True Love Waits

Evelyn laid bare his lie. "Joshua already has my phone number. How do you think I know you were waiting here?"

"Fine, don't give it to me. At least, let's have lunch together. If you don't want to eat out, I'll cook for you," Sheffield offered.

She wanted to continue refusing him, but seeing the pleading look in his eyes, she finally gave in. "Okay."

He was about to kiss her when she added, "Invite Joshua."

"Why? He's probably on duty now," he said in a displeased tone.

"He is my boyfriend. If I go to your house alone, he might feel uncomfortable. Besides, it's noon now. He should be off duty," Evelyn insisted.

To be with her, Sheffield reluctantly called Joshua.

Before calling his friend, Sheffield stretched out his right hand in front of her. There was a packaged plum in his palm.

He opened it for her and put it into her mouth regardless of her objection. "I bought it specially for you, so you have to eat it. If you spit it out, I will not invite Joshua, and I'll drive you to my place right away and have sex with you!"

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "How childish you are!"

The call connected in no time. Both of them could hear Joshua's voice in the quiet car. "Dude, why do you keep calling me all the time? Are you in love with me? Leave me alone. I'm taking my girl to lunch." Sheffield turned to Evelyn. "Did you hear that? Your boyfriend is such a dick. He's going on a date with another girl."

Evelyn didn't respond.

"Who is with you, Sheffield?" asked Joshua.

"Your girlfriend. I'm going to cook lunch for her. Do you want to come? If you don't come, I will sleep with your-Argh!" Evelyn pinched his waist.

"What was that pitiful cry? Are you already sleeping with my girlfriend?" With a wave to his colleagues, Joshua got in his car.

Sheffield grabbed onto Evelyn's hand and yelled into the phone, "Screw you. Are you coming or not?"

could I miss it? Tell me, when was the last time you cooked for anyone?" Joshua couldn't remember when he had last eaten a meal

by the supermarket first. You go to my

"All right."

Sheffield kissed Evelyn on the cheek while she wasn't paying attention.

to the supermarket near

the seafood section, and Sheffield started looking for the best fish. Evelyn couldn't help asking,

the U.S., I convinced my master to accept me as his disciple by cooking just one dish for him-braised

learned his

back, Sheffield felt guilty. It was time for him to pay his master

Evelyn asked

master out of pure coincidence." He saw a fish he liked, and grabbed the net to catch it. He continued, "Back then, although my grandfather had been

looked him up and down once and asked,

the thing..." Sheffield leaned in and whispered, "I had access to my grandfather's secret notes and learned a lot from it. So, if something happens to yo- I mean, if you have any questions about traditional Chinese medicine, you can ask me." He was going to say, "If

to take the fish that

medicine. So, I have

want? We'll finish this and then go

a picky eater." But she liked Chinese food very

"What about scallops?"

her head. "I

"Hairy crabs?"

"Okay."

grin. "Do you want to eat stewed trotter with plum, raw salmon slices with plum sauce or fried

those?" she asked. If that was really true, it

hadn't practiced cooking them, he wouldn't have suggested cooking them for her. "But I don't

suspiciously. "I wonder if you really know how to cook

and the radish salad with plum. I'll

"Deal."