"Hey, you lazy pig! Do you have any idea what time it is? Get out of bed already!" Chu Chu barged into the man's bedroom, yanking the covers away from the bed.
"Ah!" she screamed, only to find no one there, just two pillows lying side by side.
"Why are you screeching so early in the morning, disturbing my precious sleep?" a lazy voice came from behind her.
"When did you leave the bed?" Chu Chu looked at him, astonished.
"Why so many questions? Hey, girl, I'm seriously starting to doubt your intentions. You storm into my room in broad daylight, pull off my blanket without hesitation, and now you're gazing at me so suggestively. All the evidence points to one thing—you want to take advantage of me!" Xiang Ri exclaimed dramatically.
"Drop dead! I'm not interested in you!" Chu Chu shoved the man blocking the door out of her way and stormed off to the kitchen, fuming.
"Unbelievable! You try to take advantage of me, and you're still in the right?" Xiang Ri followed her into the kitchen, the smell of food hitting him instantly. The earlier exertion had left him famished, and now his stomach growled, desperate for sustenance.
"Is that food I smell? It's mouthwatering!" Xiang Ri moved closer to Chu Chu and saw her frying an egg.
"None for you. If you want to eat, make it yourself." Chu Chu ignored him, focused on her task. In a few moments, the tantalizing fried egg was ready.
"Chu Chu, who would've thought? Not only are you pretty, but you're also a great cook. What's that saying? 'A woman who can be both elegant in the drawing room and skillful in the kitchen'—and, well, maybe even in bed too... Cough, cough! You really are wife material. Whoever marries you must be the luckiest man alive!" Xiang Ri complimented her with a mischievous grin.
"Sweet talker! Did you dip your tongue in honey? I'm not impressed," Chu Chu scoffed, placing the egg on a small plate.
"I'll take it for you!" Xiang Ri eagerly reached for the plate.
"Let me warn you, don't you dare sneak a bite! Or else..." Chu Chu handed him the plate, then cracked another egg into the frying pan.
"Me? Sneak a bite? Do I look like the kind of guy who would do that?" Xiang Ri said as he grabbed the delicate egg with his hand, taking a quick bite.
"You scoundrel! You said you wouldn't! What do you call that?" Chu Chu was so angry she nearly whacked him with the spatula.
"Let me clarify—I didn't sneak it. I ate it openly and proudly," Xiang Ri said as he devoured the egg, his eyes already darting to the one in the pan.
"What do you think you're doing? That one's off-limits. Don't even think about it!" Chu Chu shot him a wary glance.
"Chu Chu, how about we strike a deal?" Xiang Ri said slyly.
"No deal!" Chu Chu shot back with absolute certainty.
"Come on, aren't you being a bit too heartless? Not even a little leeway? This could benefit you, you know. It might even help you stay young forever." Xiang Ri persisted.
"Get out! I don't want to see you!" Chu Chu, having figured out his game, wasn't falling for it anymore.
"Fine! You're ruthless!" Just as he was leaving, Xiang Ri couldn't resist and impulsively gave her a quick pat on the rear, then bolted out of the room.
"Ahh!" Chu Chu screamed again. "I'm going to cut off that filthy hand of yours!"
Xiang Ri quickly dashed back to his room, locking the door behind him. He pressed his ear to it, listening. "Nothing? Why hasn't she come after me yet?" After a while, still nothing.
Unable to resist, he cracked the door open. The living room seemed normal, but from the kitchen, he could hear faint noises. He quietly approached, listening closely. Was that... sobbing? No way! Since when had Chu Chu become such a crybaby, shedding tears over a mere touch?
"Damn you, you bastard... It hurts so much," Chu Chu whimpered between sobs.
Xiang Ri rushed into the kitchen, alarmed. She was crouched on the floor, clutching her arm. "What happened? Are you hurt? Is it broken?" he asked, panicked.
"Go away! I don't need your sympathy. It hurts!" Chu Chu clutched her arm, wincing in pain.
"Let me see!" Xiang Ri pried her hand away and saw several small red marks where her skin had been burned, likely by hot oil. His brain whirred for a second before it all clicked—she must have been chasing after him, and in her haste, splattered hot oil from the frying pan onto her hand. Fortunately, it was oil and not water; otherwise, it might have blistered.
"Was this your way of testing your skin's resilience? You didn't need to go as far as pouring oil on yourself," Xiang Ri teased.
"You..." Chu Chu grabbed the spatula and threw it at him.
"Alright, alright!" Xiang Ri gently took her hand, setting the spatula aside, and wrapped an arm around her waist. "The smell of oil is strong here. Let me help you to the living room."
"Let me go! It's my hand that's hurt, not my legs. I can walk on my own!" Chu Chu protested, her cheeks flushed.
"It's rare for me to show a little kindness, and this is how you repay me? Fine, but then why are you clinging to my hand like you don't want to let go?" Xiang Ri smirked as his hand remained firmly held in hers.
"It's all your fault! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been burned. You're infuriating!" Chu Chu pouted.
"Has anyone ever told you that jealousy is unbecoming? Alright, how about this—I'll let you test the elasticity of my skin next, and we'll call it even. Does that make you feel better?"
"Go to hell! Who wants to touch you? Fine, I can sit by myself now. Get your filthy paws off me!" Chu Chu pushed him away, finally sitting on the couch.
"You've got a slender waist, girl. For someone who looks a bit plump, your waist is impressively slim. Not bad!" Xiang Ri remarked, pulling his hand back.
"You're the one who's fat! I don't even weigh a hundred pounds, while you're probably tipping the scale at two hundred!" Chu Chu retorted.
"What? You even know my exact weight? Be honest—did you sneak into my bed last night and measure my weight with your body?" Xiang Ri looked at her with mock suspicion.
"Turn on the TV for me!" Chu Chu ignored his nonsensical rambling and shouted loudly.
"What kind of attitude is that? Is that how you ask someone for help?" Xiang Ri's tone was full of displeasure, but he still went to turn on the TV.
Chu Chu, growing more demanding, added, "I'm hungry. Go buy me breakfast!"
"Hey, don't push it too far!" Xiang Ri warned.
"Are you going or not?" Chu Chu bit her lip and stared at him, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Alright, I surrender! Even though you have a bad temper, you're not particularly pretty, your figure is just average, and you never let me take any advantage of you, but..."
"Go!" Before he could finish, a pillow flew at him.
Xiang Ri hurried out the door. Buying breakfast? Back in the day, that was something left to the underlings, but now here he was, gladly playing the errand boy. Could someone really stoop so low and still be happy about it?
After buying breakfast, Xiang Ri rushed back. The moment he entered, fury surged within him.
There sat Chu Chu on the sofa, holding a bowl and eating something while watching TV. On the table beside her were several other dishes. Next to her was a tall, handsome young man, gazing at her with evident affection as she ate.
A sudden wave of annoyance hit Xiang Ri. He walked over and asked, "Chu Chu, who's this guy?"
"None of your business," Chu Chu glanced at him smugly, then returned her focus to the TV.
"Who are you?" Both men spoke almost in unison.
"And what are you doing here?" Another verbal collision.
"You first!" Xiang Ri set down the food bag, taking out a meat bun and biting into it fiercely.
"Why should I go first? Why don't you... Wait, did you spend the night here?" The handsome young man raised his eyebrows, his face darkening with displeasure.
"Heh, not just last night. I'll be staying here from now on," Xiang Ri said, enjoying a twisted sense of satisfaction.
Hearing Xiang Ri's admission, the young man turned to look at Chu Chu, who was happily eating. "Chu Chu! This is outrageous! If Dad finds out, he'll send you abroad!"
"He won't dare! Ha! I've got some dirt on him in my hands now!" Chu Chu turned and flashed a sly smile.
Xiang Ri, sharp as ever, quickly deduced from their conversation that this young man was likely Chu Chu's brother. He looked at him and asked, "Your surname is Chu?"
"That's right. I'm Chu Ci, and Chu Chu is my sister," the young man introduced himself.
"Ah, so you're the elder brother!" Xiang Ri instantly warmed up, as if he'd just met a long-lost relative. "Big brother, you must not have had breakfast yet since you came so early, right? I just went out to buy some—how about we eat together?" He offered the food bag.
"No need, I've already eaten." Chu Ci waved off the offer and asked with a serious face, "When did this start?"
"Hmm?" Xiang Ri was momentarily confused.
"I'm asking how long you've been with my sister."
"Must be about a year now," Xiang Ri replied, furrowing his brow. The new school year had just begun, so they had already been classmates for a year.
Chu Chu, sitting nearby, cast a flirtatious, playful glance at Xiang Ri, the meaning of which only the two of them understood.
"You two living together... have you been using contraception?" Chu Ci asked bluntly.
*Cough, cough, cough...* Xiang Ri, in the middle of eating his bun, nearly spat it out upon hearing the question.
"I'm asking you—yes or no?" Chu Ci repeated sternly.
"Yes, of course, how could we not?" Despite his thick skin, even Xiang Ri was a little flustered by his future brother-in-law's directness.
Chu Chu blushed even more furiously but remained speechless.
"Good. Just make sure to exercise some restraint. You're both young—don't waste your time on... unnecessary distractions. Focus more on your studies when you can! Anyway, I've got things to do. You two should head to class soon as well—don't be late!" Chu Ci finished, stood up, and left.
After seeing the brother out, Xiang Ri turned to the still-blushing Chu Chu and said, "Girl, I've realized something!"
"What?"
"Your brother is even more shameless than me!"