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墨書 Inktalez
Ao Bing looked at Nezha with gratitude filling his heart. This was their way of getting along—understanding each other, supporting one another, respecting each other's dreams and pursuits, while also being willing to make sacrifices and adjustments for each other.
Days passed by, and their mundane cohabitation was filled to the brim with the busyness of work, the pursuit of dreams, and each other's companionship. There were arguments, but they never let conflicts linger overnight; there were difficulties, but they always found ways to solve them together; there were times of exhaustion, but returning home to see each other's smiling faces made all fatigue vanish.
Winter arrived once again, and snowflakes began to fall outside the window. Nezha's first season was about to begin, and the construction of the Underwater Concert Hall was entering its final stages. Their lives were busier than ever, yet more fulfilling and purposeful than at any other time.
On this day, it was a rest day for Nezha's club, and he decided to try cooking again to surprise Ao Bing. After months of secretly practicing, his culinary skills had greatly improved; at least he no longer created kitchen disasters.
"What should I make today..." Nezha flipped through the recipe book and finally decided to attempt a traditional dish from the Dragon Tribe—Coral Shrimp. This was a hometown delicacy that Ao Bing had mentioned before, said to be a must-have dish at banquets in the Dragon Palace.
Nezha carefully prepared the ingredients according to the recipe, slicing ginger and garlic, marinating the shrimp, and mixing the sauce. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until he opened a special spice jar—the Dragon Tribe's special seasoning that Ao Bing had brought back from the Dragon Palace, said to be the soul of Coral Shrimp.
"The recipe says just a little is enough..." Nezha muttered to himself, but how much was "a little"? After hesitating for a moment, he decided to add a small spoonful based on his own understanding.
When Ao Bing pushed open the door, the first thing he noticed was a familiar yet subtly different aroma wafting through the air. "Nezha? What are you doing?" Ao Bing asked in surprise as he walked into the kitchen and saw Nezha busily stir-frying food in the pan.
"Welcome home!" Nezha exclaimed excitedly. "I prepared a surprise for you—Coral Shrimp! Doesn’t it smell delicious?"
Ao Bing sniffed the air and his expression became somewhat nuanced. "It does smell like Coral Shrimp, but... it seems a bit different."
Nezha confidently plated the stir-fried shrimp and set it on the dining table. "Give it a try! I followed the recipe step by step; it should be fine."
Ao Bing sat down and picked up a piece of shrimp to taste. Immediately, he was hit by an intense spiciness that nearly made him cough. Clearly, Nezha's interpretation of "a little" was worlds apart from that of the Dragon Tribe's recipe author.
"How is it?" Nezha asked expectantly. He took a bite himself and immediately broke into a sweat from the heat. "Oh my! This is too spicy!"
Ao Bing forced himself to remain calm despite his discomfort. "Um, it's definitely... unique."
Nezha dejectedly put down his chopsticks. "I'm sorry; I messed up again. I just wanted to give you a surprise."
But Ao Bing continued eating the excessively spicy Coral Shrimp. "It's okay; actually, aside from being a bit spicy, it tastes pretty good overall. You've improved a lot; at least this time you didn't burn down the kitchen."
Watching Ao Bing eat his poorly made dish bite by bite filled Nezha with both warmth and guilt. "Ao Bing, you don’t have to force yourself to eat it. We can order takeout."
Ao Bing shook his head firmly and insisted on finishing all the shrimp on his plate. "This is your heartfelt effort; of course I have to eat it all."
Nezha's eyes grew misty. "Thank you, Ao Bing. Thank you for always being so understanding."
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