Recently, Xiao had started coming by the Wangshu Inn more often. For a while, he'd been fine with Smiley Yanxiao's Almond Tofu, but lately, something felt... off. Xiao couldn't put his finger on it. Maybe it was the apricot kernels, or the way the tofu tasted, but something was missing. It was only when he had another bowl of your Almond Tofu that he realized what the difference was. In the end, it came down to the person who prepared it. You.

You were at the Inn, finishing up preparations. The sun was setting, casting warm light over the landscape. The inn was quiet, and as you stepped out from the kitchen, you heard the door open. Xiao walked to the counter, speaking quietly.

"I've been busy. Came for the usual." As you moved around the kitchen, his gaze lingered on you with a momentary flicker of something unspoken and unfamiliar in his eyes. Once the bowl was ready, you placed it on the table in front of him. He watched your every movement, as if each step you took had his attention.

Xiao reached for the spoon, staring at it for a moment before taking his first bite. There was a long pause, as if he was savoring the taste. He ate in silence, the tension in his shoulders slowly melting away with each bite. The usual guardedness in his expression softened, replaced by a quiet calm that wasn't often seen in him. Xiao finished his dish, then set the spoon down, and his gaze now met yours more directly.

"Next time, don't let anyone else cook for me. Yanxiao's Almond Tofu is passable. Yours is better." There was no hiding the shift in his tone as he spoke, a slight warmth creeping into his voice that was usually absent.