Chapter 8: Heh, Men

A steaming feast of eggs lay spread across the low table.

Song Huan couldn’t decipher Pei Yan’s thoughts as he sat across from her. After she kissed him, his murderous intent seemed to have temporarily dissipated.

Yet he wouldn’t let her leave, wordlessly dragging her into Mingsong Hall.

Lacking the courage to resist, Song Huan casually picked up the food box Pei Chen had left under the eaves.

“Shall we… eat?”

The air was oppressively silent. Pei Yan placed his bloodstained knife on the table, as if to intimidate her. Terrified, Song Huan spoke with unusual gentleness.

At her words, Pei Yan’s expression visibly softened. Song Huan held her breath, waiting for his reply, a flicker of longing carefully concealed in her eyes.

If we don’t eat these eggs soon, they’ll get cold.

Yet Pei Yan, lost in thought, hesitated before saying, “You go first.”

“…Me first? Wouldn’t that be inappropriate?”

A tiny spark ignited in Song Huan’s eyes. She nearly nodded in agreement, but could she really take the first bite in front of Pei Yan?

She suppressed the urge—her life was still too short to take that risk.

But Pei Yan gazed at her intently, his expression grave and earnest as he uttered two words: “Appropriate.”

Song Huan’s face tightened, and she immediately adopted a pragmatic attitude. “If you say it’s appropriate, then it’s appropriate.”

With that, she deftly picked up her chopsticks, first taking a bite of green pepper and scrambled eggs. Seeing that Pei Yan hadn’t moved, she took another bite of tomato and scrambled eggs… Pei Yan’s dark eyes remained fixed on her, unblinking.

Under his unwavering gaze, Song Huan felt too self-conscious to continue eating. Besides, eating only vegetables was making her mouth dry.

She licked her lips, glancing at the steamed egg custard and egg drop soup placed before Pei Yan… Suddenly, she felt thirsty.

The steamed egg custard wasn’t overly sweet, just mildly sweet and refreshing.

The egg drop soup was lightly salted, its delicate flavor both comforting and thirst-quenching… Tsk, just right to quench my thirst.

“Would you like some soup?” Song Huan asked the excessively silent man across from her.

As expected, Pei Yan replied without a change in expression, “You go first.”

Song Huan couldn’t help but feel a secret delight, though a small frown creased her forehead, making her appear troubled.

It seemed… Master Li had once again delivered his usual culinary excellence.

Pei Yan gleaned his answer from Song Huan’s expression and let out a silent sigh. Just as he was about to rise, Song Huan spoke again, “But I only prepared one small bowl. If I use it first, someone will have to go to the kitchen for another one later.”

“This soup has been ready for half an hour already. Sending someone to fetch another bowl would take about fifteen minutes, and by then the soup might have cooled down, affecting its taste.”

This soup actually has a taste worth mentioning… Pei Yan’s emotions grew somewhat complicated. “You… you like Chef Li’s cooking?”

“Cough!” Song Huan suddenly felt something catch in her throat and waved her hands frantically. “No, I don’t like it at all!”

Is it poisoned?

Who could possibly like Master Li’s cooking?

…Could Pei Yan actually like it?

The thought made Song Huan’s stomach churn instantly.

Poisoned, poisoned! My brain is poisoned!

Pei Yan: “…i noticed you were enjoying it quite a bit.”

Song Huan: “…?” Then realization dawned.

No wonder! Now I finally understand why Pei Yan insisted I eat first—he thought Master Li made the food and wanted me to test it for poison!

Heh, men.

Song Huan scoffed coldly.

That Pei Yan is truly a scheming dog.

It seemed she couldn’t reveal she had cooked the meal just yet. If he didn’t like it, her life might be in danger…

But if Pei Yan found it delicious, she needed to leave herself an escape route for a future “reveal” or “unmasking”…

“Actually, I think we might have a new chef in the kitchen. These dishes… they’re much tastier than Chef Li’s. Why don’t you try a bite?”

As she spoke, Song Huan rose, eagerly grabbed a large ladle, and filled a small bowl halfway with egg drop soup. She rushed over to Pei Yan, presenting it like a treasure. “Smell the aroma, look at the color…”

“You drink first,” Pei Yan said, remaining unmoved.

Song Huan blinked. “Me first… Won’t you mind later? We might have to share the same bowl.”

She had prepared everything for Pei Yan alone, except for an extra pair of chopsticks. Everything else was a single serving.

Pei Yan’s expression remained unchanged. “It doesn’t matter.”

Song Huan: “……”

Earlier, when she had kissed him, he had acted utterly disgusted.

Now, for the sake of food, he didn’t even mind her.

Indeed, the power of food was truly unparalleled.

Song Huan quickly finished more than half of her small bowl of soup.

Seeing no change in her complexion, Pei Yan reluctantly accepted her explanation. He picked up his chopsticks and first tasted a bite of green pepper and scrambled eggs, then a bite of tomato and scrambled eggs, and finally a bite of steamed egg custard.

Apart from the egg soup, Pei Yan tasted a bite of everything.

So much for not being picky, Song Huan thought darkly. Men’s words are truly deceitful.

She secretly grumbled to herself, but when she saw Pei Yan’s favorability toward her steadily rise to “+8,” her mood brightened considerably. It seemed that as long as Pei Yan liked the food—even if he didn’t know she had made it—his favorability would still increase.

Song Huan happily set down her bowl. As she lowered her gaze, she noticed Pei Yan’s hand resting on his left knee… It was still dripping blood, and a small pool had already formed at his feet.

The smile froze on Song Huan’s lips, and her heart suddenly raced. “You’re injured?”

Why hasn’t he cleaned and bandaged the wound?

Is Pei Yan out of his mind?

Pei Yan’s expression darkened. “None of your concern. Sit back down and eat.”