novelraw Chapter 124: You Seem to Really Like Blue
Chapter 124: You Seem to Really Like Blue
“Well then, I’ll be looking forward to your cooking,” Emily said with cheerful cooperation, and the two quickly fell into a rhythm of teamwork.
“Cut the potatoes into chunks.”
“Mm.”
“Pass me the onions.”
“Here.”
“Do you eat chili peppers?”
“If they’re not too spicy, I can handle it.”
“No garlic?”
“None.”
“Hand me the breadcrumbs.”“Alright.”
“Emily, I’ll need you to crack three eggs for me—just the whites.”
“Got it. One moment.”
In their brief exchanges, it was mostly Leon giving directions and Emily following them. It felt a little like working in a restaurant kitchen, but Emily found it surprisingly easy.
With Leon calling the shots, all she had to do was prepare exactly what he needed, instead of scrambling to get every ingredient ready on her own like before.
And she truly was looking forward to seeing what Leon would make. His cooking style was dazzling.
For the first time, Emily realized that even flames could be used as part of a dish’s seasoning. Watching Leon deftly flip the pan, coaxing the fire into the ingredients, she almost thought she was watching a magic trick.
From the moment he lit the stove and took control of the wok, the aromas hitting Emily’s nose never repeated. A shifting blend of fragrances danced through the air, each one teasing her appetite more than the last.
She couldn’t help comparing Leon’s cooking style with Gus’s.
In the end, she concluded that Gus focused on the natural qualities of the ingredients, building flavor from their essence, while Leon’s approach was all about using flames and seasonings to show off perfect control over taste.
Both had their strengths, but Emily preferred Leon’s style. It wasn’t just delicious—it was a performance. The vibrant colors, the unrestrained fragrance, all of it made her mouth water before the food even touched her lips.
“Ugh, the flame’s too low and the bottom of the pan’s too flat. I can’t bring out the full flavor,” Leon complained as he plated the stir-fried cauliflower.
“My cookware was recommended by Gus. Is there something wrong with it?” Emily asked curiously.
“Nothing wrong. It just doesn’t match my cooking style, so the final taste suffers a bit,” Leon explained.
“It’s already amazing,” Emily reassured him with a smile. “I honestly didn’t expect you to be such a great cook.”
“Well, when you live alone for a long time, if you don’t learn to cook for yourself, you’ll starve,” Leon said with a dry chuckle.
“Still, a man who can cook is very charming, Leon. I’m sure someday you’ll have someone to share that burden with,” Emily replied warmly.
“Enough talk—keep an eye on the braised beef for me. Oh, and Emily, where’s the bathroom?”
“Out of the kitchen, second small room on the left.”
With directions in mind, Leon hurried off—he had downed an entire bottle of juice while gossiping with Haley earlier, and nature was now calling loudly.
But just as he reached the bathroom door, he noticed it was locked from the inside. He immediately guessed Haley must be in there.
So, he waited. And waited. Three or four minutes passed with no sign of her coming out, and his bladder was screaming for mercy. Finally, he knocked on the door.
“Someone in there?”
“Leon? You need the bathroom? Just a sec.”
Sure enough, it was Haley. She responded right away, and Leon caught faint rustling sounds from inside. He instinctively stepped back from the door.
A few seconds later, Haley emerged, her cheeks tinged pink. “Sorry, I got absorbed in reading a magazine and lost track of time.”
“No problem—it’s your house, after all,” Leon said with a shrug. He shot her a meaningful glance, and Haley understood, moving aside so he could slip in.
Leon rushed in, shut the door, and relieved himself, completely unaware that Haley lingered outside.
“That loud?” she muttered, blushing as she heard the sounds from within.
Realizing how odd she was being, she quickly turned to leave. But just as she reached the living room, it hit her—she had left all her clothes from her morning shower piled by the washing machine in the bathroom.
She had planned to wash them that evening when Emily got home.
Please let him not notice, she thought anxiously. The worst part was that her underwear was right on top.
“Notice what?” Leon’s voice startled her—he had just finished and overheard her mumbling.
“My… uh… underwear that I didn’t put in the washing machine yet,” Haley blurted without thinking. The moment she realized she’d said it to Leon instead of Emily, her face went crimson.
“Ahem… didn’t see it,” Leon replied quickly, caught off guard by her bluntness.
“You’re sure?” Haley pressed, mortified but still worried.
“Positive,” Leon said seriously. He’d been far too desperate to pay attention to anything else in the bathroom.
“You… didn’t forget to wash your hands, did you?” she asked suspiciously.
“I did wash them,” Leon said, showing his still-damp hands. “I’m going back to help in the kitchen—of course I’d wash up.”
But when Haley heard that, she immediately ducked her head. The sink was right next to the washing machine, which only made her trust him less.
Leon, watching her hide like an ostrich, recalled his handwashing just moments ago… and realized he had indeed caught a glimpse of a certain ocean-blue scene.
His eyes flicked to her sky-blue dress now, and he couldn’t resist teasing: “You seem to really like blue.”
“You saw it after all!” Haley’s face flared as she connected the dots. She shot him a glare, then swung a punch toward his stomach.
Fortunately, Leon was trained. His sharp reflexes let him dodge easily, but Haley wasn’t done—she went for a second strike.
Her seemingly delicate punches were fast enough to whistle through the air, making Leon’s eyes widen. If that landed, it’d hurt for days.
He darted out of reach and dashed for the kitchen. At this point, only Emily could shield him from a rampaging Haley.