"The Little Kitchen God Training Center.

　　'Hey, buddy, can you do me a solid?' The lady from the next station brought over a small plate. In the middle of the glass dish shimmered a tiny piece of crispy fried pork wrapped in dough and a slice of pineapple, shiny and gleaming.

　　Gu Pan turned off the stove, looking puzzled. 'What's this about?'

　　'I'd really appreciate it if you could taste this for me first. If you think it's good, I'll take it to the teacher for approval. I've been battling a cold lately, and my taste buds aren't back to normal. I'm worried it might be a flop.'

　　'Sure thing.'

　　Gu Pan chewed thoughtfully, giving his take on the dish's sweet-sour balance and the tender texture of the meat, typical of everyday Cantonese cuisine. After hearing him out, the lady gave him a thumbs-up.

　　They then exchanged introductions once more. 'I'm Gu Pan.' 'I'm Zhang Mo, nice to meet you!'

　　Recently, Gu Pan had gotten the hang of some theoretical tricks for picking out and using common ingredients, and he'd started to grasp the basics of traditional Chinese cooking techniques.

　　Following his teacher's advice, he'd also stocked up on some handy kitchen gear.

　　But it was getting his hands dirty that really fired Gu Pan up. He was like a young athlete itching to show his stuff.

　　In class, they tackled Sweet and Sour Pork, one of the top three crowd-pleasers on a major food review site. Gu Pan sneakily sized up his dish against Zhang Mo's, quietly pleased that his skills outshone even a homemaker's. He had a gut feeling that a latent talent was about to burst forth.

　　After class, Gu Pan headed down to fetch his car. Down at the bike rack, he bumped into Zhang Mo picking up her electric ride.

　　"Still hitting the books, Gu Pan?" The lady mentioned "school" with a natural smirk, showing her maternal side, and revealing her affection for a kid she'd taken under her wing.

　　"Yes, I'm a sophomore," Gu Pan replied.

　　"Are you learning to cook now to prepare for starting a family in the future?" Zhang Mo half-joked.

　　"Cooking is actually pretty interesting," Gu Pan responded casually, sensing the question was asked in passing.

　　"Yeah, it can be fun. Learning a dish or two from various cuisines' classic home-cooked meals, I bet my girl will love that," Zhang Mo said.

　　Gu Pan was reminded by her words of what the person in charge had mentioned on the day of enrollment about someone who shared his aspirations. Combined with Zhang Mo's figure and height, he was fairly certain she was the one he had "connected" with.

　　"How old is your daughter?" Gu Pan asked, stepping into his car, one foot on the pedal, not rushing to leave.

　　"She's five. Picky eater. If she finds something she really likes, she'll eat it willingly, but it's not much. We've been to the hospital for checks, but nothing comes up. The doctor said it might be related to emotions. Advised parents not to pressure their kids. I thought, at five, she's not even in school yet, what stress could she have? If anything's affecting her emotions, it's only..."

　　"Got it," Gu Pan sensed Zhang Mo's reluctance to discuss further and figured there might be some family secrets at play, so he let the matter rest.

　　"Regardless of the reason, I'll keep honing my cooking skills. Every day, I try out new dishes for my kid. You know how kids are—they love trying new things..."

　　"Absolutely. It's not just kids, even grown-ups. Sometimes you gotta work a bit to get them to eat." Gu Pan tightened his grip on the faucet handles, feeling the daunting journey ahead to becoming the family's go-to chef.

　　"Yeah, you're spot on! Alright then, see you next week!" Zhang Mo rounded the corner, adjusted the throttle, and sped off.

　　The wheels zipped over the cement-brick path. Gu Pan watched her vanish at the intersection lined with camphor trees. It was his first time really noticing the back of a young mother like her, unable to pinpoint what set her apart from other women. One thing was clear though—from childhood to adulthood, he had never seen such a sight from his mother, Li Danxia.

　　Upon returning to the neighborhood, the sun had just slipped below the horizon. The training session, starting at two in the afternoon, had stretched into a two-and-a-half-hour affair as each student packed up their culinary creations. With skills varying, the teacher had given different feedback to everyone.

　　Gu Pan's Sweet and Sour Pork had earned the accolade of being the day's standout dish.

　　Buoyed by this expert praise, Gu Pan headed downstairs to Ling Hanlu's residence. He gazed up at her familiar balcony, noticing the warm glow of the living room's lights. He wondered if she might be in the kitchen on the opposite side? Aside from baking sea salt cheesecake and whipping up fried rice, what else could she possibly cook? Maybe more, but he wasn't feeling driven to impress her.

　　He felt compelled to deliver this warm box of Sweet and Sour Pork to her apartment.

　　In his mind, he hesitated, but his feet carried him forward. He stood tall, transforming what should have been a gentle visit into a courageous confrontation. Yet, it was the moment he pressed the doorbell that his heart truly raced.

　　Indoors, Ling Hanlu initially responded, but after a couple of minutes, she wearily approached the door.

　　Upon opening it and seeing Gu Pan, her once lifeless eyes briefly sparked with something resembling life. But soon, they dimmed again.

　　"Come in!" The single woman's home welcomed the young man once more.

　　Gu Pan entered, realizing his earlier assumptions were off. Only the living room was illuminated, the couch looking tousled, as if it had endured some tender upheaval.

　　Ling Hanlu retreated beneath a thin blanket, slumping on the couch. She gestured for Gu Pan to sit.

　　"Professor Ling, what's wrong?" Gu Pan set his backpack down on the coffee table. "You look really unwell."

　　"Just the usual," Ling Hanlu apologized weakly, "feeling dizzy and breathless. It'll pass, I just need to lie down."

　　"I'll open the window," Gu Pan gently lifted the blanket and headed towards the balcony.

　　"Do you have something urgent today? If it's about studies, we might need to reschedule, given my condition... I'm sorry!" Ling Hanlu apologized sincerely.

　　Gu Pan returned to the couch and squatted down beside it. Seeing sweat bead on Ling Hanlu's forehead, he grabbed a tissue, hesitated momentarily, then neatly folded it before handing it over to her.

　　"Do you feel like eating something? Sweet and sour, maybe?" Gu Pan unconsciously glanced toward his backpack.

　　"Hawthorn? Cherries? Or..." Ling Hanlu saw the young man's doe-eyed look, so adorable, and suddenly felt her symptoms easing a bit.

　　"This one!" Gu Pan unzipped his backpack and pulled out a food container. Inside the transparent plastic box, there were already some beads of water and oil mixed together, making the final product look a bit wilted. For someone constantly striving to improve his cooking skills, this imperfection was disappointing. Even though he had been mentally prepared for it, he couldn't help but feel discouraged.

　　"Bring it closer so I can see!" Ling Hanlu put on her large-framed glasses.

　　Gu Pan blushed shyly, reluctantly held it up, and displayed his creation. "It might not taste as good anymore," his voice trailed off weakly.

　　"Oh, it's braised pork belly! How did you think of buying this?"

　　"I didn't buy it. I made it myself." The young man's hand holding the plastic box even trembled slightly.

　　"Made it just for me? When did you pick up cooking skills?"

　　Gu Pan chuckled softly. He felt that if a woman could set aside those terrifying standards of beauty and let her taste buds and senses take charge, she could truly liven up in front of good food, even if it was just a passing glance. "Made it especially for you. I'll go heat it up!"

　　Watching the young man's back, Ling Hanlu was stunned. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that she had watched this child grow up over the past year. She remembered the Children's Day displays and Father's Day at the station, times when he was not only reserved but also carried a sense of melancholy. His shoulders were not as broad back then, even his hairstyle... He had grown more assertive, a kind of polite assertiveness.

　　"But just because he's become more outstanding, can I accept this ambiguity?" Ling Hanlu propped her arm behind her head. She heard the kitchen hood start up, the stove ignite, and soon the sweet and sour aroma filled the air. It felt like the acidity wasn't just tingling her taste buds, but her heart. How could Ling Hanlu, with the image of that young girl hanging on Gu Pan like a little animal pendant, possibly overlook what seemed like an intimate scene to her and enjoy the affection from the young man at this moment?

　　In less than five minutes, Gu Pan returned with the braised pork belly neatly plated. He offered her a pair of chopsticks: "Try it!"

　　Even though Ling Hanlu had no appetite, she could sense the eager anticipation in Gu Pan's eyes. Such kindness deserved support, no matter what. She picked up a piece of food.

　　Before Gu Pan departed, Ling Hanlu asked him to refill her thermos with hot water. He glanced at the colorful array of flowers and herbs in the cup, then leaned in to take a sniff.

　　"A colleague gave me this herbal tea. They say even centenarians in Southwest villages drink it," Ling Hanlu noted his curiosity and explained preemptively.

　　"It smells nice. But for health, I believe more in food as medicine. Like the dishes I prepare," Gu Pan gestured to his chest, concerned she might not fully grasp his dedication.

　　"It's impressive to think someone as young as you is already mastering cooking skills," Ling Hanlu hesitated to draw parallels between his learning and her own situation. "Heh, quite remarkable!"

　　"I've just started, but I'll improve. Can I bring you a dish every week from now on? If you're okay with it, I can buy ingredients and cook here. Eventually, I want to explore different cuisines," Gu Pan placed the cup in front of Ling Hanlu.

　　"I forgot to commend you earlier; your cooking is really good. But you don't need to go through so much trouble. I appreciate the gesture. I think, besides studying, if you have time, you should get out more, explore the world, and look into job opportunities. It could be really beneficial for you," Ling Hanlu's mind flashed with the image of that young mischief-maker with bangs, inadvertently offering her advice.

　　"Ling Hanlu, it's because of you that I feel inspired to explore the world. Just knowing you're looking out for me means a lot. But I'd really appreciate it if you could join me. What do you say?"

　　"I... I'm exhausted. You should head back soon!" Ling Hanlu felt her cheeks flush. She struggled to keep her composure, but the harsh glare of the fluorescent lights made it seem pointless.

　　"Alright. Take care and get some rest!" Gu Pan turned away, but not before gently adjusting the blanket around her, ensuring she felt safe and snug beneath it, before finally leaving with a sense of peace.

　　As the door closed softly, Ling Hanlu suddenly felt like the room had expanded twofold.

　　The click of the lock brought back memories of a day months ago, in almost the same position, gazing blankly at the sky. But today, bidding farewell to that young man felt more like a promise of another meeting.

　　She closed her eyes, memories flooding her mind: the youthful pink of Xu Shuping's small round box, the meticulously prepared braised pig's trotters from Liang Chen at the old town restaurant, and their lively conversations about intergenerational friendships.

　　All she wanted now was to drift off into sleep......