Shu Yu responded softly to her supervisor Si Yiheng's calm gaze, "Okay."
Shu Yu: "By the way, about the electricity, water, and internet bills."
Si Yiheng nodded, "Send me the payment methods for the electricity, internet, and water bills."
Shu Yu: "Alright."
Shu Yu continued, "I'm home for longer periods, so I use more electricity. How about I pay two-thirds and you pay one-third?"
Si Yiheng: "No."
Shu Yu: "?"
Shu Yu pursed her lips. Fine, then she'd pay all of it.
She'd already mooched two meals off Si Yiheng anyway. And besides, she'd have to pay the electricity bill whether or not Si Yiheng was around.
Shu Yu said softly, "Got it."
Si Yiheng: "I fixed the air conditioner. If I hadn't fixed it, you wouldn't be able to use it. The AC uses a lot of electricity. I also do the cooking, and you don't cook much, so the gas bill counts as mine."
"My clothes are dirtier, and washing them takes a lot of water. Me paying only one-third of the water bill wouldn't be fair either."
"I'm exhausted during the day, so at night I binge-scroll my phone to decompress. The internet bill can't be split with me paying just a third."
Shu Yu: "...?"
Shu Yu: "So...?"
Si Yiheng: "Don't worry about these bills. I'll take care of them."
Shu Yu felt something was off, but Si Yiheng had calculated everything so clearly that it actually seemed reasonable.
But before Shu Yu could ask further, Si Yiheng had already moved on to the next topic.
Si Yiheng said in a flat tone, "I have this little quirk—I love cooking, and I often make too much and can't finish it."
"So, would you like to have meals with me?"
How could such a good deal exist?
Si Yiheng's cooking was really delicious.
But honestly, Si Yiheng really did make huge portions.
Shu Yu didn't want to take advantage of him, "Why don't you just cook less, then you can finish it."
"No," Si Yiheng said.
"If there's too little food, it doesn't taste the same when stir-fried."
Shu Yu didn't know anything about cooking, and Si Yiheng said it with such a straight face.
In the end, Shu Yu could only ask doubtfully, "Is that so?"
Si Yiheng showed no hint of guilt for misleading her, "Mm, yes."
Shu Yu: "Then... then you could make one fewer dish."
Si Yiheng chuckled softly. His voice was naturally on the cooler side, and this kind of light laugh was inexplicably alluring.
Shu Yu: "..."
Was this guy really going to be like this?
Not only could he cook and had hands that hit her aesthetic sweet spot, but his voice was also unusually pleasant.
Like some kind of male seductress.
Si Yiheng: "Xiaoyu, but I want to eat more dishes."
"Would you help me out?"
Shu Yu pursed her lips, "Fine, I'll help you then."
After all Si Yiheng had said, it seemed the only solution was for her to help him.
Shu Yu: "We'll split the grocery costs evenly."
Si Yiheng: "Deal. I'll tally up the grocery costs with you every month."
Si Yiheng finally stopped refusing, and Shu Yu let out a small sigh of relief.
Iron Egg found it amusing. If Si Yiheng wanted to weasel his way in, he could always come up with plenty of excuses.
The grocery money was just whatever Si Yiheng said it was anyway.
Iron Egg rarely spoke, [Xiaoheng, you've done well. Only by taking good care of your baby wife will you win her affection.]
Baby wife?
Si Yiheng paused mid-wash, then lifted his gaze lightly toward Shu Yu, who was sitting there obediently waiting for him to finish washing the dishes.
She kept peeking over to see if he was done.
So adorable.
Like a curious little kitten poking her head out.
Baby, wife?
After Si Yiheng finished the dishes, Shu Yu returned to her room to keep drawing.
Si Yiheng first washed his own clothes, which were stained with grease, then took a shower.
When he came out, Si Yiheng was wearing a white T-shirt.
The moment Shu Yu stepped out of her room, she ran right into Si Yiheng, whose hair was still wet.
His damp hair half-covered his cold, clear eyes.
Making him look both damp and chilly.
Water droplets soaked through the collar of his T-shirt, outlining the lean, powerful lines of his waist.
Shu Yu wanted to retreat back into her room.
But Si Yiheng suddenly spoke, "Xiaoyu, do you hate me?"
Shu Yu: "..."
She didn't hate him, though.
But seriously, do you see the way you're looking right now—all seductive and temptress-like?
Shu Yu lowered her fluffy head, "No, not at all. Why would you think that?"
Si Yiheng pressed his lips together, his voice dropping, "You always avoid me every time we meet."
Shu Yu: "..."
Shu Yu stiffly turned her body around to face him head-on, "I—I'm not avoiding you."
Si Yiheng: "Mm."
"Thank you for not hating me, and for not avoiding me."
"No one else has ever been willing to stay near me without running away like I'm a snake or a scorpion."
Shu Yu didn't know what Si Yiheng had been through, but he seemed pitiful.
Shu Yu spoke stiffly, not quite used to comforting others, "You're a good person."
"It's their problem if they don't like you."
Si Yiheng smiled, "I think so too."
Shu Yu: ?
How could this guy's sense of self-worth fluctuate so wildly?
Shu Yu spent the whole day feeling dazed because of Si Yiheng.
She simply couldn't figure this person out.
Maybe she should observe him more closely.
On the other side, Iron Egg was speechless. Si Yiheng only mentioned that others avoided him like a snake or scorpion, but failed to mention that he'd had his own parents both committed to a psychiatric hospital.
And he still visited them from time to time—of course they'd avoid him like snakes and scorpions.
What a master of selective truth.
The next morning, Shu Yu woke up to the same delicious breakfast and the same cool indoor temperature.
Shu Yu continued drawing. Today her luck wasn't as good—she only got one commission.
This was the life of a small, relatively unknown artist: unstable income.
After finishing her drawing, Shu Yu took down her bed linens to wash.
Halfway through the wash, the washing machine broke.
Staring at the broken machine, Shu Yu felt like she was falling apart too.
Such bad luck.
Shu Yu had no choice but to haul the bedding out and wring it by hand.
But she simply didn't have the strength. Even after wringing, the comforter was still dripping wet.
Just as she was about to give up, a large pair of hands took the bedding from her, "I've got it."
Si Yiheng's deep, cool voice sounded right beside her ear.
Shu Yu turned around, "No need."
Si Yiheng: "Go sit over there. You can't wring this dry."
Shu Yu didn't want to trouble Si Yiheng, but he was telling the truth.
She couldn't wring it dry, and the hot, humid weather would easily breed bacteria.
Si Yiheng wrung out the bedding, hung it up to dry, and then went to fix the washing machine.
Shu Yu went to grab some wet wipes, intending to hand them to Si Yiheng to wipe his sweat.
But Si Yiheng suddenly spoke, "Can you help me wipe it?"
