My girlfriend is from the future!

As the city lights began to twinkle, He Tianran, on his way home, gripped the steering wheel, glancing occasionally at Cao Aiqing beside him.

She leaned back in her seat, her eyes closed, seemingly asleep. Their ski suits were still on the back seat of the car, covered in stains and dampness from the melting snow. They had fallen quite a few times that day, and the girl said she wanted to take the suits back to wash them. She had been leaving them at the shop without her permission.

"What if I feel like coming to play again someday?"

"Then why don't you just rent one yourself! I didn't expect you to have any equipment stored up when I came here today..."

The girl said this at the time, her tone filled with a hint of resentment that she had secretly played without taking her along.

Recalling the events of the day, He Tianran smiled unconsciously. He calmed his breathing and slowed down the car.

The car arrived at Cao Aiqing's house at nearly 9:30. The girl took out her key to open the door, her movements were a little slow, obviously tired and not yet awake. He Tianran followed behind her, carrying groceries bought from the supermarket.

Pushing open the door, a warm yellow light and a clean, cozy atmosphere greeted her. In the entryway, Cao Aiqing changed into soft slippers, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders. She looked less intellectual and capable during the day and more relaxed and carefree at home.

She carried the two snow-stained ski suits to the balcony for a while, then came back and stepped onto the soft carpet in the living room, collapsing onto the sofa...

He Tianran, still standing at the door, watched her curled-up figure, like a cat that had finally found its nest.

The man glanced around at the interior decor and asked:

Where are your uncle and aunt?

Cao Aiqing, face down in the sofa, spoke in a muffled voice:
"After they returned from Nanzhi Island, they went straight to Mohe to see the snow."

Seeing that no elders were present, He Tianran carried his things through the living room and into the kitchen, saying as he went:
"The adults really know how to have fun. They even have a special place to see the snow, unlike us who can only run around indoors. And someone's stamina is so poor that they even told me to exercise more."

"I can't skate, so I definitely wouldn't know how to conserve energy. Besides, if I hadn't been held up by the Nanzhi Island project, I would have gone with them!"

The girl's dissatisfied voice came from the living room. Returning to her familiar home environment, Cao Aiqing's personality seemed to have become a bit more childlike.

"Yes, yes, I'm the one who held you back."

The man in the kitchen responded with a sound of agreement, and then there was silence outside.

He Tianran took out the ingredients one by one and arranged them neatly to one side. He turned on the tap, and the sound of running water filled the air. The kitchen was very clean, indicating that it was used frequently. He found a dark blue apron hanging behind the kitchen door, with a simple rabbit drawn on it. The man picked it up and looked at it. Although he felt a little embarrassed, he still tied it on for the sake of cleanliness.

Turn on the fire, blanch the beef brisket, skim off the foam, and then blanch the tomatoes in boiling water; the skin will be easy to peel.

After an unknown amount of time, He Tianran heard very light footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw that Cao Aiqing had gotten up at some point and was leaning against the kitchen door frame, looking at him.

The girl had washed her face, revealing a clean and beautiful appearance. Her hair was loosely tied back, with a few stray strands hanging down her neck. In her hand, she held the fruit plate that had been in the living room, which was full of strawberries.

"woke up?"

He Tianran glanced at it and smiled, continuing to peel the tomato skin without stopping.

"Okay, you should eat some fruit first to fill your stomach, I'll do it..."

He Tianran took the fruit plate and moved a few steps to the side. He saw Cao Aiqing pick up a knife and her fingers flew nimbly across the cutting board. The blade struck the board with a rhythmic "thump-thump" sound, and the tomatoes were instantly cut into evenly sized pieces under her knife.

Watching her skillful movements, He Tianran suddenly felt that Cao Aiqing in the kitchen was completely different from the clumsy Cao Aiqing in the snow. The Cao Aiqing she was in now had a kind of confidence and composure that came from life's experiences. Just watching her from the side made him feel very warm...

The kitchen was quiet, with only the sounds of food being prepared. Steam rose up, carrying the slightly sour aroma of tomatoes and the rich fragrance of beef, slowly spreading throughout the air. The man ate a few strawberries and clapped his hands.

"Should the potatoes be cut into chunks?" the girl suddenly asked.

He Tianran paused for a moment, then looked at her: "Do you know how to cut it?"

Cao Aiqing looked up and met his gaze, a faint smile playing on her lips: "I've seen you do this so many times."

"Yes, the rolled pieces do absorb flavor better."

The girl stopped talking, picked up the potato, rinsed it under the tap, and then carefully peeled it with a peeler.

He Tianran poured the chopped tomatoes into the pan that had already been sautéed with onions and spices. With a sizzle, a rich aroma burst forth.

"Shouldn't we... also have some soup?"

Cao Aiqing soaked the chopped potato chunks in water to prevent oxidation, and casually asked a question.

He Tianran paused for a moment, looking at the pot of beef brisket, which was already enough for two people. "Isn't there enough food?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Aiqing's eyes held a hint of amusement mixed with a sense of matter-of-factness:
“How can we eat at home without making soup? My mom has always told me, ‘Three bowls of soup a day keeps the doctor away.’ What, did you get a mental illness and it changed your eating habits?”

The girl shook her head and recited a local proverb, then naturally opened the refrigerator next to her, took out two plump ears of sweet corn and a box of ribs from the refrigerator compartment. Her movements were smooth, as if this idea was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but an indispensable part of a complete dinner.

The locals in the port city have a saying: "Better to have no vegetables than no soup." But ever since the man moved out of the city after high school, he's always eaten whatever's available. Slow-cooked soups are time-consuming and laborious, so they're not his first choice...

Of course, these are all lifestyle habits of a "writer," but regarding He Tianran, there's an additional element, just like right now...

The man watched Cao Aiqing deftly chop the corn into small pieces and blanch the ribs in another pot, and a strange sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.

He couldn't remember the habit, but his body seemed to remember the temperature of the scene...

In the blurry scene, there always seemed to be a bowl of warm soup on the old dinner table. It wasn't necessarily the main dish, but it was never absent.

"Should I add red dates and goji berries?"

He asked instinctively, as if repeating something that seemed to be missing from the soup.

A hint of surprise flashed in Cao Aiqing's eyes. She nodded, a beautiful smile curving her lips, and teased:
“You…it seems you haven’t forgotten too completely~” This is a habit she has when making soup.

The girl took the two items out of the cabinet and handed them over.

He Tianran took the few shriveled red dates and goji berries, and remained silent for a few seconds. "My body seems to remember some of them..."

He paused, then added, "For example, when making different soups, you always have different ingredients..."

Cao Aiqing chuckled softly, a sound so faint it was almost inaudible amidst the sizzling of the oil in the pan.

Then, the woman turned around, opened the cabinet above her head, took out a rice bucket, and began to wash and cook rice.

A pot of stewed beef brisket with tomatoes is bubbling away, while warm steam rises from the white rice in the rice cooker...

The kitchen wasn't big. The two stood side by side, and their arms inevitably brushed when they turned around. He could smell the fresh scent of shampoo on her hair, mixed with the sweet aroma of corn wafting from the soup pot.

White mist gently swirled between the two, blurring the cold night outside the window.

Neither of them brought up those heavy topics again, but in this daily, almost trivial cooperation, they were searching for a rhythm that had been lost and regained.

"It should be about time..."

He Tianran lifted the lid of the pot, and a rich, sweet and sour aroma wafted out. He scooped up a little broth, blew on it, and brought it to her lips.
"Want to taste it to see if it's salty enough?"

Cao Aiqing paused for a moment, leaned forward slightly, and carefully took a bite. Her eyes lit up, and she nodded.

"just."

At that moment, He Tianran looked at her cheeks, which were slightly flushed from the heat, and her eyes, which looked particularly gentle in the kitchen light. Suddenly, a sense of peace settled down in a certain part of his heart.

The true flavor of life may not lie in delicacies, but in cooking for you when you're hungry, in washing your hands and preparing soup for you when you see you, in the simple pleasures of a meal, and in the warm glow of an ordinary night.

five minutes later.

On the dining table, the warm yellow light casts a soft glow on the dishes: rich tomato beef brisket, refreshing stir-fried vegetables, and a pot of steaming corn and pork rib soup—simple yet abundant.

Cao Aiqing took out a bottle of red wine she had bought from the supermarket. Her movements were a little clumsy when she used the corkscrew. He Tianran wanted to help, but after taking only a few steps, she heard a soft "pop" sound, and the rich fruity aroma instantly filled the air.

"Still drinking?" He Tianran asked.

“Hmm,” she put down the wine bottle and took out two wine glasses, “to celebrate… to celebrate that I didn’t get a concussion today.”

He Tianran chuckled and took the wine glass. "What's there to celebrate?"

She took back the wine bottle, carefully poured the deep red liquid into the two stemmed glasses, took a small sip herself, and then squinted her eyes in satisfaction:
"Go ahead and drink if there's wine. Having a glass with dinner is your habit, and I was influenced by you."

"That's really... a good habit."

He Tianran thought of the wine cabinet on one wall of his office in Shan Hai, smiled helplessly, raised his glass, and the two glasses clinked in mid-air.

At first, the atmosphere at the meal was relaxed and pleasant; at least a few mouthfuls of hot soup dispelled the fatigue from exercise...

"By the way, what other eating habits do I have?"

Originally, the man asked casually, hoping to prolong the warm atmosphere, but ten seconds later, he would want to slap himself...

"Listen to music, or..."

The girl swallowed the tender beef from her mouth.

"I'll turn on the TV for you since you like to hear some noise while you're eating."

At this moment, He Tianran realized that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Cao Aiqing, on the other hand, hadn't left her seat at all, because the TV remote was right on the table where they were eating. The girl simply picked it up, turned her head, pressed the button, and the TV started to develop.

The whole process took only a few seconds. Now, all TVs at home are smart TVs, and there's a 15-second ad right after you turn it on, which you can't skip. More conscientious brands will recommend exclusive VIP programs. Cao Aiqing's TV is quite conscientious; at least the boot-up ad doesn't recommend health products for middle-aged and elderly people. However—

Everyone thinks I should step aside, everyone wants to make way for you all... but my honesty tells me that the person I like can only be close to me, and if I can't be close to them...

Don't blame me for fighting and snatching it!

"..."

"..."

On the television, He Tianran's domineering CEO voice came through, and the scene playing was the famous moment when he pulled Wen Liang into his arms.

The 15-second ad wasn't long, and the dialogue and visuals were pieced together from various sources. At least the highlights and points of interest were edited out, and it had everything it should have. But He Tianran, watching it, felt that the editor really didn't need to do that…

"Watch the exclusive cuts for 'A Day in the Life' on Surfline TV!"

At the end of the commercial break, there seemed to be an additional, somewhat sarcastic, voiceover...

He Tianran watched as the advertisement slowly shrank, but it didn't disappear. It remained in the top recommended spot on the smart TV, occupying a third of the screen, continuously looping the footage from the advertisement...

"Uh, I... I'll talk to my colleagues in the relevant departments when I get to work tomorrow. The UI design of this TV is too ugly... and unreasonable."

He Tianran withdrew his gaze and lowered his head, shoveling rice into his bowl. He had never thought rice could be so fragrant and delicious. His head was spinning, probably from being a little drunk on carbohydrates… (End of Chapter)