CHAPTER 590: CHAPTER 588: I CAN

Fu Jinghen watched as the little cat he had angered raised her claws, ready to pounce and scratch him at any moment.

He bent his finger and tapped Wen Qiao’s nose tip. "It’s me who can’t live without you first. You don’t have to feel embarrassed about your emotions."

His hand had just come out of the water, droplets still clinging to his fingers, which cooled and easily soothed Wen Qiao’s anger as they touched her nose.

Fu Jinghen handed her the washed vegetables. "Anything else you need me to do?"

Wen Qiao took the plastic basin cradling the vegetables and held it in her arms. "Peel the garlic and cut the bell peppers and pineapple into chunks. Can you do that?"

"I can."

Fu Jinghen, having received her instructions, turned around to keep busy.

Standing behind him, Wen Qiao watched for a while then lifted her hand and silently stroked her nose.

After Fu Jinghen had prepared all the needed ingredients, Wen Qiao began to cook.

When she had woken up, she had tied her hair into a loose low ponytail hanging behind her, which by midday, had several shorter strands escaping.

Unable to free a hand to retie her hair, she held a spatula in one hand and gestured with the other towards the nearby Fu Jinghen. "Come and help me tie my hair."

Fu Jinghen straightened up and walked behind her, raising his hands and staring at her ponytail as he fell into deep thought.

Wen Qiao waited and seeing Fu Jinghen still hadn’t moved, she turned her head back doubtfully. "What are you doing? Playing a game of ’raise your hands’?"

"No," Fu Jingzhen’s expression was grave. "How should I tie this?"

"..."

Wen Qiao paused, then instructed, "First, untie my hair and slip the hair tie onto your wrist."

"Second, smooth out my hair."

"Third, use the hand with the hair tie to grasp my hair. Use the other hand to pull the hair tie down, loop it over my hair, then twist it around and continue looping it three times."

"Got it?"

Fu Jinghen’s expression grew even graver. He nodded, "Got it."

"..."

Wen Qiao felt she had just made trouble for herself.

"Forget it, keep an eye on the food, don’t let it burn. I’ll go wash my hands and do it myself."

As she spoke, Wen Qiao turned around.

"No need," Fu Jinghen held her shoulders, eager to try. "I’ll do it, you continue."

Wen Qiao, somewhat reluctant to entrust her hair to Fu Jinghen blurted, "Don’t force yourself if you can’t."

Fu Jinghen raised his eyebrow: "I can."

How could a man admit defeat?

Fu Jinghen rested his hands gently on her cheeks and adjusted her head slightly before carefully unwinding her orange hair tie.

His defined fingers wove through Wen Qiao’s soft hair, occasionally brushing her scalp and sending tingles through her.

The distance between them was mere inches, and Wen Qiao could even hear Fu Jinghen’s breathing amid the bubbling sound of the vegetables in the pan.

It was merely a hair-tying, why did she feel so nervous?

Wen Qiao was now certain, she had indeed made trouble for herself.

The Fu Jinghen standing behind her wasn’t faring much better, though he wasn’t drawn into a romantic mood. His face was serious and focused, as though he was signing some significant contract, yet his movements were ever so gentle.

Following Wen Qiao’s instructions, Fu Jinghen secured her hair loop by loop. After adjusting the little orange on the hair tie, he finally spoke, "There, done."