Yè Yī's Apartment — Early Evening
By the time Yè Yī got back, it was already getting dark.
Qiū Huà Bǐ was already before his own apartment.
"See you tomorrow. Try not to adopt anyone else tonight."
Yè Yī had waved him off. When he unlocked the apartment, he expected Violet to be somewhere in the living room.
Instead, he found her lying on the floor.
For one second, Yè Yī didn't understand what he was seeing. He dropped his bag.
"Violet."
He crossed the room quickly and went down on one knee beside her. His hand stopped just above her shoulder.
"Violet."
She turned her head and looked at him.
"Hi."
Yè Yī stared at her. She looked back.
"What's wrong with you?"
"I'm resting."
"On the floor?"
"Yes."
He looked down at her, then around the room.
"There are chairs."
"I know."
"There's a sofa."
"I know."
"And you chose the floor."
"I'm too lazy to move."
Yè Yī sighed.
"You scared me."
Violet blinked.
"I did?"
"I thought something happened to you. You were lying there like a corpse."
"Oh."
She sounded genuinely surprised.
Yè Yī stared at her for another moment.
"...That's it?"
"What else should I say?"
"I don't know. Something."
She thought about it.
"Sorry?"
"You're saying that like you're asking me whether I want tea."
"I can say it again if you want."
"No."
Yè Yī looked at her for a moment, then turned away and rubbed his forehead.
"I panicked for nothing."
Violet pushed herself up and sat cross-legged.
"Apparently."
She had already settled herself comfortably against the wall.
"Then we're fine."
Yè Yī looked back at her.
"You really are difficult to talk to."
"You've known me for how long?"
He paused.
"Not long enough, apparently."
That earned the faintest curve at the corner of her mouth.
Then Violet's stomach growled.
Yè Yī looked at her. She looked at him.
"I'm hungry."
He let out a quiet breath.
"Then eat something."
"I don't have anything."
Yè Yī stared at her.
"Then cook."
"I can."
"Then why are you telling me?"
She tilted her head.
"I'm African."
He waited.
"And?"
"The way I cook is different from yours."
"Food is food."
"What I cook is also different from what you have here."
Yè Yī folded his arms.
"That's your reason?"
"Yes."
He shook his head.
"You could've told me."
"You weren't here."
"So you waited?"
"I was resting."
"On the floor."
Violet shrugs
"Yes."
Yè Yī felt speechless. He was not a person of many words, but the number of words he had said at this hour counted more than he had said in the past three months.
"That sounds like an excuse."
"It's a fact."
Yè Yī looked toward the kitchen, then back at her.
"You're getting very comfortable."
Violet shrugged.
"We're siblings now."
"That happened two nights ago."
"And?"
He had no answer for that.
Violet tilted her head.
"My sworn brother wouldn't let his sworn sister go hungry, right?"
Yè Yī narrowed his eyes.
"I didn't say you could use it against me."
"I don't remember there being a restriction."
Yè Yī stared at her for another few seconds. He could already tell this was going to become a problem.
"That's not what I meant when I agreed to it."
"Too late."
He sighed.
"Fine. I'll cook."
Violet smiled. It was small, but unmistakable.
"Good."
She gave him a thumbs-up.
"Chop chop."
Yè Yī looked at her.
"...You really are something."
"I've been told."
He walked toward the kitchen.
Yè Yī washed his hands and started preparing dinner. A knife struck the cutting board in a steady rhythm.
Yè Yī cooked the way he did most things. He measured first, prepared what he needed, and didn't waste movement.
Violet stayed in the living room, though she eventually moved from the floor to the sofa.
After a few minutes, she called out, "Do you always cook this much?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
"Who's eating."
She leaned over the back of the sofa to look into the kitchen.
"How many people usually eat here?"
"Just me."
"Then why did you make so much?"
Yè Yī glanced at the amount of food he'd prepared. He hadn't noticed.
"...I made enough for two."
Violet smiled.
"See? You're getting used to me."
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
She settled back into the sofa.
A moment later, Yè Yī heard her say, "You cut everything the same size."
"What?"
"The vegetables."
He looked down.
"I do."
"Why?"
"So they cook evenly."
"Oh."
A short pause.
"That makes sense."
He continued chopping.
"You ask a lot of questions."
"I'm learning."
"About cooking?"
"About you."
Yè Yī glanced toward the living room. Violet was looking at him now.
There was nothing strange in her expression. She was simply trying to understand the person she'd suddenly started living with.
He turned back to the cutting board. For a moment, he looked at the knife in his hand, then he continued.
He still hadn't forgotten the way he'd crossed the room. He had barely seen her properly before his body had already moved.
That wasn't how he normally reacted. He calculated, checked, he made sure he understood the situation before acting. This time, there hadn't been time for any of that.
"Then ask something useful."
"What food do you hate?"
He almost smiled.
"That's your useful question?"
"Very."
"Anything too sweet."
"Good."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like 'sweet' food either."
Yè Yī nodded.
"Finally, something we agree on."
"I like sweet, spicy, fruity, decadent, herbaceous. Not too salty, not too umami and not too zesty."
Yè Yī heaved. The night was still young.
When the food was ready, Yè Yī carried the plates to the table.
Violet stood immediately. She sat down, said a silent prayer before eating, and picked up her chopsticks.
Yè Yī remained standing for a moment.
"You pray before every meal?"
Violet looked up.
"Usually."
He nodded.
"Okay."
She started eating.
After a few bites, Yè Yī sat across from her. For a while, he said nothing.
Then he asked, "Is it good?"
Violet chewed, swallowed, and considered the food.
"Not bad."
Yè Yī gave her a look.
"Not bad?"
"It's good."
"That's better."
"For your region."
He stared at her.
"You're impossible."
She took another bite, to hide the smug smile tugging at her lips.
"You asked."
"I regret asking."
Violet smiled slightly.
"You'll get used to it."
Yè Yī leaned back in his chair.
"That's what I'm afraid of."
She continued eating.
After a moment, he noticed how quickly she was finishing the food.
"You were really hungry."
"Yes."
"You should've told me earlier."
"I just did."
"Earlier than tonight."
"I wasn't sure if you'd cook to my satisfaction."
He looked at her.
"And now?"
She lifted her eyes from the plate.
"Now I know."
Yè Yī shook his head.
"Great. So I've created a habit."
Violet nodded.
"Probably."
"Don't say that like you're pleased."
"I am."
He couldn't help it. A small laugh escaped him.
Violet looked at him.
"See? You're not so serious."
"Eat your food."
"Okay, brother."
Yè Yī paused. She said it so naturally this time that he didn't know what to do with it.
Two nights ago, that word had belonged to an oath. Now it was starting to sound ordinary.
He picked up his chopsticks.
"Eat before it gets cold."
Violet nodded.
"Okay."
And that was how the evening passed: one plate becoming empty, another cup of tea being poured, and two people who had not known each other long enough to understand all the things they had already begun to take for granted.