After dawn, Jing Ran woke up. The person beside him was wrapped in two blankets by him and motionless. He reached out to move the strands of hair from her forehead and checked her temperature, which was normal. Yesterday, he had pulled her out of the bathtub, and her body was cold. Fearing she might get sick upon waking up, he had called the waiter in the middle of the night to bring a bowl of hot ginger soup. Because Jing Li was too tired to drink, Jing Ran took a sip of the hot soup and fed her with his mouth.

The ginger soup was spicy, and he didn’t like the taste. He spent a long time washing off that taste.

Jing Li felt like she was bound by something, wanting to move but unable to. When she opened her eyes, she saw herself tightly wrapped in two blankets. In mid-July, in the heat of summer, it was strange to be covered with two blankets. No wonder she felt like she was sleeping next to a furnace.

Jing Li moved a few times, loosening the blankets and uncovering herself. The air conditioner was on indoors, making it particularly cool.

“Lili.”

Jing Ran laying on her side, Jing Li looked at Jing Ran beside her. Her almond-shaped eyes were watery, and her long eyelashes were moving along with her eyelids.

“Ranran, good morning!” Jing Li reached out to hug Jing Ran, pressing against his chest with her cheek. Seeing such a handsome Little Prince early in the morning made her feel really happy.

“It’s still early, sleep a little longer.” Jing Ran hugged her with one hand and pulled the blanket over them with the other.

Thinking back to when she woke up feeling hot from being wrapped in blankets, Jing Li lifted her head and looked at Jing Ran, saying, “Ranran, are you silly? On such a hot day, you covered me with two thick blankets.”

Jing Ran explained, “Last night, you went to take a bath and ended up sleeping in the bathtub. By the time I found you, the water was already cold. If I didn’t cover you with two blankets to keep you warm, you would have caught a cold today.”

“Am I really asleep? I was trying to rest with my eyes closed…” Jing Li recalled something and reached out to touch her own body. Finding herself dressed, she stuttered, “Did you help me get dressed?”

“And if I didn’t?”

“Nothing…” Jing Li felt especially embarrassed, pressing her whole face against his chest, feeling utterly mortified!

The second time!

Each time felt so embarrassing.

“It seems like the little bun has really grown.”

Jing Li: “…”

Jing Li felt Jing Ran was becoming more and more immoral lately. Looking up at the Little Prince, she asked, “Did you do anything strange to me last night?”

Jing Ran fell silent.

Surprised, Jing Li asked, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Jing Ran adjusted the blanket around himself, closed his eyes, and said, “Lili, I’m not fully awake yet, I want to sleep some more!”

The more he acted this way, the more Jing Li felt he was dodging. Not willing to let it go, she pulled away the blanket, saying, “Tell me, what did you do to me yesterday? I won’t blame you.”

Jing Ran opened his eyes, looking at Jing Li, and asked innocently, “Really?”

“Uh-huh.” Jing Li nodded, already plotting in her mind. If the situation gets too extreme, she would still get angry.

Jing Ran closed his eyes again and said, “I’m really tired, I want to sleep.”

Jing Li: “…”

The Little Prince had changed, he actually knows how to avoid her questions!

Jing Li lightly patted his shoulder, complaining, “Stinky Jing Ran, you’ve learned bad habits!”

Jing Ran opened his eyes, quickly brushed her forehead with his lips, smirked mischievously, and pulled her into his arms, “Lili, don’t be angry.”

‘Forget it, I won’t ask anymore. Knowing might hurt.’

“Go to sleep.” Jing Li stroked his soft short hair, coaxing him to sleep.

When Jing Li woke up, Jing Ran had already left the room for work. Looking at the empty space on the bed, she felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness. Jing Li got out of bed, freshened up a bit, and saw breakfast on the coffee table – sandwiches made by the hotel and a bottle of milk. On the table was a pale pink sticky note with some words written on it:

[Lily, good luck!

Love you, your little Ranran]

Jing Li covered her mouth with her hand, chuckled, and muttered, “Little Ranran.”

While having breakfast, Jing Li received a WeChat message from Bo Tian.

[Xiao Tian]: Senior, why I didn’t see you at work today?

Having worked late into the early morning at Banquet Hall No. 1 for an event, the supervisor allowed them to skip returning during the day. Banquet Hall No. 2 was hosting a smaller corporate product launch, so the staff who decorated it had left early yesterday.

Jing Li replied while drinking milk:

[Jasmine]: Worked late last night, taking the day off today. Will go back to tidy up the venue at 8 PM.

[Xiao Tian]: Oh, I brought back two breakfasts, but you weren’t there. What a pity!

Thinking Xiao Tian might be interested in her, Jing Li quickly typed a rejection.

[Jasmine]: You don’t have to bring me breakfast. I usually have breakfast before going to work.

[Xiao Tian]: Not intentionally [cold sweat emoji]… An intern asked me to bring breakfast yesterday, and he asked for leave today.

Jing Li put down the milk bottle, tugged at her hair with her hand, and exclaimed in frustration, “Jing Li, you’re too narcissistic. Yesterday, the young guy even said you’re old, and you thought he was chasing you!”

The wounded heart could only seek comfort from Jing Ran, so she switched to Jing Ran’s chat page.

[Jasmine]: Ranran praised me excessively.

[Ranran]: Lili is so beautiful, Lili is so adorable, Lili is so pretty…

[Jasmine]: Ranran, to reward you, I’ve decided to go home and cook for you at noon.

[Ranran]: [Innocent emoji] Where did I go wrong? I’ll change, don’t punish me.

After the final exams, the two lived together at Yu Jing for a week before reporting to work at the hotel. During that time, with nothing to do at home, Jing Li learned to cook from Jing Ran. However, Jing Li lacked culinary talent, turning even the best ingredients into dark dishes.

[Jasmine]: [Cursing.jpg] Get lost!

Checking the time, Jing Li saw it was already past 9 o’clock. If she went home to cook, she wouldn’t make it back in time for lunch. However, with nothing else to do, and considering Grandma’s house was only two subway stops away, she decided to visit Grandma.

Grandma’s bakery closed at 12, so Jing Li went over. Grandma was still sitting at the cash register when Jing Li arrived. They sat together and chatted for a while. After some time, Grandma said she was going to cook and asked, “Lili, do you want to stay for dinner?”

After thinking for a moment, Jing Li said, “Grandma, I want to cook here and take it to the hotel for Ranran to eat.”

“Sure.”

*

Jing Li instructed Jing Ran not to go to the cafeteria or order delivery after work and to patiently wait for her in the suite. Entering the room, she saw him with a surprised expression as she held two thermos flasks, thinking she had really gone home to cook for him. His face stiffened, “Lili…”

Wait a minute, these two thermos flasks seem to be from Grandma’s house. They were used to deliver meals when Grandpa was in the hospital. Jing Ran asked, “Did you go to Grandma’s house and come back?”

Jing Li smiled and replied, “Yes, I did!”

Jing Ran, with a glimmer of hope, asked, “Grandma cooked this?”

Jing Li corrected him, “Grandma watched me cook it.”

Jing Ran: “…”

Jing Ran felt that even with Grandma watching her cook, it wouldn’t taste that good. Because he had always been there to guide her step by step before, and she could still mess it up.

Jing Li placed the thermos flasks on the coffee table, sat on the sofa in front of it, unscrewed the lids, revealing the delicious aroma of the dishes inside.

This was unexpected. It shouldn’t have a burnt or charred taste, right?

“Did you really make this?” There were two dishes inside, well-prepared in terms of color, fragrance, and taste.

Jing Li felt a bit embarrassed, “Hehe, these dishes were cooked by Grandma because I messed up one batch. I just washed the rice and pressed the button on the rice cooker.”

Jing Ran: “…”

Jing Li confidently explained, “Ranran, Grandma told me that it took her three months to teach you how to cook, so I learning this much in a week is already pretty good.”

Jing Ran: “…” He learned to cook for three months because he was a six or seven-year-old child back then. Can you compare that?

After finishing his meal, Jing Ran tidied up and prepared for a nap. Before going to sleep, he said to Jing Li, “Lili, if you get too tired during your night shift and want to take a shower, just let me know. I can help you with that.”

Jing Li: “…”

*

Before 8 o’clock in the evening, Jing Li went to the employee rest area to clock in, coincidentally as Bo Tian finished his shift.

Bo Tian, in a familiar tone, greeted, “Hey, senior, starting your shift?”

Jing Li nodded, “Yes.”

“Senior, Good evening.” Fang Zhenzhen walked past Jing Li quickly, heading to the attendance machine.

“Is she also from J University?” Bo Tian asked, watching Fang Zhenzhen clock in.

“Yes.”

“Girls from J University seem to be quite beautiful.” Bo Tian observed Fang Zhenzhen’s figure as she clocked in. Chen Wenbin followed her, poking her shoulder with his hand. Fang Zhenzhen turned around, glared at Chen Wenbin, and said a few words angrily. Chen Wenbin apologized playfully. Bo Tian asked, “Are they a couple?”

Although Chen Wenbin and Fang Zhenzhen had broken up, in the eyes of others, they still seemed to be flirting. Jing Li shrugged and replied, “Yes.” Their relationship was complicated.

Bo Tian inquired, “What will you guys be doing later?”

“After the wedding in Banquet Hall No. 1 is over, we’ll clean and tidy up the hall, pack up the equipment, and so on.”

Bo Tian nodded as he listened, and saying, “Let me help you.”

“Huh?” Jing Li was surprised, quickly waving her hand, “No need, you should go back first, you have work tomorrow.”

Bo Tian explained, “Just now, Sister Hua said that there is no work tomorrow during the day. We don’t need to come back to the hotel during the day, but we have to come back at 6 o’clock in the evening to set up the Banquet Hall No.5 for a company’s mid-year meeting.”

Jing Li felt particularly embarrassed, but Bo Tian insisted on supporting them. He mentioned that colleagues should help each other, leaving Jing Li no choice but to let him come along. Actually, having an extra guy around sped up the venue work a bit earlier than planned.

After work, Bo Tian, upholding gentlemanly behavior, offered to take Jing Li home. But she declined and asked him to go home first.

Getting off work relatively early that night, Jing Li returned to her suite. Jing Ran hadn’t slept yet and was still reading on the couch. Seeing Jing Li return, he looked up and said, “Lilo, it’s been two days since you last studied. Shouldn’t you face a punishment and wear a maid outfit?”

Jing Li: “…”

He actually remembered!

Jing Ran bent down, retrieving a box from under the coffee table—it was the one containing the maid outfit.

This guy came prepared!

Jing Li said coldly, “I owe 4 hours of study time. I’ll make up for it today. I’ll pull an all-nighter to finish this book!” Saying this, she went to the closet to get changed, adding, “I’ll take a shower now and study as soon as I’m out!”

Jing Ran continued reading, and Jing Li’s phone on the coffee table rang.

“Ding!”

Jing Ran glanced at the phone screen, displaying WeChat messages.

[Xiao Tian]: Senior, I’m home. Have you arrived?

[Xiao Tian]: Senior, I found the fried noodles on XX Street delicious. I’ll buy some tomorrow and bring you a portion.

Jing Ran thought “Xiao Tian” was a girl, as Jing Li had promised not to chat with other guys.

[Xiao Tian]: Senior, what are you busy with? Why haven’t you replied to me?

[Xiao Tian]: Senior, come out quickly. Your cute junior brother is calling you!

Several WeChat messages flooded into Jing Li’s phone. Jing Ran occasionally glanced at her phone, wondering why the person had so much to say. When Xiao Tian referred to himself as a junior brother, Jing Ran became a little uneasy.

Jing Li was actually chatting with another guy on WeChat behind his back, and he’s a junior!

After finishing her shower, Jing Li came out wearing a shirt and shorts. As the room’s air conditioner was set to a lower temperature, she ran to Jing Ran, hugging him and saying, “Ranran, it’s so cold. Give me a hug.”

Jing Ran, with a serious expression, asked, “Lili, why are you chatting with another guy on WeChat behind my back?”