Growing Fond of You, Mr Nian

“I’m sorry. I’m just too hungry,” said Luosang.

Nian Junting’s lips curled down with dislike as he said, “You’re a woman, but you eat like a starved prisoner. Any man would be frightened by your poor table manners.”

Luosang paused. She remembered that her table manners were quite alright.

Sister Lan who stood aside couldn’t help but defend her, “Young Master, if Luosang’s table manners are poor, we can all die.”

“Who told you to speak?” shouted Nian Junting. He pulled a long face and said, “Sister Lan, do you want your year-end bonus or not?”

Sister Lan rubbed her apron and responded, “Speaking of year-end bonus, Young Master, I leave for the New Year tomorrow. My sons and daughter-in-laws are all waiting for me at home. But I’ll be back the day after the Lunar New Year’s day. Are you going back to the family house tomorrow?”

“I need to go to the hospital tomorrow, for physical therapy, so I’ll head to the family house the day after that,” said Nian Junting, frowning tightly. “Who will cook my dinner after you left?” he asked.

“I’ll get the ingredients ready, and Luosang can cook for you,” said Sister Lan. She thought for a moment and said, “Young Master, Luosang can cook very well.”

“No, the things she cooks are disgusting,” said Nian Junting, face filled with distaste.

Luosang wiped her mouth, smiled abruptly and said, “I feel lucky that you think I can’t cook well. Because then, I don’t need to take care of you and cook for you at the same time. That would be exhausting.”

Nian Junting immediately put down his chopsticks and sneered while saying, “Yeah, I pay you so well every day, but your only task is to take care of me, that’s so unfair. Starting tomorrow, you will be responsible for all my meals after Sister Lan leaves. And you’ll have to do it according to Sister Lan’s standards: six dishes and one soup, for every meal.”

Luosang widened her eyes and showed a pained look when she heard him.

Seeing that, Nian Junting suddenly felt delighted. He turned his thin lips up, but failed to notice the faint smile which flashed across Luosang’s face.

…

After lunch, Luosang helped Sister Lan to tidy up. In the kitchen, Sister Lan winked at Luosang and laughed, “You did that on purpose just now, didn’t you?”

Luosang smiled.

“Young Master can be childish sometimes. He just likes to disagree with everything that the others say,” said Sister Lan. She smiled and sighed while saying, “But, I’ll have to leave the works to you. I’ll prepared all the ingredients, and you only need to stir-fry them tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Sister Lan,” Luosang looked at Sister Lan’s warm, smiling chubby face while responding.

The next day, Sister Lan left for home after preparing breakfast. Lu Kang arrived at the villa half-past nine, and then they all headed to the hospital.

The physical therapy was schedule for half an hour. Luosang sat outside the physiotherapy room, playing a game on her phone while waiting. Doctor Gu from the urology department passed by, and his eyes glowed when he spotted Luosang. “Luosang, I haven’t seen you for so long. I heard from Sister Miao that you went to work for Young Master Nian as his carer, are you doing well?” he cried.

“I’m good,” said Luosang as she hurriedly stood up. Doctor Gu helped her with many difficult situations when she was taking care of some patients in this hospital, so she was grateful to him. “Doctor Gu, aren’t you leaving for New Year holiday?” she asked.

“We doctors don’t have holidays,” said Doctor Gu smilingly, “Especially at the end of the year. Many people are returning from other cities and the highways are all jammed. Car accidents are happening endlessly. The hospital is overcrowded now, but I’ll take the day off on Lunar New Year’s day. I heard that a big movie will be released that day, do you have time to watch it together?”

At this moment, Nian Junting was wheeled out of the physiotherapy room by Lu Kang. He saw a round-faced doctor wearing an old-fashioned pair of glasses and a white coat, standing in front of Luosang, inviting her to see a movie.

He raised her thick eyebrows and said to the doctor, “Sorry, she’s mine now.”