Chapter 10

In this apartment type, the structure of odd-numbered floors differs from that of even-numbered floors. The living room does not have a balcony, while the master bedroom does. During the renovation, she enclosed the balcony of the master bedroom and placed a single sofa with a footrest in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. When the sun is shining, she enjoys sitting here to read.

Aren't you used to Western cuisine? In the past, when we dined together, you always chose Chinese restaurants. However, you do like Japanese cuisine as well

Shen Lai's house is not large, consisting of two bedrooms and one living room. The basic layout is clear at a glance, with the kitchen and dining area located right at the entrance. Zhou took a quick glance and noticed the soup pot on the table, turning his head in surprise to look at Shen Lai, "Did you cook this?"

"Who is it?" Shen Lai walked to the door, and although her hand had already reached the doorknob, she was still waiting for the person outside to respond. It is never excessive for a single woman to be cautious.

Zhou did not know why he had come; he only realized that the car had already arrived outside the community where Shen lived.

Shen Lai was extremely frustrated; this pot of soup was prepared for both lunch and dinner. Now, it seems she will have to order takeout for dinner again

On the weekend, Zhou Ji smoked a cigarette outside Shen Lai's residential complex. After finishing the cigarette, he got out of the car and walked towards the apartment building where she lived. Before coming, he had called Shen Lai twice, but she did not answer. It was unclear whether she did not hear the calls or if it was intentional, but Zhou Ji suspected it was the latter

Since Zhou felt that his visit was for Shen's benefit, he confidently took a step forward

Green Source is not a charitable organization; if designers want to stand out, they must actively pursue projects themselves, otherwise they will only receive a fixed salary

Although Zhou Ji was outside, which made Shen feel somewhat unsettled, it was precisely for this reason that she felt compelled to read, in order to demonstrate that she was completely unconcerned about Zhou Ji

Zhou Jiyang raised his eyebrows, and indeed did not speak again, burying himself in several large bowls of food

Shen Lai looked out through the cat's eye and indeed it was Zhou Ji.

"What are you here for?" Shen opened the door and blocked the entrance, clearly not intending to let Zhou Ji in

No one responded inside, Zhou turned the handle and found that it was not locked, so he opened the door and walked in

Seeing Shen in this state, Zhou also realized that she was not receptive to his words. He then rolled up his sleeves and said, "Since it is a meal you prepared, I feel embarrassed to eat it for free. How about I wash the dishes instead?"

Shen Lai also wanted to take a shower, but the only bathroom was occupied by Zhou Ji. She had no choice but to wrap herself in a bathrobe, walk to the kitchen, and pour herself a glass of cold water, adding a few ice cubes.

However, the current economic situation is tight, and wages must be used to repay her mother's debts, so Shen can only refrain from buying imported mineral water to drink

Shen Lai's eyelashes fluttered as she tried hard to awaken from her dream. Upon opening her eyes, she saw Zhou Ji, who was beside her.

Shen Laigang had just placed the clay pot on the table and taken a bowl and chopsticks for herself when she heard a knock at the door. She hesitated for a moment, unable to guess who would come knocking at this hour

Although the divorce was tumultuous, one must remember that a night as husband and wife brings a hundred days of affection. At thirty years old, Shen Lai still wears an innocent expression, believing that talent alone suffices in this world. Ending the studio and taking a job can be seen as a choice, but if Shen Lai thinks this will allow him to avoid project solicitations, he is truly foolish and naive.

Shen Lai is wearing loungewear at home, but she has always loved beauty, so even her loungewear is not compromising. On her upper body, she wears a gray-blue oversized sweater, which has such a wide neckline that it exposes half of her shoulder and collarbone.

"Shen Lai, let us have a talk," Zhou said, patting the space beside the sofa.

Shen Lai still does not like cooking. Today, he feels that the sunshine is pleasant, and next Monday he will officially start working at a new unit. With everything bustling back to life, it is only now that Shen Lai has the thought of cooking.

It is I, Zhou Ji. Zhou Ji actually came here just to try his luck, not expecting Shen to really be at home, but upon hearing someone respond from inside, his mood instantly brightened.

Shen Lai moved her neck slightly; she had a dream, as if she were in her twenties again, when she had just married Zhou Jigang. He returned from a business trip and, regardless of whether she was asleep or awake, he came over to her, as the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Are you eating? I was actually thinking of inviting you out to eat. Zhou took a breath of the fragrant soup in the air

After Zhou finished washing the dishes, he also wiped the water from the bowls with a towel. Only then did he put down his sleeves and gently knock on Shen's door.

He and Shen Lai had not sat quietly together for a long time, and Zhou Ji sat on the footrest, almost greedily gazing at Shen Lai's sleeping face

Zhou first served himself a bowl of soup and then said: "Shen, when we were getting married, I didn't even get to drink a sip of the water you boiled, let alone eat the meals you prepared. I never expected that now I would have such good fortune."

When Zhou knocked on the door, Shen Lai was just about to have a meal

What is referred to as cooking is, in fact, merely the purchase of a pork bone, the addition of two tomatoes, and the simmering of a pot of soup. Once the soup is ready, I casually added some kelp, yam, bamboo fungus, and vermicelli, resulting in a hodgepodge, aptly named soup pot

Shen Laiyang raised her eyebrows, so are you saying that it was her fault for the family buying the water purifier and water dispenser back then? As a result, he never got to drink the boiled water she made?

Uncertain whether it was the post-meal drowsiness, the pleasant sunlight, or the hypnotic effect of the book in hand, Shen originally intended to just doze for a moment, but unexpectedly found himself asleep

Shen Lai furrowed his brows and said, "Zhou Ji, what exactly are you here for?"

Zhou then brought out the dipping sauce and sat back down at the table, greeting Shen as if he were the host: "Please, have a seat. Aren't you going to eat?"

If Shen Lai did not want to collide chest to chest with Zhou Ji, he could only take a step aside

Shen came to his senses from a semi-faint state, softly lifted his leg to push Zhou Ji aside, and raised his hand as if to slap Zhou Ji.

The sunlight cast upon Shen Lai's face, warming even the fine hairs on her skin. There was no cold expression, nor any harsh words; when she slept, she could undoubtedly be considered an angel. A favored child of God, she was very beautiful

Sometimes it is not only the moon that causes trouble; the warm colors of the winter sun can also lead to mischief. Zhou could not help but lean down towards Shen and gently kiss the corner of her lips

It was only then that Shen suddenly remembered that she seemed to have already divorced Zhou Ji. She absolutely could not weakly reminisce about those past events. Even though there had once been beauty, it had all been tainted by betrayal later on

Zhou had already taken a seat in front of Shen's bowl and chopsticks, picked up the chopsticks, and tried a piece of yam, saying, "It's quite fresh, but it lacks a dipping sauce"

When Zhou came out of the bedroom, he had already returned to his normal appearance. He poured himself a glass of ice water, took a sip, and looked warily at Shen Lai, who was watching him from across the kitchen island.

Beneath the oversized sweater lies a long, ash-gray skirt that reaches the ankles, adorned with tulle, exuding an ethereal quality while also appearing quite subdued

"I know what you want to say, but I will not take on your project. My studio has already closed, and I have found new work. Therefore, there is nothing more for us to discuss. You should leave early, Mr. Zhou," Shen said sarcastically, with his hands in his pockets.

Shen Lai originally intended to refuse, but she was most averse to washing dishes, which was why she seldom cooked. Seeing Zhou Ji take the initiative to volunteer, she thought it was only right for him to wash, and thus she pouted and said, "If you like washing, then go ahead." After saying this, Shen Lai turned and entered her bedroom, poking her head out to add, "Remember to wash the pot, tidy up the kitchen, and clean the range hood as well." Zhou Ji, eager to be of service, left Shen Lai with no reason to deny him.

Zhou walked into the kitchen, completely disregarding his status as a guest, and began searching for a plate to dip in water. Then he poked his head out of the kitchen and asked, "Why is there no rice in the rice cooker?"

"When I was studying abroad," Shen said淡淡地.

Given that Shen Lai observed Zhou Ji in such a manner, it was likely that he could not be driven away. She could indeed issue an eviction order with firmness and drag him out, but that would inevitably lead to a struggle, which she was unwilling to do. Furthermore, seeing Zhou Ji enjoying his meal so much, nearly consuming all of her food for the day, Shen Lai had no choice but to take out another set of bowls and chopsticks to begin "competing" for her meal.

Zhou Jiqi actually has low expectations of Shen Lai; he does not hope for her to prepare breakfast every day like Guo Xiaoyin, with various styles. However, he would be satisfied if she could occasionally cook a pot of soup.

Shen laid down his chopsticks in annoyance, "Can you please stop talking? You're just like a fly."

"I am on a diet," Shen said irritably. It is not easy for a thirty-year-old woman to maintain a hot figure. Although she does not intentionally eat less, she generally tries to avoid rice and pasta, which are sources of carbohydrates.

Shen Lai, left in a daze, glared at the bathroom door. If anyone had the right to be angry, it should have been her, the one who was taken advantage of. What on earth was Zhou Ji getting so worked up about?

Zhou Ji grasped Shen Lai's wrist, flinging her hand aside, and went directly to the bathroom

Zhou took the initiative to serve Shen a bowl of soup, "When did you learn to make soup?"

For some reason, Zhou suddenly recalled the moment he first met Shen. At that time, he had a girlfriend who was pursuing her master's degree at University A. He went to pick her up for dinner, but unexpectedly saw her leaning out from the balcony of Shen's dormitory building.

After finishing the meal, Shen looked at Zhou Ji and said, "Alright, the meal is done, the wish is fulfilled, you can finally leave, right?" Shen was cursing Zhou Ji with this remark

Shen Lai's head was tilted against the back of the single sofa, her hand resting on the armrest, and the book in her hand had already fallen to the floor. Zhou Ji walked over and picked it up for her

A woman's sensuality often does not stem from her characteristic organs; rather, it is the delicate collarbone and slender shoulders that, when combined, become utterly captivating. Moreover, Zhou has always believed that women wearing off-shoulder clothing are particularly alluring

Zhou smiled, but her thoughts turned to Shen Lai. Since she had come to work at Luyuan, did that mean her studio was finished? Calculating the time, the month he promised Shen Lai was almost up. It seemed that Shen Lai had not changed at all in her temperament despite studying for several years.

She actually rarely cooks. When she was abroad, she got tired of Western cuisine and then learned to make some porridge and soup. After returning to the country, she has been busy with work and running projects, and it has been a long time since she last cooked. Even drinking water is done with mineral water, as she is too lazy to boil water

Shen Lai sat down opposite Zhou Ji with his arms crossed, somewhat angrily saying: "Zhou Ji!" This person truly has the same thick skin as he did decades ago.