Why didn't you tell me earlier that my little sister is still waiting for me?

Xu Hongdou said she was fine, but she chopped the vegetables with even more force, the blade clanging against the cutting board, and an innocent piece of ginger was instantly chopped into minced pieces.

Seeing this, Lin Bufan knew that explaining was useless, so he just sent the link directly—oops… I mean, the gift!

Lin Bufan coughed lightly, took out a small, exquisite velvet box from his pocket, and handed it to Xu Hongdou.

Xu Hongdou kept working without even glancing at the ginger on the cutting board!

Lin Bufan was met with a rebuff, but he wasn't discouraged. He smiled and pushed it forward again, almost touching Xu Hongdou's arm as she was chopping vegetables: "Dou'er, look, I brought this especially for you."

"No! I don't want to see it! Take it away!" Xu Hongdou finally spoke, her voice clear and firm, carrying an undeniable refusal!

"Hey, you..." Seeing that Xu Hongdou was unmoved by his words, Lin Bufan decided to take matters into his own hands. He carefully opened the velvet box, and inside lay a bracelet.

This is no ordinary red bean bracelet. Each "red bean" is plump and round, its color not a typical dark red, but a warm, translucent hue between vermilion and coral red, with seemingly fine golden veins visible within, shimmering with a gentle luster. They are strung together by an almost invisible, extremely thin silver chain, interspersed with a few smaller, rice-grain-sized beads that gleam with a moon-white sheen. The overall look is exquisite and refined, exuding a serene elegance.

Lin Bufan cleared his throat, softened his voice, and said with a hint of flattery, "I was originally looking for a necklace, but after searching around, I realized that no matter how beautiful the necklace is, it would look... well, a bit superfluous on your neck."

As Lin Bufan spoke, he observed Xu Hongdou's reaction: "Because my Hongdou is so beautiful, when everyone looks at you, their attention is all on your face. Who will pay attention to the necklace? Wearing it is the same as not wearing it at all, and it's a waste of my good intentions."

Xu Hongdou paused for a moment while chopping vegetables, but didn't turn around.

Lin Bufan continued, "So, I was thinking of giving you a bracelet. Keep your hand away from your face, so that when people look at the bracelet, they won't be completely distracted by your beauty."

Moreover, the red beans on this bracelet are not ordinary red beans. They are a special variety that I... well, brought back from the Morning Star. They are called high-density composite resistant red bean-shaped plant reproductive units, commonly known as red beans.

Wearing it for a long time can bring peace of mind, promote restful sleep, and ensure you often see the person you miss.

Xu Hongdou finally turned her head and glanced at the bracelet in Lin Bufan's hand. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the warm red beans and moon-white beads; they were indeed exquisite and beautiful, understated yet unique. She only glanced at it before immediately turning back, her hands resuming the rhythmic chopping of vegetables, her voice still cold: "You said no jewelry could match my face, and now you're giving me a bracelet, what does that mean…" She slightly raised her chin, holding up her slender, fair, and well-defined hands to examine them, then looked at Lin Bufan, her gaze growing even colder: "...Are my hands ugly?"

Lin Bufan was completely stunned, almost crushing the velvet box in his hand. How did this logic veer like this?! "No... Dou'er, I... I didn't mean that! I meant... I just think this bracelet is special, and it matches your special temperament..."

"Elegance? Heh—" After scoffing, Xu Hongdou turned around and continued wielding the cleaver!

Seeing Xu Hongdou's tense profile and the way she was chopping ginger, Lin Bufan knew that forcing her to give it to him wouldn't work. His eyes darted around, a mixture of "heartache" and "helplessness" on his face. He sighed, "Sigh... alright, since you really dislike it so much and think it's not good enough for you... then there's no point in keeping it." As he spoke, he made a move to throw the box and bracelet together into the nearby sink: "Forget it, just throw it away, out of sight, out of mind."

"Come back!" Xu Hongdou whirled around, grabbing Lin Bufan's wrist with considerable force. She stared at the box that nearly slipped from Lin Bufan's hand and fell into the water, her chest heaving slightly. "Who told you to throw it away? You spendthrift!"

Lin Bufan looked completely innocent: "But you just said it's not good enough for you..."

"Does saying I'm not good enough mean I'm not good enough?" Xu Hongdou snatched the box, clutching it tightly in her hand, her cheeks slightly flushed, whether from anger or something else, it was hard to tell: "I... I just like those who aren't good enough, is that wrong?"

Lin Bufan: "..."

Hard mouth!

Seeing that Lin Bufan didn't speak, Xu Hongdou shoved the box into his arms: "What are you standing there for? Help me put it on! Can't you see my hands are dirty? They're covered in water and ginger... How am I supposed to put it on? What if I get them dirty later?"

Lin Bufan then realized what was happening, quickly exclaimed "Hey!", and carefully reopened the box, taking out the "Red Bean" bracelet. He leaned closer to Xu Hongdou, pulling her right wrist, which was stained with water and small bits of ginger. Xu Hongdou's hand stiffened slightly, but she didn't pull away.

Lin Bufan moved very gently, carefully wrapping the bracelet around her slender wrist. His fingertips occasionally brushed against her warm skin, and he could feel her slight trembling. Once the clasp was fastened, the lustrous, translucent "red bean" bracelet and moon-white beads rested quietly on her wrist. The red color made her skin appear even whiter, and the subtly flowing golden veins within the beads, along with the soft glow emanating from them, shimmered with a tranquil and peculiar beauty in the sunlight streaming through the kitchen window.

Xu Hongdou withdrew her hand, held it up to her eyes, and examined it closely. At first, it was just a casual glance, but soon her gaze was firmly drawn to it. Those "red beans" seemed to have a life of their own; their warm luster slowly changed with the slight turn of her wrist, the fine golden threads inside seemed to breathe, and the faint light emitted by the few moon-white beads was cool and serene, yet strangely harmonious with the warm red beans. She stared, somewhat mesmerized, a hint of dazedness flashing in her eyes, as if she were truly being drawn into those tiny nebulae and their shimmering light.

"Does it...have a name?" Xu Hongdou asked softly after looking at it for a while, her tone much calmer, but still carrying a hint of deliberate indifference.

“A name—let me think.” After a moment of thought, Lin Bufan said, “This bracelet comes from my hometown, El. Let’s call it… ‘Long Thoughts’, which means long-lasting longing and also long-lasting companionship.”

Xu Hongdou didn't speak, but instead looked down at the bracelet on her wrist, her fingers gently caressing a red bean, feeling its warm, slightly cool touch. After a while, she let out a barely audible "hmm".

"Dou'er, are you still angry?" Lin Bufan pressed his advantage, moving closer and speaking in a voice so soft it could melt your heart: "I'll cook for you to make up for my mistake, okay? What do you want to eat? I'll make it, you just tell me what to do!"

Xu Hongdou glanced at Lin Bufan, carefully tucking the bracelet into her sleeve to avoid getting it greasy, before speaking casually, "There are ribs, eggplant, and greens in the refrigerator. The rice is already cooked."

"Yes, sir!" Lin Bufan immediately perked up, rolled up his sleeves, opened the refrigerator, and got to work. He was quick and efficient, handling the ingredients fast and cleanly, clearly a seasoned cook.

Xu Hongdou stood to the side with her arms crossed, then used her mediocre cooking skills to find fault with Lin Bufan.

"You blanched the ribs for too long!" "The eggplant chunks aren't pretty at all!" "Oh dear, you stir-fried the meat for too long, it's definitely overcooked!"

After fussing with Lin Bufan for quite a while, Xu Hongdou finally calmed down completely and started peeling garlic and handing out plates to help Lin Bufan. The atmosphere in the kitchen gradually changed from tense to peaceful, and even had a touch of homely warmth.

Before long, several delicious dishes were placed on the dining table in the courtyard. The aroma of the food filled the courtyard. The sweet and sour pork ribs, the rich minced meat and eggplant, and the refreshing stir-fried vegetables intertwined, making people's mouths water.

The aroma was unique and enticing; anyone who had tasted Lin Bufan's cooking knew that he must have cooked again.

Soon, Chen Nanxing, Nana, Damai, Hu Youyu, and Bai Manjun all gathered around the dining table, drawn by the aroma.

"Wow! It smells so good!" Hu Youyu's eyes lit up, and he couldn't wait to pick up his chopsticks. "Teacher Lin, your cooking is amazing! Just smelling it makes me feel like I haven't eaten for three days!"

"Stop flattering me." Lin Bufan was in a good mood and greeted everyone with a smile, "Sit down, everyone, eat while it's hot."

Everyone sat down and began to eat. The ribs were tender and flavorful, the eggplant was soft and perfect with rice, and the greens were crisp and refreshing—each dish was simply perfect. Soon, the table was filled with the clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the satisfying sounds of chewing, occasionally interspersed with exclamations of "This is so delicious!" and "These ribs are amazing!"

Lin Bufan picked up a piece of pork rib, put it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, but then his brows furrowed slightly. He put down his chopsticks, his gaze wandering across the table, then looking at the yard, a vague, inexplicable sense of unease rising in his heart.

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with the food?" Nana, who was sitting opposite Lin Bufan, was the first to notice his unusual behavior.

Last night, Lin Bufan and Da Mai discussed the script. Although they were very careful, it still affected Nana. Therefore, after returning from the ancient city, Nana did not go to Youfeng Restaurant to volunteer, but instead took a day off.

“It’s not the food.” Lin Bufan shook his head, put down his chopsticks, and touched his chin in confusion. “It’s just that… these past two days, it feels like something’s missing. But I can’t quite put my finger on what it is.”

Upon hearing this, the others at the table paused for a moment and exchanged glances.

Seeing Lin Bufan deep in thought, Nana couldn't help but sigh and rub her forehead, "Mr. Lin, your reaction... is too late, isn't it?"

"Huh?" Lin Bufan was taken aback.

Chen Nanxing continued, "Don't you feel that the last two days have been... unusually quiet?"

Lin Bufan thought for a moment and nodded: "It seems... a little bit."

Xu Hongdou continued, "Don't you feel especially at ease when you're eating? Nobody... um, is trying to steal your meat?"

Lin Bufan's eyes widened slightly: "Yes! That seems to be it!"

Da Mai whispered, "Isn't it true that... when you're strolling around the yard, nothing suddenly runs out... trips you up, or barks at you?"

As if struck by lightning, a glimpse of a yellowish-brown figure flashed through Lin Bufan's mind—a figure that always smugly flicked its tongue and deliberately caused trouble from time to time. Oh no… it was a dog!

"Sang Biao?!" Lin Bufan slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly. "That's right! I was wondering what was missing! Where has that bastard been these past two days? There hasn't been a sound from him at all!"

Seeing Lin Bufan's belated realization, everyone finally couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Nana laughed so hard her shoulders shook: "My dear President Lin, Sang Biao left the day before yesterday, and you're only just finding out now?"

"Gone? Where did they go?" Lin Bufan was completely bewildered. "I don't know, nobody told me!"

Xu Hongdou rolled her eyes at Lin Bufan, this incompetent master, and then gave her answer: "Back to Shanghai."

Lin Bufan assumed that Sang Biao had returned to Shanghai to continue being the emperor of his Biao Kingdom, so he didn't ask any more questions. He picked up his chopsticks to continue eating, but before he could even pick up any food, he heard Nana speak!

"The news of the release of 'The Duel at the Forbidden City' was told to me by Sang Biao. He said that after the movie was released, a film crew contacted its agent, saying that they needed animal actors for a new film, and the director specifically requested that it be used."

Sangbiao said it originally didn't want to go, but when the director video-called it, it suddenly knelt down. Sangbiao was moved and ended up going that afternoon... well, it should be said it was shipped back to Shanghai.

Lin Bufan froze on the spot, his mouth slightly open, unable to close it for a long time.

Film crew? Interview?

A dog? A film crew specifically sought it out for an audition?

You even kneel down and beg it?

No!

Why?

As the lead actor and investor of "The Duel at the Forbidden City," I received no notification when the film was released, no one comforted me when the box office was dismal, and now... even a dog has received an audition invitation for a new movie, while I am ignored!

Could it be that... in the eyes of those directors and producers, my acting skills are really not even as good as a dog's?!

A complex mix of absurdity, frustration, and disbelief surged through Lin Bufan, making him feel dizzy and his chest tight.

He silently sat back down in his chair, looking at the table full of dishes he had made himself, each one a feast for the eyes and the palate, and suddenly felt that they had all lost their color and flavor.

He picked up his chopsticks, trying to take another bite of his favorite sweet and sour pork ribs. The ribs melted in his mouth, the tender, sweet and sour flavor spreading across his tongue. Normally, he would have been completely captivated by it. But at this moment, the wonderful taste was like chewing wax, failing to evoke any pleasure in him whatsoever.

Damn it... I really can't taste anything at all.

Lin Bufan put down his chopsticks, leaned back in his chair, and stared blankly at the bright sunlight in the courtyard. Only one thought roared repeatedly in his mind—

Just wait and see, fortunes change every thirty years, so don't underestimate the potential of the young!

I will make sure that the sky can no longer obscure my vision, that the earth can no longer bury my heart, that all living beings understand my will, and that all Buddhas vanish into thin air!

Xu Hongdou, seeing Lin Bufan still posing, reminded him, "If you don't eat now, there won't be any left!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Bufan immediately snapped back to his senses and looked over. He should have looked, because what he saw almost made him die of anger – it really was almost gone!

"Leave some for me!"