Chapter 12 - A Closer Relationship

Audrey grabbed a cup of hot water and headed towards the kitchen while sipping it.

Standing in front of the kitchen refrigerator was a tall figure, easily recognizable.

"Why is there nothing left? Do I have to snack on raw cucumbers?" Eric mumbled to himself, gazing at the refrigerator.

"You could actually cook yourself some noodles," Audrey kindly reminded him.

Eric exclaimed in surprise and abruptly turned to look at Audrey. "What are you doing suddenly appearing behind me?"

Audrey rolled her eyes playfully.

[Making such a fuss. No wonder you can't be a big shot CEO.]

Eric clenched his teeth in annoyance. He really wanted to open Audrey's mind right now and see what she was thinking day in and day out.

Someone appearing behind him out of nowhere and speaking suddenly, wasn't it normal to be startled?

How did this even relate to being a CEO?

Who the hell wanted to be a CEO? He just wanted to be a director.

"Are you hungry, Second Brother?" Audrey asked.

Eric replied grumpily, "Of course. Can't you tell?"

A hint of a smile played at the corner of Audrey's lips. She realized her Second Brother was incredibly easy to get worked up.

[Now that you know you're hungry, even a fool knows not to be angry when eating. You'll only upset yourself while still being hungry. What's the point?]

Eric stiffened slightly, feeling that Audrey's words made a lot of sense.

"Second Brother, do you want noodles?" Audrey asked with a beaming smile.

Eric was genuinely hungry now and didn't want to go out this late.

"Can you cook?" Eric decided to temporarily swallow his pride due to his hunger.

Audrey nodded, "I can, but, you know, I don't do favors for free."

Eric looked at Audrey with disdain. "You even want to negotiate terms? So nitpicky."

Audrey gazed at Eric and said seriously, "I'm considering your well-being, Second Brother. Otherwise, if you eat my noodles, you might feel uneasy. It's better to repay kindness promptly."

Eric was rendered speechless. What kind of twisted logic was this?

"What do you want?" Eric asked.

A big smile blossomed on Audrey's face. "I wrote a character backstory for the role I'm auditioning for. I'd like to ask Second Brother to take a look and see if my analysis is accurate."

Audrey finished speaking and looked at Eric with anticipation.

Eric was a bit puzzled. She even wrote a character backstory, which meant she wasn't acting just for fun, but taking it seriously?

"Second Brother, what do you say? Can you help me? You're a renowned director, and I believe you have your unique insights into characters."

Eric cleared his throat. Flattered words were music to anyone's ears, especially when it's in their field of interest.

He nodded, his face carrying a hint of pride, "I'll reluctantly help you this once."

Audrey let out a small cheer, "Thank you, Second Brother."

Eric displayed a slight awkwardness on his face. He found it a bit strange, considering that in the previous few years, he and Audrey could be described as incompatible as fire and water.

"Go ahead and cook the noodles first," Eric urged Audrey with a slight headache.

Audrey nodded. When she lived alone in the past, she often cooked for herself, so making noodles was a piece of cake for her.

Using the ingredients available in the refrigerator, she prepared a bowl of noodles for Eric.

Eric waited in the dining room and when he saw Audrey coming out with the noodles, his eyes brightened slightly.

He had actually smelled the aroma wafting from the kitchen earlier. He didn't know when Audrey had learned to cook noodles. Over these past few years, she had considered herself a wealthy young lady, and not only did she not cook, but she didn't even step into the kitchen.

She must have learned it after moving here.

Audrey walked out holding the bowl of noodles and noticed the sparkle in Eric's eyes. She chuckled, intending to tease, but then remembered that she would be asking for his help later. She held back her words.

However, a little internal teasing was still allowed.

[Looks just like a puppy waiting to be fed.]

Eric was speechless.

He hadn't expected Audrey to be skilled in cooking. The noodles were perfectly chewy, and the broth was fragrant.

Feeling better after a hearty meal, he told Audrey, "Bring your script for me to take a look."

Audrey nodded and hurried upstairs to fetch her script and the character backstory she had written.

Eric quickly skimmed through the script and then looked at Audrey's character backstory. He was somewhat surprised. Audrey's analysis of the characters was comprehensive, and she accurately captured their highlights.

Had she studied this before or was she just naturally talented?

As a professional director, Eric carefully shared his insights while looking at the script, piece by piece.

Audrey listened attentively, even jotting down notes when she heard key points.

When Abner came downstairs, he was greeted by this scene. He paused in his steps, feeling somewhat incredulous.

When did they become so close?