked at him. "Can't."

Two brown eyes staring at him confirmed that what she said was true, but luckily he didn't believe it.

"If I die, please bury me in your backyard."

Alexa took out a knife. "As long as you are willing to be chopped into a hundred pieces, it doesn't matter to me. I'm sorry, my backyard is too narrow."

As if it was a daytime joke among teenage kids, Ray laughed. His laughter was so distinctive and low. His cheekbones rose when he laughs, and created slight wrinkles near his eyes. Alexa subconsciously looked at it for several long seconds, before looking away.

The sound of a knife slamming into a wooden container stopped him from laughing.

An hour later the porridge was cooked, enough for three medium portions for adults. The porridge topping was not very varied, but it was quite full to fill the top of the porridge. Ray also asked her to lightly sauté the vegetable mixture in olive oil, with a very small amount of salt.

Fillo with a sleepy face walked out of the room, when he saw Ray, his round eyes widened. He ran quickly and hugged Ray's leg with his tiny hands. "Daddy!!!"

Ray was amused because the little face was rubbing his pants. He lifted that little boy onto a chair which was higher than the others.

Nobody cared how Alexa snorted seeing this.

"Have you washed your hands?" Ray asked Fillo while rubbing his slightly swollen cheek.

Fillo nodded enthusiastically. "Daddy will eat here?"

"Of course."

"Will Daddy stay here too?"

Hearing this question, Ray automatically looked at Alexa, but the woman was looking down—pretending not to hear and running away.

"Just ask your Mom."

Only then did she choke on her own porridge. Looking for water that she hadn't poured into the glass. Ray's hand was quicker to give her glass of water, she took it in annoyance.

"Fillo, Uncle Ray is busy working, his office is very far from here, he can be late every day." She reasoned in a sweet tone with added persuasive spices.

The little boy's face looked disappointed, but he didn't say anything.

"If someone comes late to school, won't they be punished?" she added again. "Uncle Ray is the same. He can't be late."

The little boy finally nodded in understanding, but his disappointed face did not disappear.

Now, Ray understands a little about this type of mother-son parenting; a mother who gives light tricks for the sake of peace in her life, and a small boy who refrains from expressing disappointment. Being a parent isn't easy, but he felt like their relationship was a little wrong. It's almost like a sleeping snail being forced to walk.

Half an hour later, a car horn was heard from outside. Alexa was about to open the door, Ray immediately stopped her.

"Which relative's house are you taking refuge in this time?"

Samuel immediately gushed as soon as the door opened. As if it didn't matter who was behind it. Luckily Ray had the good initiative to open the door. He immediately felt weak and held on to the door, his face pale as white paper. Automatically eliminating his usual handsome, calm and elegant aura.

"Wow, wait! Why are you suddenly this sick? You're not pretending to trick me again this time, right?" Samuel, who had been lied to several times with this trick, still didn't realize that Ray was just pretending.

"I ate something wrong and had diarrhea. Thanks for Mrs. Greisy who has taken care of me."

This reason is not completely a lie. He just didn't want Samuel to nag at him in front of other people or his pride could be hurt.

Samuel was annoyed. "Why didn't you say so? Why not just die on the road, huh?"

Ray smiled reproachfully.

"Hold on. Who is Mrs. Greisy?"

"... My friend?"

Ray also didn't know what their relationship is called.

With great difficulty, Samuel held Ray's 'weak' body to go in first, looking for a chair or something. He saw the little boy at his feet and stepped back, stumbling in surprise.

"You, you ... Little Ray!" He shocked, managing to stumble backwards into a decorative table in the corner of the room.

A flower pot fell.

Alexa was apparently startled by the commotion and came from the kitchen carrying a foaming spatula, looking like it would attack anything. She looked at Ray, then Samuel, then also Fillo who immediately ran behind her.

"Ray?" Alexa asked for clarification.

Before Ray could explain, Samuel immediately came up with a brilliant conclusion in his head, smiling a grin that looked like mockery.

"Ah, so, you are ... that fierce and sensitive woman?"

... to be continued ...