Last night, I cooked creamy mushroom risotto and grilled some lean steaks.
(Oh...sounds yummy)
Yes, our food tastes good. But aside from that, it has another meaning behind it.
(What?)
Read it again.
(Creamy mushroom risotto and lean steaks. Oh, Baba must be happy with dinner last night. Lean steak is his favorite, right?)
Yeah...it looks like someone is kissing up Qing's ass and that someone was the cook.
(But you were the cook...oh no...what have you done this time?)
I ate his vegetable and fruit cups. Qing is on a diet and the other night, he said he won't eat dinner with me...he will just have some vegetable cups. But there was a problem with that. You see, Qing didn't find his last two vegetable cups on the fridge because...
Me: I ate them, Qing.
Qing: You ate them? Why?
Me: I got hungry this afternoon. So I took the vegetable cups and salad dressing and ate them.
The vegetable cups consists of brocolli, cherry tomatoes, carrot slices, snow peas and raisins. Qing prepares the vegetables in good sized cups at the start of the week and he will eat them for three days. Just add some Caesar or ranch dressing and it's a good afternoon snack.
Qing: (looking crestfallen) It's my meal. It's not snack for me, Dayu ah. That's my dinner.
Me: I'm sorry. Do you want me to run to the grocery to buy some brocolli and snow peas? We still have some carrots and cherry tomatoes in the fridge.
Qing: (sighing) Never mind. I will just eat the last fruit cup I stored on the freezer. Maybe I will make a smoothie from it.
I winced hard at that. Qing noticed and he frowned at me.
Qing: Don't tell me...
Me: We ran out of sweets for desert. (voice going softer) I had it after eating lunch...sorry.
Qing: (sighed) Never mind, I'll just eat some sugarfree granola bars. (staring intently at me) You didn't eat them...please tell me you at least left one packet for me.
Me: No. Your granola bars, I left untouched. They are not tasty enough.
Qing: (relieved sigh) Thank goodness for sugarfree stuffs. (chuckling) You don't touch any food that has a label "sugarfree" in it.
Me: Yeah. Sorry again...
Qing: (caressing my hair) Nah. It's fine.
But for me it's not fine. Qing will be okay with granola bars but I know what he really wanted to eat were his vegetable and fruit cups. But a glutton ate them and Qing has to settle.
I hate myself.
That's why I cut my work short yesterday so I can cook dinner for Qing. Before leaving for work, I visited my pantry to see what I can cook. I settled for creamy mushroom risotto and grilled lean steak. I forgo desert. I decided I don't deserve to have any sweets for at least a week. That's how guilty I am for eating Qing's healthy food in cups.
I had to do a grocery run before going home to cook dinner. I carefully followed my Mama's risotto recipe because Qing likes my Mama's risotto. I was careful in marinating the steak. Cooking it will be tricky. Qing doesn't like well done steak, but he won't eat it raw either. It has to be cooked just right to impress my husband to be.
Once the risotto was done and the wine was selected, I set the table. I debated between showering and cooking the steak. In the end, I decided to wash first and cook the steak once Qing got home. It won't take much time to sear and grill the steak. What matters is the taste and texture.
I sent Qing a message before showering. I checked my phone when I was done washing and I frowned when I saw that my fiancé hasn't bother to read my message. I dialed Qing's phone and after a hundred ring...I got fed up. I didn't leave any voicemail. I am starting to get seriously pissed.
(Oh no...)
Oh yes. Something was going on. And that something was Qing not answering his phone or replying to my message. Why? Why?! His phone was ringing...that means he was not out of battery or too busy to answer his phone. Why is he not answering his damn phone?!
(Dayu ah...)
The night deepened. 7pm turned to 9 to 10:42pm. I left the steak marinating on the fridge. I stayed on my tshirt and short instead of dressing a little fancy for Qing. 11pm went by, still without a message or call from him.
By the time the main door opened to admit Qing, I was beyond furious. I passed all of the levels on the angry meter. I am no longer pissed, angry, mad or furious.
(There is still the crazy level. Sorry...)
My brain was in a calm mood. That kind of mindset where you know...someone will get seriously hurt.
And that someone was oblivious to the fate waiting for him. Qing smiled upon seeing me waiting for him while sitting on the living room couch.
Qing: (smiling) Dayu ah. Why are you still awake?
Me: (looking at him) I'm waiting for you.
Qing: (sitting beside me) Waiting for me? Why?
Me: Yes. That's the right question. Why am I waiting for you?
Qing: (blinking in confusion) Dayu ah...?
Me: Where is your phone?
Qing: (fishing out his phone from the pocket of his jeans) It died on me. I left it on the car and when I got back...it was dead. (looking confuse) Strange.
Me: Hmmm...and where were you?
Qing: (eyes brightening) Dayu ah, you'll never know who I bumped into today. Gui and Nianzu! Remember them? They live on the room next to ours in college.
Me: (frowning) Gui and Nianzu...I cannot remember...
Qing: Gui! The engineering major. And Nianzu, the one with the crooked teeth.
Me: (finally remembering) Ah! Them.
Qing: Yes. We saw each other in the studio after my work and got to chatting. Then we decided to have dinner and some drinks. Dayu ah! They are still on contact with most of our batchmates. I think the student body members on our batch is cooking a reunion. Should we go?
Me: I don't know. So your phone ran out of battery. I see...
Qing: (scratching his head) I left it on my car with about 30% power. I don't know why the battery drained though.
Me: And you didn't think to recharge it while driving? Wait a minute, did you drink and then drive home?
Qing: I only had one and half bottle of beer...
Me: (instantly furious) Wang Qing!
Qing: I'm sober, Dayu ah. I swear. I didn't drink that much. I ate a lot though but that is fine because its beef barbecue. Gui, Nianzu and I had fun catching up with news about ourselves and our batchmates and we didn't notice the time...
Me: Yes. I'm sure you had fun. If not, forgetting to message me that you will not come home for dinner would be such a waste if you didn't had any fun tonight.
Qing's eyes widened.
Qing: That's what I forgot to do! I knew it! I knew I forgot to do something! (reaching for my hand) Dayu ah...AH!
That last sound he made because I slapped his hand away.
Qing: Dayu ah...?
Me: (showing him my engagement ring) What does this mean, huh? Does this ring means you can now take me for granted because you already got me to agree to marry you? Is that it, Wang Qing?
Qing: (shaking his head) Dayu ah! No!
Me: Then why didn't you answer your phone when I called?!
Qing: (looking guilty) I told you I left it on my car.
Me: Then you should have borrowed other people's phone!
Qing: Why will I borrow...Dayu ah, I forgot to message you. I'm sorry...
Qing tried reaching for me again but once more, I swatted his hands away.
Me: Have you eaten your dinner well?
Qing: (nodding) I did. (eyes widening) Don't tell me that you haven't eaten yet...Love...?
Me: (scoffing humorlessly) Love? (teeth grinding) Don't call me that term tonight. I might really murder you, Wang Qing. Do you want to know why your battery died down? I probably drained it by ringing your phone nonstop. I think I called at least fifty times tonight. I was tempted to call your friends one by one to ask who was holding you from coming home to me but my pride stopped me. Why should I let your friends know that I am hunting you while I wait here in our condo? I'm just gonna look pathetic.
Qing: (wincing) Dayu ah...
Me: (teeth gnashing again) Stop calling my name. Just answer this, did you had a good dinner with Gui and Nianzu?
Qing: (nodding uneasily) Yes. We went to that barbecue place...we ate a lot.
Me: (taking a deep breath) Good. Next question, do you love me?
Qing: (utter surprised by the question) Of course! You don't ever have to question it...
Me: (standing up) Good. Then let's have dinner.
Qing: (standing as well) Huh? What?!
Me: (staring into his eyes) I'm hungry. Lets eat dinner together.
I didn't wait for his answer, instead I walked to the kitchen to fire up the stove, put a grilling pan over the flame and then took out the marinating steak from the fridge.
Me: I cooked risotto, following Mama's recipe. You love her risotto, right? I will also grill some steaks. I already selected the wine. Do you mind pouring some on our glasses?
When Qing didn't answer, I turned to see what he is doing. Qing was standing by the dinner table, staring at the special dining setting I arranged there for our dinner tonight.
Qing: (looking deeply concerned) Is there an occassion I forgot? We already celebrated our anniversary, right?
Me: Yes.
Qing: (gesturing at the table) Then why...?
Me: Why not? Are we not allowed to have a nice fancy romantic dinner now that we are engaged?
Qing: (wincing) No. Of course that's not what I mean...
Me: Then pour the wine.
I turned to the stove to start searing the steak. I made sure that the pan is hot enough before I took the tong and uncover the bowl where the steak were marinating.
Qing: Dayu ah...I feel already full though...
CLANK!
I threw the tong into the hot pan before turning the stove off. Then I turned to face Qing again.
Me: (wanting strangle him) Do you love me?
Qing: (groaning) Dayu ah...
Me: I said stop calling my name!
Qing clamped his lips and remained quiet.
Me: (taking a deep breath) Now, I will give you two choices. Either you have dinner with me and eat everything I will place in front of you or watch me take this ring off so you can swallow it. You choose...will you eat the food I cooked for you or swallow this engagement ring you gave to me?
(Yikes. You are insanely mad)
Yes. Yes I am. I am so...so mad. And I will make sure Qing knows that. I will never let him forget this night.
Not answering his phone. Forgetting to contact me. Driving with one and a half bottle of beer in his system. Your Baba is asking for punishment and I will give it to him.
Stupid Wang Qing!