They spent a good half hour in the supermarket, and when they left they both had bags hanging off both hands.

Xu Ye drove home and went straight into the kitchen to start on lunch. Chen Qingqing volunteered herself as help and stood beside him.

"Get the rice on first."

"Okay."

Chen Qingqing lifted the inner pot out of the rice cooker, went over to the rice bin and asked, "How much rice do I rinse?"

Xu Ye looked back at the size of the scoop in her hand. "A scoop and a half is plenty."

Chen Qingqing did as she was told.

Ten or fifteen seconds later.

"So how much water do I put in?"

"Stick your little finger in it, straight up. When the water's over the first knuckle, that's it. And wipe the outside of the pot dry before you put it back in."

"Okay~"

Xu Ye washed everything he was cooking, then picked up the cleaver and started chopping with the ease of long practice, and Chen Qingqing stood beside him watching as seriously as a small apprentice.

The first dish was Kung Pao chicken, which is not difficult to make. The main ingredient is chicken breast, and the rest of it is cucumber, carrot and peanuts.

There are a lot of ways to make it, though. The Sichuan and Chongqing version is too hot, and the chicken comes out too stringy; a lot of people can't get used to it. The way Xu Ye made it suited most palates.

"Fair warning — I'm not doing the pork ribs with potatoes today. There isn't time. We'll have those tomorrow at lunch."

"Okay."

Fifteen minutes or so, start to finish, and the Kung Pao chicken was done — color, aroma and flavor all coming through in equal measure. Before he plated it, Xu Ye deliberately picked out a piece with his chopsticks and held it up to her mouth. "Try it."

Chen Qingqing opened her mouth to take it and Xu Ye pulled his hand back. "It's hot. Blow on it first."

"Oh." Chen Qingqing blew on…