Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

"Mademoiselle, please have a seat here," Nian elegantly bowed as he pulled a chair for Xing Bi to sit.

After taking off from Sky, he brought her to a beautiful outdoor location to have their first date amidst witnessing an enchanting city skyline view at night. The lights that clustered and sparkled together mesmerized Xing Bi.

A table for two was arranged with the setup of a temporary kitchen just a little distance from it. This was the first time Xing Bi was experiencing a dinner under the starlit sky with the prospect of live cooking being done in front of her.

The ingredients and kitchen were all set along with Nian's chef outfit.

"You are going to cook right now?"

Nian's nostrils proudly flared as if he had done extensive research. "From my research and experience, men look more handsome and appealing when they cook food. The brownie points increase when the food is delicious too! Didn't I impress you when I made the chocolate dessert for you in Shanghai? I know you definitely felt some teensy-tiny romantic emotion in your heart for me!"

The corner of her mouth twitched.

"Then again, why do we need to have dinner at a five-star hotel when yours truly is the greatest chef of the world!" He waved his hand as if it was so obvious.

Look at his confidence…and narcissism.

"So while you wait, please thoroughly observe my handsome profile as I cook. You are free to have any perverted and naughty thoughts about us as well~"

Nian merrily hopped away and stood at his place in front of the kitchen counter. He lit the stove, put a pan on top of it and soon, the sound of sizzling oil reverberated in the air.

Xing Bi really gave it her all not to get swayed by his posture but…

Damn it, how can anybody look so hot? He is just cooking!

Nian stood with such ease with his hands making delicate but exact movements filled with finesse that she only found herself admiring the process of him cooking.

The way he effortlessly chopped the veggies, the way he elegantly dropped them into the pan, the manner in which he fluidly stirred the food, the beauty with which he handled the many bottles of spices and the professional and sincere expression on his face as he was giving it all to present her with the most delicious meal - Xing Bi found it impossible not to feel affected by it.

It didn't help that a very delectable aroma was rapidly floating through the air. She almost drooled in front of him but quickly wiped it before Nian could notice it and feel victorious.

"Hmm hmm hm~ Lala Lala Lala~" Nian hummed as he cooked.

She slightly coughed, listening to Nian singing some melody.

Why did he suddenly start humming…?

Xing Bi then propped her chin on her palm and the elbow on the table as she continued to observe Nian and listened to his singing while parallely thinking about her past.

Her gambling father had left his family without even bothering to leave at least a sorry note while her mother drowned herself into alcohol. She remembered how she would always cook breakfast for her mother before she left for school and dinner after she returned.

Xing Bi at that age could hardly chop the ingredients into proper sizes and the taste of her food was barely passable. Yet her mother would always laugh and eat everything from the bowl without a single complaint, all drunk and always humming some random tune. Xing Bi would scrunch up her brows, feeling disturbed by the humming more often than not.

But she lived with it along with her frustration of her mother's lack of responsibility and envy of all the other children in her school bringing their lunches prepared by their mothers. She was empathetic towards her pain but as a child, she equally craved for a normal family as everybody else had.

When was the last time somebody cooked for me?

She genuinely thought about the answer to the question. No matter how far she went back, it was always and only her doing all the chores. She used to prepare meals for herself every time because she couldn't afford to spend lavishly and frequently on outside food. She had to save every penny she could while also dealing with the loansharking thugs.

After her mother ended her life, the days simply passed by with Xing Bi sitting all by herself and having her meals all alone in the empty room.

It was one day when the spoon suddenly slipped from her hands, and she realized just how much she actually missed her mother's voice singing that random tune. The silence left by her death had ripped her heart apart. It was the first time in months when Xing Bi had cried hard and grieved over her mother's death.

Breaking from the stupor of her past, Xing Bi felt her eyes turning misty, and she quickly wiped her eyelashes.

But a certain devil grabbed her wrist and bent closer towards her. "Why are you crying?"

Her brow twitched. "You are seeing things. I am not crying."

"Your eyes won't turn reddish for no reason," Nian sternly replied.

Xing Bi awkwardly laughed it off. "Oh this…? It's…actually the…yeah it's the spices!" She lied. "It's that fragrance in the air. One of them feels particularly spicy and aromatic."

Nian narrowed his eyes, and Xing Bi only prayed that he wouldn't dwell on the matter further.

Then his stance gradually softened, even looking guilty. He mumbled. "...Was my singing so bad?"

"Huh?"

Nian bit his lower lip and looked away. "My humming…was it not like your mother's?"

She rapidly blinked her eyelids.

"Your mother used to sing this tune for you, right? I tried humming the same. I…I thought you would like it…" he was barely audible now, "I thought it would make you happy…Clearly I suck…I am sorry..."