?Chapter 215:


    “Don’t expect too much. I’m no chef,” Christina said, shing a modest smile as she set down a steaming bowl.


    She’d deliberately kept the menu simple—her confidence in the kitchen was shaky at best, and thest thing she wanted was to mess up something ambitious and look foolish, which would be quite embarrassing.


    “I’ll start with this one,” Chloe remarked, not entirely sure what it was but undeterred. She popped a bite into her mouth and brightened instantly. “Wow! This is amazing! Seriously, Christina, you nailed it.” She then tasted every dish on the table, showering each one with glowing praise that made Christina’s cheeks flush with pride.


    “So? What do you think?” Christina turned to Dn, her eyes brimming with anticipation.


    His kitchen mastery left her worried her own dishes would taste dull byparison.


    Dn took his time, savoring each bite before finally saying, “It’s delicious. Honestly, this is just to my liking.”


    A genuine, radiant smile broke across Christina’s face. “You mean it? I must be getting better!”


    She had talent in many fields, and while perfection might be out of reach, she could certainly deliver a worthy attempt. But when it came to cooking, no matter how much effort she poured in, the kitchen always teetered on catastrophe.


    Christina eagerly lifted her fork, piercing a morsel and tasting it on her own. The moment the food hit her tongue, she almost did a double take. Was something wrong with her taste buds? Chloe and Dn seemed perfectly content, so she forced herself to keep chewing and tried the rest.


    Only then did she admit the truth—some dishes were salty enough to cure meat, while others tasted like they’d forgotten seasoning entirely. Still, she decided to look on the bright side—maybe if shebined everything on one te, it would bnce out.


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    “You two really know how to tter,” Christina teased, shing them a yful grin.


    “No, really—this is amazing!” Chloe insisted, piling her te high with greens and savoring every bite. She let out a dramatic sigh, as if she were dining at a five-star restaurant. “It’s honestly delicious!”


    Dn dug in with just as much enthusiasm, his utensils never pausing, his expression perfectly content. “Yeah, it’s great. I genuinely like it.”


    Their tant ttery made Christinaugh. She could only shake her head, amused by how hard they were trying. If she hadn’t already sampled her own cooking, she might have actually believed them.


    Still, Christina didn’t mind. Everyone had their own talents. Maybe hers just didn’t happen to be in the kitchen. That didn’t bother her—people had strengths and weaknesses, and as long as they yed to their strengths, that was enough.


    “How about I ask someone to whip up a few more dishes?” Christina offered, not wanting them to feel obligated to eat only her food.


    But Chloe and Dn responded in perfect unison, “No need!”


    “Christina, seriously, Dn and I really do love your cooking,” Chloe said brightly, shing her a genuine smile.


    Dn nodded with quiet assurance. “That’s right.”


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