The night sky was dotted with stars. When Xiao Yufan stepped out of the bar, it was nearly midnight. His grandfather had already left by taxi, and Xiao Yufan wanted nothing more than to walk home slowly by himself…
He really enjoyed the feeling of being slightly tipsy. As he walked unsteadily, Xiao Yufan kept thinking about everything his grandfather had told him today. He had never imagined that one day he might become wealthy and prosperous. Yet, when that reality was finally approaching, he found himself surprisingly calm, not nearly as excited as he had imagined.
“I guess I should thank them,” he murmured softly, tightening his coat slightly against the cool moonlight. “If I had lived a life of comfort and abundance from the start, maybe I would have turned out just like those spoiled brats too.”
What Xiao Yufan had endured was something few people could even imagine. His grandfather had always had high expectations for him, and he had worked much harder than others in studying feng shui, metaphysics, and ancient martial arts. That was why he was now finally showing his brilliance…
When he returned to his rented apartment, it was already past one in the morning. Xiao Yufan hadn’t expected the door to be open and the lights still on. A warm feeling stirred in his heart—he realized those two women had ultimately softened.
After tidying up the living room briefly, Xiao Yufan went straight to his bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. Exhausted and still slightly drunk, he quickly drifted into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, in the other bedroom, Qin Menglu and Yu Yihan were quietly listening to the sounds outside. When they heard the soft snoring coming from Xiao Yufan’s room, they finally relaxed.
“Your sweetheart is back now, so you don’t have to worry anymore. Hurry up and sleep, my dear. Do you have work tomorrow or not?”
Seeing the relief on Qin Menglu’s face, Yu Yihan couldn’t help but feel a bit helpless. Xiao Yufan’s every move had captured this girl’s heart, as if she had been enchanted by some spell.
“Big sister…” Qin Menglu let out a soft, affectionate protest, clearly embarrassed. How could Yu Yihan not understand her feelings for Xiao Yufan?
“Alright, alright, I won’t tease you anymore. Our dreamy Menglu has finally fallen in love…”
Knowing how shy Qin Menglu was, Yu Yihan decided to stop there. Of course, it had been her idea to leave the door open for Xiao Yufan. How could she pretend nothing had happened regarding the awkward tension between the two?
The bedroom gradually fell silent again, and the worries in both women’s hearts slowly eased. Even Yu Yihan herself couldn’t quite understand why she had also become so emotionally invested in this man, influenced by Qin Menglu’s feelings.
…
The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Xiao Yufan was awakened by intermittent noises from the living room.
When he stepped out of the bedroom, he saw the busy figure of Qin Menglu. It was the first time Xiao Yufan had seen her cooking in the kitchen. Yu Yihan, on the other hand, was sitting leisurely nearby.
“Yufan, you’re awake! You drank so much last night, so I made breakfast for you. You shouldn’t have an empty stomach in the morning. Sit down, it’ll be ready soon…”
Hearing the soft footsteps, Qin Menglu turned around and saw Xiao Yufan looking somewhat surprised. She smiled sweetly.
Seeing her like that, anyone would feel a surge of tenderness. And in the early morning, when desires were strongest, Xiao Yufan almost had the urge to take her right there—but of course, he could only think about it. After all, Yu Yihan was sitting right there beside them.
Yu Yihan watched the two with a slight smile on her face. However, recalling the scene of Qin Menglu’s very first cooking attempt, she couldn’t help but find the upcoming breakfast amusing. She could already imagine the awkward situation Xiao Yufan was about to face.
“Ugh, smiling like that so early in the morning, you’re really ruining a good mood for the whole day!”
Xiao Yufan naturally had no idea what Yu Yihan was thinking, but even without thinking, he could tell it wouldn’t be anything good.
Soon after, Xiao Yufan understood exactly what Yu Yihan had been laughing about. When he saw the breakfast laid out on the table, he almost felt like throwing up everything he had eaten the night before.
“I got up at five o’clock just to cook this! This is only my second time cooking, Yufan. Aren’t you going to give me a little praise?”
Qin Menglu hadn’t noticed Xiao Yufan’s expression. Looking at the table full of dishes, she clapped her hands together proudly. For a girl of her status, being willing to cook was already quite an effort.
“Actually, I don’t really feel like eating in the morning after drinking the night before…”
Although Xiao Yufan was deeply moved, the strange smell wafting from the breakfast completely killed his appetite. Even if he were starving, he still valued his life more. Who knew what might happen if he actually ate this meal?
“Don’t pretend you’re not hungry at all! Our Menglu worked so hard on this breakfast. There’s no way someone would be so ungrateful, right?”
Before Xiao Yufan could finish speaking, Yu Yihan immediately jumped in, clearly targeting him. Then, seeing the teary-eyed Qin Menglu, Xiao Yufan knew he had no escape today.
“Well then, since a lady has gone through the trouble of cooking, how could I possibly refuse? I’m actually quite hungry now. Let’s eat!”
Giving Yu Yihan a sharp glare, Xiao Yufan forced himself to sit down. Looking at the burnt dishes on the table, his stomach turned, yet he still reluctantly picked up his chopsticks.
“If you’re hungry, then eat more!”
Yu Yihan was quite satisfied with Xiao Yufan’s reaction. She scooted closer to him and enthusiastically began serving him dishes, her face filled with anticipation.
“Ah… whatever happens, happens…” Xiao Yufan sighed inwardly, his stomach already churning. He put on a brave face, as if he were about to face death itself. Facing several tough opponents didn’t faze him, but now he was completely defeated by a single meal—because the food before him was literally inedible.
He forced the food into his mouth, practically swallowing it whole. Despite the taste, he kept nodding, because this was the result of Menglu’s hard work all morning. He couldn’t possibly hurt her feelings.
Yu Yihan was quite surprised. She knew exactly how bad Menglu was at cooking—any dish, no matter how delicious originally, would turn into something like laxatives once it passed through her hands. Yet Xiao Yufan was managing to eat it so calmly, which puzzled her. She couldn’t help but pick up her chopsticks too…
Qin Menglu and Yu Yihan both reached for their chopsticks at nearly the same time, but then both began dry heaving. The food was like tree bark—completely tasteless. Looking at Xiao Yufan again, Qin Menglu’s gaze softened even further.
Yu Yihan felt a strange sense of emotion stirring inside her too. Xiao Yufan was so considerate, pretending to enjoy the meal so as not to hurt Qin Menglu’s feelings. At that moment, something stirred deep within her heart…
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