An invitation from an elder, especially one who had clearly cooked with her in mind, left An Ling with no way to refuse.
“Sure! Grandma Li’s cooking is delicious anyway. I’ve been wanting to eat it again for a long time.”
Grandma Li’s smile deepened at those words, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothing out as she reached over and gently pinched An Ling’s soft cheek again.
“Li Yang, why are you letting An Ling carry the bags?”
Grandma Li immediately turned and scolded her grandson.
Other people’s children always looked better in her eyes.
“Grandma, I’m carrying some too. I offered to take everything on the way, but An Ling insisted on being independent.”
“She’s a guest in our house now. How can you let a guest carry things? Take those bags inside.”
“No, no, Grandma Li, I can handle it myself,” An Ling quickly stepped back.
“They’re not heavy. I can carry them.”
“You sweet child, why be so polite with him? He’s tall and strong; he has plenty of energy.”
Grandma Li smiled but did not insist. She turned and led the two of them into the house.
An Ling followed behind, her tail swaying gently without her realizing it.
Li Yang’s yard looked exactly as she remembered—small but spotless.
A few potted green plants sat in the corner, including one An Ling recognized: mint.
Grandma Li used to pick the leaves to brew tea. Clothes hung on a line, swaying lightly in the breeze.
The moment they stepped inside, the familiar scent of home washed over her.
The living room was almost unchanged from six years ago: an old-fashioned sofa, a glass coffee table, a few calligraphy paintings on the wall, and Li Yang’s certificates from elementary school through high school lined up neatly along one side.
There were not many, but they were proudly displayed.
“Sit anywhere, don’t just stand there,” Grandma Li said warmly. “An Ling, set the bags aside. Li Yang can carry them back for you later.”
An Ling placed the shopping bags on the coffee table and sat down on the sofa.
Li Yang had already sprawled on the other sofa and was scrolling on his phone.
Grandma Li bustled into the kitchen.
An Ling felt it would be rude to just sit there, especially since she had come empty-handed.
She wanted to help, but offering without being asked felt awkward too.
An Ling scooted over to Li Yang and poked him.
“Li Yang, it looks like Grandma Li prepared a lot of dishes. She’s doing everything by herself and it must be tiring. Want to help out with me?”
“Huh? I’d only get in the way if I tried to cook.”
“Smell that—the food’s already done. I’ll help plate everything; you can carry the dishes to the table.”
Li Yang looked at her. “Alright.”
Even though Grandma usually just called him directly.
The two slipped into the kitchen.
“Grandma, An Ling and I came to help.”
“No need for that,” Grandma Li said with a smile. “You kids.”
They got to work.
An Ling plated the dishes while Li Yang put on oven mitts and carried them to the table.
The fish soup was quite heavy; only Li Yang could lift it easily.
Before long the last dish arrived: a plate of stir-fried shrimp in oil, glistening and fragrant.
“Come, come, time to eat,” Li Yang set the plate down.
“An Ling, sit down quickly. Don’t be shy—treat it like your own home.”
Grandma Li seated An Ling right beside her, with Li Yang on An Ling’s other side, so she ended up in the middle.
The table held three dishes and one soup: stir-fried shrimp in oil, sweet-and-sour ribs, stir-fried vegetables, and a snow vegetable fish soup.
All home-style cooking, yet each one steamed invitingly and smelled irresistible.
“These are all your favorites.”
Grandma Li placed a shrimp on An Ling’s plate.
“Try it and see if Grandma’s skills have gotten rusty.”
An Ling accepted it happily, carefully removed the parts she could not eat, and popped it into her mouth.
“It’s delicious,” An Ling nodded.
“Still the same great taste.”
“If it’s good, eat more.”
Grandma Li added a piece of rib to her bowl.
“Look how thin you are. Did you not eat properly in the big city?”
“No, I ate fine,” An Ling protested softly.
“This is just how I am. I can’t put on weight no matter what.”
“You still need to eat even if you don’t gain weight.”
Grandma Li kept adding more food to her bowl.
“Eat up and grow some meat on those bones.”
An Ling stared at the mountain of food piled in her bowl, feeling a little helpless but too embarrassed to refuse.
Li Yang watched from the side with a gleeful grin.
“What are you laughing at?” Grandma Li shot him a glare. “You eat too. Stop smirking.”
Li Yang quickly lowered his head and shoveled rice into his mouth.
Over dinner, Grandma Li chatted nonstop, asking An Ling about the past few years: how life had been in H City, whether studies were going well, if her parents were too busy with work, and if she had made new friends.
An Ling answered each question patiently, mostly replying with “it was fine” or “it was okay.”
In front of Grandma Li, An Ling pushed aside her own troubles and even shared a little more than she had with Li Yang, not wanting the old woman to sense anything wrong and worry.
Even though she was asked many things, An Ling still felt genuinely happy.
Grandma Li was the same as always, and she looked healthy too.
“Did you suffer any hardships over there? You were all by yourself, and your parents are so busy with work.”
“No, none at all. I can take care of myself,” An Ling answered with a smile.
There had been a little hardship, she thought—just a little—but she kept it to herself.
“Why did you leave so suddenly back then?”
Grandma Li’s tone carried a trace of complaint. “After you left, that boy Li Yang moped around for ages. Even after all these years he still brings it up.”
“Hey! Grandma! Don’t talk about that,” Li Yang cut in. “Eat your food. Today’s dishes taste even better than usual.”
“You’re not allowed to say anything about it either.” Grandma Li glared at him.
An Ling kept her head down, scooping rice, but her ears twitched involuntarily.
After the meal, An Ling tried to help clear the table.
“No, no, you sit down,” Grandma Li stopped her. “Let Li Yang wash the dishes. He never does anything around the house anyway. Today is perfect for some practice.”
Li Yang accepted his fate and carried the bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen.
Grandma Li took An Ling’s hand and sat with her on the sofa, chatting about anything and everything an elder might want to say.
An Ling answered obediently, choosing only the positive things when she had to reply.
“You child…”
Grandma Li sighed as she looked at her.
“You’re still so young. You don’t need to act so mature all the time. If something’s bothering you, just say it.”
An Ling’s nose stung a little. She lowered her eyes, not daring to meet Grandma Li’s gaze.
“Never mind, I won’t nag you anymore. If anything comes up, just tell that boy Li Yang. Don’t worry about troubling him.”
“Mhm.” An Ling nodded.
Grandma did not know that anything involving Li Yang was currently An Ling’s biggest trouble.
When Li Yang finished washing the dishes and came out, he saw the two of them had finished chatting.
Grandma Li had learned that An Ling did not have Li Yang’s contact yet, so she gave An Ling his number and sat beside her, watching as she sent the friend request.
With Grandma Li right there, An Ling had no way to refuse.