Are You Allergic To Romance? - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Older Sister Trap

Jing Yuan was completely stunned by Xie Mianzhi’s sudden action.

The other party had actually pulled her hand inside her clothes.

Although it was through the fabric, the delicate, thin silk was practically nonexistent.

“You understand what I mean now, right? I wasn’t saying your cold hands were bad, so don’t give me that wronged look, as if I’m bullying you.”

Xie Mianzhi endured the other party’s cold ‘dog paw’ being forced against her body. She considered them even.

But you were bullying me a little.

Jing Yuan silently refuted in her heart, but she couldn’t care less about Xie Mianzhi’s awkward comforting words right now, because all her nerves were captivated by the warmth emanating from the other party.

A vibrant body, a warm sensation, and the vitality of rapidly flowing bl00d vessels beneath the skin.

To her, these were all a seduction.

Very quickly, a portion of the markings within her body surged up her arm and onto the back of her hand. The linear biological entities that aggressively spread out had reached a consensus in that moment.

They also desperately wanted to directly touch this alluring heat source.

So, the next step would be to tear apart the fabric covering Xie Mianzhi and establish direct contact.

So warm… direct touch… is that… okay… it must be okay.

Just as the little entities were about to chew through the other party’s clothes, Jing Yuan abruptly regained her senses and pulled her hand back.

The markings on her arm instantly retreated back into her body. Luckily, the surrounding light was dim, so Xie Mianzhi didn’t notice her momentary strangeness.

However, she couldn’t control the speed at which her face turned red.

What the markings yearned for was an indirect reflection of the dark side of her owner’s heart.

So, it was her thought too.

In that fleeting moment, she had actually wanted to tear off everything the other party was wearing and feel the direct sensation.

“You blush like that just from being touched?” Xie Mianzhi saw the red-faced person suddenly retract her hand and questioned her as if she had discovered a new continent.

This little savior is so innocent! Her face is as red as a ripe, squashed tomato.

Jing Yuan frowned slightly. She opened her mouth but decided not to explain, because she didn’t know how to articulate it.

The desire to directly feel Miss Xie Mianzhi’s body temperature was not something she could voice.

Also, the other party was mocking her again. If it were anyone else, she would have beaten them black and blue.

Anyone else? Isn’t Xie Mianzhi ‘anyone else’?

Jing Yuan couldn’t be bothered to think about it.

She simply stepped into the house with her flushed face, determined to distance herself from Xie Mianzhi.

Perhaps she should take a cold shower to calm down.

“Hey, you’re not going to be happy over a single comment,” Xie Mianzhi saw this and had no choice but to follow. Before going inside, she kindly put Little Golden Bean’s head under the blanket to prevent the duck’s head from catching a cold outside.

“Are you truly unhappy?” Xie Mianzhi wasn’t annoyed by the other party’s ‘silent treatment’ temper. She just found it amusing. Who could blush like that? Even her earlobes were completely red.

Just putting her hand inside her clothes made her this shy?

They’re the same gender, what’s there to be shy about?

However, she, too, seemed to have done this without thinking.

It was true that an unfamiliar person treated this way would feel embarrassed.

And they were indeed… not close.

Her understanding of Jing Yuan was merely superficial. Although she could send people to investigate the other party, she didn’t want to. Jing Yuan’s background, logically speaking, couldn’t be complicated.

Ordinary and plain.

But she just wanted to get to know this person little by little, in her own way. For the first time in her life, she had a desire to get close to someone.

Thinking of this, Xie Mianzhi pursed her lips. What was wrong with her?

“The truth is, I think Miss Xie’s behavior just now was reckless. A normal person wouldn’t do that,” Jing Yuan spoke with feigned seriousness, turning around and stating her viewpoint word by word.

“‘Do that’?” Xie Mianzhi was completely unfazed by the other party’s stiff attitude. She crossed her arms and countered, The nerve of someone a few years younger trying to lecture her.

And calling her ‘Miss Xie’ again.

“Putting my hand inside your clothes. That kind of behavior is not good,” Jing Yuan continued. Her complexion was gradually returning to normal.

Xie Mianzhi nodded. She admitted she was a bit out of the ordinary. “I thought you were upset, and you know, I was trying to comfort you in a hurry. So, are you blaming me now?”

Jing Yuan knew the other party had good intentions, but such kindness could easily lead to disaster.

She had almost lost control just now, torn apart the other party’s scanty clothing, and “eaten” Xie Mianzhi.

And was Xie Mianzhi’s way of comforting people always so overbearing? Shoving someone else’s hand into her clothes?

Did she do this to others too?

Jing Yuan felt very uncomfortable thinking about this.

“Do you always comfort people like that?” Jing Yuan couldn’t help but ask back.

Her answer came in the form of a “fierce” punch.

Xie Mianzhi slapped the shoulder of the Miss Jing, the little savior: “Are you crazy? Who do you think I am? I already told you I was just in a hurry! I did that to soothe your wounded little heart! Do you think anyone’s hand can go inside my clothes? You ungrateful wretch!!”

Jing Yuan was a little bewildered by the sudden attack. Why was the other party snapping at her again?

“I just—”

“Just a heartless person,” Xie Mianzhi answered for her directly. Having spent two days together, she fully knew Jing Yuan was not as quick-witted as she was. “And one more thing: I kindly tried to warm your hand, completely disregarding myself, and yet, someone not only fails to be grateful but turns around and questions whether my behavior was improper. Is this the real-life version of The Farmer and the Viper?!”

So fast! She couldn’t even interject.

Jing Yuan stood with her mouth half-open, listening to the other party’s machine-gun speed. Finally, under Xie Mianzhi’s glare, she could only apologize: “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Mmm… it’s fine. Who told your older sister to be so kind-hearted?”

This Miss Xie, who calls herself ‘older sister,’ is she truly kind-hearted?

“Here, eat slowly,” Jing Yuan didn’t dare to dwell on the string of events. Xie Mianzhi was like a little sea fire dragon constantly confronting her, so she could only follow her mother’s example and use fruit to change the subject.

She had washed some blueberries, as that was the only fruit left in the fridge.

Xie Mianzhi took the plate of blueberries that Jing Yuan had cleaned for her, sat comfortably on the sofa, and picked at them, putting them into her mouth. She only put the tray down when she saw the other party go to the washroom.

Her aggressive demeanor just now was all an act to fool the little Jing Yuan, who was left wide-eyed and bewildered.

Thankfully, the other party was successfully fooled. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to explain why she acted like a lunatic and stuffed the other party’s hand into her clothes.

This idiotic action absolutely must not be known by anyone.

…

In the shower room,

Jing Yuan only began taking off her clothes after locking the door.

She did not turn on the hot water. Cold water was the only thing that could calm her mind and body.

If Xie Mianzhi wasn’t in the living room, she would have gone straight to the bottom of the sea right now.

Under the showerhead, the body, which was favored by God in its creation, began to show black, eerie patterns on the back, neck, and cheeks under the cold water.

Jing Yuan raised her arm and looked at the black markings that had appeared.

A memory flashed in her mind: the sensation of her palm pressing against Xie Mianzhi’s body tonight. For a moment, she thought the feeling was marvelous.

I did that to comfort you, you ungrateful wretch.

Suddenly recalling the other party’s snapping words, Jing Yuan found it amusing.

Xie Mianzhi’s caustic, defensive demeanor when she was trying to excuse herself was indeed comical. She even managed to say “ungrateful wretch” and “The Farmer and the Viper.”

She wasn’t sure who the owner of this house really was anymore.

“She should be leaving tomorrow,” Jing Yuan murmured to herself, letting the cold water pour over her body.

A normal person would find living in her house boring, right?

There were no urban entertainment facilities, it was remote on all sides, and the only advantage was the quiet.

The other party should have left today, but the weather was bad, and Miss Xie Mianzhi said it was unsafe to drive for a long time in the rain. That was understandable since the other party’s home was in Linxi City.

Linxi City… she had been to Linxi once when she was very young.

She remembered a slightly older sister who had helped her in the park back then.

Jing Yuan shook her head, recalling the weather forecast which said the rain might stop tomorrow.

“So, will she leave tomorrow…”

Jing Yuan spoke to herself. She blinked her misted eyes and slowly turned off the shower.

After getting dressed, she walked out of the shower room. Before leaving, she checked the mirror to ensure her condition was normal.

But as she reached the living room, the sight that met her eyes made her footsteps suddenly lighten.

Xie Mianzhi had fallen asleep on the sofa.

The TV was still playing. Jing Yuan quickly walked to the coffee table and picked up the remote control that had clearly fallen onto the carpet after Xie Mianzhi fell asleep.

She glanced at the content being played.

Surprisingly, Xie Mianzhi was watching “Animal World.” In the floating ice area, a group of harp seals with entirely white fur were preparing for their traditional courtship rituals.

They look so fat. They look quite delicious.

This was Jing Yuan’s typical impression of the seals on TV.

It was the nature of a pinnacle predator.

However, Jing Yuan’s deep, dark eyes turned somber as she looked at the sleeping young lady.

Or does Xie Mianzhi like these chubby seals? These weak, shedding little creatures that humans define as “cute” and “adorable.”

Jing Yuan felt a slight displeasure thinking this and decisively turned off the TV.

“Mmm… Jing—”

Suddenly, the sleeping Miss Xie on the sofa mumbled a soft sound. Jing Yuan heard it and immediately reined in her gloomy gaze.

Xie Mianzhi was sleeping soundly, utterly defenseless, with her low-cut nightgown half-open. She was resting on one side, her expression looking quite content.

Jing Yuan only glanced at her before quickly picking up the thin blanket nearby and covering her.

Seeing only Xie Mianzhi’s head visible was much better.

Jing Yuan simply squatted slowly next to the sofa, carefully observing this human.

This human woman who unsettled her.

Xie Mianzhi seemed restless in her sleep. After just a minute, she stretched out her arm, scratching her cheek with a displeased expression.

The force was not small; her face turned red from the scratching.

Jing Yuan saw this and carefully hooked the strands of hair blocking Miss Xie’s face to the side.

That should prevent the itching.

“Jing Yua…” A muffled sound, almost her name, came from the other party’s lips again.

Jing Yuan was curious and leaned her head down, tilting her ear to listen to what small secret the other party was saying.

“Ungrateful… wretch,” Xie Mianzhi’s lips fluttered. She finally said these words with slight anger, and her expression brightened.

Jing Yuan was amused. She hadn’t expected Miss Xie Mianzhi to be so vengeful, calling her an “ungrateful wretch” even in her dreams.

“Who exactly is the ungrateful wretch?” Jing Yuan felt helpless towards this bad-tempered guest. The other party had clearly become the host and was completely unaware of who was kindly accommodating her.

Despite saying this, Jing Yuan still adjusted the living room temperature to a constant setting, ensuring Xie Mianzhi wouldn’t catch a chill during the night. After checking the surroundings for any hazards, she left the living room and went up to the second-floor bedroom.

Ten minutes later, Jing Yuan stared at the dark ceiling, finding that her mind was still occupied with Xie Mianzhi sleeping in the living room.

The other party had such a poor sleeping posture. What if she fell off the sofa—

How could you, Jing Yuan? After all these days together, you actually left me to sleep on the sofa! Look, my arm is bruised. You’ll have to pay for my medical expenses and emotional damages. You can expect a lawyer’s letter from me!!!

This bizarre scene suddenly played out in Jing Yuan’s mind.

To prevent such a malicious incident from occurring, Jing Yuan sat up straight and quickly went downstairs to the living room.

In the darkness, she saw that half of Xie Mianzhi’s body was already off the sofa, with the possibility of falling at any moment.

After thirty seconds of internal struggle, Jing Yuan finally bent down, found what she believed to be a suitable angle, and slowly lifted the other party into her arms.

Xie Mianzhi was not heavy. She could easily carry the other party.

However, this was her first time holding a person, a woman.

A little nervous, her left hand accidentally pressed against the other party’s chest. Fortunately, Xie Mianzhi was fast asleep and didn’t notice.

Even though she had grabbed a ‘sensitive’ area, as long as the person involved didn’t notice, Jing Yuan could maintain her composure as usual.

As long as Miss Xie Mianzhi didn’t open her eyes now, she wouldn’t act like a—

Clumsy, blushing fool.

So, in the dim light, Jing Yuan took a deep breath. After holding Xie Mianzhi completely still for a few minutes, confirming that Xie Mianzhi was truly in a deep sleep and wouldn’t wake up, she carefully moved the hand pressing against the other party’s chest, only supporting her at the waist.

This was safer.

During the walk, Jing Yuan treaded lightly, using the slowest steps of her life to carry Xie Mianzhi up to the second floor, to her guest room.

To avoid the sudden light stimulating the other party’s eyes, she didn’t turn on the lamp.

Her excellent night vision served its purpose at this moment.

Just two steps away, she could complete her mission.

But unfortunately, she stepped on some soft object on the floor—something like an unknown gel-like substance. Before her brain could process it, the strange thing caused her to slip, and she, along with the carried Xie Mianzhi, tumbled forward.

Just as they were about to hit the mattress, Jing Yuan quickly retracted her hands, then rolled and nimbly squatted by the cabinet, maintaining the stillness of a statue.

Miss Xie, please, please don’t wake up.

“Mmm… hmm…”

Soon, Xie Mianzhi, disturbed by the strange, large movement, let out a slight, displeased groan.

Followed by the rustling sound of friction.

Jing Yuan, hiding by the cabinet, didn’t dare to breathe. She was terrified that Xie Mianzhi would wake up and turn on the night light. The scene would be… very bad.

She wouldn’t be able to explain herself.

Jing Yuan could feel a slender arm slowly reaching out towards her. She watched the “danger” approach with wide eyes, her usually sharp and calm mind racing to figure out the next countermeasure.

The best option was to bolt out the door and pretend she was never here.

Fortunately, the hand didn’t turn on the bedside lamp, but instead stretched out lazily, then returned to the center.

The sleeping beauty on the bed seemed to mumble a word of annoyance, then pulled the blanket up, haphazardly wrapping it around herself before contentedly continuing to sleep on her side.

Jing Yuan realized the other party was truly asleep.

She let out a soft sigh of relief. Squatting on the floor, she wiped her forehead. She was actually breaking out in a cold sweat. What was she doing? The rare tension she felt in her life was because of this kind of thing. She was frustrated with herself.

This was her home, after all…

Jing Yuan meditated for a moment, then stood up. In her golden eyes was the sight of Miss Xie Mianzhi’s utterly defenseless and comfortable sleeping posture.

After tucking the blanket around the other party, she picked up the small, mischievous object that had tripped her and gently closed the door.

“Good night.”

…

Jing Yuan’s bedroom light was still on.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t sleepy, but she was curious about the pink, soft gel-like object in her hand, shaped like a plum blossom.

She had never seen it before. This was the item that had tripped her in the guest room.

Jing Yuan considered her knowledge base to be adequate, yet she had no idea what this little thing was.

It must have been brought by Miss Xie Mianzhi.

She pinched it with her fair fingertips. The elasticity was good.

Out of curiosity, she took the tablet from her bedside and searched for what this thing was.

The search results that popped up made her freeze for a moment.

Ultra-Safe Invisible Anti-Exposure Br3ast Petals.

Jing Yuan looked at the description for a long time, meticulously comparing the item in her hand with the picture several times before confirming they were the same.

This thing is applied to the chest. Jing Yuan looked down at her own, and then suddenly realized something.

So thin, so tiny, it could only be applied there… Mmm…

Jing Yuan vaguely understood the protective function of this br3ast petal.

Could it have fallen off accidentally when she was carrying the other party back to the room?

So, Miss Xie Mianzhi was currently wearing one, and not wearing the other.

Should she return it now? Before the other party woke up and noticed.

Should she return it silently, and even put it back in place?

Jing Yuan irritably smoothed her hair and looked up at her ceiling, deep in thought. If she returned it and Xie Mianzhi happened to find out, the explanation would be even more impossible.

In her imagination—

Xie Mianzhi: What are you doing in my room in the middle of the night?

Jing Yuan: Returning your br3ast petal.

Xie Mianzhi: You hypocritical wretch, get ready to receive my lawyer’s letter!!!

Then Xie Mianzhi would call the police: Officer, this is the person.

Jing Yuan shook her head, unwilling to take such a risk. Carrying Xie Mianzhi upstairs to sleep had already been terrifying.

She was acting with good intentions, and it would be too unlucky to end up suffering in silence.

Jing Yuan absolutely could not take this risk.

She could only clean the little object, put it in her drawer, and decide to return it when she found an opportune moment the next day.

However, the word “safe” in the product description was pure fraud. This thing fell off with a light touch. Where was the security?

It would be better to mention it to Xie Mianzhi indirectly. She was absolutely not worried about the other party having an accident in front of others. She was merely giving a reminder as… a friend.

Yes, that’s it.

…

A beautiful morning.

There was the scent of fresh grass outside the window, likely due to the rain that had fallen all night.

However, Xie Mianzhi was currently in no mood to go outside and breathe in the post-rain morning air. She was looking for something—a tiny, extremely crucial object that prevented her sensual nightgown from revealing her contours.

But why couldn’t she find it?

“It should have fallen right here,” Xie Mianzhi muttered to herself.

She had even turned the room upside down but still couldn’t find the damn little thing.

She smoothed the long hair dangling over her face, sighing helplessly. How could it be missing?

She instinctively cupped her left chest. Did she really have to change into a daily bra?

The new bra she brought was beautiful, but it was a bit tight—the kind that would make her feel squeezed to the max—in short, she felt a little breathless wearing it.

Next time, she needed to have a serious “talk” with the store manager. If he couldn’t run a business properly, he should get lost immediately.

Xie Mianzhi’s face was clouded with morning grumpiness. She was very frustrated right now.

After failing to find the small item, she angrily lay on the floor. Fortunately, the floor had been polished clean and tidy by the owner, otherwise, she definitely wouldn’t be crawling around barefoot like a little turtle.

She didn’t even remember how she got upstairs to sleep last night. She only remembered waiting for that person last night, and then she got sleepy.

Her memory was truly terrible.

At this moment,

The person standing by the doorway was quietly observing the woman’s every move inside the room.

Jing Yuan squinted, amusedly watching the person with her butt sticking up, searching for a certain small object. Not surprisingly, it was the one she had put away last night.

She could fully sense the other party’s distress at not finding it.

Was that thing really that important? She had clearly seen regular bras in Xie Mianzhi’s handbag. Furthermore, that object was not safe at all. She didn’t recommend Xie Mianzhi wearing it.

“Do you need my help?”

Suddenly, a faint question came from behind.

“Oh my God, when did you get here?!” Xie Mianzhi immediately stood up like a startled, bristling cat, quickly pulling all her long hair forward to cover herself.

Jing Yuan took in the other party’s panicked expression but honestly replied: “Five minutes ago.”

Xie Mianzhi stared wide-eyed at the neat and proper female homeowner, who was leaning casually against the doorframe of the guest room, sipping a hot drink.

She looked like she was enjoying the show.

But that expressionless, s3x-averse face was so innocent. Damn it. If it were anyone else, she, Xie Mianzhi, would have torn into them.

“You’ve been here for five minutes?” Xie Mianzhi hadn’t noticed the person’s arrival at all. Was she a ghost? She walked without making a sound.

Jing Yuan nodded, then looked at the other party, opening her mouth in confusion: “You seem to be looking for something?”

Xie Mianzhi felt a little embarrassed being stared at by Jing Yuan. She smoothly tidied her messy morning hair, corrected her voice, and shook her head, masking the truth: “No, I’m not.”

“Then why were you crawling just now?” Jing Yuan didn’t expose her but questioned her hesitantly.

“Morning yoga,” Xie Mianzhi answered without thinking. She slowly turned around as if stretching, straightening up her image.

Primarily, she didn’t want Jing Yuan to know she was looking for a rogue br3ast petal; that would invalidate her “morning yoga” lie.

So, the proud Miss Xie added: “And that wasn’t ‘crawling,’ that’s a fixed posture. My private coach says it helps maintain a perfect figure.”

Jing Yuan’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. She thought Miss Xie Mianzhi was very concerned about appearances, but she hadn’t expected it to be this cute. But at the same time, she subtly placed the cleaned little object on the cabinet nearby.

A place where Xie Mianzhi would definitely see it later.

Then she decisively withdrew her hand, lowered her gaze, and returned to being the listener.

Xie Mianzhi was completely unaware of the small movement behind her.

“That’s amazing,” Jing Yuan gave her due credit.

“Naturally,” Xie Mianzhi hummed contentedly after hearing the compliment.

But to get Jing Yuan out of the way, Xie Mianzhi turned and pointed at the hot drink in the other party’s hand.

“That looks delicious,” Xie Mianzhi raised an eyebrow.

“Blueberry milk, freshly made,” Jing Yuan explained. It was her daily morning ritual: 200 ml of fresh milk and 13 blueberries.

“Ah~ Blueberry milk. No wonder your eyes are so pretty. Mmm… could you make one for me later?” Xie Mianzhi quickly suggested. She wanted Jing Yuan to leave quickly so she could search properly for the damn little br3ast petal.

Eyes are so pretty.

Jing Yuan’s heart fluttered slightly at the simple compliment. She pursed her lips shyly and obediently agreed to Xie Mianzhi’s request, then went downstairs to the dining room.

Watching Jing Yuan leave, Xie Mianzhi quickly closed the door. Thank goodness, the little Jing Yuan was finally gone.

Just as she turned, she caught sight of the little darling on the nearby storage cabinet.

She immediately grabbed it and examined it carefully. It was it.

“I looked for so long, and you were here all this time.” Xie Mianzhi finally let out a sigh of relief, feeling lucky that the little innocent Jing Yuan hadn’t seen this thing. Otherwise, her “morning yoga” lie would have been in vain.

The eldest daughter of the Xie family crawling on the floor looking for a br3ast petal first thing in the morning was an embarrassing secret she absolutely could not let a second person know.

…

About twenty minutes later,

After putting on a decent makeup look, Xie Mianzhi gracefully walked down the stairs.

This time, she descended with a perfectly confident stride. She even cupped her chest briefly to ensure everything was perfect.

“Good morning,” Xie Mianzhi said to the female homeowner who was in the kitchen, her back turned to her. Although they had just seen each other, that encounter was a bit awkward.

Jing Yuan turned around and saw that Xie Mianzhi no longer had messy hair but was saying good morning in a ladylike and radiant manner, her every gesture once again full of charm.

For some reason, the image of the other party talking about morning yoga in the room made her want to smile.

She just felt that Miss Xie was both fierce and a little comical.

“Morning,” Jing Yuan replied politely, then adjusted the oven temperature.

180 degrees Celsius, 18 minutes of baking.

Xie Mianzhi then noticed that Jing Yuan was wearing a super pink, fluffy bear apron, which looked strikingly incongruous with her stoic face.

“What are you making?” Xie Mianzhi’s eyes moved to the oven in front of Jing Yuan. Clearly, the oven was being used for the first time today, as the instruction manual was still nearby.

Jing Yuan straightened up after confirming the oven was being used correctly, explaining as she tidied the knives on the counter.

“Tuna cheese crisp toast,” Jing Yuan pronounced stiffly. That’s what the video called it.

“You can make that?” Xie Mianzhi smiled, finding Jing Yuan’s kitchen too clean, as if it had rarely been used.

Jing Yuan looked at Xie Mianzhi’s surprised face and pointed to the tablet next to her, which was playing a cooking show taught by a chef. She was learning and cooking at the same time.

Honestly, although it was her first time making it, it should be a perfect replica.

All the ingredients required in the video—tuna, toast, cheese-mayo, black pepper, etc.—were basically the same, except that the tuna in the video was canned and drained, while her version was freshly caught, cooked, and shredded.

Xie Mianzhi looked at the chef’s show playing on the bar counter, noticing the sound was off.

“If you’re learning to cook, why turn off the sound?” Xie Mianzhi asked, confused. Was Jing Yuan a genius who could follow along just by watching a silent demonstration?

Jing Yuan was momentarily stunned by the question. She didn’t want to explain, but Xie Mianzhi was right next to her, blinking at her inquisitively.

She could only use the opportunity of reaching for the mayonnaise to quietly say: “Because you were still in the guest room.”

“You were considering me?”

“Something like that.”

Xie Mianzhi’s expression of surprise was so profound that even she didn’t realize it. She took a sip of clear water, looking at the dark-haired woman. An odd sense of displeasure rose in her heart, and she couldn’t help but ask curiously: “Jing Yuan, are you this thoughtful towards everyone?”

Jing Yuan didn’t understand why the other party would ask this.

She put the wiped knives into the cupboard, then turned to look at Xie Mianzhi, who was pretending to drink water.

“I don’t quite understand your question,” Jing Yuan said. Was there a problem with her not disturbing Xie Mianzhi?

If Xie Mianzhi didn’t continue to press, she would just dismiss it as a casual remark.

Xie Mianzhi looked at Jing Yuan, who had stopped what she was doing. She didn’t really have the right to ask this question, but she—

“I mean,” Xie Mianzhi mumbled, lowering her gaze, then tightening and loosening the cap of the mineral water bottle. Heaven knows she had drunk a lot of water. She looked at Jing Yuan again. She desperately wanted to know the answer. “I mean, if someone else was staying at your house, also having a special situation like mine, hmm, another woman, would you be this way towards her too?”

“This way…?” Jing Yuan grasped the keyword.

“Providing lodging, making tuna breakfast, and keeping the volume off to avoid disturbing ‘her’.” Rarely, Xie Mianzhi had actually become serious. She even suspected that Jing Yuan had treated others like this before, or maybe an ex-lover, which was why she was so kind and considerate.

Jing Yuan understood after hearing this.

She smiled slightly while wiping the water from her hands.

“Why are you smiling?” Xie Mianzhi saw the other party smile, feeling a faint sense of embarrassment, as if her small secret had been discovered. What did the other party mean by that?

Jing Yuan shook her head. She pursed her lips and explained: “I didn’t expect you to ask that question.”

“Just curious, casual conversation,” Xie Mianzhi tried her best to make her question sound natural.

Like friends who had just met.

Maybe.

“Let’s put it this way: you are the first, and you will be the last.” In short, Xie Mianzhi’s ‘other people’ hypothesis was invalid.

And, was this considered ‘thoughtful’? Jing Yuan was a little confused, but she did indeed mute the video to avoid disturbing Xie Mianzhi.

Besides, she could make it just by watching the tutorial; she didn’t need the external sound.

“What do you mean by ‘the last’?” Xie Mianzhi was puzzled.

“One time of trouble is enough.”

Jing Yuan quietly “slandered” her, but when faced with Xie Mianzhi’s feigned fierce eyes, she immediately corrected herself: “You misheard me.”

Xie Mianzhi understood Jing Yuan’s answer and was instantly in a better mood. If being persistent got her the answer she wanted, then it was fine.

She immediately teased with a smile: “Mmm, well, in return for the breakfast you’re providing, I’ll give you a tip.”

“Miss Xie seems to have said something similar before,” Jing Yuan pretended to frown. She remembered every word Xie Mianzhi had said previously.

Xie Mianzhi scoffed, feeling a subtle annoyance at the other party’s exaggerated use of “Miss Xie.” What, did Jing Yuan think she was all talk?

“Wait here,” Xie Mianzhi said, then hurriedly left the kitchen.

Jing Yuan froze, watching the other party’s swift departure. She thought her joking remark had made the other party angry, and her heart immediately felt chaotic.

She was actually very unaccustomed to communicating with people.

Because of her unique identity and constitution, she didn’t believe anyone would genuinely accept her non-human identity like her mother did and maintain a permanent intimate relationship.

It would be very difficult for her to encounter that.

She knew since childhood that she was different from other human children. Her peers would be afraid, terrified, and scream when they saw her markings. Even when she tried to be friendly, no one seemed willing to be her friend. She was even called a—

‘Monster.’

So, even when she went to school later, she was a loner.

Just as Jing Yuan was staring at the oven, contemplating whether she should proactively explain she was joking or apologize.

Two stacks of banknotes appeared in front of her.

“?”

“A tip. The tip for this breakfast.”

Xie Mianzhi pointed to the banknotes on the bar counter, then raised her eyebrows proudly, looking at the little daze-ball squatting in front of the oven, lost in thought. She nudged the large bills with her fingertip, continuing before the person could speak: “I specifically had my assistant withdraw some cash. New bills. If the card doesn’t work, I need cash, right? Just to prevent any issues when paying someone a tip.”

Jing Yuan hadn’t expected Xie Mianzhi to be serious and could only hastily explain: “I was joking.”

“I took you seriously. Take it,” Xie Mianzhi didn’t want to argue and directly told Jing Yuan to take the money.

“I don’t need it,” Jing Yuan refused to accept.

Xie Mianzhi looked at the person in front of her, who was shyly refusing money, unsure whether to laugh or cry. “I’m not trying to sugar daddy you. It’s just a tip. Why are you hesitating?”

Jing Yuan was about to refuse again, but when Xie Mianzhi uttered such nonsense, she immediately stood up, the black high collar of her top quickly turning red. “How could you say something like that…”

Xie Mianzhi looked at the little savior whose words were clearly getting tangled and tried hard to suppress her smile.

What to do? Teasing someone this innocent was truly fun.

“Or, are you hoping I sugar daddy you?”