Chapter 246 Luke Taking action
"What stirred up your anger so early this morning, hmm?" Luke’s soothing yet alluring voice interrupted her thoughts as he carefully placed a bowl of steaming wonton soup in front of her. He gazed directly into her eyes, waiting attentively to hear what had upset her.
Hera chuckled softly. "It wasn’t actually anything bad." As she spoke, the enticing aroma of the wonton soup drifted into her nostrils, instantly stimulating her appetite. Luke noticed her reaction with a soft chuckle, choosing not to press further on the topic she had casually dismissed. Instead, he returned to the kitchen to fetch the Chinese breakfast he had prepared for her.
When Luke noticed Hera’s enjoyment of these dishes on the variety show, he took the time to study their cooking processes by scanning through a cookbook. This was his first attempt at cooking them himself, and he was pleasantly surprised by how well they turned out. Seeing Hera enjoy the food just as much made him genuinely happy.
He had never cooked for anyone before; like his friends, he grew up being pampered and catered to by his parents and those around him. He had always believed the world should revolve around him. Despite their differing passions and aspirations, he found kindred spirits in his friends. There was a connection among them, shaping their actions and thoughts in similar ways.
While Luke appeared amiable and approachable, there was an underlying arrogance and domineering demeanor typical of a first male lead. This facet of his personality was deliberately crafted to showcase character development not only for him but for all the male leads in the novel, highlighting how only the female lead could influence and shape them.
Hera thoroughly enjoyed the food Luke had cooked. She couldn’t help but assume that as someone seemingly living on his own, he must cook for himself often, explaining his culinary skills. Enthralled by the deliciousness of the meal, she barely put her spoon down, offering Luke a thumbs-up as she continued to relish the wanton soup. Luke, sitting beside her, happily served her more food to enjoy.
Luke’s eyes crinkled in satisfaction as he watched Hera relish the result of his efforts. He felt a surge of desire to tenderly tuck away Hera’s hair, a gesture he had seen Leo and Xavier perform during their meal on the variety show. However, Hera had tied her hair up, leaving only her bangs loose, which he couldn’t tuck in.
He found solace in the fact that Hera was genuinely enjoying the food he had prepared, and it brought him satisfaction to see her happy. Watching her eat so contentedly made him realize he was hungry too, and he began to eat as well. Today, he felt more hungry than usual; typically, he only drank vegetable juice before work and often skipped breakfast, preferring to eat his lunch early instead.
It became a habit for him to skip breakfast, believing it made him more productive in the mornings and allowed him to focus better. Over time, he lost his appetite in the mornings altogether, preferring to eat an early lunch and dinner. This routine also ensured he wouldn’t face the discomfort of drinking on an empty stomach during business meetings or social engagements later in the day. Moreover, it allowed him the option to retire early if he chose to do so.
But seeing Hera happily enjoying her meal in front of him, he found himself tempted to indulge in a few more bowls of food. Everything seemed to taste even more delicious than he remembered from earlier.
Hera realized she had forgotten to take a picture of the delicious food Luke had prepared, but she felt it wouldn’t be right to keep such a delightful meal to herself. After finishing her meal, she snapped a picture of the empty bowls and plate before posting it on her social media. Luke didn’t mind and actually felt validated by her gesture, which brought a smile to his face as he watched her happily typing away on her phone. In that moment, she seemed to embody a girl her age—innocent and pure, momentarily shielded from the harshness of the world.
She shared the photo on her social media with the caption: "Couldn’t even wait to snap a pic before diving in—this meal was absolutely worth it!"