Chapter 5

The phone rang with a clear sound, and as soon as she heard it, she knew it was hers and wanted to get up to find it. He, with his long arms, had already grabbed her bag and handed it to her. She rummaged through it, and the screen displayed "Incoming call from Xing Lifeng, do you want to answer?" She pressed the answer button: "Hello." Xing Lifeng's crisp voice came through: "Are you busy?" She looked up and happened to see his strikingly clear black and white eyes, scrutinizing her as if he were examining her.

She imitated his expression, raising her eyebrows for a long time, and asked with a tone of suspicion: "Is it real or fake?" He laughed, as if amused by her: "You will know once you go."

She stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling glass wall. Below, the cars rushed by, and people hurried along. She said, "Not in a hurry. How about you?" Xing Lifeng chuckled, "Same here. That's why I thought of you!" She smiled as well. "Let's have dinner together tonight; I'll come pick you up." Xing Lifeng was inviting her, and he had already invited her several times this month. She turned her head and saw him leaning on the back of the sofa, motionless, just looking at her. She felt an indescribable emotion in her heart, as if she were doing something wrong to him, and she had already opened her mouth to refuse: "No, maybe another day. I have plans today." She turned her head and saw him leaning on the back of the sofa, motionless, just looking at her. She felt an indescribable emotion in her heart, as if she were doing something wrong to him, and she had already opened her mouth to refuse: "No, maybe another day. I have plans today."

She took a sip of the porridge, confirming its taste and thickness, and said: "Quickly go wash your face, it's time to eat." He leaned on her shoulder and softly uttered an "Oh," as if filled with boundless joy. Only then did he release his hand and return to the bathroom to freshen up

He was coming out of the kitchen, holding two bottles of mineral water in his hands. He casually handed over one of the bottles with the cap already twisted off, and he vaguely heard her seemingly speaking, so he asked, "What?" It was the blue bottle of SAN BENDETTO. She glanced at it and uttered two words: "Corruption!" Having long-term dealings with foreign relations, he had a bit of understanding about this brand. This brand dates back to the Middle Ages and has been the favorite drinking water of European royalty and nobility for centuries. She uttered two words: "Corruption!" Having long-term dealings with foreign relations, he had a bit of understanding about this brand. This brand dates back to the Middle Ages and has been the favorite drinking water of European royalty and nobility for centuries. It is sourced from pure natural spring water found 300 meters below the surface in SCORZE, Italy, and is bottled and packaged in a sterile and pollution-free environment using the most advanced equipment. It is already quite expensive abroad, not to mention the cost of air freight to bring it to the domestic market

The doorbell also joined in the commotion, ringing with a tinkling sound. She glanced up at him. He smiled reassuringly at her, saying, "It’s probably the administrator." Early in the morning, it was likely no one else. She continued to struggle with the porridge in her bowl.

He raised his eyebrows slightly, smiled faintly, tilted his head back to take a few sips, and his actions were undeniably charming. Even drinking water was done with such elegance, it was captivating! She felt an intense sense of imbalance within her and muttered, "At this moment, no one should dare to lecture me about how the world is fair! I would definitely throw the bottle at them."

She casually toured around. The beautiful model room resembled those in decoration magazines, featuring modern design with a predominance of white and deep camel color accents, characterized by clean and crisp lines. Perhaps due to the cleaning done by the housekeeper, it was spotless.

A sudden jolt ran through her heart, and with a smile, she shrugged and said, "Forget it. I wouldn't dare to ruin Young Master Jiang's plans. What if you bring a beautiful woman back? That would be quite inconvenient for me. I wouldn't want to spoil your romantic encounter!" She was not foolish; how could she not know that he had other women besides her? Even if there were no other women, it was absolutely impossible for them to be together. He turned his head slightly, yet did not look at her, his eyes seemingly sparkling with light: "Don't worry, this place is spacious enough, and there are several rooms."

Looking back on it now, I still find it amusing. Holding onto the pillow, I trembled slightly. When he entered the living room, he saw this scene. Leaning down, he asked, "What are you laughing at? It's so funny." His tone remained as calm as ever.

He was in a great mood, laughing heartily: "So what should we do with this big pot?" She stood up: "If we don't eat it, we might as well dump it!" She pretended to grab the pot. He quickly pulled her back: "Alright, I was just joking. Can't I finish it all?" She took advantage of the situation: "Not a single bite can be left. Otherwise, you'll be punished with washing the dishes." He mumbled with the porridge in his mouth, his words unclear: "So annoying. What will we do when we get old?"

Turning her head, she saw his relaxed sleeping face, resembling that of a child. She rarely witnessed this side of him. She vaguely felt that by bringing her here, they had crossed another threshold together. Suddenly, she began to feel restless, an inexplicable restlessness; since she could not fall asleep anyway, she simply got up.

She felt a heaviness in her heart and chose to ignore him. Returning to the living room, she curled up on the sofa, holding the remote control, pressing buttons randomly, yet she could not find a single appealing channel

Perhaps it was due to her unfamiliarity, she woke up early. The strange light, the unfamiliar bed, the unknown ceiling, everything felt foreign. This left her mind blank for a few seconds until she saw him, half-naked, sprawled across most of the bed. It then dawned on her that this was his home. She sat there in a daze, pulled up the bed sheet, wrapped it around herself, and leaned against the edge of the bed, keeping her distance from him. She found herself unable to fall back asleep. Normally, she cherished Sunday mornings the most, feeling that she could indulge in staying in bed without a care, reminiscent of her childhood during winter and summer vacations when her parents wouldn’t come to wake her, allowing her to linger as long as she wished. She sat there in a daze, pulled up the bed sheet, wrapped it around herself, and leaned against the edge of the bed, keeping her distance from him. She found herself unable to fall back asleep. Normally, she cherished Sunday mornings the most, feeling that she could indulge in staying in bed without a care, reminiscent of her childhood during winter and summer vacations when her parents wouldn’t come to wake her, allowing her to linger as long as she wished.

Leaning against the imported Italian sofa, she sighed comfortably: "Living alone in this house is rather too spacious, isn't it? What a waste!" With countless thoughts swirling in her mind, she reflected that an ordinary person would struggle their entire life and still not be able to afford such a house. It seemed she was quite immune to comfort; if she could sit, she would never stand. He remained standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass, not turning his head, and casually remarked: "Otherwise, why don't you live with me? This place should be enough for us."

It was her first time visiting his home, located in a luxurious and prestigious community in the city center, a twenty-eight-story building. Standing in the living room, she gazed out through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, and it felt as if half the city was beneath her feet, truly a world of vibrant colors and bustling life. Although she had never been interested in his career or background, nor had she ever inquired about them, and he had never mentioned them, she couldn't help but stick out her tongue at the sight of such a large living room, especially since he lived there alone: "What a waste!" Although she had never been interested in his career or background, nor had she ever inquired about them, and he had never mentioned them, she couldn't help but stick out her tongue at the sight of such a large living room, especially since he lived there alone: "What a waste!"

By the time he returned, she had already eaten to about 80% full. She set down the bowl and lazily rested her chin on her hand. He smiled and glanced at her bowl: "Is that all it takes to feel full? It looks like a chick pecking at grains." She shot him a sideways glance: "Do you know? This is called contributing to the country and the world. Have you not seen how many people in Africa are still hungry?"

On that day, Shen Xiao Jia was chatting with Xiao Wang: "These Americans, are they going to let us live? They force the RMB to appreciate every day. Are we still going to do import and export? I really don't know why I learned English in the first place? Just to make clothes for those Americans! It's really infuriating!" Xiao Wang sighed in agreement: "Sister Xiao Jia, people used to think that learning a foreign language well would allow them to earn a lot of capitalist money!" Shen Xiao Jia couldn't help but chuckle and said: "Little brat, your idea is quite good. Forget it, I'll give you a suggestion: go date an American girl, straightforward and direct, just like earning capitalist money, and that can also be considered a contribution to the country." This made the entire office burst into laughter.

The light has slightly filtered in, and being autumn, it is not strong, lazily scattering across the floor. Entering the kitchen, I found the pot and took out the chicken soup with ginseng and goji berries, along with rice, that I had prepared yesterday from the refrigerator. I shredded the chicken into strips, turned the heat to low, and carefully simmered the chicken shreds, soup, and rice in the pot. I also took a few eggs and began to fry them slowly. I shredded the chicken into strips, turned the heat to low, and carefully simmered the chicken shreds, soup, and rice in the pot. I also took a few eggs and began to fry them slowly

The two sat in silence, savoring the congee. After being cooked for a long time, the chicken had become tender and melted in the mouth. He ate somewhat ravenously, yet still maintained an air of elegance. The air was filled with a sweet aroma, evoking a sense of warmth.

He glanced at her with a sidelong look, carrying an indescribable nuance: "If you have the chance, you might want to talk to her and ask how she has mastered such skills!" She felt a stir in her heart, an indescribable surprise, yet she still smiled and shook her head: "No need, no need. I am rather slow-witted, and I suppose I have no hope of achieving that in this lifetime!" His expression seemed to darken for a moment, then he raised his head and took a sip of water, remaining silent thereafter

She never deliberately learned to cook; she was too busy during her studies, preoccupied with working to earn money. It was only after she secured a stable job that she began to slowly learn to take care of herself. Whenever she had free time, she would go to the market, buy some ingredients, and cook for herself. In this way, she gradually became skilled at cooking, as if she were a witness to the journey she had taken. Apart from her family, he was the first person to taste the dishes she prepared. Initially, she thought he would be quite picky, but he was not particular about the food she cooked. He generally finished everything she made.

His actions grew increasingly fervent, and she struggled to evade his hands: "Stop it! It's broad daylight!" He had already swept her up in his arms, and they had moved to the bedroom. She had only glanced at it when she was visiting and had quickly turned away, so how had they ended up there so suddenly? Subsequent events proved that she indeed spent more time in the bedroom.

He glanced at the scenery and turned his head, saying: "It's not bad when you take a close look for the first time." As if to explain, he added: "I only stay here occasionally. Not many people know about this place, except for my mom!" She smiled. He continued: "I am Sun Wukong, and my mom is Buddha." She chuckled and laughed out loud: "Impressive!"

It seems that the person who came is not the administrator. She cast a brief glance at a sharply dressed gentleman, who must be his subordinate or someone seeking his favor, and his demeanor was very respectful. Due to the distance and her lack of interest, she did not catch a single word of their conversation. However, she sensed that the man's gaze swept over her several times. She merely sipped her porridge lightly, while thinking to herself, "It seems that my culinary skills have improved a bit!"

She turned her head and looked at the decorative painting on the wall, which surprisingly had a warm style, completely unlike his usual taste! Shrugging her shoulders with a relaxed expression, she said, "So, I guess I should just go back to my own place." Seeing him sit down beside her with a gloomy face, he slowly leaned closer and whispered, "Let me tell you something—I am particular about my bed!" In fact, she was particular about many things: the old, the ancient, the things of the past, always feeling that they were better than the present.

He also woke up, eyes closed, and after feeling around for a long time, he could not find anyone. He put on a nightgown and walked out. The living room was already filled with a rich aroma. His heart warmed, as if in the cold winter, he had seen a warm light in his home. He knew she was in the kitchen. Sure enough, she was standing barefoot in front of the stove, cooking porridge. He gently embraced her from behind, inhaling the faint scent on her body; it might not even be a fragrance, as he had never seen her use perfume. It was simply her natural scent, and as he breathed it in, he felt a profound calmness within, just like the sea that had weathered waves and tsunamis, ultimately finding tranquility. He gently embraced her from behind, inhaling the faint scent on her body; it might not even be a fragrance, as he had never seen her use perfume. It was simply her natural scent, and as he breathed it in, he felt a profound calmness within, just like the sea that had weathered waves and tsunamis, ultimately finding tranquility.

She smiled lightly as she sipped the mineral water: "Oh, let me understand first! Can I bring a friend back?" He turned his head, perhaps due to the sunlight, and his eyes glimmered slightly with interest as he said, "Oh, a male friend?" She looked up, smiling into his gaze: "What do you think? Is it allowed?" He laughed, his beautiful peach blossom eyes squinting into a narrow slit, and spoke slowly, "What do you say?" His tone remained calm and composed, yet the words sounded eerily terrifying. Perhaps due to the sunlight, his eyes glimmered slightly with interest as he said, "Oh, a male friend?" She looked up, smiling into his gaze: "What do you think? Is it allowed?" He laughed, his beautiful peach blossom eyes squinting into a narrow slit, and spoke slowly, "What do you say?" His tone remained calm and composed, yet the words sounded eerily terrifying.

He soon came out, feeling refreshed. He took the porridge from her hands and brought it to the dining table. He eagerly grabbed the chopsticks. In fact, her cooking skills were quite ordinary; after years of tasting the finest delicacies from around the world, he had become quite difficult to please. However, seeing her cook for him, the way she prepared the food, made his heart feel warm, as if a small flame had been placed deep within him, flickering and dancing continuously, filling his entire being with a cozy warmth and a sense of languor

He smiled as he watched her hang up the phone. There was a mutual respect for privacy between them, and they had always refrained from asking too many questions, which had become an unwritten rule. Their relationship had not yet reached the point of needing to explain their whereabouts. His question crossed a boundary. She smiled but did not answer directly, asking, "Is there a problem?" He did not respond, instead coming over to embrace her, playfully nibbling on her delicate neck with varying pressure. It was both painful and ticklish. She pushed him away with force, saying, "Please, I still have to meet people." He skillfully dodged her hand and leaned down towards her lips.

He actually took half a day in the kitchen before coming out. She did not look up and said, "I thought you were inside hatching eggs." She got up and went to the kitchen to tidy things up. Upon entering, she was taken aback; he had already helped her clean everything up. How could he do these things? He probably had never done them before in his life. As she turned around, he was standing behind her, gazing at her steadily, and gently said, "I finished eating and I also washed up." How could he do these things? He probably had never done them before in his life. As she turned around, he was standing behind her, gazing at her steadily, and gently said, "I finished eating and I also washed up."

He let out a cold snort, tossed the bottle in his hand onto the wooden low table, and turned to leave. She was indifferent, turned on the television, and with a 60-70 inch LCD screen, it was a waste not to watch it. Hugging a soft pillow, she lay across the sofa, randomly pressing the remote control, but there were no good channels to watch. In the end, she settled on the Central News Channel, listening to the crisp voice of the female news anchor as she delivered the hourly news word by word. Every day, there were reports of casualties in Iraq, which could take up 1/5 of the news column. In the end, she still settled on the Central News Channel, listening to the crisp voice of the female news anchor as she delivered the hourly news word by word. Every day, there were reports of casualties in Iraq, which could take up 1/5 of the news column. Those Americans, they do nothing good and only commit bad deeds.

She changed her tone and immediately caught a whiff of the fresh scent of his shower; he had evidently just bathed. Pointing casually at the male news anchor on the television, she remarked, "I think he is handsome." "Not a single true word!" he retorted. Nevertheless, he turned his head, stared at the television for a while, then turned back to her, scrutinizing her for a long moment: "There’s something wrong with your eyes, isn’t there? A super handsome guy is standing right in front of you, and you still say that guy on the TV is handsome. You should get a pair of contact lenses! In a few days, I’ll take you to the TV station; I guarantee you’ll be immune to all of this in the future."