Xiao Qitang wasn’t upset in the slightest when she pushed him away.
He simply grinned good-naturedly.
He thought to himself: This is good news. Hitting is affection, scolding is love. Liuyue must not dislike me—or she wouldn’t act like this.
Half an hour later.
The doorbell rang. It was probably the groceries Xiao Qitang had ordered online. He was just about to open the door and collect them when Zhu Liuyue seemed to remember something. She beckoned to him.
“Go to the kitchen first.”
“Oh.” Although Xiao Qitang was confused, he obediently went inside.
When the front door opened, the deliveryman smiled and said, “Have a wonderful day.”
Zhu Liuyue nodded, accepted the groceries, and quickly closed the door.
Her movements were brisk and decisive.
Hearing the door shut, Xiao Qitang ran out of the kitchen and asked curiously, “Why did you make me hide in the kitchen just now?”
Zhu Liuyue nervously rubbed the tip of her nose.
“Yunjin and Yunche have both been to this apartment. Maybe I was overthinking it, but I was afraid the person at the door might have been one of them…”
The moment Xiao Qitang heard that, his heart soured. He muttered, “Ah, I thought I was the first person you’d brought here. I didn’t realize I was already the third.”
Zhu Liuyue glanced at him, a half-smile playing on her lips.
“Then you can leave now.”
Xiao Qitang dropped to his knees metaphorically in an instant.
He waved his hands repeatedly. “No, I’m not leaving. I still have a very important task.”
Zhu Liuyue raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
Xiao Qitang said, “I’m not jealous of them! Sure, they’ve both been here before, but I’m definitely the first one to cook here.”
At that, the smile at the corners of Zhu Liuyue’s lips deepened.
That might not necessarily be true.
You’re actually cooking.
They were cooking too.
But she decided not to tell Xiao Qitang. Otherwise, he might blow up.
Xiao Qitang took the groceries and began searching through the cabinets. “Liuyue, where are the aprons?”
“We didn’t buy one.”
Xiao Qitang looked a little disappointed. He had already imagined finding an apron and then asking Liuyue to tie it for him in a warm, intimate scene.
Zhu Liuyue asked, “Can’t you cook without an apron?”
Xiao Qitang immediately shook his head. “Of course I can! It’s fine. I’ll just take off my jacket.”
With that, he lifted both hands and swiftly pulled off his light-gray knit sweater, revealing a black tank top underneath.
He had originally looked like a somewhat languid, casual Japanese-style young man. Once the sweater came off, however, a large expanse of pale skin was exposed.
Against that stark white skin, the black tank top was even more eye-catching.
It made one feel that the slightest pinch would leave a red mark.
Compared with Ye Yunche’s well-built muscles and Ye Yunjin’s clearly trained physique, Xiao Qitang really didn’t work out. Yet he didn’t have even an ounce of excess fat.
Broad shoulders and a narrow waist—he seemed to have been born with a perfect figure.
When Xiao Qitang noticed Zhu Liuyue’s gaze lingering on him, he deliberately tugged down the neckline of his tank top and pretended to explain, “The kitchen will get really hot once I start cooking, so I’m taking this off first. Besides, it’ll keep oil splatters from getting on my sweater.”
Zhu Liuyue discreetly withdrew her gaze.
She nodded. “Mm. Go ahead and cook.”
Xiao Qitang stared hopefully as she turned around and shut the sliding kitchen door.
She was leaving…
Wait.
He had deliberately tugged his tank top down like that. Didn’t Liuyue want to pinch him a little?
Wasn’t that what the online tutorials had said? Use a little male beauty to seduce her at the right moment.
Could it be because he didn’t have abs? Xiao Qitang looked thoroughly dejected.
Forget it. He’d better focus on cooking.
The Ye brothers clearly looked like they had never lifted a finger in the kitchen. If he couldn’t win Liuyue over through her stomach, how was he supposed to win her heart?
Xiao Qitang encouraged himself.
…
On the sofa, Zhu Liuyue was sprawled comfortably against a cushion, idly scrolling through her phone.
Several new messages popped up in the chat.
Ye Yunjin: “I’ll be working late again tonight. I’ll have Yunche come pick you up for dinner.”
Zhu Liuyue thought for a moment before replying: “No need. We agreed to treat you both equally. If you can’t have dinner with me, then Yunche shouldn’t come either.”
The reply came instantly.
From the short message alone, it was obvious that Ye Yunjin was very happy.
Ye Yunjin: “Okay!”
Rarely, he even sent a kitten happily spinning in circles.
Mr. Ye acting cute.
Shameless!
She tapped on the other chat marked with a red notification dot.
Ye Yunche: “Yueyue, what do you want to eat tonight? My brother has to work late, haha, so this is the perfect chance for us to have some alone time.”
Ye Yunche: “Why aren’t you answering my messages? Is the hospital especially busy today?”
Ye Yunche: “I ran into one of your coworkers at the hospital, and they said you’d already left work. Are you home already? Sob, it’s all my fault. I should’ve called before rushing over.”
Zhu Liuyue saw that the other person was typing.
She was starting to feel a little afraid of Yunche’s chatterbox tendencies.
She quickly replied: “I saw Yunjin’s message. Since he has to work late tonight, let’s have dinner together next time.”
Ye Yunche: “…Ah, why, why, why?”
Ye Yunche: Puppy scratching its head.jpg
Zhu Liuyue: “It’s only fair. If I have dinner alone with you, he’ll be upset.”
Ye Yunche: “What if I’m upset?”
Zhu Liuyue: “Be good. Didn’t we agree that I’d give you and Yunjin equal time? That’s the most appropriate way for us to get along.”
Ye Yunche: “…All right, then.”
Ye Yunche: “Even if I can only have half of Yueyue, I’m already very satisfied. I can’t be too greedy.”
Zhu Liuyue had just breathed a sigh of relief when another message arrived.
Ye Yunche: “Yueyue, having me and my brother is enough for you. Don’t let any pretty flowers or weeds by the roadside tempt you, especially the songwriter.”
Zhu Liuyue: “…”
She turned her head and glanced at the man bustling around in the kitchen.
Actually, he knew how to cook too.
Ye Yunche sent another coquettish message: “Okay?”
Zhu Liuyue: “I’m already exhausted half to death dealing with you two. Do you really think I have the energy to look at other men?”
Ye Yunche replied with complete confidence: “That’s true.”
Zhu Liuyue: “All right, I’m done talking. I’m going to eat.”
She put down her phone and immediately caught the rich aroma wafting out of the kitchen.
A moment later, the sliding kitchen door opened. Xiao Qitang, dressed in his black tank top, carried two steaming stir-fried dishes to the table.
The heat from the kitchen had brought a light flush to his pale face.
His eyes glittered brightly.
“Liuyue, dinner’s ready.”
A handsome man cooking was truly a feast for the eyes.
Zhu Liuyue didn’t need to lift a finger. By the time she sat down at the table, Xiao Qitang had already placed the bowl and chopsticks in front of her.
The white rice in the bowl was plump and perfectly cooked. He had even sprinkled a few black sesame seeds over it.
It looked even more appetizing that way.
The two dishes were sweet-and-sour pork and spicy crab.
Since Liuyue loved cilantro, he had sprinkled a little chopped cilantro over both dishes.
“Try them,” Xiao Qitang urged, looking full of anticipation.
As he leaned over, sparkling beads of sweat on the tip of his nose and cheeks trickled along his jaw and disappeared into the black tank top.
He had an irresistibly sexy, handsome-husband sort of charm.
