"Wow, this is the most sumptuous supper ever since ages!" Xiao Mai exclaimed delightfully as Jin scooped her a big spoonful of mouth-watering irresistable pair of wontons in steaming pepper hot soup.

He smiled, observing the joyful gleam in her eyes, "Miss Xiao Mai, skipping dinner is not a good habit..."

She gulped them down contentedly, "Hey, you're so daring to say this...here, don't just wait for nothing, have some too!" Xiao Mai repeated his actions earlier and offered him even bigger servings.

Noticing how he was showing his own childlike self again and helped himself to the food heartily, she just enjoyed watching from the opposite side of the small table. Somehow, no matter how he could be downright serious in work matters, the charm of his relaxed eyebrows and soft-looking eyes betrayed his playful attitude.

Her admiration seemed to be caught off-guard when abruptly, his gaze rested on her mesmerised ones. Xiao Mai only wavered upon realisation with a faint blush.

"Now, have you been waiting so long just to see me savouring like a hungry kid?" He could not bring himself to suppress a chuckle, spotting her dreamy attentiveness.

Uneasiness could be felt but Xiao Mai knew she has gotten used to it having faced this kind of situation countless times with him. She could just shrug the feeling off while admitting defeat to her shyness-prone nature. She always labels this as a form of lovers' cue.

She set down the the utensils momentarily, "Master Jin, who doesn't know that you're a food-lover...But I'll give you a perfect score for taking me here, for making us big kids once again!"

His perfect lips curved into a heart-melting smile once again and he too put down the spoon in his hand, face turning more thoughtful, "Xiao Mai, I really hope what you have been telling me before now produces an endearing wish coming true. Our spending time here in this little humble primary school canteen sparks essence of childhood memories you long to have once more..."

Xiao Mai looked about, trying to reconnect fuzzy hints of familiarities tucked well-away in a corner of her mind, yet now springing back to life, with the warm sight of setting they found themselves in this minute. As her eyes trailed back to Jin again, she became all the more satisfied, "Thank you, even though much has changed, I can still feel my roots and how great it is to belong here..."

He sensed her bliss, "So my decision to not go for those old stock of instant noodles back in my office kitchen works...Hmmm..." He got himself more wontons after such conclusion.

Xiao Mai seemed disturbed, "Kitchen? Well, are you thinking that it's luck that I readily submitted to your suggestion to not take a tour around your office??" She strived to avoid sounding suspicious with tinge of apparent disappointment. Although work is of ultimate significance behind a successful career, Xiao Mai finds herself sinking deeper into the abyss of dilemma as to her limit of tolerance. If this haunting aspect of life now competing with her for a greater importance in his heart secures firmer ground, she has reason to doubt, reconsider or even up to the point of condemning their relationship as a mere fleeting fairytale. Trials overcame degenerates in meaning after resolutions take their place. After all these years, what else exactly matters between them? Feelings may not lie, but words came harder to express, and what more do actions?

"Deep inside each one of us, luck always wins," Jin quipped, as though it was hard for Xiao Mai to draw the thin line between whether he was reacting to her unsecurities or firing a contradiction. She has no courage to mask pretence, or rather, she felt so targetted that making out her own stand was tiring.

"Let me lighten up your mood," Jin unexpected grabbed her hand and pulled along to lead her into the canteen. Upon sighting the owner, he shouted, "Excuse us, your soya sauce doesn't taste too good today..."

Xiao Mai was instantly taken aback, for she knew from before, offering feedback in this manner would not work.

The elderly returned dryly, "Probably not mixed too well, sorry, I can see more customers coming, it's too late to do anything..."

Xiao Mai has to wonder repeatedly with the question as to Jin's intension this time.

With his sharp eyes noting the huge bucket-sized bottles of black liquid as they neared the door to the kitchen inside, Jin was fast to offer, "How about if we do that for you?"

"Jin!!" Xiao Mai instantly hushed him, yet he was not moved the slightest. Instead, without the owner's reply, Jin told her to give some patience and he hurriedly rushed out to him.

Xiao Mai could do no more than wait, watching by the side of how both men indulged in less-than-audible repeats of persuasion and consideration. Seconds ticked by as she predicted headstrong refusals on the canteen owner's part. Then, they stopped, and had Xiao Mai not been focused enough, she wouldn't have witnessed how Jin and the man exchanged something hidden within their grip secretly beyond everyone's view.

A pang of sadness struck Xiao Mai deep and hard. Was Jin making use of monetary reward to appease people for real? As much as going out of the way of one's conscience so as to save another's impression of himself? Times change and morals extend its barriers in the motives of the affluent.

In a flash, Jin has returned to Xiao Mai's side, wearing an exaggerated smile. She was let down, though how much she tried to hide. The last thing she would want to do was to face him.

Concern called for his attention, and Jin, true to his words, quietly placed a hand on her shoulder and guided them both further into the kitchen.

There, he started screwing the bottles open and hastily worked through the mixing process. The whole time, Jin being very much into what he was doing and indifferent to her not understanding for what he could possibly gain out of going through the hassle caused her helplessness amongst all unutterable hurts. Xiao Mai only stooped down beside him, her hesitant hands depicting her indecision in figuring out the advantage of Jin's efforts.

Still consciously engaged in her thoughts, Jin suddenly nudged her, "Xiao Mai, with this job done, we get to do even something better!"

"Huh?" Xiao Mai forced herself back into awareness, despite with a blank mind.

He took her hand, and heading to a corner, turned on the hot stove. She was dumbfounded, "Just what are you trying to do?!"

He smiled, "Remember when the last time, you cooked that special honey mushroom omelette for me back in Huang Fu mansion's kitchen? Now, I believe this place is even more suited to whip up one dozen times better with the greater heat!"

"Jin! How can we do this here?! Going to the extreme to obtain one's permission does not mean there's no need to differentiate between right and wrong! You don't have to do all this for me..."

"Xiao Mai, I'm all done with the sauce," he then went searching and managed to fetch some eggs and other ingredients.

In a matter of minutes, Jin finished the task single-handedly and presented Xiao Mai with the tempting dish. He urged her to try it.

Xiao Mai resignedly did as told and tasted.

"How is that? Do you feel any better?" he looked at Xiao Mai expectantly.

She did not want to dampen his spirit, yet what she experienced was a bittersweet compromise. He still cared for her, although in new unpredictable ways. This connection between only the both of them, she felt sure and true.

She could not suppress a tear trickling down her cheek, and rashly put aside the food to hug him tight.

He held her close in response, "Xiao Mai..."

Touched but unyielding, she did not want to make things tough for him, "Jin, there was a time when I entered a writing challenge in this school..."

"Really? What was it all about?" he asked.

She hated to let go of him but not willing to evoke unnecessary worries in him, she freed herself from the embrace and wiped her eyes dry, "Silly you, I was only kidding..."

Jin was aware of her concealing the truth, he saw it in her yearnful-looking eyes, "Sorry, I can't drive you home tonight..."

She did not look up at him, "I know, it doesn't matter..."

Leaving the place in separate ways, Xiao Mai has to bear with her a heavy heart. On the other side, seeing her venturing farther and farther into the dark, Jin somehow gathered she must be thoroughly heart-broken at realising how a work-addict he has turned into. Someone who could not find a way to detach himself from corporate obligations even at such hour close to midnight.

Pacing down the road, Xiao Mai became more attuned to the state of transition from anticipation to utter dejection. Bygones fell deeper into slumber while the present pushed its way through head-on. She reached for her necklace, contemplating once when Jin gave her a hard-earned precious ring. Alas! She could not feel it. Only now did Xiao Mai realised it was gone. She instinctively turned about and raced back to the school.

Reaching the canteen, Xiao Mai searched all over high and low for it.

Without success, she approached the owner, "Please, I was here just now...Did you happen to see a ring left here somewhere?"

He merely shook his head, "You lost it? Why not ask your boyfriend to help you?"

"Well, he must have started on his way to the office already. He works overtime,you see," Xiao Mai uneasily explained.

For the first time, she thought that she did somehow detect a smile on his face. He then mouthed for her to follow him.

Not far from the kitchen, Xiao Mai saw Jin attending to a huge pot of boiling-hot soup. She was about to head inside when the owner stopped her and asked to leave him alone.

Outside, Xiao Mai inquired, "Why is he still here?"

"Of course in exchange for using the kitchen just now, and he requested of me to not let you know."

Xiao Mai gasped, "Then, what about the money he gave you?"

The man turned all the more confused, "Have you misunderstood? I was the one to pass him a little handkerchief so that he could use it to cover his long fringes and prevent sweat from dripping while doing the cooking!"

Xiao Mai almost could not believe how far her misinterpretation has gone upon offered such explanation.