After washing his hands, Nan Chen cautiously slipped on gloves before picking up the dishes.
He felt that it was a hygienic practice, but Ning Ran felt like scolding him.
Given your speed, when can we start eating dinner?
“Enough, Sir Chen. Why don’t you stand aside? I can do it myself.” Ning Ran berated.
Nan Chen felt aggrieved. I have tried my best already, but this woman keeps belittling me. So what if she can cook? Must she be so arrogant?
Nan Chen insisted on helping her with the dishes despite her reluctance.
How embarrassed will I be in front of the kids if I don’t lift a finger? Furthermore, I was the one who suggested cooking dinner together. The kids will think I’m useless if I do nothing.
In the end, his insistence on helping out in the kitchen made things worse, causing more trouble for Ning Ran. Nonetheless, he refused to give up.
I don’t believe that I, who can conquer the business world, have no use in the kitchen!
In the end, the dinner was finally ready after Ning Ran’s painstaking efforts.
Erbao applauded enthusiastically, “Mommy is the best! Daddy is great too!”
Dabao brought the ladle over to scoop rice for everyone.
Suddenly, Nan Chen used his phone to take a photograph of the dishes on the table.
Although having a family dinner together might be a usual activity for many people, it was a rare experience for him.
He, who had attended countless lavish banquets, placed so much importance on these few home-cooked dishes that he actually bothered to take a photograph of them.
After taking the photograph, he realized Ning Ran and the two kids were staring at him weirdly. He suddenly felt rather embarrassed.
It was my first time doing such things. I used to think that the people who took photographs of their food were silly and low-class. But never would I imagine I would do the same today! What exactly is my purpose in doing such a thing?
“Is Daddy planning to send the photograph to your friends?” Erbao asked, smiling.
Ning Ran was thinking the same too, but she dared not ask him.
If he sends a photograph of home-cooked dishes to his friends, won’t it make the entertainment news?
“No.”
Nan Chen kept his phone with an air of nonchalance to disguise his embarrassment.
I do not intend to send the photograph to my friends. This dinner is important to me, but I can’t pinpoint the reason for its importance. Is it because I helped in serving the dishes? Or is it because Ning Ran was the one who cooked the dinner? And I want to take a photograph of it because it is of utmost importance to me?
“Daddy, don’t you want to take a photograph with Mommy? If you plan on sending photographs to your friends, one is not enough. You should at least take our photographs too.” Erbao suggested.
“I’m not sending the photos to my friends,” repeated Nan Chen awkwardly.
This kid… Why does he think I am sending the photographs to my friends?
“You should take a photograph with Mommy even if you don’t want to send it to your friends,” suggested Erbao impishly.
Ning Ran and Nan Chen were embarrassed, and both were at a loss of what to do next.
Nan Chen sneaked a peek at Ning Ran and realized she was already helping herself to the dishes while burying her face into her bowl of rice.
Nan Chen was an arrogant person and could not accept the rebuff. Humph! You don’t want to take photographs with me? Well, I’m not willing to do that too!
Actually, Ning Ran was receptive to the idea. It’s only a photograph. After all, I face the cameras every day. Taking photographs is nothing to me. However, I will not force Nan Chen to do so if he is unwilling. Although he is indeed very handsome, I can’t possibly be so thick-skinned and insist on taking a photograph with him?
“Daddy, Mommy, lean closer to each other. I’ll help both of you to take a photograph together,” Erbao insisted.
The embarrassment between Nan Chen and Ning Ran deepened at Erbao’s insistence.
“Daddy, you are a man. You should take the initiative.” Even Dabao chipped in too.
These two kids are surely enjoying themselves now.
Nan Chen could not bear to dampen their spirits.
Thus, he inched closer to Ning Ran. Ning Ran, who on the other hand, was not acting coy too and cooperated with him. Nonetheless, there was still a bowl’s width of a gap between them.
“Daddy, do you not know each other? Why are both of you standing so far from each other?” Erbao complained, unsatisfied with their awkward behavior.
“Yes, the gap between both of you is too huge!” Dabao agreed with Erbao, furrowing his brows.
Both of them inched closer upon hearing the two kids’ words.
But it was not enough to satisfy the children.
“You should do this.” Suddenly, Erbao leaned closer to his brother and rested her head on her brother’s shoulder.
“Yes, yes, yes. That should be the way.” Dabao echoed in agreement.
The pose was intimate, suitable for a pair of young siblings.
But it was difficult for Nan Chen and Ning Ran to mimic it.
They exchanged a glance with each other, detecting despair in each other’s eyes.
Their relationship had not advanced to such a level yet.
Having kids together had been an accident.
Both of them inched closer together. At least this time, the sleeves of their clothes made contact. This was the best they could do.
Seeing that they took too long to warm up, the kids had lost their enthusiasm.
“Forget it, just take a photograph in this position.”
Erbao took Nan Chen’s phone, but as an afterthought, passed it to her brother, worrying she could not fulfil her duty.
Dabao took the phone and snapped a photograph of Nan Chen and Ning Ran. Despite the awkwardness on their faces, they were an enviable couple with matching good looks.
Nan Chen glanced at the photograph. She is no doubt an actress. She does look good in photographs. In fact, her photographs are prettier than her in person, although she is not considered ugly by any standards.
“Let me see.”
Ning Ran was curious. I wonder how my first photograph with Poker Face will turn out to be. Thus she took the phone over.
It’s quite satisfactory. In fact, it is not bad at all. The only problem is the blank expression on Poker Face’s face. Taking photographs with him is akin to taking with a statue.
Ning Ran’s curiosity was piqued. Is he born with a stoic expression? Or has he put on an indifferent expression on purpose?
They continued having dinner after taking the photograph.
But Er Bao was not fully satisfied yet. She went over to them, “Shall we take a photograph together as a family? Mommy and Daddy took a photograph already. You can’t leave Dabao and me out!”
Dabao was in an agreeable mood today, and he concurred with his sister immediately, “Yes, yes.”
However, there was no other person in the house except for the four of them. Thus, they could only do a wefie.
Erbao wanted to hold the phone but her hands were too short to complete such an uphill task.
The person with the longest hands was undoubtedly Nan Chen, but he did not know how to take a wefie. Never in his life had he taken a wefie or selfie before. How can I do such a silly thing!
He was not satisfied with the photograph after a few attempts.
Resignedly, he passed the phone to Ning Ran, signaling her to try.
Actually, Ning Ran was not good at taking a selfie or wefie too. She had neither time nor interest to do such a thing. Facing the cameras every day nearly caused her to be on the verge of collapse, what’s more, taking photographs of herself in her leisure time.
Left without a choice, Ning Ran reluctantly took over the role of the photographer.
Although the outcome was not satisfactory, it was still way better than the photographs taken by Nan Chen.
“Okay, we have taken the pictures, Let’s eat now.”
Ning Ran felt lethargic from a whole day of filming and loads of domestic chores she did just now. She had lost her appetite and only wanted to lie down to rest.
But she was overjoyed. It had been too long since she felt this way. She had forgotten how it felt to be happy.
