The Ice Queen's Secret Romance

Chapter 26 – The Senior Takes Over the Kitchen

“I’ll leave the car key here until you figure out how to drive,” Su Bai‑Zhou said softly, sliding the small metal key into Luo Ye’s hand.

She turned to walk away from the parking lot. After a few steps she stopped, looked straight at him, and added, “What are you just standing there for? Aren’t you going to change out of that outfit?”

If he didn’t change, he would have to go back to the dorm in his han‑fu.

“Should I change at your place?” Luo Ye asked.

Su Bai‑Zhou gave no answer. He didn’t press the point either; he slipped the key back into his bag and fell into step behind her, heading toward Building 5, Unit 4, Room 614 of the faculty apartments.

Once inside, the two went to their own rooms and changed into casual clothes.

This time Luo Ye finally had a moment to look around the room that Gu Ming‑Xuan had left for him. He had been in the place once the night before the semester started, but then he had only dropped in to play a quick game and never really explored.

Now, in plain clothes, he surveyed the space.

A single bed took up half the floor, complemented by a wardrobe, a desk, a window seat, and a chair—nothing extravagant, but all the essentials were there. He glanced up at the ceiling and smiled when he saw an air‑conditioner humming quietly. In his own dormitory there was only a noisy electric fan, so this was a pleasant surprise.

When he opened the door to the small kitchen, Su Bai‑Zhou was already there, wearing a long dress over a kitchen apron, busy stirring a wok.

Cooking? he thought. The tea‑party treats and tea they’d enjoyed earlier were nothing more than a light snack, so she must have been hungry.

Luo Ye stuck his head in the doorway and whispered, “Senior, it smells amazing.”

Not only was she beautiful, she was also talented and apparently quite domestic—graceful both in the lecture hall and the kitchen.

Su Bai‑Zhou kept her eyes on the pan, saying nothing, and continued to work. Luo Ye left his own room and stepped into the kitchen, standing beside her. He watched the bubbling wok and realized she’d clearly prepared more than one serving—there was more than enough food for just the two of them.

Feeling suddenly useful, he slapped his chest and declared, “Senior, let me help you.”

Su Bai‑Zhou halted for a split second, recalling how, during the barbecue, Luo Ye could barely manage a slab of pork belly. Instinctively she lifted the spatula and blocked his approach.

“No, thank you.” she said, returning to the stove.

A moment later she added, “Consider this a repayment for that late‑night delivery you ordered for me.”

Luo Ye could only watch, eyes wide, as she worked. Soon the wok clicked, the soup simmered, and a pot of rice steamed. The dishes were simple—two stir‑fries and a soup, plus a bowl of rice—but knowing they had come from Su Bai‑Zhou made them feel like the best meal he’d ever tasted.

Her cooking skill was clearly far beyond Luo Ye’s own cluelessness; it was as if every culinary point he ever earned in a video game had been transferred to her.

She kept a faint, unreadable expression, but a small glint of anticipation shone in her eyes. Luo Ye took a bite, and his palate lit up.

“Delicious!” he exclaimed, genuinely satisfied.

Receiving his praise, Su Bai‑Zhou relaxed a little, a sense of contentment spreading through her. She began to eat as well.

Luo Ye wolfed down his portions in a few seconds, the plate empty in a heartbeat. He sprang to his feet, beaming.

“I’ll wash the dishes!” he announced.

Before Su Bai‑Zhou could protest, he was already gathering the plates and utensils and heading back to the kitchen.

Now it was Su Bai‑Zhou’s turn to watch Luo Ye bustling about, scrubbing dishes and wiping counters. The washing took only a few minutes. Luo Ye finished, returned to his room, grabbed his bag, and headed for the door.

“Goodbye, senior.” He waved.

Su Bai‑Zhou simply inclined her head, her expression still neutral.

After he left, she lingered at the kitchen table, gazing at the empty living space. A slight furrow formed on her brow.

What is this feeling? she thought. Why does the room feel so empty the moment he’s gone, even though he’s only been here for about an hour?

Their meetings had become more frequent lately. She shook her head, trying to push the thought away. Perhaps she was beginning to care for this freshman, but she reminded herself to stay restrained—she had to keep her distance.

A Phone Call

Leaving Building 5, Unit 4, Luo Ye dialed Gu Ming‑Xuan’s number.

“Hey, brother, I wanted to ask—did you rent your apartment to Senior Su?”

A warm laugh came through the speaker.

“What’s up? Su Bai‑Zhou is one of my students. I’m not around now; is there a problem with her renting the place?”

“No problem, but my dorm has no air‑conditioner. If I’m not in the dorm, where am I going to stay? And the long break is coming in seven days—where will I be?”

Gu Ming‑Xuan replied, “You didn’t know that? Little brother, go win over Senior Su. Whether you can move in depends on whether you can turn her into your girlfriend.”

Luo Ye’s heart pounded.

“What do you mean ‘win over’? She’s not a game character.”

“Just a figure of speech. I know all about your personality already.”

Silence fell. Gu Ming‑Xuan chuckled again.

“Hang in there. I won’t be back for at least another half‑year. Hopefully by then I’ll have a nephew.”

Luo Ye was stunned.

Half a year… a nephew? He thought of his own background: both his parents were police officers, and they had him at the relatively late age of thirty‑two. When his parents passed, Gu Ming‑Xuan, who was ten at the time, had essentially raised him. So Gu Ming‑Xuan could read Luo Ye’s mind almost instantly.

The call ended, and Luo Ye let out a sigh.

Back in the Dorm

It was already four in the afternoon when Luo Ye returned to the 515 dorm. Hammer was sprawled on his mattress, deeply asleep after a long gaming session. Shen Qiao sat on his own bed, staring off into space.

“What’s up, ‘star?’ Luo Ye asked, trying to sound casual.

Shen Qiao turned to him, a faint, bitter smile on his lips.

“Family matters.”

“Everyone has their own burdens, huh?” Luo Ye replied sympathetically.

It was clear Shen Qiao’s family situation was serious; otherwise he wouldn’t be so distracted at school. The “star”—referring to Hammer’s proclaimed girlfriend—had also been a running joke among the roommates. They’d all joked about him always having a “girlfriend” to deflect girls’ advances.

“Honestly, I’m curious—do you really have a girlfriend?” Luo Ye pressed.

“I do.” Shen Qiao answered, pulling out his phone to show Luo Ye his wallpaper.

“My girlfriend, Xiao Lei—look how pretty she is!” He laughed, gesturing at the picture of a girl with long hair.

“She’s gorgeous,” Luo Ye praised.

“We met in first year and have been together for three years now.” Shen Qiao added.

“Where is she now? Is she at Jiang City University too?” Luo Ye asked.

“She’s at Jiang City Medical School,” Shen Qiao replied, a forced smile betraying a hint of melancholy.

The conversation drifted, but the underlying current was clear: Luo Ye now understood that each of his roommates carried hidden stories, while he himself was still learning how to navigate these complicated relationships.