38: Liu Yue'er fainted

It was a while before Liu Yueer gradually recovered from the intense satisfaction and pleasure the delicious food had brought her.

She squinted slightly, the lingering aroma seeming to still swirl between her lips and teeth, leaving an endless aftertaste.

"That was truly delicious!"

Liu Yueer let out a satisfied breath and cried out joyfully.

"Are you coming back down to earth?"

Han Fei's voice sounded in her ear.

He leaned back against the seat, his eyes filled with teasing and concern.

"Mhm..."

Liu Yueer's reply was somewhat languid, her voice still carrying a few traces of unspent contentment.

She lifted her head slightly, meeting Han Fei's bright, star-like eyes.

The moment their gazes met, Liu Yueer abruptly realized she was sprawled on the chair in an extremely ungraceful posture.

Her legs were casually crossed, the hem of her clothes was ruffled, exposing her pale thighs, and her normally neat hair was now slightly disheveled.

The realization sent a jolt through her, as if she had been shocked, and she immediately straightened her posture.

She hastily smoothed down her skirt with both hands, her fingertips lightly tidying her slightly messy hair, attempting to reclaim a hint of her former poise.

Although she quickly corrected everything, the blush creeping onto her cheeks and her evasive eyes betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

Han Fei watched the flustered, completely red-faced Liu Yueer before him, the amusement in his eyes intensifying, finally erupting into a hearty laugh.

"Oh—"

Liu Yueer let out a soft cry of embarrassment, quickly lowering her head and covering her burning cheeks, leaving only a pair of clear, water-like eyes visible through her fingers.

She dared not look directly at Han Fei, fearing she would see her own awkwardness and shyness reflected in his gaze.

Alongside her shyness, a trace of confusion welled up in Liu Yueer's heart.

Ordinarily, she was not such a timid person; even if she committed a greater faux pas in public, she could handle it calmly.

She had never felt this way before, where merely being seen by Han Fei in a slightly unkempt state made her so embarrassed she wanted to sink through the floor.

The light-headed Liu Yueer cautiously stole a glance at Han Fei through the gaps in her fingers, only to see him still wearing that placid smile.

This single glance made Liu Yueer's small face grow even hotter, as if a wave of heat rushed straight to her forehead, causing her heart rate to accelerate suddenly.

Seeing her face completely flushed, Han Fei mistakenly assumed this was some kind of side effect caused by the Magical Culinary Arts.

He frowned slightly, hurried forward full of worry, and asked anxiously, "Are you alright?"

"Uh, I'm, I'm fine..."

Liu Yueer's voice seemed to be swallowed by a wave of shyness, barely audible, like a mosquito gently fluttering its wings in the night—faint, yet carrying a slight tremble.

Han Fei leaned in, wanting to hear more clearly.

"What did you say?"

The warm breath from his mouth brushed against Liu Yueer's cheek as he spoke.

This instantly made her heart pound like a drum, wildly hammering against her chest, as she silently whispered inaudibly, "Too close, too close..."

Watching Liu Yueer's increasingly crimson face, Han Fei's mind was clouded with suspicion.

"Does Magical Culinary Arts truly have side effects? How is that possible? It shouldn't."

The next moment, almost instinctively, he reached out and gently touched Liu Yueer's smooth forehead, wanting to check if she had a fever.

The moment Han Fei's fingers brushed her smooth forehead, Liu Yueer felt a raging fire consume her entire body, leaving her feeling as though she were engulfed in blazing flames.

Oh dear, oh dear, he, he touched me. Why did he just touch me like that?

The tremendous shock instantly plunged Liu Yueer's mind into chaos.

She felt a surge of heat rush to her head, the entire world seemed to sway, and golden spots danced before her eyes, making her involuntarily shut them.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Han Fei noticed her strange reaction, quickly stood up, agilely retrieved a clean cloth from a nearby shelf, rushed to the faucet to wet it, and then swiftly returned to Liu Yueer's side.

He carefully placed the slightly cool, damp cloth on her cheek, attempting to dissipate the intense heat raging within her body.

Just as this tense and delicate atmosphere settled, a slightly rough voice suddenly sounded from outside the kitchen, shattering the tranquility of the room.

"Hey, Boss Liu, are you open for business?"

Clearly, a customer had arrived at this inconspicuous little shop.

Han Fei looked worriedly at the semi-conscious Liu Yueer, told her to rest on the table, and then hurried back to the main area to check the situation.

The newcomer was a blonde, green-eyed Dark-skinned Beauty.

She was wearing a form-fitting white slip dress, and her brown skin shone with a healthy luster under the light, warm and eye-catching like amber.

If a beauty like this walked down the street, she would definitely make heads turn.

However, even more striking than her captivating appearance were the tattoos adorning her body.

The tattoos were lifelike, resembling tiger markings.

They flickered under the illumination of the lights, seemingly possessing their own pulse, blinking on and off in time with her breathing and heartbeat.

Each flash stirred subtle ripples in the air, as if the surrounding atmosphere vibrated along with them.

The beauty stepped into the shop, her gaze sweeping across the somewhat quiet space before finally settling on Han Fei.

She paused slightly, seemingly surprised by the scene before her, then raised her eyebrows, her emerald eyes flashing with confusion: "Who are you? Where is Boss Liu?"

Hearing this, Han Fei couldn't help but scratch his head awkwardly, forcing a helpless smile: "I am Boss Liu's friend, temporarily helping her look after the place.

She is feeling a bit unwell and is resting in the kitchen."

"Boss Liu is unwell? Are you still open for business today?" the Dark-skinned Beauty asked, knitting her brows.

"Well..."

Han Fei glanced toward the kitchen.

Liu Yueer was still slumped over the table, showing no signs of waking up.

Seeing Han Fei's demeanor, the Dark-skinned Beauty could only sigh and say, "Then I suppose I'll come back another time."

Just as the woman turned to leave, Han Fei subconsciously called out to her.

"We are open as usual right now.

Just order whatever you want to eat."

The Dark-skinned Beauty looked at Han Fei skeptically.

"I can make all the dishes on the menu, and I guarantee they will be delicious.

Don't worry," Han Fei said with a confident smile.

He certainly wasn't exaggerating; he truly knew how to cook.

The abilities replicated by the transfer of culinary skill not only covered technical knowledge like ingredient pairing and heat control.

On a deeper level, it even precisely engraved intangible experiences—such as Liu Yueer's mindset during every cooking session, her touch, and her keen insight into subtle changes in flavor—deep into Han Fei's memory, like a brand.

Every flip of the wok, every seasoning, every moment of heat adjustment, was vivid and clear, as if he had experienced it firsthand.

It was as if he had personally lived through the countless days and nights, the dedication, and the sweat Liu Yueer had invested to master these dishes!

Although the current Han Fei might not be able to compare with Liu Yueer in culinary attainment, armed with these almost firsthand experiences, he could absolutely and accurately reproduce every delicacy on the menu.

"You can cook too?"

The Dark-skinned Beauty looked at Han Fei with a skeptical gaze.

She was an old patron here and was very clear about the quality of Liu Yueer's cooking; otherwise, she wouldn't come here every day for dinner.

Facing the skepticism, Han Fei maintained a slight smile and a determined gaze.

"Not only can I cook, but I guarantee the deliciousness.

If it doesn't meet your expectations, I will cover your meal today."

His words were forceful, carrying no hint of hesitation or doubt; this was Han Fei's absolute confidence in himself.

Even if his skill level wasn't yet comparable to Liu Yueer's, with the enhancement of Magical Culinary Arts, the degree of deliciousness would certainly be no lower, only higher.

Seeing Han Fei's confidence, the Dark-skinned Beauty sat down, still harboring some doubt.

To be honest, having grown accustomed to Liu Yueer's cooking, if she were to leave now, she genuinely wouldn't know where else to get dinner.

Since Han Fei was so confident, the Dark-skinned Beauty was naturally happy to stay.

She didn't trust Han Fei completely, but rather she trusted Liu Yueer's judgment.

Since Liu Yueer had chosen to let this man temporarily take over the kitchen, it meant his cooking had already received her approval, and that was reason enough for her to stay and give him a try.