At this time, Rosiley called out to her. “Auntie Wu, did you see someone in me just now?”
Auntie Wu’s feet halted and the atmosphere lapsed momentarily into silence.
After some time, Auntie Wu said quietly without turning her head, “No. Young Madam has thought too much.”
Rosiley watched her hurry into the kitchen, her eyes seemingly pondering something.
In the evening, Rosiley warmed up the sweet and sour pork ribs that Auntie Wu taught her how to make in the microwave, then put the dish on the dining table.
Sachin saw the dish and knitted his brows almost imperceptibly.
“Was this made by Auntie Wu?” He asked.
“No.” Rosiley pulled out a chair and sat opposite him. She put her folded hands on the edge of the table and smiled radiantly at him. “Auntie Wu taught me how to make it. She says it’s your favorite dish.”
His eyes glittered and his lips curled into a smile. “Is it edible?”
“Of course it’s edible! Do you dislike my cooking that much?” Rosiley glared at him angrily. She grabbed the chopsticks and picked up a pork rib, putting it into his bowl. “Hurry and try it.”
Sachin glanced at her, then picked up the pork rib, taking a bite.
“How does it taste?” Rosiley looked at him expectantly.
Sachin was chewing slowly, his expression calm. She could not tell if he liked it or not.
Rosiley could not help frowning. She asked cautiously, “Does it taste bad?”
Sachin put down the chopsticks and gave her a slight smile. “It tastes great.”
When Rosiley heard his praise, her heart was overwhelmed with joy. She beamed broadly. “If it tastes good, then have some more.”
She picked up a few more pieces for him. Soon, his bowl was filled to the brim.
She smiled at him, then lowered her head and stuffed a big ball of rice into her mouth. To be honest, after being praised by him, she felt her appetite increase. She could eat two more bowls of rice this evening.
But Sachin did not move his chopsticks, but just watched her eat quietly. His eyes were full of complicated emotions.
He pursed his thin lips and asked, “Rosiley, do you know why I like sweet and sour pork ribs?”
Rosiley raised her head and looked at him. She swallowed the rice in her mouth and gave him an impish smile. She said complacently, “Of course. Auntie Wu has already told me. She said that when you were young, you were very fussy about food. You loved sweet and sour food, so she would often cook sweet and sour pork ribs or sweet and sour fish for you.”
Sachin smiled. “That’s just one of the reasons.”
“Oh?” Rosiley raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Is there any other reason?”
“Yes.” Sachin nodded. “Because this was also my mother’s signature dish.”
Sachin bowed his head and smiled, his expression unconsciously revealing a hint of sadness. “This was the dish my mom learned from a cookbook for me. She tried again and again and finally mastered it.”
So this dish really had a story behind it. Rosiley could not help recalling Auntie Wu’s dazed expression. “Was it also because of Sachin’s mom?”
“But later, my mother went blind, and she never cooked it again.”
After he said this, Sachin smiled. “Now, thanks to you, I can eat it again.”
Rosiley was speechless.
“Didn’t Auntie Wu know how to cook it too? Wasn’t it enough to let Auntie Wu cook it?”