Chapter 5, Initial Integration

Just after calling out, the door on the left side of the staircase opened, and Liu Xue Ning, still dressed in a snow-white dress, came out with a smile, nodding to Chen Shi Hao: "Thank you, I will go down now, and I will call Sister Ling."

Chen Shihao raised his head apologetically and smiled awkwardly, saying, "I’m sorry, I didn’t think you were bullying me. This is just a habit I had in the past." After saying this, he lowered his head again

Although they know that Chen Shihao is a man, his appearance inevitably leads people to perceive him as a woman. He resembles a delicate beauty, and his shy personality often causes him to blush; moreover, he has a frail physique, which can be said to be atypical for a normal man. It cannot be helped, as Chen Shihao is even weaker than these fragile women. Therefore, his presence does not make them feel the slightest discomfort, nor does it evoke any sense of danger. Perhaps it is for this reason that they agreed to let Chen Shihao move in.

Chen Shihao immediately raised his head upon hearing this, his face already flushed. He was not a fool; he understood that these women must have noticed his situation and devised this plan to allow him to avoid paying so much money while also sparing him from feeling humiliated. After all, this was a way to exempt him from the few hundred yuan he had earned through his work.

Liu Xue Ning interjected, saying: "Yes, I didn't expect your cooking to be even better than mine. I'll have to rely on you from now on." Seeing Liu Xue Ning's smile, Chen Shi Hao, who had feelings for her, was at a loss for how to refuse.

Li Xin immediately said: "Brother, you can't do this. A man should hold his head high and stand tall; how can you shrink back? It seems I need to train you well!" Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Chen Shihao stared blankly at these people who had unilaterally decided their own fate. Before he could say anything, Deng Shuyu took a large stack of household management books and, while speaking, stuffed them one by one into Chen Shihao's arms: "This one is about how to maintain furniture's smoothness, this one is about how to deal with floor stains... Remember! When washing clothes, pay attention to the fabric; different fabrics require different washing methods, so do not wash them indiscriminately! Also, if there is anything we need you to buy, we will inform you in advance, of course, there are some things you do not need to buy! When washing clothes, pay attention to the fabric; different fabrics require different washing methods, so do not wash them indiscriminately! Also, if there is anything we need you to buy, we will inform you in advance, of course, there are some things you do not need to buy..." Deng Shuyu suddenly realized she had let something slip, and her face turned red.

With Li Xin's departure, the women who had finished bathing returned upstairs, leaving Chen Shihao alone in the spacious area on the first floor, busy with his tasks. After mopping the floor, Chen Shihao put away the mop and took out the work schedule to see what he needed to do next. He realized that once he finished washing the clothes, he would have free time to manage as he pleased, so he hurried towards the bathroom. Halfway there, he suddenly remembered that he had not yet taken a shower, so he quickly turned back, exited onto the balcony, and entered his room. He realized that once he finished washing the clothes, he would have free time to manage as he pleased, so he hurried towards the bathroom. Halfway there, he suddenly remembered that he had not yet taken a shower, so he quickly turned back, exited onto the balcony, and entered his room. Of course, the stack of items given to him by Deng Shuyu was also brought inside.

Li Xin sensed the change in Chen Shihao and couldn't help but whisper, "He has changed a bit." Deng Shuyu, without raising her head, replied, "Of course, seeing me in this audacious manner, the sense of oppression caused by my beauty must have disappeared."

Li Xin stood there with his mouth agape, and after a long while, he exclaimed: "I want to retract my previous assessment of your character. I also want to add to your evaluations of being rude, brash, and fierce the descriptors of arrogance, malice, wickedness, and distortion!"

Of course, Chen Shihao immediately realized that he had lost his composure. Before Li Xin could react to why Chen Shihao suddenly seemed dazed, Chen Shihao had already turned back to attend to his own matters

Children in rural areas take on responsibilities early. Chen Shihao's culinary skills are inherited from his mother. Although he does not use high-end ingredients, the flavors he creates have surpassed those of his mother several years ago, and can be considered absolutely top-notch. Therefore, even though this is Chen Shihao's first time preparing high-end cuisine, the essence of cooking lies primarily in the taste; for everything else, he can simply refer to a cookbook.

Upon seeing Chen Shihao enter the living room with his head down, everyone laughed. Li Xin chuckled and said, "Brother, don’t act like a bullied little wife. As long as you speak up, I will help you with the housework." Liu Xueqing also laughed and said, "I can help you with the housework too. But don’t think we are bullying you, because when it’s my turn to take charge, they also just eat their fill and leave me to handle everything. And when others take their turn, I do the same."

Upon hearing Zhou Ling's words, Liu Xue Ning also smiled at Chen Shi Hao and said, "Hehe, it seems I need to take a shower." After saying this, she got up and went upstairs, while Li Xin jumped up and exclaimed, "Ah, time is running out, I need to change clothes for work!" Thus, they all went upstairs, leaving only Deng Shu Yu and Chen Shi Hao.

Li Xin shouted, "Don't hit my face, I still need it to woo my sister!" while glaring and saying, "Xiao Shu! How many times have I told you not to call me Sister Xin? You should call me Qinqin or Good Xin Ge instead!"

Chen Shihao, whose face had turned crimson, gently placed the item in his hand on the table, slightly bowed to them, and was about to turn back to his room. Li Xin, of course, knew what Chen Shihao intended to do, and hurriedly stopped him, exclaiming: "Brother, if you have little spare money, the price can be negotiated. How about one thousand yuan a month? This includes food and accommodation."

So you only just realized it now?" Deng Shuyu glanced at Li Xin, and after a brief exchange of looks, they both quickly broke into laughter. Li Xin had already understood from the earlier conversation that the demeanor Deng Shuyu displayed in public was merely a habit forced upon her over the past decade. Although she longed to change, being in public naturally caused her to revert to her previous expressions, which could also be described as a conditioned reflex.

When Chen Shihao reached the second floor, he discovered that it was a concave area, with two rooms on each side, making a total of five rooms on the second floor, including the one at the bottom. It was then that Chen Shihao realized he did not know which room Zhou Ling and Liu Xueqing were staying in. After hesitating for a moment, he took a deep breath and called out loudly in the corridor: "Miss Zhou Ling, Senior Liu, it's time for dinner"

Chen Shihao, hearing his skills praised incessantly, could only blush and lower his head while picking at his rice. Aside from Chen Shihao himself, no one else had taken more rice, although the dishes on the table had been mostly consumed.

"Fortunately, I once tried to be more authentic in front of everyone. Not only did my friends and family think I was ill, but those bodyguards seemed to go completely mad. Moreover, the presence of the bodyguards can also block many boring individuals and provide me with many people to command at will. Such a good thing, how could I let it disappear? Hmm, I didn't expect the dishes made by that effeminate person to be so delicious," Deng Shuyu said while wrinkling her nose and desperately picking up food.

Hearing this inexplicable remark, Chen Shihao stopped in his tracks and looked at Li Xin with suspicion. Li Xin hurriedly stepped forward, grabbed Chen Shihao's hand, and while pulling him back to the living room, said flatteringly: "Brother, who told you that your cooking is too delicious? After eating your food, I don't even want to eat out anymore. They feel the same way as I do, which is why we decided to let you..."

Chen Shihao did not know that if a tall and strong man were to replace him, regardless of whether he was handsome or even if he were an ordinary man, they would decisively reject him upon their first meeting, after all, they still considered themselves to be delicate women

Once the meal was prepared and arranged again, Liu Xue Ning and Zhou Ling, who had already changed into their pajamas, came downstairs. Before they could settle into their chairs, they were immediately captivated by the beautiful and fragrant dishes before them. They picked up their chopsticks to taste a bite, and all of them looked at Chen Shi Hao with sparkling eyes, before they began to eat heartily, with even Liu Xue Ning abandoning her earlier poised demeanor.

When Chen Shihao had finished cooking, Deng Shuyu had already changed into another outfit and might have taken a shower. Both she and Li Xin were chewing on something. She noticed Chen Shihao looking at her and quickly waved her hand, saying, "Are you done? Hurry and call Ling Jie and Ning Jie down for dinner." After saying this, she ignored Chen Shihao and picked up her chopsticks again to grab a piece of food and put it in her mouth.

First, Chen Shihao saw Zhou Ling take a shirt into the bathroom and leave. Not long after, he saw Liu Xueqing walk into the bathroom with clothes, close the door, and start taking a shower. Soon after, she emerged with a flushed face, holding the clean clothes to hang out to dry. Chen Shihao then realized that it seemed only Liu Xueqing had washed all her clothes to hang out to dry. It appeared that this Liu Xue sister was somewhat shy about asking him to help her with her laundry. Fortunately, he did not have to wash their underwear; otherwise, that would have been quite an embarrassing situation. However, Chen Shihao found it strange that, as a man, he suddenly lived with them, yet they showed no signs of discomfort or awkwardness.

Deng Shuyu was not in the mood to wait for Chen Shihao to lift his head. She grabbed Chen Shihao's hand and stuffed a set of keys, a stack of money, and a notebook into his palm. Without waiting for Chen Shihao to ask, she said: "This is the key to the main door and your room. The money is for this month's household expenses. The notebook is for recording household purchases; everything bought for the family must be documented. It contains the bank account for payments. Next month, when you receive the rent, management fees, and utility bills, deposit the money into this account. Remember to deposit it before the 15th, or there will be a penalty."

Upon hearing this, Chen Shihao, although he did not agree with Li Xin's words, could not help but nod in acknowledgment due to his accommodating nature. Seeing Chen Shihao nod, Li Xin continued, "Hehe, I just mentioned a few characteristics of Xiao Shu that I left out. Let me tell you, although Xiao Shu is inherently kind and considerate, she enjoys playing the role of a fierce woman, and she is quite rude and hot-tempered. However, these traits only emerge in front of acquaintances; in front of outsiders, she presents herself as a gentle, delicate, and demure lady. She even used this facade to win the title of school belle in her middle school."

After Chen Shihao finished packing his luggage, he took his clothes and walked towards the bathroom. However, when he reached the bathroom, he stopped, as a faint fragrance wafted towards him. It was then that he remembered there were three women bathing in this bathroom earlier, and just the thought of it made his face flush. He hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth, and walked in, closing the door behind him

Chen Shihao, upon hearing this, instinctively nodded his head.

It is strange, haven't you always hated being bothered by others? Why do you care so much now about whether the personal guard will disappear

Knowing that he was not being pitied, Chen Shihao's expression improved somewhat, but he still stammered, saying: "However... I also cannot... not pay a single cent..."

Li Xin jokingly remarked, "In fact, this way of yours is more genuine and more likable. Why don't you present yourself like this outside?"

Chen Shihao saw the two of them playing and couldn't help but smile slightly. However, the sharp-eyed Deng Shuyu immediately noticed Chen Shihao's expression and glared at him, saying sternly: "What are you looking at? Haven't you seen beautiful women before? Hurry up and cook your meal!"

Deng Shuyu shouted first, "What are you looking at? Haven't you seen a beautiful woman before?" This made Chen Shihao lower his head. Then, clearing his throat, he took out a notebook and began to read: "Listen carefully, after our earlier discussion, changes have been made to the contract. You are not allowed to raise any objections to the revised contract and must comply unconditionally!"

Deng Shuyu, who had been watching Chen Shihao, snorted coldly: "Like a woman! Don't think we raise you for free; we are paying you to be our servant! Hmph! You can cook even better than a woman, you sissy!" The last sentence was said a bit more quietly.

Suddenly, a cold snort came from behind: "Well, you little brat, you actually talk bad about me behind my back. Just wait, I’ll teach you a lesson!" Upon hearing this, Chen Shihao turned around and saw Deng Shuyu holding clothes in one hand and shaking her small, fair fist in the other, menacingly approaching Li Xin.

As Li Xinyi stepped out of the bathroom and had only taken a couple of steps, she caught a whiff of a delicious aroma. She hurried over to the dining table and saw several dishes that were not only colorful but also fragrant. She quickly picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. Upon tasting it, she couldn't help but let out a satisfied "mm" and exclaimed in surprise: "Wow, brother, your cooking is exquisite! It tastes much better than the food at restaurants; you are simply a top-notch chef!"

Deng Shuyu ignored Chen Shihao and continued, "As Chen Shihao is the only male in the family, adhering to the principle of a man standing tall, we are now making changes to the contract. Except for the first and second clauses previously mentioned, the third clause is amended to exempt him from rotating duties, making Chen Shihao solely responsible for all daily household chores, including cleaning, cooking, and washing everyone's clothes except for our underwear. He will also be responsible for paying various external expenses. Of course, to avoid being accused of labor exploitation by certain individuals, we have decided to exempt Chen Shihao from all rent. After reading the new contract, Chen Shihao shall have no right to appeal, resist, or refuse; he must comply unconditionally!"

Chen Shihao opened the rattan suitcase, and inside, apart from two sets of changeable clothes, there were only books. Chen Shihao did not open the wardrobe, as one of the sets was dirty clothes he had changed out of during the day, and the other set would need to be changed again after his shower. He first took the books out one by one and placed them on the desk, at which point it became evident that these books were all high school textbooks. These books were neither purchased by Chen Shihao nor borrowed; they were forcibly given to him by others. He first took the books out one by one and placed them on the desk, at which point it became evident that these books were all high school textbooks. These books were neither purchased by Chen Shihao nor borrowed; they were forcibly given to him by others. These individuals were his various subject teachers from middle school, and it was easy to understand that upon encountering a student with excellent grades and a talent for literature, the teachers would naturally take special care of him.

Deng Shuyu clapped her hands and exclaimed: "Fixed price! The rent of 300 per month will remain, but with an additional condition: whenever others need assistance, regardless of what you, Chen Shihao, are doing, you must unconditionally lend your full support!" Chen Shihao wanted to say something more, but Zhou Ling, as the elder sister, stood up and smiled at Chen Shihao, saying: "It's settled then. I will go upstairs to get the clothes I changed out of, and I would appreciate it if you could help me wash them." With that, she stood up and went upstairs.

Chen Shihao could not continue his words, as he was stunned by the scene before him. Li Xin, just out of the shower, exuded a faint fragrance, her face flushed from the steam, and her lips were irresistibly luscious. With her eyes slightly squinted, she revealed a smile that was absolutely captivating. The thin nightgown she wore accentuated her alluring figure. At that moment, there was not a trace of masculinity in Li Xin; she was entirely a stunningly beautiful woman.

Chen Shihao turned around apologetically and said, "It's nothing, I just made it casually following a cookbook..." Although Chen Shihao had never eaten any high-end dishes, his mother, for some unknown reason, was able to transform ordinary rural dishes into exceptionally delicious flavors, which was well-known throughout the village. For both joyous and solemn occasions, the villagers would seek his mother to be the head chef. Considering that chefs are generally male, one can imagine how remarkable his mother's culinary skills were.

After dinner, everyone chatted and watched television in the living room, huddled together whispering, unsure of what to say, occasionally stealing glances at Chen Shihao, who was busy tidying up the dishes and cleaning the kitchen. When Chen Shihao finished his tasks in the kitchen and had just taken off his apron, Deng Shuyu called out, "Chen Shihao, come here for a moment"

Chen Shihao still foolishly wanted to ask what things he did not need to buy himself, but he did not voice the question, and Deng Shuyu had already run upstairs. This left Chen Shihao with only his doubts, lamenting his fate of yielding under pressure, and he began to clean according to the schedule on the work sheet

As the shower sprayed water over her from head to toe, Li Xin looked at her impressive figure reflected in the mirror. She couldn't help but painfully clutch her chest with both hands, a hoarse and deep voice escaping her lips: "Why am I a woman..." With her head lowered, she suddenly recalled Chen Shihao's words, and her initially sorrowful expression softened, a hint of an enchanting smile appearing at the corners of her mouth: "Hehe, I didn't expect this guy to be so caring." However, her smile quickly transformed into a look of desolation, and she sighed: "Sigh... how long has it been since anyone cared about me?..." After a long while, she shook her head and turned off the water heater.

Chen Shihao is very clear about his situation; it is impossible for him to pay 700 yuan every month. However, is it really acceptable to simply do household chores in exchange for waiving this 700 yuan? Can he enjoy such a good living environment without spending a single cent? Although household chores are not a big deal for him—he did much more and harder chores every day back at home—can he accept such obvious assistance? Chen Shihao knows that his self-esteem does not allow it; he would rather be homeless and drenched in the rain than accept such charity. Although household chores are not a big deal for him—he did much more and harder chores every day back at home—can he accept such obvious assistance? Chen Shihao knows that his self-esteem does not allow it; he would rather be homeless and drenched in the rain than accept such charity

Chen Shihao, frightened, hurriedly turned back to attend to his own matters. There was no other choice; with his character of not daring to retort, Chen Shihao could only be subjugated by others

Please, one must wear a mask when outside and in public places. Besides, I look quite elegant as a lady, and I have become accustomed to it after being forced for so many years. Moreover, if I were to behave like this in public, wouldn't my personal guard disappear?

Although Chen Shihao knew that his current state was indeed inadequate, his inherently shy nature made it uncomfortable for him to lift his head and meet the gaze of others, always feeling uneasy in his heart

Seeing Chen Shihao's gestures that concealed his emotions, even a fool could understand why he had been momentarily stunned earlier. Li Xin took a look at herself and couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh, but she quickly put on a smile, pulled out a chair to sit down, and picked up the bottle of beer, drinking while saying: "Brother, I really didn't expect you to be so capable, being able to cook according to a gourmet book. I have never eaten dishes better than what you make." As she spoke, she sneakily took a bite of the dish and continued: "By the way, do you think Xiao Shu is very rude and fierce? In fact, she is very kind-hearted and considerate."

Chen Shihao nodded while looking at the work schedule. He was already aware that there was no lunch break here, so he did not react much. However, upon hearing that Li Xin was working the night shift, he couldn't help but look at Li Xin with curiosity. Li Xin smiled and said, "I work as a bartender at a bar; when I have time, I'll treat you to a drink."

Chen Shihao, with a flushed face, hurriedly lowered his head and quickly descended the stairs. As soon as he arrived, he was instructed by Deng Shuyu to arrange the chairs and set the tableware for everyone. Just after he had finished setting the tableware, he was asked to start serving the rice.

Deng Shuyu finished speaking and handed over another note, saying: "This is your daily work schedule. In the morning, you need to wake up early to go to the market to buy food. Since we prefer fresh food, you only need to purchase enough for one day. There is a supermarket downstairs, so you don't have to walk too far. We are not accustomed to eating breakfast outside; although we leave at nine in the morning, Ling Jie has to start work an hour earlier, so you need to have breakfast ready by 8 o'clock. At the same time, you also need to prepare our lunch, which is bento. Because our city operates on a nine-to-five schedule, there is no lunch break, so everyone brings their own bento. Dinner can be a bit later, but not after 8 o'clock, as Xin Jie works the night shift."

Before Chen Shihao could respond, Deng Shuyu exclaimed: "Listen carefully! After dinner, you will be responsible for cleaning and washing the clothes. Of course, you can also wake up early in the morning to do it, but the requirement is that you must clean once a day to keep the house tidy. As for the clothes, there's no need to mention it; they must be washed every day!"

Seeing her so engrossed in eating that she forgot her earlier warning to herself not to go upstairs, Chen Shihao smiled. For some reason, seeing Deng Shuyu so carefree gave Chen Shihao a sudden sense of familiarity, as his own sister often behaved in a similarly unconcerned manner regarding etiquette. This familiar feeling caused the discomfort that had arisen in Chen Shihao's heart due to Deng Shuyu's beauty to finally dissipate. Unlike before, when he had hesitated, Chen Shihao now nodded with a smile and walked up the stairs.

Li Xin said with a hint of surprise: "Yeah, how do you know this so well?"

Deng Shuyu continued, "I have seen many people like this."

Chen Shihao nodded slightly, then suddenly raised his head in surprise to look at Deng Shuyu. No wonder Chen Shihao was so astonished, because according to what Deng Shuyu said, wasn't he supposed to take care of all the household chores? Wasn't it said to be on a rotating basis?