In the kitchen, the man was cooking. He was wearing a blue-grey t-shirt and grey shorts, a home loungewear set, and a clean apron. His clean, well-defined hands held a spatula and a spoon. Rice was steaming in the rice cooker, and the faint aroma of rice and dishes wafted through the air.
After showering, he had gotten dressed and even found clothes for Su Yue from the bedroom closet. He had wanted to help her dress, but she refused him with a blush.
So, he had left her in the bedroom and gone to cook first.
Su Yue had already put on her clothes. She sat on the bed, remembering how he had stood behind her and blown on her hair. She couldn't quite figure out what kind of person he was.
He seemed to be quite capable of taking care of people, yet it was difficult to associate him with thoughtfulness.
If he were truly thoughtful, why would he have let her sleep in the mediation room for a night?
Her stomach growled, and she realized she hadn't eaten in a long time. The scent of food drifting from outside was tempting, and after hesitating for a moment, she finally walked out.
Chen Ziming heard the movement and glanced at her. She quickly averted her gaze, not meeting his eyes, afraid of blushing again.
His phone suddenly rang.
"Get the phone for me," he said.
Su Yue complied, taking the phone and placing it beside him. Just as she was about to leave, Chen Ziming said, "Help me unlock it and put it on speaker."
She obediently did as she was told.
"I thought you'd gone missing," a young man's voice sounded from the other end, laced with reproach.
"No, I was on duty last night and catching up on sleep this morning."
"Are you off today? Let's go out for a get-together tonight. Da Xu and Da Luo are free, oh, and Zheng Yan too. We've been saying for ages we should invite her to our gatherings," the other person said with a chuckle. "It's your second year chasing her, and you still haven't given up."
Su Yue stood beside him, not leaving. She thought that perhaps she might need to take the phone away for him later. Upon hearing Zheng Yan's name, her heart skipped a beat. However, she had always disliked female rivalry and disdained fighting over men. Besides, Chen Ziming wasn't her man yet, so even after hearing that, she didn't feel anything.
"I'm not free today, how about tomorrow night?" Chen Ziming said calmly. "And don't call Zheng Yan."
"Not free? You must be tied up with some young lady," the other person said with a mischievous grin. "I heard you finally broke your vow and have a beautiful girl hidden away at home."
Su Yue's expression soured. She didn't like being described as a beautiful girl hidden away at home; it sounded so shallow.
Her ambition was to be a journalist valuable to society, not someone's hidden treasure. She studied diligently and seized every opportunity to improve her skills, precisely because she feared being underestimated.
The prettier a girl was, the more she needed corresponding substance.
She put down the phone and quietly walked away. Seeing this, Chen Ziming said to the person on the phone, "You talk too much. I'm hanging up."
He then freed one hand to end the call.
"Do you want to watch a movie?" Chen Ziming asked as Su Yue ate her food in silence, taking small bites.
"I want to go back to school," she said glumly. She wasn't sure if she truly wanted to return, but she knew she was holding onto resentment.
"Are you angry?" he asked again, stopping his chopsticks and looking at her.
Su Yue remained silent. He then said, "I can have him apologize to you in person. Will that appease you?"
She shook her head. Rather than being angry at the person who said those words, she was angry at herself for why others would think that. It was because the moment she was with him, she had abandoned her principles and let him lead her around.
Normally, people called her a goddess, a top student, sweet yet cool, a rational debater, a killer on the tennis court…
Now she was being called a hidden beautiful girl. The fault lay with herself.
Chen Ziming said nothing more.
After they ate in silence, he made Su Yue a cup of hot cocoa and brewed himself a cup of coffee. Su Yue wanted to say she needed to go back to school, but the words wouldn't come out. She realized deep down, she didn't really want to leave.
"Why are you giving me cocoa? I want coffee too," she said sullenly, sounding like she was picking a fight.