Chapter 128: It Is a Very Happy Thing

"A-Zhe, did you forget that you were supposed to help me wash my hands?"

Remaining pressed against Krystal’s back, Chen Zhe stood frozen for a long moment, as if he had been physically paused.

Krystal, having steeled herself for what was to come, felt him lingering behind her without taking the next step. After a long period of hesitation, she finally managed to squeeze the words out.

"Oh, right, right. I’m doing it now."

Hearing the hint of shyness in Krystal’s voice, Chen Zhe snapped back to reality. In a flustered hurry, he reached out and placed his palms over hers.

The sensation of Krystal’s hands was entirely different from that of her back. If her back felt warm, her palms initially felt cool to the touch—a sensation that was incredibly pleasant. Because he needed to thoroughly apply the hand soap, Chen Zhe ended up massaging her palms completely, allowing him to arrive at a precise and logical conclusion about how they felt.

"Ahem, A-Zhe? Have you finished applying the soap yet? Why is it taking so long?"

Feeling his hands continuously roaming and rubbing over her palms, Krystal grew truly embarrassed. She gave a light, feigned cough, using the excuse of the soap application to nudge him back to his senses.

"All done. I just finished. I was just being thorough with the cleaning, making sure every inch was covered, so it took a little longer."

Recalled to himself once more, Chen Zhe felt a wave of awkwardness at his lapse in focus for the second time. He scrambled to gather his thoughts, quickly finding a somewhat plausible excuse to explain away his lingering touch.

"Mm, then please hurry and finish washing them. Didn't you say the pan-fried shrimp cakes should be eaten while hot? If they get cold, the texture won't be as good."

Worried that Chen Zhe might pull another stunt, Krystal used the shrimp cakes he had just prepared as a prompt, urging him to finish washing her hands quickly.

She could already feel her cheeks burning. Even without a mirror, she was certain her entire face must be flushed a deep, vibrant red.

Understanding the implication in her words, Chen Zhe’s own face turned beet red. Too embarrassed to say anything more, he turned on the faucet and quickly set about rinsing her hands.

"There, mission accomplished. You can start eating now, Krystal. I need to get ready for the next dish."

After rinsing her hands clean, Chen Zhe grabbed a paper towel and carefully dried the water from her palms. Only then did he let go, gesturing for her to go enjoy the shrimp cakes.

But to his surprise, Krystal didn’t head back to her seat right away. Instead, she stayed by his side and reached out to take the plate of shrimp cakes.

She picked one up, brought it to her lips, and took a small bite. The primal, fresh aroma of the shrimp instantly flooded her mouth.

She chewed thoughtfully; the shrimp meat was firm, succulent, and had a wonderful springy texture. The unique mouthfeel made Krystal’s eyes narrow in satisfaction as she savored every morsel.

"A-Zhe, you have to try this. It’s absolutely delicious!"

Just as Chen Zhe was cleaning the utensils he had used, a piece of the shrimp cake—with a bite already taken out of it—was suddenly held up to his lips. The bitten edge was positioned right against his mouth.

He looked up in confusion, following the hand holding the cake until his gaze met Krystal’s, who was staring at him with eyes full of anticipation.