Zeng Keqin took the daily necessities to her room, then brought the toiletries to the bathroom.
Looking at the men's toothbrush, towel, and razor placed on the washbasin and in the mirror cabinet, she froze.
Suddenly, the reality hit her: she was really going to share an apartment with a guy.
A strange feeling welled up inside her, but it was more worry. Could two people of opposite sexes really live together peacefully?
And on top of that, this person was Jiang Shiyu.
She remembered their first meeting—he had bleached hair, unruly and arrogant, and he'd treated her with obvious disdain.
Although some things had happened afterward and they'd become friends, her understanding of him was still superficial. What if…
'Bzzzz—'
Suddenly, a loud noise interrupted her thoughts.
Zeng Keqin followed the sound and caught the aroma of beef.
The kitchen door was open. She could hear the sound of chopping on a cutting board, then water running.
Jiang Shiyu stood with his back to the door, wearing an apron tied loosely around his waist. The five earrings on his left ear glinted as he moved.
Smoke began to rise from the pot. He poured a bowl of water in, and oil splattered onto his well-defined forearm.
"Careful!"
She exclaimed.
Jiang Shiyu turned his head, startled. "What are you doing here?"
"I… came to see if you need any help."
He refused without hesitation. "No."
Zeng Keqin turned away sheepishly and went back to her room.
Before long, the rich aroma of braised beef mixed with the sweet and sour scent of tomatoes wafted from the kitchen, tickling her nose.
Her stomach betrayed her with a growl.
She hadn't eaten anything since morning. She was starving.
She endured the hunger and tidied up some more, but the aroma kept drifting over, making it harder and harder. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She put down what she was holding and walked to the kitchen door.
Jiang Shiyu seemed to sense her gaze. He turned around. "What is it now?"
Zeng Keqin pursed her lips. "I wanted to ask—what's the exact address here?"
Jiang Shiyu remained silent. He turned and lowered the heat, took a clay pot from the cabinet, and poured the stewed tomato beef into it.
"The takeout around here isn't clean."
His tone was casual. "I don't want you to get an upset stomach in the middle of the night on your first night here. I made too much food, and I can't finish it alone. Help me bring it out, and we'll eat together."
Zeng Keqin's eyes lit up.
"But let's get one thing straight: you do the dishes."
She looked at the pot of bright red tomato beef, then at the other dishes on the stove, swallowed, and nodded. "No problem."
She walked over, carefully lifted the plate of beef, and placed it on the dining table.
If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would never have imagined that the person who usually wouldn't even spare her a glance was now busy in the kitchen with an apron on, moving so skillfully it looked like he'd done it a hundred times. The stove's flame cast light on his profile, softening his sharp features in that moment.
Zeng Keqin stood at the door, watching him, momentarily lost in thought.