Ye Jinzhi was pushed out the door.
Immediately after, the black card spun out through the crack in the door, landing precisely on the carpet at his feet.
"It is broad daylight, Ye Jinzhi. Please stop daydreaming out there."
With her teasing scolding, the door shut with a click.
Outside, Ye Jinzhi stood frozen, still holding the posture he had when he was pushed out.
He looked down at the lonely black card by his feet, his temple twitching.
He bent down to pick up the card, rubbing his fingertips against non-existent dust on its surface. After a moment, he let out an exasperated laugh.
"This girl..." he shook his head helplessly at the closed door. "How does she not have a single romantic bone in her body?"
Despite saying that, he was in no hurry to leave. Instead, he pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a message:
[Throwing the card away is useless. I have already contacted the bank to set up the 'neighborly mutual aid fee' as a regular automatic transfer. After all, as your neighbor, I know very well that I will need to bother you a lot in the future. This little 'service fee' is my way of showing respect.]
Bella stared at the avatar that sent the message, remembering how a certain someone had forcibly taken her phone to add himself. Knowing who it was, she quickly replied with two words:
[Get lost.]
Just as she tapped send, before she could even put her phone down, a soft click came from behind her. The door she had just closed was opened from the outside.
Seeing this, Bella slapped her own forehead:
How could she have forgotten about this?
When they came in just now, he was the one who unlocked the door.
He leaned against the doorframe, watching Bella leisurely. His tone carried a sense of righteous confidence that drove her crazy:
"Miss Bella, a gentle reminder: when the smart lock was installed, my fingerprint was recorded as well. After all, as your neighbor, I might occasionally need to deal with 'emergencies'."
Bella's fighting spirit, which had been completely focused on kicking him out, deflated instantly like a popped balloon.
She let out a long, exhausted sigh, too tired to even argue with him anymore.
She collapsed straight onto the sofa, covering her face with a throw pillow, her muffled voice drifting out:
"Fine, you win. Do whatever you want."
Seeing her give up, Ye Jinzhi chuckled softly.
Not daring to disturb Bella as she sprawled on the couch, he headed straight for the kitchen.
He opened the fridge to take a look, then walked over to the pile of household items he had just bought.
A few of them had just been delivered today, and he casually started unpacking them.
The sound of tearing cardboard boxes soon echoed through the room.
Bella hugged the pillow, burying most of her face in it.
She peeked one eye over the edge, secretly glancing at his busy figure, muttering in her heart:
How long is he going to mess around here?
As if sensing something, Ye Jinzhi did not even turn his head, his tone carrying a hint of amusement:
"Stop peeking."
He paused and slowly added:
"I know I am pretty handsome."
Bella: "..."
I will look!
Looking will not make me lose a piece of flesh.
Ye Jinzhi did not stop what he was doing, as if he had long sensed her little thoughts, his tone casual:
"If you keep looking, I am going to start charging."
Bella: "???"
"But I guess I could waive the fee."
He paused slightly, as if waiting for her reaction:
"I will cook tonight, and you be in charge of eating. How about that?"
Bella suspected she was hearing things.
But then he suddenly changed his tune, raised an eyebrow, and threw his hands up self-righteously: "Wait, as a wealthy young master, how could I possibly know how to cook?"
"Why do not you do it?"
Bella: ...
Then, she knelt on the sofa, clasped her hands together, took a deep breath, and gave Ye Jinzhi an incredibly devout and fake smile:
"Young Master Ye, I deeply reflect on my past prejudice against your 'life skills.' It is truly my sin."
Ye Jinzhi looked at her goofy display. "Since your attitude is so sincere, I will forgive you."
After that, Bella simply let it go, allowing him to do whatever he wanted in the house while she dove into the study, put on her headphones, and started rushing her drawings.
Time ticked by until after five in the afternoon. The background music in her headphones had stopped at some point.
A delicious aroma of food had unknowingly filled the air.
Bella stopped what she was doing and twitched her nose.
She took off her headphones and pushed open the study door.
Bella leaned against the kitchen doorframe, staring blankly at the young man who, despite wearing a floral apron, still looked overwhelmingly aristocratic.
The apron was covered in childish little floral prints. Worn over his expensive shirt, it looked extremely out of place, yet somehow it made him seem... excessively cute.
Sensing the gaze from behind, Ye Jinzhi turned around. Holding a pair of chopsticks, he picked up a piece of glossy, reddish-brown braised pork and brought it directly to Bella's lips.
"Taste it."
Bella looked at the quivering piece of meat in front of her and hesitated for a moment.
She had wanted to make a sarcastic remark, but meeting his expectant eyes, the words of refusal got stuck in her throat. Ultimately, she weakly opened her mouth.
It melted in her mouth, the rich sauce instantly exploding on her tongue.
"How is it?"
Ye Jinzhi stared at her intently, like a student waiting for a teacher to grade his test paper. He even gripped the chopsticks a little tighter.
Bella chewed carefully, forced to admit that the taste was ridiculously good.
She coughed to cover up her reaction, looked at him, and kept her tone as calm as possible:
"It is very good."
"I knew it."
Ye Jinzhi's expression instantly relaxed, and that triumphant look returned to his face.
He naturally pulled back the chopsticks, popped the remaining small piece of meat into his own mouth, and narrowed his eyes in satisfaction. "Not bad at all."
"Hey, how could you eat..."
Before Bella could finish her words of protest, she watched him stuff it into his mouth.
Bella: .......
