novelraw Chapter 284: 100 Ways to Make Your Wife Happy
Chapter 284: 100 Ways to Make Your Wife Happy
Looking at the table covered with sumptuous dishes and the giant cake in the center, Maya Monroe was slightly taken aback.
"Did you make all this?"
So much food, how long did he have to cook...
Maya turned around to look at him, trying to find some traces of exhaustion on his face.
"Yes." He nodded slowly, his handsome face glowing with energy: "I chose dishes you like."
Ian Rowe knew his culinary skills were not strong, but he couldn’t help wanting to do things that pleased Maya. He had tried all the dishes in advance and they were pretty good.
Maya felt a bit complicated inside: "What time did you get up?"
"Why ask that?"
"Nothing." Maya restrained her thoughts.
"Is it just the two of us celebrating your birthday today?"
"So far, yes." He paused: "Are you unhappy?"
"How could I not be happy? You’ve specially set aside time to spend my birthday with me, I’m almost moved to tears..."
Maya turned on her drama queen mode, pretended to wipe nonexistent tears from the corner of her eyes.
Even though he knew Maya was likely pretending, Ian couldn’t help but be amused.
When her bright eyes looked over at him, Ian’s heart filled with an unprecedented sense of contentment. For some reason, he increasingly liked having her gaze linger on him, the longer the better.
As Maya picked up the chopsticks, Ian stopped her: "Wait, blow out the candles first and make a wish."
"I have to make a wish?"
He raised his eyebrows: "Of course."
Maya hadn’t expected Ian to value ceremony so much; in fact, she hadn’t made a wish since she was ten, because having a birthday party alone was meaningless.
"...Oh, okay."
At the very moment her eyes closed, she felt a bit unfamiliar. Finally, she followed her instincts and silently recited her wish in her heart.
"Okay..." As her eyes opened, she saw Ian looking at her intently, not blinking at all. His eyes seemed to be filled with calm water, gently stirred by the spring breeze.
He didn’t ask what the wish was, merely said seriously: "Your wish will surely come true."
Thinking of her wish, Maya inexplicably felt a bit guilty, and she lowered her head to avoid his gaze.
"Actually, you don’t need to be so good to me, because..."
"Because of what?"
Maya’s lips moved but she didn’t say a word.
The atmosphere took on an eerie silence, yet Ian’s expression hardly changed as he said, "After making a wish, it’s time to cut the cake."
Maya couldn’t remember the last time she had such a formal birthday celebration, she gently responded.
But as she caught Ian’s gaze, she felt a slight oddity in her heart again. She always felt Ian seemed to understand things but didn’t let on, maintaining a facade of kindness.
As Maya picked up the knife, she felt a warm touch on the back of her hand; Ian held her hand, his firm chest pressed against her back.
He spoke softly: "I’ll help you cut it together."
The gentle tone sounded by her ear, and Maya didn’t know where Ian learned this move, only feeling her cheeks warm up a bit.
Damn.
"Did you search for ’tips on flirting’ online?" She couldn’t help but ask.
Ian looked stunned, inexplicably feeling seen through.
"Not entirely."
He had also consulted Vincent Summers and Joel Quinn for advice, and the search was for "one hundred ways to please your wife," not "tips on flirting."
Maya felt the warmth covering her hand, her thoughts were a bit chaotic, and somehow she managed to cut a few slices of cake.
When Ian let go, she was still holding the knife.
"Just the two of us? This cake... can’t be finished, right?"
Ian urged her to sit down: "Isn’t it nice just the two of us?"
Ian’s initial idea was to host a banquet and invite people from their circle. But he soon dismissed the idea because Maya really disliked socializing.
Ian had taken Maya to a few charity galas, where she always stayed in a corner eating pastries and showed no interest in interacting with others. After understanding this, Ian never took her to business-related banquets again.
If her birthday was reduced to a boring party, Ian felt Maya most likely wouldn’t be happy.
"This is great."
"Try the cake."
Maya picked up the knife and fork but didn’t immediately press down.
The cake’s appearance was really unattractive—the cartoon figures standing awkwardly atop it, the cream spread unevenly, thick in some places and thin in others.
The cartoon figures had rosy cheeks, looking a bit naive and charming.
Maya couldn’t help but smile; she really couldn’t connect this cake with the elegant and aloof Ian.
Upon looking again, this cake didn’t seem so hard to accept.
"Try it."
Maya nodded, no longer refusing.
She lightly licked the cream sticking on her lips, pleasantly surprised by the taste. The saying goes ’don’t judge a book by its cover,’ it seems cake follows the same logic.
"Delicious."
Ian slowly smiled.
Maya followed Ian’s instructions to taste every dish, carefully savoring each one before nodding slowly: "The taste is really good."
Compared to the initial version, the taste had improved greatly. For Ian, who lacks culinary skills, achieving this may have taken considerable effort.
Perhaps there were too many roses, the air carried a faintly sweet scent. The soothing music relaxed her nerves, even the carefree Maya sensed a bit of "romance."
After the meal, Maya sat in place; these things didn’t require her to clean up.
Messages popped up on her phone, some friends invited her out for a meal.
Without exception, Maya declined them all; if it weren’t for this sumptuous meal, it would be fine, but her stomach was already full thanks to Ian, and she was too lazy to go out now.
Ian seemed to have some talent for housework, his movements quick and agile, not at all sloppy. He looked good, making the plates in his hands appear as if gilded, and Maya watched with some interest, not feeling bored.
"Go upstairs and tidy up a bit, we’re going out for a while."
"Going out?"
Seeing her eyes widen with some surprise, Ian couldn’t help but gently pat her furry head, teasing: "Why do you look a bit dazed after the meal? I didn’t drug you, did I?"
Maya touched her nose awkwardly: "We’re going out again?"
"It’s your birthday today, it should be a bit more eventful.