"Oh," Yun Shunan awkwardly handed the knife in her hand to Mu Qi.
"Mu Qi, what would I do without you?" Yun Shunan hugged Mu Qi affectionately, her voice soft and her tone demure.
Mu Qi paused his chopping motion and mumbled, "The yoga instructor can't cook?"
"What?" Yun Shunan hadn't heard clearly and looked up at Mu Qi in confusion.
Mu Qi quickly denied, "Nothing."
Yun Shunan nodded and didn't disturb Mu Qi further, but a inexplicable sourness welled up in her heart. She couldn't help but wonder if Mu Qi's words had something to do with another woman.
"Mu Qi, do you need any help?"
Yun Shunan stood beside Mu Qi, stealing glances at him from time to time.
A man focused on his task was the most handsome, and in Yun Shunan's heart, Mu Qi was even more irresistibly handsome.
Yet, Yun Shunan stood foolishly by, the bitterness in her heart making her constantly try to attract Mu Qi's attention.
"No need."
Mu Qi's hands were steady. The meat and preserved eggs under his knife were perfectly cut, just like the people under Mu Qi's command, never daring to overstep.
In Mu Qi's life, Yun Shunan was the only exception. He would often deliberate repeatedly even before touching her, let alone making demands of her.
Yun Shunan fell silent for a moment, then started talking to Mu Qi again, "I'll go boil water for you."
With that, Yun Shunan didn't wait for Mu Qi's response and immediately took a pot to fill with water.
Seeing Yun Shunan's persistence, Mu Qi said no more.
"Mu Qi, is this enough water?" Yun Shunan, having filled the pot, returned to Mu Qi's side expectantly.
Mu Qi glanced at it, then looked away and continued chopping vegetables, "Too much."
"Oh." Hearing Mu Qi's words, Yun Shunan walked back to the sink and poured out some of the water from the pot.
Yun Shunan returned to Mu Qi's side again, looking up at him with eyes that seemed to hold stars, "Is it okay now?"
Mu Qi moved his lips, but ultimately remained silent. Instead, he put down the knife in his hand and led Yun Shunan to the water tap, holding one of her hands with his own and turning on the faucet with the other.
Mu Qi stood behind Yun Shunan, his unique scent enveloping her.
This provided Yun Shunan with a small measure of satisfaction.
"There, that's enough." Mu Qi soon withdrew his gaze from the water in the pot and turned off the faucet.
Yun Shunan nodded and placed the pot on the stove.
"Then what do I do?" Yun Shunan looked at the buttons on the stove, then looked up at Mu Qi with eyes full of stars.
Mu Qi's hand rested on Yun Shunan's, guiding her to press a few buttons.
"Oh, so that's how it's done."
"Mhm."
Mu Qi released Yun Shunan's hand and returned to the chopping board to cut the preserved eggs.
This time, Yun Shunan didn't disturb Mu Qi, as he soon finished cutting and stopped.
"Mu Qi, how much longer until the water boils?"
Ultimately, Yun Shunan couldn't hold back, and she kept leaning closer to Mu Qi.
The hand Mu Qi was holding twitched slightly, "Soon."
"How soon is soon?"
"About five minutes."
Yun Shunan lacked patience. In less than 30 seconds, she started bothering Mu Qi again.
"Mu Qi, I want to find a way."
"What way?" Mu Qi finally lowered his head to look at Yun Shunan, and the corners of Yun Shunan's mouth couldn't help but curve upwards.
"The way to your heart." Yun Shunan pointed at Mu Qi's heart with her index finger.
Mu Qi looked up, silent, his gaze flickering.
"Mu Qi, do you know the way?"
Mu Qi's Adam's apple bobbed, and he turned his head.
"Is it easy to walk?" Yun Shunan gently stroked Mu Qi's chin twice.
Mu Qi's ears turned completely red, and he said in a weak voice, "Be quiet."
Mu Qi frowned. He knew Yun Shunan had hidden that yoga instructor here, yet with just a few words from her, he was already losing control.
Mu Qi loathed his body's uncontrollable reactions.
Yun Shunan noticed Mu Qi's body temperature rising and she stood on tiptoe, wanting to deepen their interaction.
"The water is boiling." Yun Shunan was unexpectedly pushed away lightly by Mu Qi. Mu Qi walked a bit faster to the pot and put the items from the chopping board into the pot one by one.
Yun Shunan watched Mu Qi's straight back, instinctively feeling that Mu Qi was making a rather hasty retreat.
Yun Shunan pursed her lips, unable to stop her wild thoughts.
Who was Mu Qi guarding his virginity for!
Besides, Mu Qi had already fallen under her spell. How could he still guard himself?
Hmph!
Yun Shunan breathed heavily and walked back and forth in the kitchen a few times before forcing herself to calm down.
Yun Shunan was, after all, demure. Before the meal was ready, she didn't approach Mu Qi again.
It wasn't until Mu Qi finished making the lean meat porridge that Yun Shunan's attention shifted from her troublesome thoughts to something else.
"Mu Qi, eat." This time, Yun Shunan was the first to sit by Mu Qi's side, holding a bowl of porridge in one hand and a spoon in the other, intending to feed Mu Qi herself.
"I can do it myself."
Mu Qi avoided Yun Shunan, his gaze unconsciously falling on the guest room door.
"If I feed you, you can't?" Yun Shunan's expression was quite displeased.
Mu Qi moved his lips. Before he could speak, he was stuffed with porridge by Yun Shunan.
"Eat yourself?
Are you going to starve yourself again?"
That was fine too, after all, she hadn't tried all her methods yet. When the time came, she'd tie Mu Qi's hands to the two sides of the bed, and then he'd have to eat whether he wanted to or not.
Mu Qi frowned, but in the end, he didn't refuse.
After Mu Qi finished the porridge in his bowl, Yun Shunan's stomach growled at the opportune moment.
Yun Shunan returned to her seat, picked up a bowl, and stuffed it into her mouth.
Seeing this, Mu Qi reheated the porridge in the pot for Yun Shunan, then served it and placed it beside her.
After Yun Shunan finished eating, she looked at the two large bowls of rice beside her and thought she couldn't possibly eat that much.
Yun Shunan looked at the two large bowls of lean meat porridge, swallowed her saliva, "Mu Qi, aren't you eating anymore?"
"Mhm, not anymore."
"Right, you can't eat too much at once." As Yun Shunan spoke, her gaze shifted back to the two bowls of lean meat porridge. She reached out her hand as if hesitating and took them to her side.