Chapter 80: Ruan Yu's Culinary Skills
Teng Yi followed Ruan Yu into the kitchen but ended up being more of a hindrance than a help. He kept distracting her, hugging and kissing her intermittently like a mischievous child. Ruan Yu had to juggle tending to the stove while fending him off, nearly mixing up the seasonings several times.
Despite the sweet pressure, she managed to prepare a table full of delicious dishes in the end.
As promised, Shen Bing returned within two hours. Upon seeing Ruan Yu’s culinary achievements, she was first pleasantly surprised, then couldn’t stop praising her. In Shen Bing’s imagination, most twenty-year-olds these days were like her two sons—relying on school cafeterias, takeout, or restaurants, completely inexperienced in cooking. At best, they could boil instant noodles; at worst, they wouldn’t even know how to turn on the stove. Someone like Ruan Yu was as rare as a treasure.
Teng Yi called Teng Hao down for dinner, and the four of them gathered around the table.
Unaware that all the dishes were Ruan Yu’s handiwork, Teng Hao took a few bites and immediately gave Shen Bing a thumbs-up.
“Mom, your cooking has gotten so much better.”
“Was it bad before?”
This was a loaded question, but Teng Hao remained oblivious.
“Well, I didn’t want to discourage you before, so I kept it to myself.” He picked up a strand of shredded potatoes with his chopsticks. “I remember the ones you used to make were too soft and not tasty at all.”
Then, he pointed at another dish—celery stir-fried with lily bulbs.
“And the celery you made last time was bitter. But these two dishes today are delicious! Mom, your cooking skills have improved as rapidly as my grades—soaring to new heights.”
Teng Yi rubbed his temples, unable to suppress a quiet laugh.
Ruan Yu tried to signal Teng Hao, but no matter how much she cleared her throat, he didn’t catch on.
“Alright, out with it. All this flattery and talk about grades—what’s your real motive?” Shen Bing glared at her younger son.
She knew him inside out. If he wasn’t buttering her up for something, why would he go to such lengths at the dinner table?
Teng Hao grinned and leaned in to wheedle her.
“Mom, I want to keep learning street dance.”
“No.” Shen Bing refused outright.
“Why not?”
“You know why. Didn’t we let you try before? You were inconsistent—skipping practice, wasting time and energy, and neglecting your studies.”
“But I’ve improved now!”
“A little progress and you’re already getting ahead of yourself? If you can guarantee good grades in the college entrance exam, I’ll let you learn.”
“I can guarantee it.” The teenager blurted out without hesitation.
At that time, he didn’t yet understand that no one’s life moves in a straight line. There are twists and turns—sometimes stumbling over pebbles and veering off course, other times blocked by boulders and forced to stop. Detours and setbacks are the true trajectory of fate.
It has nothing to do with effort.
And the word “guarantee”? Success is a stroke of luck; failure is just life.
“You make it sound so easy.”
Frustrated, Teng Hao looked to his brother for help, only to find Teng Yi sitting motionless, his expression clearly saying, “You’re on your own.”
“Mom, just tell me what you want me to do. I’ll do it—I swear!” He was practically ready to kneel and vow to the heavens to prove his determination.
“I don’t need you to do anything except focus on your studies now and get into a good university. After that, you can dance however and wherever you want. Why rush?”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then make me understand.”Teng Hao remained silent. His language skills were visibly poor, and he didn’t know how to articulate the surging passion and impatience that had reached their peak at this stage. Perhaps others wouldn’t understand, but for him, chasing a dream required unwavering momentum.
The atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly froze.
Teng Yi had been watching the drama unfold for a while and finally chose this moment to speak up.
But the moment he opened his mouth, he stabbed Teng Hao right in the heart.
"Alright, we’ll talk about this later. Let’s eat first—don’t waste Ruan Yu’s excellent cooking."
Ruan Yu’s cooking?
Teng Hao glanced at Ruan Yu, then at Shen Bing, wishing he could turn back time by ten minutes and swallow every word he’d just blurted out.
"Mom..."
"Eat. Your brother’s right—don’t waste Ruan Yu’s hard work. And as for dancing, my stance remains the same. No matter how well you buttered me up earlier, it won’t change my position."
— —
Teng Hao was served a firm rejection right from the start. The rest of the meal passed in a daze, and even when he returned to his room for tutoring, his mind was elsewhere. Ruan Yu didn’t know how to comfort him. She understood Teng Hao’s feelings, but she also believed Shen Bing’s perspective wasn’t wrong. Unable to take sides, she simply stayed neutral.
A while later, Teng Yi knocked and entered.
The moment Teng Hao saw him, the dullness in his eyes instantly brightened.
"Bro, did you come to give me advice?"
"No."
Teng Hao pouted. "Then why are you here? Don’t disturb my studying."
Tch.
Teng Yi pressed a hand on Teng Hao’s shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze, making the boy yelp. The lifeless room suddenly sparked with a different kind of energy.
"Do you need something?" Ruan Yu asked.
Teng Yi didn’t answer. His gaze flickered between Ruan Yu and Teng Hao, who were sitting mere inches apart, then to the large bed behind the desk. He’d never thought much about a guy and a girl being alone in a room for tutoring before, but now, the more he looked, the more it bothered him.
"From now on, tutoring will be in the study."
"Why?" The two of them asked in unison.
"Because I said so."
After a moment of processing, a sly glint flashed in Teng Hao’s eyes.
"Bro, you’re not jealous of me, are you?" He shot a glance at Ruan Yu. "Sure, the top-scorer here is decent-looking, but don’t worry—she’s not my type."
Teng Yi’s brow twitched.
Teng Hao immediately backed down.
"Fine, fine, the study it is. Right now, let’s go."
Ruan Yu was speechless.
As Teng Hao gathered his notebooks and headed out, she subtly shot Teng Yi a sidelong glance.
He shrugged, his sharp features softening with a hint of playful defiance in his gaze.
"Aren’t you ashamed?" Ruan Yu’s cheeks warmed.
"Mm." He answered without hesitation.
Lazy, yet somehow undeniably attractive.
Ruan Yu laughed, her earlier tension melting away, leaving only sweetness behind. After all, his pettiness, his jealousy—they all stemmed from her. And that feeling? Not bad at all.
Teng Hao spread his notebooks across the study desk, waiting for Ruan Yu to join him.
This was her first time entering their study. She had expected shelves filled with books, but instead, the space was dominated by Teng Yi’s trophies and certificates.
Breaking. Hip-hop.
Top 10. Top 8. Third place. Runner-up. Champion.
The crystal trophies held traces of his sweat, while the gold-edged certificates carried his quiet brilliance.When it came to dreams, he always strived to be the best. If he couldn't achieve perfection immediately, then he'd aim to do better next time. Progress, sometimes, brings more joy and depth than instant success.
Ruan Yu stood frozen before the bookshelf, unable to tear herself away.
"Stop looking," Teng Hao called out.
Normally, he would have been proud of his brother, but today, having just suffered a setback, he wasn't in the mood. So, pride turned into baseless bragging.
"If I had started dancing at my brother's age, I might have won more trophies."
"Then why didn't you?"
"I had to study."
"Didn't your brother have to study at that age?"
Teng Hao fell silent for a moment.
Ruan Yu walked over to Teng Hao and pulled up a chair to sit beside him.
She wasn't in a hurry to look at the problem set, just at him.
Teng Hao felt inexplicably scrutinized. He brushed his face and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Teng Hao, only those who are disciplined deserve the freedom to choose."
Ruan Yu wasn't sure if Teng Hao understood her meaning. He was extremely intelligent, but he couldn't shake off his childish nature. Sometimes he seemed mature, but most of the time, he was naive and inexperienced.
Shen Bing had been staying in the country recently due to a financing issue. With her keeping a tight rein on Teng Hao, he couldn't go to Xiyou to practice dancing, leaving him sullen and unmotivated in his studies.
Worried about him, Ruan Yu privately sought Teng Yi's help.
"You're really not going to help him?"
"Why should I?"
"Heartless."
"What? Feeling sorry for him?"
"Why would I feel sorry? He's your brother, not mine."
"Sooner or later, he'll be yours too."
"..."
Ruan Yu fell silent, which made Teng Yi turn serious.
"He's never been consistent since childhood. Let him stew for a while and see what he does."
"What if he gives up?"
"Then it means he's not cut out for street dancing."
As someone who had been through it, Teng Yi knew the hardships of dance training. Teng Hao had already given up once before. Allowing him to resume dancing came with many reservations. If their mother's intervention could extinguish Teng Hao's ambition, it would prove he hadn't changed and wasn't suited for dancing. But if he was determined to persist, he would eventually find an opportunity to change their mother's mind.
Just like the two-page written pledge Teng Yi had once penned himself.
Not long after Teng Yi's "opportunity theory," Teng Hao's opportunity indeed arrived.
Ren Yun Shen was discharged from the hospital.
To express his gratitude to Teng Hao, Ren Tianhai personally brought Yun Shen to their home to thank him.
That evening, everyone was home. Ruan Yu happened to be tutoring Teng Hao when, halfway through, Teng Yi knocked on the door.
Teng Hao was displeased.
"Bro, are you here to check on us? Don't you trust us alone together?"
"Shut up and come downstairs. Someone's here to see you."
"Who?"
Teng Yi didn't answer, just gave Teng Hao a look, signaling him to hurry. Teng Hao obediently got up and left.
Ruan Yu stayed seated, and Teng Yi didn't move either.
This meant the visitor had nothing to do with him and didn't require his presence.
"Who is it?"
"Come see."
With that, he took Ruan Yu's hand and led her to the second-floor hallway.
Downstairs, Ren Tianhai carried numerous gift boxes, dressed in a formal suit and tie, his hair slicked back, revealing a shiny forehead.
Behind him, Ren Yun Shen wore a navy-blue velvet dress with an exquisite bow tied at the waist. The skirt ended just above her knees, showing off her straight, slender calves.The girl's skin was as fair as freshly fallen snow, her black hair cascading like a long waterfall.
A pair of amber eyes gazed at Teng Hao, who had just turned the corner in the hallway, half-lidded with a mix of shyness and warmth.
"She's so beautiful," Ruan Yu sighed sincerely.
That kind of beauty exuded the elegance of a well-bred young lady.
"Not as beautiful as you," Teng Yi beside her responded with strong survival instincts.
"Tch. Talking nonsense with your eyes wide open."
He turned to her, closed his eyes, and repeated, "Not as beautiful as you. Really."
"Closing your eyes doesn’t make it any less of a lie."
"Haven’t you heard that beauty is in the eye of the beholder?" Teng Yi glanced at Ren Yun Shen, who was smiling at Teng Hao. "No matter how beautiful she is, she’s not my Xi Shi—but you are."
As he spoke the last three words, his gaze returned to her.
Those eyes, like stars fallen into the vast sea, shimmered with dazzling affection.
Shen Bing had no idea about Teng Hao’s act of heroism. The unexpected visit from Ren Tianhai and Ren Yun Shen left her utterly surprised, and after hearing the full story, she was even more astonished.
She had never imagined that the child she still saw as immature could display such courage when faced with matters of right and wrong.
Ren Tianhai’s gratitude filled Shen Bing with pride—the same kind of pride she had felt when Teng Yi, at sixteen, won awards and drew swarms of reporters clamoring to interview her.
But what Shen Bing never expected was that Teng Hao’s act of bravery would also resolve the predicament she was currently facing.
During casual conversation, Ren Tianhai learned that Shen Bing’s company was struggling with financing for a new project. With a wave of his hand, he decisively agreed to provide the necessary funds.
Just when all hope seemed lost, a new path suddenly opened before her.
Shen Bing could hardly believe it wasn’t a dream.
In the living room, the two adults discussed business matters, while the two teenagers exchanged silent glances—each looking at the other in a way that seemed ordinary on the surface but was more like an inscrutable poem.
Then, suddenly, Ren Yun Shen handed her phone over.
Teng Hao glanced at the line of text on the screen.
"Can I add you on WeChat?"
The girl’s handwriting was in elegant semi-cursive script, delicate and refined, as if she had written it herself.
Teng Hao nodded.
She smiled, her faint dimples lending her a sweet and ethereal charm, like the tranquil surface of a pond after rain, captivating enough to make one pause.
They exchanged WeChat contacts, and Teng Hao half-expected her to say something, but she remained silent—as if simply having his contact information was enough.
After seeing Ren Tianhai and his daughter off, Shen Bing pulled Teng Hao into a tight hug.
"My son! You’ve made your mother so proud!"
Teng Hao could barely breathe in her embrace. At his age, such displays of affection always felt awkward.
He wriggled free.
"Mom, I didn’t really do much." Besides, he had gotten into a fight.
"No, no, you did a good deed. Tell me what you want, son. A trip to the Maldives at the end of the year? Or Saipan? You choose."
"I want to dance," Teng Hao said. "I don’t want anything else. Just let me practice whenever and wherever I want."
"Anything but that."
"That’s the only thing I want."
Shen Bing wavered slightly.
Teng Hao knew his mother well—when she hesitated, it meant there was hope.
So he pressed his advantage.
"Mom, if you let me dance, forget about the college entrance exams—just for this semester, I’ll move up five places in the rankings. How about that?"
"Really?" Shen Bing was thoroughly swayed.
"Really."
"Deal!""Wow! Mom, you're the best!" Teng Hao eagerly threw his arms around Shen Bing's neck, then quickly turned and dashed upstairs, impatient to share the good news with the two upstairs.
"Bro! Top Scholar! I can keep going to dance practice!"
The study door was open, so Teng Yi and Ruan Yu had already overheard the conversation downstairs.
Ruan Yu wasn't concerned about the dancing issue—she only cared about how to improve by five places. If she remembered correctly, this wasn’t the first time Teng Hao had made such a promise.
"Who even gave you the courage to keep setting yourself up like this?"
"Of course, it's you!" Teng Hao grinned. "Top Scholar—no, no, sister-in-law, I’m counting on you to have my back from now on."
Ruan Yu: "……"
Teng Yi smiled with undisguised affection.
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