MMLDU Chapter 8

The kitchen was occupied, so Pei Lang selected his own ingredients, feeling a bit flustered. He watched as the delicious dishes prepared by the aunt wafted tempting aromas past him, and placed onto the dining table, making him even hungrier. He couldn’t help but swallow, his beautiful eyes fixed on the dishes longingly, barely able to resist the urge to dive in and devour them.

Pei Lang loved to eat, accepting all tastes—sour, sweet, bitter, spicy. For him, eating was a moment of enjoyment that surpassed even acting. When he was young, his father was very strict. To keep up with his martial arts training, he researched what foods would supplement his energy. Takeout and junk food were prohibited. Everything he ate was prepared by his father, who, unfortunately, had no talent for cooking, resulting in many “dark culinary” disasters. The worst incident was food poisoning, which caused him to miss his martial arts lesson that day. Despite the mishaps, his father never gave up on cooking. After entering high school, he decided to apply to a music academy to protect his voice for singing, cutting out many ingredients and seasonings from his diet. After graduating, he entered the entertainment industry as an actor and had to stay in shape, so many delicious foods became the only things to look at, further suppressing his foodie tendencies.

But this time was different. He had tested this body and realized it had a special constitution—it could eat without gaining weight. That’s why he felt increasingly indulgent about food.

The aunt specialized in making nutritious meals for Yan Han. Her food was delicious, nutritious, and beautifully presented, making one drool just by looking at it. Pei Lang could only watch longingly, as he only knew how to cook simple home-style stir-fries, and was too poor to afford anything else.

As Pei Lang sighed at his situation, the aunt received a phone call from Su Jia. Pei Lang stood nearby, and he quickly understood the situation.

Yan Han had an impromptu work engagement and wouldn’t be home for dinner.

This meant the table full of dishes would go uneaten.

A lightbulb went off in Pei Lang’s head as he cheerfully spoke up. “Auntie, is Mr. Yan not coming back for dinner?”

The aunt, who didn’t have much regard for Pei Lang, continued tidying up the kitchen, washing pots and wiping away water stains.

“How about I help him eat it?” Pei Lang suggested, his tone light. The aunt looked at him with a stern expression, about to scold him. Pei Lang quickly added, “Auntie, Mr. Yan said I can come and go in the kitchen freely and take any ingredients I want. Doesn’t that mean I have special privileges? It wouldn’t be too much for me to eat a little, right?”

“These dishes are specifically prepared for Mr. Yan,” the aunt replied with disdain. “Not everyone can eat them.”

Pei Lang’s words did make sense, but the aunt still responded with a dismissive attitude.

That day, Yan Han brought Pei Lang back without explicitly saying anything but tacitly allowed him to stay and instructed everyone not to spread the word. The others were confused, but since it was a matter of the master’s household, it wasn’t something they could speculate on or inquire about. With Yan Han’s bad attitude and Pei Lang’s notorious reputation, the people in the villa began to despise him as well.

Yan Han gave only limited permissions, and eating was one of the few he allowed.

At the moment, the food on the table was going to waste with no one eating it. Since Pei Lang wanted to eat, it wasn’t unreasonable.

Seeing how eagerly he gazed at the dishes, the aunt was moved. Yan Han always ate like a robot, as if filling his stomach was just another part of his work. He never showed any emotion, whether the food was good or not. Having taken care of Yan Han’s meals for many years, the aunt had gotten used to seeing no reaction from him, and it became disheartening. Over time, she had forgotten what it felt like to have her cooking appreciated.

Today, however, Pei Lang had made her feel something again.

The hesitation in the aunt’s eyes didn’t escape Pei Lang’s notice. He flashed a cunning smile at the corner of his eye. “Look, I haven’t even cooked yet. You could think of it as the food already being wasted. I’ve made another table myself, though I’m sure I’m not as skilled as you. But when you think about it like that, doesn’t it make it more acceptable?”

Flattered, the aunt looked up, pride swelling in her chest. Finally, she glanced at him properly as she listened.

“Your cooking—I could smell it from upstairs. To taste your dishes would be true food fortune. Although you’re employed by Mr. Yan and your relationship with him is professional, I still want to say—Mr. Yan is really fortunate to enjoy your cooking for so many years. It’s a pity though, Mr. Yan isn’t good with words and never expresses his appreciation for the food.”

Pei Lang was as lazy and carefree as ever, speaking softly and slowly, his words clear and deliberate. His voice was low and gentle and his eyes were sincere, sparkling with light. The compliments made the listener feel at ease, without any suspicion.

Moreover, Pei Lang’s praise was based on objective truth, only expressed in a way that made it even more pleasant to hear.

The aunt was surprised. “You say Mr. Yan likes my cooking?”

Pei Lang nodded. “Of course. Everyone here was carefully chosen by Mr. Yan. If you didn’t have extraordinary skills, how could you have stayed?”

This flattery made the aunt very happy. However, after years of taking care of Yan Han, she had become cautious, showing no signs of her pleasure. “Go ahead and eat. This is a one-time thing. When Mr. Yan doesn’t come home for dinner, Assistant Su will inform me in advance. Today’s arrangement is temporary and there won’t be another chance like this for you in the future.”

Pei Lang smiled, thanked her, and then walked to the table to begin enjoying the meal.

The dishes on the table were mostly light, but each one was full of color, aroma, and flavor. There were no extra seasonings—each dish was carefully prepared by the aunt, who had dedicated herself to perfecting the art of cooking with minimal ingredients, bringing out the natural flavors of the food. Each dish had its own essence, and behind each one was the aunt’s countless hours of work and effort to achieve the perfect taste.

Pei Lang couldn’t stop once he started eating. He kept complimenting the food as he ate. His movements were swift yet graceful, and even when speaking while eating, he never came across as rude. On the contrary, he was a joy to watch.

The aunt suddenly thought of a phrase, startling herself. But when she saw the satisfied expression on Pei Lang’s face, she couldn’t help but stand by and watch him eat.

Pei Lang ate with great satisfaction, and the aunt felt a deep sense of accomplishment as well. For a moment, she forgot what she was supposed to be doing and simply watched him eat. When he nearly finished everything, he carefully wrapped up the leftover crystal shrimp dumplings and placed them in the fridge. That was when the aunt snapped out of her reverie. “What are you doing?”

“You said I can’t always have this opportunity to eat, right? Although my stomach can still take more, I thought I’d save it for tomorrow’s breakfast, or maybe have it later as a midnight snack.” Pei Lang lowered his eyes and gently patted his stomach, speaking softly, with a hint of vulnerability.

Flattered by his compliments, the aunt didn’t even notice that Pei Lang was being intentional. Without a second thought, she brought out the shrimp dumplings.

“If you can eat more, go ahead.” The aunt, feeling a rush of warmth, made a big decision. “If you want more, just let me know. I’ll make extra next time. Mr. Yan doesn’t eat much, so there’s usually food left over.”

When Pei Lang lifted his gaze, tears were shimmering in the corners of his eyes. His delicate fingers gently twirled the edge of the aunt’s apron, swaying it slightly. “Really? But… will Mr. Yan allow it?”

“Don’t be fooled by Mr. Yan’s cold demeanor. He’s actually very kind-hearted. Since he allows you to freely use the kitchen and its ingredients, he won’t mind this,” the aunt said, having spent years taking care of Yan Han and understanding what could be done and what couldn’t.

“Thank you, Auntie, you’re so kind to me,” Pei Lang said, seemingly wiping away a tear with a sly but open expression. “I’ve never had a mother, so I’ve never known what maternal love is. I don’t know if I’m mistaken, but… I feel like you’re just like a mother to me.”

At this point, Pei Lang shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. “Sorry, I must have made you laugh. How could someone like me, who never had a mother, truly understand what maternal love is?”

Pei Lang was an actor, skilled in emotion and language.

His simple words, half-joking and half-serious, were truly heart-wrenching. The aunt, having lived a long life and experienced motherhood, couldn’t bear to see a child in distress. Though Pei Lang wasn’t her child, she easily empathized with him.

Her response brought tears to her eyes. Trembling, she grabbed Pei Lang’s hand. “Xiao Lang, how about this—call me Aunt Lin. If you ever need anything, just ask me.”

“Aunt Lin…” Pei Lang was “deeply moved” and immediately called out obediently.

“Yes~”

They had somehow formed a bond and Pei Lang wouldn’t have to cook for himself anymore. “Then I’ll have the shrimp dumplings as a midnight snack tonight. Maybe I’m still growing. I tend to get hungry at night.”

At 27, still growing?

Aunt Lin didn’t suspect anything, repeatedly saying “good” and urging Pei Lang to rest. Pei Lang, however, refused and insisted on helping her clean the table. This further increased her fondness for him.

Her attitude towards him had shifted drastically, and after tidying up, she urged him upstairs. As he stepped onto the stairs, Pei Lang curled his lips, his clear eyes were filled with a deep smile.

Were the people in this villa all so endearing?

However, all of this was noticed by Yan Han.

When Yan Han saw Aunt Lin’s sudden shift in attitude toward Pei Lang, he was shocked. Pei Lang’s little acting tricks couldn’t escape him; it was clear he was just trying to scam free food.

Most areas of the villa were under surveillance. Yan Han hadn’t planned to check the footage, but his subordinates had noticed some movement from Yan Xiuyuan’s side, and it was heading toward Pei Lang. Yan Han didn’t have Pei Lang’s contact information, and naturally, he wouldn’t take the initiative to contact him. Even if Yan Xiuyuan was up to something, it was Pei Lang who had sown the seeds for this situation.

However, for some reason, over the past few days of observation, Yan Han had realized that Pei Lang wasn’t foolish, nor was he the same as before. In fact, he even found Pei Lang quite pleasant to be around, someone whose every move could capture attention. He didn’t want to get involved, but deep down, he didn’t want to see this seemingly obedient and clean person fall into Yan Xiuyuan’s hands. Yet, to save face and unable to warn Pei Lang, he decided to check the villa’s surveillance to see if he was still around.

Thus, by accident, he witnessed the entire process of Pei Lang scamming food.

Pei Lang wasn’t innocent. But to think that his little schemes were only used for food—Yan Han was puzzled. Was he really that desperate for a meal?

After eating, Pei Lang went upstairs to lie down and digest the food. After a busy day, he unknowingly fell asleep.

At the Lingyan Bar, Yan Xiuyuan and Pei Ziqing waited until the agreed time, but Pei Lang still hadn’t shown up. This was unusual; Pei Lang had always contacted Yan Xiuyuan through Pei Ziqing before. This time, Yan Xiuyuan had made the invitation. Pei Lang would usually be eager to stick to him—how could he be late?

Something must have happened. Maybe… he was stuck in traffic? Or… had an accident? Seeing Yan Xiuyuan’s face darken, Pei Ziqing tried to think of several excuses. “Xiuyuan, do you think my brother might be having trouble finding the place?”

“That idiot might not even be able to find it,” Yan Xiuyuan muttered. He couldn’t believe he’d been stood up, but Pei Lang’s tardiness still displeased him. He was always the one waiting for others, never the other way around.

“Why didn’t my brother just take a cab?”

Yes, he could have easily taken a cab and left earlier, but Pei Lang didn’t do that, so it was still his fault.

“Xiuyuan, should we wait a little longer? Brother must be anxious too. He’s probably on his way now.”

Pei Ziqing tried to comfort Yan Xiuyuan, while also speculating based on his understanding of Pei Lang. That day, when Pei Lang said he was giving up on Pei Ziqing, he didn’t believe him. He was clearly trying to lower their guard to take advantage of the situation.

Though Yan Xiuyuan looked down on Pei Lang, he still didn’t think Pei Lang should be touching what belonged to him.

“Hmph! Fine, let’s wait a few more minutes.”

Moonlit: Wait well~ hahahaha