Ming Zheng, dressed and ready, opened the door with a blank expression.
A man's devilishly handsome face, adorned with a bright smile, met her gaze.
He was wearing the cat-themed apron her fifth senior brother had bought.
A soft, pink one.
Hanging on his tall, elegant frame, it created a stark sense of incongruity.
"Zheng Bao, who's jealous, go wash up. We'll eat soon~"
Look at that infuriating demeanor.
Ming Zheng, without hesitation, slapped her hand onto his face, perfectly aligning with her aesthetic preferences, utterly disregarding any notion of gentleness or cherishing beauty: "Call me that again, and I'll tear your mouth off!"
Seeing the girl clearly flustered.
Chi Xian ceased his teasing.
He stepped aside, moving away slightly.
"Yes, Zheng Bao."
Ming Zheng: "..."
After washing up.
Ming Zheng sat at the dining table and discovered that Chi Xian had prepared a table full of dishes that looked quite delicious.
Ming Zheng eyed them with suspicion: "Are they edible?"
The esteemed head of the Chi family, personally cooking.
Was it really not some form of culinary abomination?
Chi Xian served Ming Zheng a bowl of rice, then sat opposite her, righteously defending himself: "When I was young, I often had nothing to eat, so I had to find ways to get food myself. My cooking skills were all honed bit by bit."
Ming Zheng recalled what Chi Sanyue had said.
When Chi Xian was very young.
His mother had died amidst the concubine struggles of the former Chi family patriarch.
During that time...
He had to rely entirely on himself for everything.
Including food.
Ming Zheng picked up her chopsticks and sampled a dish in front of her.
The taste was indeed excellent.
Comparable to those of renowned chefs.
After swallowing, she paused, thought for a moment, searched her mind, and then offered her praise with utmost sincerity: "Delicious."
"Your praise lacks sincerity." Although he said this, Chi Xian's eyes were clearly filled with smiles.
Ming Zheng lowered her head to eat.
After a few bites, she suddenly remembered something: "Why are you still here?"
Chi Xian propped his chin with one hand, his gaze fixed on her as she ate, the corners of his eyes curving into a low, alluring arc.
Hearing Ming Zheng's question, his lips curved into a smile: "What? Don't you want to see your brother?"
Bro... brother?!
Ming Zheng nearly choked on her rice.
She lifted her head from the bowl, her eyes wide open.
The man's smile at the corner of his lips widened further.
His eyes curved even more upward.
With an expression of utter infatuation: "After Zheng Bao fell asleep, she called out for... Big handsome brother all morning."
As he spoke, his tone turned playfully teasing: "Ah~ I really miss that address..."
Ming Zheng: "..."
Get lost.
Scram!
After finishing the meal, Chi Xian conscientiously cleared the bowls and chopsticks, washing the pot and dishes.
Once everything was tidily put away.
Ming Zheng grabbed him and unceremoniously tossed him out the door.
"Zheng Bao, discarding someone after using them is the behavior of a渣女 (zhā nǚ - a player/scumbag girl)." Chi Xian blinked his slender, beautiful lashes, his dark, jade-like eyes filled with a puppy-like grievance.
Ming Zheng: "Oh, I am a 渣女."
Chi Xian's dark eyes widened instantly, displaying a look of profound sorrow: "I never expected... you to be this kind of Zheng Bao!"
As his mournful words just fell,
He suddenly hooked his arms.
Wrapping them around the girl's slender waist.
Pressing her against the open doorway.
The man lowered his long, delicate lashes, his beautiful eyes still shimmering with scattered light.
But inexplicably, a certain...
Captivating, low charm was added.
"Zheng Bao."
His slender, jade-like fingers, carelessly, through the fabric of her clothes, caressed Ming Zheng's delicate waist: "But... I am not someone who accepts being treated as a渣女."
A tingling, electric sensation spread from her waist.
Causing her to tremble slightly without control.
As if that wasn't enough, the man grew bolder, lowering his head slightly, his thin lips brushing against her ear.
His low, husky voice, at such close proximity.
Was even more soul-captivating.
"The person from ten years ago was you, and the person ten years from now is still you..."
"The one I love, from beginning to end, is only you."
"Therefore, Zheng Bao cannot be a 渣女."
As his scorching breath fanned down, Ming Zheng's earlobes flushed hot.
That heat was accompanied by a ticklish sensation, like that of feathers.
She felt utterly lost.
She reached out, intending to push the man away: "Can you stop being so cheesy!"
Always saying such clingy things by her ear.
She wanted to push him away.
But the hand encircling her waist tightened its grip.
Keeping her firmly trapped in his embrace.
"Then, am I cheesy, or... is it when Zheng Bao softly called me... Big handsome brother that was cheesy?"
He chuckled lowly.
His voice raspy.
Ming Zheng: "..."
Ahhhh!
Senior brothers, assassinate him.
I absolutely won't stop you!
Is this joke ever going to end?
Ming Zheng couldn't bear to look at her past self.
So she decisively decided to throw Chi Xian out of the house.
At least for the short term, she didn't want to recall this embarrassing memory again!
"It's not embarrassing."
As if sensing Ming Zheng's thoughts, Chi Xian chuckled lowly: "Because it's you, this is my most cherished memory."
His tone was perfectly sincere at first.
But then he shifted: "Actually, I quite like that address."
"If Zheng Bao doesn't mind, in the future... you can call me that."
I mind!
Very much so!
She wasn't the innocent little Ming Zheng of ten years ago anymore.
Now, she was Niu Gulu Ming Zheng!
Ming Zheng's expression remained impassive, her face like wood, she decided to no longer hold back.
She would directly give this clingy person an over-the-shoulder throw and toss him out.
Before she could even act.
She heard a deep, cold, and ominous voice drift over: "What are you two doing?"
As the voice echoed.
Ming Zheng, almost instinctively, pushed him away with all her might.
This time, she managed to push him away easily.
She quickly raised her head, following the sound.
She saw her third senior brother, walking with somber steps, step by step, towards the two of them.
Behind him followed Chi Sanyue, with his eyebrows lowered.
"Third Senior Brother."
Ming Zheng smiled, though countless bullet points flashed through her mind.
-- When did Third Senior Brother arrive?
-- What did Third Senior Brother see?
-- Did Third Senior Brother not see Chi Xian biting her ear and whispering sweet nothings?
-- Most importantly, did Third Senior Brother not hear that phrase "Big handsome brother"?
"After he took you home last night, he stayed over, or... did he just arrive?" Mo Yunheng's sinister eyes fell unpleasantly on Chi Xian.
His little junior sister liked this dog man.
He could tolerate it.
But that didn't mean he would allow any boundaries to be crossed.
His little junior sister was still young.
She hadn't even reached the legal age for marriage.
If Chi Xian dared to act like a beast.
He would absolutely assassinate Chi Xian!
Although Ming Zheng had just considered having her senior brother assassinate Chi Xian.
It didn't mean she actually wanted Chi Xian dead.
Ming Zheng was about to deny it.
But she heard Chi Xian's calm voice reply truthfully: "I stayed over."
As expected.
The next second.
A storm-like aura instantly gathered around Mo Yunheng.