Chapter 129 Why Aren't You Eating?
She was starving, and the smell of the food only made it worse. Michael noticed how tired Mandy looked and finally gave in. "Alright, let's go," he said gently.
"Okay," Mandy replied, smiling.
After a few steps, she turned back to James, who was sprawled on the sofa. "James, wanna join us for dinner?" she asked.
"I'm not eating with you," James shot back, his tone icy.
Mandy's smile faded, clearly disappointed. Michael, sounding indifferent, added, "No help, no dinner tonight." With that, he gently pulled Mandy towards the kitchen.
James, still on the sofa, scratched his head in frustration. His stomach growled, betraying him. Reluctantly, he followed them into the kitchen.
The kitchen was huge, big enough for ten people to move around easily. As they walked in, they saw Rachel cooking. The food in the pan was flying through the air and landing back perfectly.
John, Joseph, and Ella stood nearby, watching in awe. "That's amazing!" Ella exclaimed.
Joseph added, "Chef level!"
John's face was a mix of happiness and sadness. Happy because he was about to enjoy Rachel's cooking; sad because she had to learn these skills due to the Smith family's situation. John noticed the new arrivals and shot them a glare.
Michael and the others were momentarily mesmerized by Rachel's cooking, snapping out of it only when they felt John's intense stare.
"Let's cook over there," Michael said, clearing his throat and pointing to another stove.
Mandy clung to his arm as they walked over, while James glanced at Rachel, then Michael, and reluctantly followed.
At the stove, the three of them stared at the kitchen utensils, feeling lost. They rarely cooked and didn't know where to start.
"Michael, what do we do first?" Mandy asked, holding a spatula and looking confused.
Michael thought for a moment. "Let's wash the vegetables first. What do you want to eat?"
"But, where are the vegetables?" Mandy asked, puzzled.
James scoffed. "Seriously? The vegetables are in the fridge, obviously!" He walked over to the fridge.
Mandy bit her lip, her eyes welling up. "Michael, am I really that clueless?"
"It's totally fine," Michael reassured her, gently patting her hair.
John overheard and immediately retorted, "Fine? This is basic stuff. Your fiancée doesn't even know this, and you're comforting her? That's ridiculous."
Joseph and Ella couldn't help but laugh, and even Rachel smiled. Michael shot John a dark look. "John, you're being a jerk!" Mandy said angrily.
"A jerk? I'm just being honest. If you can't handle it, that's your problem," John said with a smirk.
Rachel pulled John aside and whispered, "Let it go, John. Arguing won't end well."
"Alright, since you said so, I won't," John replied with a grin.
Mandy clenched her fists and looked at Michael. "Michael, do you think I'm dumb for not knowing the basics?" she asked, her voice trembling a bit.
"No," Michael answered calmly.
"Really?" Mandy asked, still not convinced.
Even though Michael was tired, he patiently said, "Really." Seeing his serious expression, Mandy felt a bit better.
Just then, James came back with a bunch of vegetables. "Michael, let's cook these," he said excitedly.
Michael frowned. "Do you even know how to cook all these?"
James's enthusiasm faded. "What should we do then?" he asked, scratching his head.
Feeling a bit helpless, Michael pulled out his phone and started looking up recipes. Finally, he began to cook. But the food he made looked awful.
"Michael, is this black stuff supposed to be eggplant?" James asked sarcastically, pointing to an unrecognizable dish.
Michael's face tightened as he responded stiffly. James stifled a laugh and pointed to another dish. "And this is supposed to be potatoes?"
Michael shot him a cold look, shutting him up. Trying to lighten the mood, Mandy smiled. "Even if it doesn't look great, it must taste good since Michael made it. Let's give it a try."
She handed James a fork. James ignored it and grabbed another utensil, reaching for the eggplant. Mandy's hand froze in mid-air.
Michael held her hand and reassured her, "Don't mind him, let's eat ourselves."
"Okay." Mandy forced a smile, secretly deciding to kick the rude James out of the Smith family after they got married.
At that moment, James suddenly looked uncomfortable and gagged, spitting out the food. "It's awful! The first bite is salty, the second bite is sweet. Michael, your cooking is terrible," he mocked while gulping down water.
Michael frowned. "Is it really that bad?"
"Super bad," James shouted, his voice echoing through the room.
Michael looked at his creation, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally took a cautious bite. His brows furrowed even more, but he forced himself to swallow it.
"How is it, Michael? Is it bad?" James asked, grinning from ear to ear.
Michael didn't speak, just reached for his water and drank it with a blank expression, avoiding James's gaze. Seeing this, Mandy silently put down her fork. She really couldn't eat this food.
Meanwhile, Rachel and the others were happily enjoying a sumptuous dinner nearby, especially the fish, which was particularly delicious.
Only John, with a mischievous glint in his eye, put down his fork and turned to Mandy. "Miss Brown, Mr. Smith personally cooked that for you. Why aren't you eating?" he teased.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
