Bullet Points

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Tong Nian was accustomed to success.

Since childhood, things had always seemed to go her way. Whenever the eager young girl dabbled in something new, inevitably, she somehow became the best in that field. She wouldn't necessarily call it bragging; it wasn't really in her nature to be egotistical. However, it was undeniable that fortune had always favoured the Tong family. Also, as bashful as Nian Nian may be to admit it aloud, she had worked herself down to her frilly pink socks whenever needs be. A combination of diligent studying, blind luck and incredibly supportive parents had allowed Nian Nian to pursue a wide variety of interests, to cultivate her mind and expand her horizons in whatever way she deemed fit. She was fortunate to be such a golden child, the apple of her parent's eye.

There were few subjects the pint-sized prodigy hadn't attacked head on and mastered in rapid succession. English? Tong Nian was practically fluent. Mathematics? Mere child's play for her lightening quick mind! Engineering and computer science? Why, they were her original true love, of course, a position only usurped by the ever-enigmatic Han Shangyan. Nian Nian was loathe to admit it for fear of arrogance, but it seemed she just had a natural aptitude for learning and a flair for most subjects. Some things were beyond her control. She wasn't boasting, her brain was just hardwired that way! For some reason, Tong Nian was just...good at things.

Nian Nian had enrolled at university at the tender age of fifteen, still wide-eyed, bushy-tailed and green behind the ears. She had been overjoyed, initially, but the sudden advancement of her educational career had caused something of a domino effect on her social life. Unfortunately, her ferocious appetite for learning had caused her to outgrow her high-school peers without really intending to. An awkward catch twenty-two that had left Tong Nian with very few real friends to her name. Nian Nian wasn't sure her younger cousin, Dou Nai, really counted as a friend. After all, they were blood; if they didn't share genetics, he likely would ignore her too. Sigh. Regrettably, Nian Nian had always struggled to relate to people her own age as they found her mental capabilities slightly intimidating. It had been... lonely.

Thankfully, Nian Nian was lonely no more. In the blink of an eye, she had found herself with more overprotective guardians than she knew what to do with. It was another stroke of luck for the young coder. Nian Nian was uncommonly comfortable around the rambunctious K and K gaggle of boys, and they were not exactly what most people would describe as normal. With the exception of Demo, the younger brother she had never asked for but loved regardless, they were all two or three years older than she was. It suited her just fine. Perhaps it was no mystery as to why the girl was head over heels for a man a decade her senior; her mind had simply developed beyond her years!

That being said... why was it that Tong Nian, widely acknowledged whiz kid, just simply could not get the hang of something as rudimentary as a recipe?

It was ridiculous, all things considered. Nian Nian could calculate velocity, speed and force without so much as breaking a sweat, but when it came to how many grams of salt she should include in a pasta dish, her mind just went blank. Nothing but static between the ears. It wasn't for lack of trying, either. Nian Nian's mother had spent many a frustrated afternoon guiding her flustered daughter through the basics, but the knowledge slipped in one ear and out the other without landing. It was the biggest thorn in Nian Nian's side. A black mark on her otherwise flawless list of accolades.

Tong Nian, certified genius, was a desperately awful cook. There, she admitted it, happy?

Memorising the theory did not make the execution any easier when it came to the culinary arts. Frustrating was not the word! Sometimes, Tong Nian swore her incompetence was akin to a disability; she was likely the only person in the realm of existence who could manage to burn water. Such ineptitude was unacceptable – after all, today was Gun's first afternoon off since the triumphant K and K semi-finals. The one and only Big Boss had been tied up in red tape for several days, they had been like two ships passing in the night. Managerial reasons, he had informed her in his usual gruff manner. As such, Gun had missed the initial, raucous celebration. It was Nian Nian's job as a dutiful girlfriend to ensure he marked the occasion in style. Heaven's knew that Han Shangyan would never make a fuss of his own accord, and life was too short to let the important moments to sail by without acknowledgement. It was Nian Nian's greatest mission to liberate Gun from his self-inflicted tower of solitude, even if she had to do so by force!