Shen Yue paused before she reacted, her lips curling into a small smile. "Very capable. Without you, I might not have finished today."
The young man's pants and shoes were covered in mud. His young, handsome face remained arrogant, yet a hint of pleasure was revealed, much like a stroked lion.
He was actually only seventeen this year and couldn't hide his emotions well.
Having relaxed, Qi Rui's arms and legs were sore. He looked down at the mud on his legs, and his潔癖 immediately kicked in. He was covered in sweat and smelled of it. He frowned in disgust. "I want to go back!"
It was indeed very late, Shen Yue agreed.
Once back, Qi Rui fetched water himself to bathe in the woodshed. After his bath, his arms were sore, aching with every movement. Having just bathed, he was already sweating from the heat. The young man pursed his lips, his youthful face showing impatience and frustration.
He came to the dining table carrying the warmth, where two dishes were already laid out. They were still vegetarian, without a hint of meat.
Qi Rui was starving, but looking at the dishes made him feel wronged. He had worked for so long today, so exhausted he felt almost drained, yet the table was filled with monochromatic vegetarian dishes. He wondered if Shen Yue was mistreating him.
He didn't want to eat vegetables; he wanted to eat meat.
The young man clenched his fists, his expression contorted. After taking several deep breaths, he said, "Why is it always these dishes every day?"
His tone was accusatory. The way he looked at the dishes was like looking at trash. This was actually normal, as the boy had never eaten the same dish twice before. The chefs made varied and exquisite dishes daily.
After eating carrots several times in a row, Qi Rui felt he would never want to see a carrot again for the rest of his life.
What's more, he actually hated vegetables the most. If it weren't for Shen Yue's decent cooking, he'd rather eat plain rice than touch them.
The girl's clear black and white eyelashes trembled slightly, revealing a gentle smile. She said softly, "Then I'll go buy some meat tomorrow. You'll have to bear with it today."
Qi Rui didn't want to wait until tomorrow; he wanted it today. He was willful and disregarded everything.
"Then I'm not eating."
He left the angry words behind and the young man turned and went back to his room, slamming the door shut with such force that the floor seemed to shake.
Shen Yue stood there for a while before going to the chicken coop to retrieve two eggs. She usually saved these eggs for herself because her grandmother was in poor health and had no tonics. Thus, Shen Yue would cook a bowl of steamed egg custard for her grandmother every two or three days to nourish her.
She cooked a bowl of noodles, topped with two fried eggs and some greens that emitted a faint aroma, making it look appetizing.
Holding the steaming noodles, Shen Yue raised her other hand and knocked on the door.
The young man inside was sulking and remained silent.
Shen Yue raised her voice, "Qi Rui, I'm coming in."
After a three-second wait, the door remained unopened. Shen Yue knew the young man inside had heard her, so she gently pushed the door open and entered.
Qi Rui was lying on the bed fiddling with his phone. There was no internet in this darn place, and the signal was terrible. He could only play "Happy Elimination" to pass the time.
Seeing the girl walk in without permission, Qi Rui's thick eyelashes cast a deep shadow. It had to be said, although Qi Rui was unruly and malicious, he possessed truly handsome features.
His nose bridge was high, his broken eyebrows gave him a cool and wild look, and his sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, coupled with his short red hair, made him seem as passionate as fire.
His gaze swept over the girl's face inch by inch, and he sneered, "Did you get my permission to come in? Do you have any manners?"
"Country bumpkin."
Young people were always passionate, like a fire that could drive away the cold and yet scorch others. Qi Rui's disposition was like a thorn; his unintentional words could inadvertently hurt others, perhaps without him even realizing how hurtful they were.
When he was unhappy, he wanted everyone in the world to be unhappy.
Domineering and malicious.
Beneath a seemingly gentle exterior that could encompass everything, lay an extremely insecure and sensitive heart.
Shen Yue hadn't studied for many years; she was only literate. Her family was poor, and her grandmother was ill. All the responsibility weighed on the young girl's shoulders.
Qi Rui's constant accusations of "no manners" and "country bumpkin" pricked her sensitive heart.
In reality, the two were only three years apart, yet Shen Yue was made to feel utterly ashamed by someone younger than her.
Her clean white short-sleeved t-shirt made of coarse fabric, her black long hair tied back with a simple black rubber band. Several messy wisps of hair hung on either side of her fair cheeks. Her bright red lips were tightly pursed, making them appear even more rosy.
She was like a pearl covered in dust, her clear black eyes misty, and her entire being possessed a fragile, about-to-shatter quality.
The bowl in her hand was hot, her fingertips tinged red. She lowered her head slightly, "...I'm sorry."
Shen Yue's face was as white as snow. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly. Under the dim light, she looked as if she might burst into tears at any moment.
Qi Rui's heart suddenly felt uneasy, as if a ball of fire was trapped within him. "Can't you say anything other than apologize?"
She seemed so naive and timid, completely lacking in temper, as if she didn't even know the word "angry."
How could such a person exist?
Shen Yue blinked in surprise.
Her slender, thick eyelashes trembled. Her delicate lips, like flower petals, seemed to curve involuntarily. She changed the subject, staring at the steaming noodles. "Are you hungry?"
Qi Rui was truly exasperated. Frowning in annoyance, he turned his head away. Even though his stomach protested with hunger, he maintained his stubborn pride. "I'm not hungry!"
He wanted to eat meat, and he never wanted to eat vegetables again.
The next second.
—Gurgle
Shen Yue's gaze shifted downwards, towards the young man's stomach.
Qi Rui hadn't expected his stomach to betray him so easily. He was awkward and embarrassed, the tips of his ears turning bright red, his eyes flickering.
He looked like a big boy with a bad temper and a strong sense of pride.
Shen Yue didn't expose him directly. After all, the young man was so difficult and his pride was so strong; if she exposed him directly, he would likely become enraged.
Her eyes curved into crescent moons, her dark eyes like a lake bathed in sunlight, clear and serene.
"Qi Rui, I made these noodles after a long time. Just try them."
The trailing end of her voice sounded almost like a pout.
In fact, when Shen Yue entered, Qi Rui had already smelled the faint aroma. His stomach, already aching with hunger, became even more unbearable.
Since Shen Yue had pleaded with him, he would reluctantly eat them.
The young man let out a cold snort, a trace of unnatural blush appearing on his handsome face. "Alright then."