The moment the news came out, the number of online users in Chi Ting's live stream of the Love Apartment instance continued to soar.
Soon, it doubled from the previous 500 or so. If one did incomplete statistics, they would find that almost all of them came to see how newcomers died in this desperate instance.
It wasn't known how many emotionally complicated eyes fell on Chi Ting when he appeared at the door of Room 1203 wearing casual clothes and carrying two bags of ingredients.
The sunlight outside leaked in through the small window on the wall, casting a soft halo on his body. If it wasn't for the dangerous background of the environment, any angle would be enough to call it a rather warm and beautiful picture.
In the next second, the door of Room 1203 was pushed open from the inside. Chi Ting looked up and saw Yue Ren with one hand against the door. He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses with his other hand and smiled as he made a gesture of invitation. "Welcome."
As he entered through the door, Chi Ting raised his eyes and glanced at the other person. He inexplicably confirmed that this man's glasses had no real function and were purely for decoration.
Chi Ting entered and casually put the ingredients in his hand on the dining table. He quickly looked around.
He had been to Room 1201 where the female model lived. It could be said that it was a different style from his home.
In comparison, the layout of Room 1203 was different, but it had a very similar decoration style to his place.
"How about it? Do you like the design of my home?" From the moment he entered through the door, Yue Ren had been paying attention to Chi Ting's actions. This type of gaze was like an invisible hand that touched every inch of Chi Ting's skin from top to bottom in an instant.
It was like appreciating something he could play with at any time.
Chi Ting stopped observing and turned to look over. "It is very good."
He paused before pointing to the bag on the dining table. "I didn't have any suitable gifts for the first visit. If you haven't eaten lunch yet, do you want to eat together?"
The corners of Yue Ren's mouth curved up with interest. "You want to cook for me yourself?"
Chi Ting stopped and watched as a virtual panel appeared in front of him.
[Task Name: Love lunch.]
[Task introduction: Yue Ren, who stays up late and works overtime all year round, is a distressed corporate drone. He rarely has the opportunity to go out to socialize. He finally has a day off. Are you willing to cook a loving lunch for him?
Task reward: Yue Ren's favorability +100.
Hidden effect: Unknown (???).
Do you want to accept the mission? Yes or no.]
Chi Ting hadn't expected that the trigger of this task would be quite humane. In other words, the internal program probably had some malfunctions.
The name of the task was called 'Love Lunch.' This corporate drone not only felt distressed but also had social fear? The system's perception of the NPC's attributes was inevitably too biased.
Seeing that the favorability reward was very generous, Chi Ting chose to accept it without hesitation. He showed a smile like a spring breeze toward Yue Ren. "Of course. I just need to borrow your kitchen."
Yue Ren made a gesture of invitation.
The kitchen of Room 1203 had an open layout.
Yue Ren sat down on the sofa in the living room and raised his eyes slightly. The figure being busy in the kitchen was in full view.
A light breeze blew in through the window frame, allowing the sunlight that leaked in to dance on the ground.
The aroma of food gradually permeated every corner of the room. The cook occasionally seemed a bit busy. The movement made the man on the sofa always look up.
From the pictures in the live stream room, every frame seemed to be trying its best to exude the best appearance of life. In contrast to that was the suffocation that those in the barrage felt.
[Cooking! He actually ran to cook for an NPC! What type of good wife or good mother is this? I'm really crying to death!]
[I know you want to cry, but don't cry yet. He will cry first later.]
[It is done. I know that guy can't wait to do it!]
[Look up! The meal is being cooked too seriously! I beg you, look up quickly!]
As the barrage was scrolling wildly, through the live stream screen, one could see that the shadow under Yue Ren's feet had quietly elongated into a very distorted arc at some point. It covered the sunlight leaking in through the window. Like a sticky, poisonous snake, it spread toward the feet of the man in the kitchen bit by bit.
Every flutter of the curtain was like a very dangerous signal. The hunter was showing his fangs silently, and the prey he was eyeing was still indulging in a gourmet world without realizing it.
It had to be said that Chi Ting's preoccupied appearance was indeed very confusing. His half-length hair was tied into a casual bun behind his head. The chain hanging from the choker around his neck swayed rhythmically with his every movement. The warm fire and smoke from the kitchen enveloped him and seemed to isolate him in his own world.
But at this moment, this world was being intruded on abruptly by an outsider.
[It is over. He is really entangled this time!]
As the overwhelming barrage filled the screen, the 'poisonous snake' on the group finally flicked its tongue at the shadow under Chi Ting's feet.
Chi Ting looked down and saw countless tentacles spreading out from the long and narrow shadow in an instant, tightly intertwining around its prey.
At this moment, he could feel a distinct, sticky feeling rising all the way up the soles of his feet and spread all over his body.
He was completely imprisoned by an invisible force.
Like his shadow, he was touched. There was a distinct and strong sense of touch.
The water in the pot started to boil after reaching the right temperature. The sound of gurgling water was the only thing heard in the silence.
Soon, Chi Ting put away his slightly surprised expression and raised his eyes. "Is this a bit of fun between neighbors?"
"Of course, you can think so." Yue Ren had changed to a relatively comfortable position and leaned back on the sofa. He looked somewhat disappointed by Chi Ting's reaction.
In addition to the night before, this was the second time he failed to capture any panic from this person.
He stared straight at Chi Ting, and the disappointment on his face gradually changed to curiosity. "Getting to know each other is the first step to enhance the relationship between neighbors. Right now, I want to know what can make you feel afraid, Mr. Chi."
As he spoke, the shadow under Chi Ting's foot slowly climbed upward.
Invisible tentacles brushed the side of his face. There was a pinprick-like pain, and a small wound appeared on Chi Ting's face without warning.
The seeping blood was picked up by Yue Ren's finger. It seemed to be sent to his mouth like he was drinking tea. He licked it up bit by bit, and the vermilion color made his lips redder. Every expression seemed to prove that he really wanted to find the answer in his heart. "…Pain or something else?"
The wound left by the shadow was as thin as a butterfly's wing. In Chi Ting's peripheral vision, the area that was still bleeding a moment ago had already started to scab.
Under such circumstances, he even thought about it very seriously. "I am actually very curious about this question. To be honest, I haven't felt this emotion that you mentioned for a long time. It is probably related to my work attributes."
Yue Ren wondered, "Work attributes?"
"This topic will probably be unclear for a while. Perhaps we can find time to discuss it another day."
Yue Ren tilted his head rather playfully. "Another day?"
"Because now really isn't the right time." Chi Ting gestured to the water in the pot that had completely boiled. "Food is the most important thing for people. Every ingredient needs to go through many complicated processes to become delicious food. If the final taste is affected by missing the best cooking time, it is indeed a waste."
A string of ellipses filled the live stream room.
What type of lines were these? If they didn't know anything, they would've thought they entered a food channel!
However, after a short silence, Yue Ren really laughed. "Are you sure you will come to me again another day?"
Chi Ting smiled. "Of course, I am sure."
Yue Ren raised an eyebrow. After a clear snap of his fingers, the oppressive atmosphere around him disappeared along with the shadow that withdrew in an instant.
The audience: ???
Was this okay?!
Chi Ting got back the best cooking time as he wanted. He started to move on to the next step in an orderly manner.
During this period, he could feel Yue Ren slowly walking behind him. Within a few steps, the sight behind him clearly became tactile within a short distance.
"If the food you cook doesn't meet my expectations, what are you going to do?" From the tone of his voice, the corporate drone and system-certified social fear neighbor seemed very curious about this issue.
The movements of Chi Ting's hands didn't stop. The other person glanced meaningfully at the red stone on his chest. "Of course, there are other ways."
"Oh?" Yue Ren's words were like silk. "What method? How about it? Let me see it now."
Seeing that this person was obviously aroused again, Chi Ting stepped forward and to the side just in time to firmly hold the shadow that was eager to try again.
He looked back and told Yue Ren in a soft, coaxing tone, "I said another day, and it must be another day. Moreover, eating my meal will definitely make you feel happy."
Their eyes met in mid-air. Finally, Yue Ren took back the shadow tentacles that had climbed to Chi Ting's side again and muttered lazily, "If I am in a happy mood… Perhaps, I can indeed take a longer annual leave."
Chi Ting was noncommittal. He touched Yue Ren with his elbow to signal him to stay away. Then he started to plate the food in the space that was free enough.
Yue Ren sneered and sat directly at the table.
As for the next scene, it could be said that it was too unexpected. It resulted in a black screen in the live stream room for a long time before the barrage started to gradually scroll.
[I missed watching a few groups during this period. Who can tell me? Yue Ren… has he been so easy to talk to before?]
[Does this mean that when you encounter Yue Ren, you just need to cook for him? I've learned it, I've learned it!]
[??? Is the reason really cooking?]
[…Is there any way for someone who can't cook to be saved if they are matched to this instance?]
[But I have to say, this newcomer really doesn't seem afraid at all! He didn't even blink just now. His mental quality is too strong!]
[What is his ID number? If he can clear this instance then I will follow him.]
Chi Ting really didn't feel too much fear.
According to his usual habits of doing things, he usually chose to negotiate in a relatively soft way first. If it really didn't work on the other person then he could only use another method. In other words, a method he didn't like too much—violence.
When facing cute humans, Chi Ting generally didn't like to use violence.
Therefore, he was very glad that the man in front of him had finally made a choice that satisfied him. After all, this man might be an NPC, but he did have the human breath that Chi Ting liked.
The pleasant lunch time ended quickly.
Chi Ting saw the favorability value above Yue Ren's head jump directly to 100. Then the originally white stripe was gradually dyed with a layer of green that was full of life.
Before coming here, he didn't expect to make this seemingly difficult NPC's favorability level reach the green value through one meal.
This made Chi Ting smile more sincerely when looking at Yue Ren.
How to say it? He was really unexpectedly easy to coax.
Next, he just needed to increase the favorability of the model in Room 1201, and he could move freely on the upper and lower floors.