"Good morning."
As soon as Liu Shishi opened her door, she saw Du Fei in the living room.
Despite feeling a bit shy, she proactively greeted him.
"Good morning. You can eat once you're done washing up."
Du Fei, however, replied with his usual calm expression, "Good morning."
Liu Shishi had been utterly exhausted after a whole day at the amusement park yesterday.
She had originally planned to stay at a hotel.
But Du Fei suggested she stay at his place.
Liu Shishi demurred, saying it might not be appropriate. However, Du Fei pointed out that Liu Shishi was the one who found the apartment, a three-bedroom unit. Du Yunyun and her mother lived there, so it wouldn't be inconvenient.
After Du Fei's persuasion, Liu Shishi ended up returning home with him.
Waking up this morning and encountering Du Fei before even washing up made the usually meticulous Liu Shishi feel unaccustomed.
As Du Fei turned away, Liu Shishi quickly entered the bathroom.
After a full half-hour of getting ready, she finally emerged.
"Sister Shishi, did you sleep well yesterday?"
Du Yunyun asked with a smile.
Now that Liu Shishi was dressed and had also calmed down for half an hour, she wasn't as flustered as before.
She patted Du Yunyun's head. "Yunyun, thank you for letting me have your room yesterday. I slept very well."
"As long as Sister Shishi is comfortable, I don't mind sharing a room with Mom."
Du Yunyun said with a smile, then glanced towards Du Fei in the living room.
Liu Shishi caught her gaze and her face immediately turned red.
She understood that Du Yunyun's words carried a hidden meaning.
Fortunately, Wu Chunmei called them for breakfast.
Du Yunyun said she would wash up and be right there, asking Liu Shishi to go ahead.
"I'm sorry to bother you, Auntie. Thank you for yesterday."
Entering the living room, breakfast was already prepared on the dining table.
Wu Chunmei replied, "Oh, don't say that. You helped us find this place, and you've taken such good care of Yunyun. We should be thanking you."
"Auntie..."
"Alright, stop thanking each other. The food will get cold."
Du Fei interrupted them with a smile.
If they continued being so polite, breakfast would indeed get cold.
Liu Shishi pulled out a chair and sat down, eating breakfast with Du Fei and his mother.
Before long, Du Yunyun also finished washing up and sat beside her.
After breakfast, Liu Shishi voluntarily began clearing the dishes. Wu Chunmei repeatedly told her not to bother.
But Liu Shishi insisted, saying she hadn't done anything for breakfast and must help with the cleanup and washing dishes.
Wu Chunmei was about to say something else but was pulled aside by Du Yunyun. The little girl then whispered a few words in her mother's ear.
Upon hearing her daughter's words, Wu Chunmei's gaze immediately flickered between Liu Shishi and Du Fei, and then she beamed.
Liu Shishi felt a little embarrassed and quickly took the bowls into the kitchen.
"You little rascal!"
Du Fei had sharp hearing, and even though Du Yunyun spoke very softly, he heard everything clearly.
On the other hand, Du Yunyun, even under Du Fei's steady gaze, held her head high and said, "Brother, don't be ungrateful. I'm creating an opportunity for you."
"Son, Miss Liu is a good girl. If you two could..."
Du Fei didn't let Wu Chunmei finish. "Mom, don't rush things. Besides, she's only been here for one day. If you two act like this, you'll scare her away."
"Oh, okay, I won't say anything more. I'll be mindful, I'll definitely be mindful."
Wu Chunmei found Du Fei's words to be quite reasonable.
Even Du Yunyun tilted her head, contemplating whether her words or actions had been a bit too hasty, and if it might make Liu Shishi feel awkward.
Du Fei looked helplessly at his mother and sister, then carried the remaining dishes into the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Liu Shishi was washing dishes by the sink.
"You can just place the dishes aside. I'll wash them later."
Liu Shishi continued washing dishes even as Du Fei entered with the remaining ones, saying as she washed, "It'll be faster if we do it together."
So, Liu Shishi was responsible for washing, and Du Fei for rinsing. In no time, all the dishes were sparkling clean.
"By the way, Shishi, don't take what my mother and sister said to heart just now. They meant no harm."
After putting the dishes away in the cupboard, Du Fei brought up what had just happened.
To his surprise, Liu Shishi smiled at Du Fei. "I know what Auntie and Sister are thinking. What about you, what are your thoughts?"
Liu Shishi asked about his thoughts?
Du Fei thought he misheard.
After recovering, Du Fei looked at the beautiful woman smiling charmingly before him and was about to seize the opportunity to confess his feelings.
However, before he could say anything, his phone rang in his pocket.
Du Fei cursed inwardly, wondering who was ruining this moment for him.
He picked up his phone and saw it was Gong Chengbin.
Damn, this guy's call couldn't have come at a worse time; it almost ruined his grand plan.
Du Fei raised his hand to hang up and continue his conversation with Liu Shishi.
But Liu Shishi bit her lip and shyly said she'd go out first.
Gong Chengbin, you bastard!!!
Watching Liu Shishi's retreating back, Du Fei cursed Gong Chengbin profusely in his heart.
If Gong Chengbin were in front of him right now, Du Fei would have slapped him.
"What? You're downstairs? Alright, I'm coming down now."
Answering the call, Gong Chengbin said he was downstairs and needed to see him. Du Fei heard the hoarseness in his voice, indicating he genuinely had something important to discuss, so he told Gong Chengbin he'd be down shortly.
He walked out of the kitchen, informed the three people outside, and headed straight downstairs.
As he descended, he saw Gong Chengbin squatting by the building, with several cigarette butts scattered at his feet.
"I say, why are you littering everywhere?"
Du Fei approached Gong Chengbin, who was squatting with his back to him, saying this as he walked.
However, when Gong Chengbin turned around, Du Fei was taken aback.
Gong Chengbin's face was weathered, his beard unshaven, his eyes bloodshot, and his complexion pale. He looked as if he had suffered some grave blow.
"Du Fei..."
Gong Chengbin's voice was astonishingly hoarse when he spoke.
"What happened, Young Master Gong? Were you kidnapped?"
Du Fei walked up to Gong Chengbin and examined him from head to toe.
Given Gong Chengbin's usual demeanor, while he wasn't ostentatious like many rich second-generation heirs, he always maintained a clean and tidy appearance.
But looking at Gong Chengbin now, if he changed into rags and held out a bowl, he could easily pass for a beggar on the street. Perhaps someone, seeing his state, might even toss him a dollar or two.
This illustrated how disheveled Gong Chengbin was at the moment.
He was a completely different person from the Young Master Gong he used to be.