Cixi jumped in between them to stop Jianjun from reaching the bag.

"Brother Jun. What do you think you are trying to do?" 

"I only want to check the reason she left the kitchen when she still have enough work to do" He replied smoothly.

Changyu panicked. She didn't want Jianjun to see that it was his shirt that was inside. How was she going to explain it to him?

She was so tempted to have it because she liked his scent. Since they both were his Mother's apprentice, they were usually busy together in the kitchen. That was when she came to like his scent. Despite the food aroma around, his (scent) satisfied her more.

But then, he never gave her his attention. More like, he was never interested in talking to her even. Things got worse when Jin Helene began to work in the kitchen with them. She was so friendly and adorable that he always spoke with Helene and not her. She had even enrolled to be an apprentice despite her hating how to cook, just so they would be together since they were destined for each other yet, nothing work. Not even her pretty face or nice personality worked. Why exactly did he not like her? 

She looked at him with pouty lips and a sad expression. 'Stupid blind man' she cussed him.

"It's girls stuff" Cixi blurted out. 

When Jianjun gave her a confused look, she went on to say.

"You know, that thing with the wing and all that girls do use. That is it. She needs it urgently"

Jianjun's cheeks flushed in embarrassment when he got what she was trying to say. He cleared his throat awkwardly and pushed Cixi aside so he could see Changyu.

"Just hurry up and come in." He said gently before taking large strides back to the kitchen.

Cixi sighed in relief and smiled proudly at herself before turning to look at the absentminded Changyu. 

She seemed to not have heard any of their conversation and just stared at his back till he entered inside the kitchen.

"Stop oogling already." Cixi slapped her arm lightly. 

"Do you think he hates me?" Changyu suddenly asked out of the blue. 

Cixi didn't know how to answer. Her brother was quite difficult to read. But sometimes, she did feel maybe he had a thing for Changyu but he was really good at concealing his emotions so she couldn't tell. 

**

After hiding the shirt in her locker, she went back to the kitchen and apologised for not coming back on time. She had told them she was going to the restroom. But the time she spent was quite long.

"Mrs Wang. I'm Sorry." She apologised respectfully.

"No worries my dear. Jianjun said you had an emergency you had to take care of. Are you done with it?" Mrs Wang asked in concern.

"Brother Jun said so?" She turned to look at Jianjun who was busy kneading a dough on the other table and acting like none of it was his business. 

"Yes. I took care of it well" She said to Mrs Wang before meeting Jianjun. 

"Thank you" She said with a smile.

"For what?" Jianjun asked. His focus still on the dough.

For what exactly? She asked herself also. She didn't know why he told Mrs Wang that. In fact, she didn't know what Cixi had told him. 

"Nothing really" She still flashed him a smile even though he wasn't looking at her. 

"Do you feel uncomfortable? You could take permission and go rest at home" He spoke with his attention still on the dough. 

Changyu was focused more on his biceps as he kept kneading the dough. Thankfully, there wasn't any work for her now so she had to fill her eyes a bit. 

Mrs Wang chuckled when she saw looked at the both of them and decided against calling Changyu to chop some vegetables for her.

"Uncomfortable? I am okay." She said. 'Does he worry about me?' The thought excited her.

He nodded nonchalantly. Totally ignoring her again which caused her to pout. 

She had no idea what crazy thing possessed her. Because before she could think straight, she felt her hands on his biceps. He got startled and for the first time, he raised his head to look at her.

When Changyu saw the suprise look he gave her, she came to her senses immediately and quickly pulled her hand back, taking a few steps back in horror.

She had no idea one of the waiters had come to take an order and she accidentally bumped into him. Causing the tray he was holding to fall to the ground and the hot soup, spilling on her body and the waiter's also.

She felt the burn on her hand, the stains were also on her apron and shoe but she couldn't feel the burn on her body or legs since they were well protected.

"Ouch" she squealed in pain and used her unburned hand to cover her burned hand. She had no idea what to do in this situation.

Before she knew what was happening, she felt a large hand pull her by her arm and took large strides to a nearby sink to place her hand under the running tap. 

"I am sorry. I am so very sorry." She looked over her shoulders to apologize to the waiter and everyone there. Thankfully, the waiter wasn't hurt at all.

The familiar scent of the person beside her registered something on her brain. Then, ever so slowly, she lifted her head to look at the dashing face that appeared in her dreams every night. 

She looked at him with starry-eyes, not minding whether the others were looking at the both of them or not. 

He also looked down, meeting her gaze. His expression was soft and somehow, he looked..worried? She didn't know how to interpret it but she couldn't help asking herself "Is he worried about me?"

"You should have been careful. Does it hurt a lot?" He asked softly.

Changyu just looked at him with love-eyes as she wondered whether she had to be burning herself to always have his attention. This was exciting!

 Helene looked at the both of them from her corner with a bitter expression before taking permission to go use the restroom.