---

Chapter 14: Roast Duck from Neighbor No. 150…

Qin Shi?

It had been a long time since Li Huanhuan last heard that name.

When Zhou Jianyu suddenly mentioned him, it felt like waking from a dream.

“No,” she shook her head.

At first, she used to think about him.

After all, he was the protagonist of this world. The impact he had on her was incomparable to anyone else. Plus, he was indeed very charming. Even though she had never watched his matches in person, just watching the videos online, she could feel the aura he exuded in his own field—a dazzling brilliance that gave him a king-like presence, as if he could control everything.

People like that, who shine so brightly, often have a unique, captivating charm.

Li Huanhuan had once been drawn to Qin Shi’s charm.

Just like she had once been drawn to Zhang Canyang’s golden hair and angelic personality.

But that was all in the past.

Time smooths over everything—it dulls all things.

To Li Huanhuan now, knowing Qin Shi, the members of Team Sirius, and Fox Zhang Canyang was simply a chapter in her NPC-like life.

It had passed. Time to turn the page.

Zhou Jianyu looked a bit surprised.

Then he chuckled, “If Hu Xun were here, he’d definitely say, ‘Huanhuan-jie, you broke Qin Shi’s heart.’”

“Huh?” Li Huanhuan widened her eyes.

Broke what?

Whose heart?

Zhou Jianyu laughed and shook his head, “Of course, I’m not Hu Xun, so I wouldn’t say that. I’d just say, it’s a pity—but also a relief.”

“You really know how to joke,” she said awkwardly.

“Yes, I was joking. Huanhuan-jie, I’m really happy we got to hang out today.” —Zhou Jianyu.

Li Huanhuan didn’t really understand what he meant.

After a simple meal, she dragged her tired body home. Just as she stepped out of the elevator, she noticed a white plastic bag hanging on her doorknob.

“Huh?” she exclaimed in surprise.

Inside the bag were two small packs of freeze-dried cat treats, four cans of cat food, and several other cat snacks. She also found a postcard:

“Sorry, a peace offering for the BBQ incident.
—Neighbor No. 150”

“The owner of that husky?”

Li Huanhuan turned the postcard over and looked at the door of apartment 150 across from hers.

A few days ago, she’d been a little unlucky, but it had been an accident. Neither side wanted that to happen. Besides, when she glanced into the bag, even though she didn’t recognize some of the brands, the freeze-dried snacks and treats were from notoriously expensive foreign brands.

Even without checking online, she knew the gift was worth far more than any vet bill from the BBQ accident.

It was too expensive—she couldn’t accept it.

Li Huanhuan hesitated for a long time, holding the bag. Finally, after mentally preparing herself, she walked to apartment 150 and rang the doorbell.

“No one home?” she muttered.

Then she remembered what Dongfang Jiao had said: her cousin—the new neighbor in 150—had been very busy lately and didn’t have time to supervise renovations or walk his dog. That’s why Dongfang Jiao had taken the husky out and run into Li Huanhuan.

Not home?

She thought about just hanging the bag on the door, but it was too valuable to risk it getting stolen.

In the end, she brought it back inside.

“Meow~” Her cat, apparently smelling the treats, began circling her legs.

“Nope, Your Majesty~ These aren’t yours. They belong to someone else. I’m returning them.” Li Huanhuan stroked the cat’s head.

She placed the bag on the counter.

The cat circled her a few times, then rolled over and tried to entice her—but Li Huanhuan didn’t cave. She poured the cat some regular kibble, gave it a few pats, then went to her study.

She wrote a note:

“Hello, Neighbor 150. It was just an accident—no need to worry. Your gift is too valuable. Please let me know when you’ll be home so I can return it.
—Neighbor 149”

She taped it to the door across the hall.

Ding-dong!

The elevator opened.

Qin Shi stepped out, carrying two bags of groceries. He wore a black short jacket, jeans, and casual shoes. His face was covered with a black mask, revealing only his sharp, wolf-like eyes.

He had moved in the evening before.

Since the club was on break, and his old address had been leaked by paparazzi—leading to a swarm of crazy fans—he had no choice but to move.

After much consideration, he chose this complex.

It wasn’t in a good location. Even after ten years, no subway had been built nearby. Residents had to rely on driving or buses. It wasn’t convenient, didn’t have good schools or hospitals, and though the air and environment were good, it had many downsides. The occupancy rate was still low after a decade. At night, the place was eerily quiet.

But all these downsides were what drew Qin Shi in.

Low traffic, low population—perfect for dodging stalkers.

He remembered his cousin Dongfang Jiao telling him that the husky BBQ had barged into 149’s apartment, so he needed to apologize.

But he wasn’t about to expose his new address to more trouble. A face-to-face apology was out of the question.

Still, there were other ways to apologize.

Dongfang Jiao mentioned the neighbor in 149 had a cat, so instead of sending money, Qin Shi ordered a selection of top-rated, expensive cat food online and left it in a plastic bag on their doorknob.

He thought that was that.

But now, walking out of the elevator, he saw a sticky note on his own door.

“They don’t want it?” he raised an eyebrow after reading it.

He tossed the note into his grocery bag. Qin Shi never took back something he gave. He unlocked the door with his fingerprint and went inside.

Back in 149, Li Huanhuan heard the elevator and wondered if someone had returned.

But that thought vanished as soon as she walked into the living room and saw—

The cat food bag had been dragged onto the floor.

Cans everywhere. Plastic packaging of treats shredded, their contents spilled and mixed into a mess of freeze-dried crumbs.

Her cat stood in the middle of it all, feasting away.

“Your Majesty!”

Li Huanhuan clutched her face and let out a silent scream like in a painting.

The cat paused, glanced at her, and then resumed feasting.

Li Huanhuan: “…”

What could she do?

Her cat. Her responsibility.

The peace offering from 150 had been torn apart—there was no returning it now. She rubbed her throbbing head and decided she’d have to find another way to make it up.

First, though, she had to retrieve that note before it got worse.

She rushed out.

“Gone already?” She stared at the now-empty door with an expression worse than crying.

Dead!

If the neighbor hadn’t seen the note, she could’ve pretended nothing happened. But now that he had read it—and she had said she’d return the gift?

With what?

Online shopping?

She scrambled back, trying to identify the brand names—but some packaging was too damaged to tell. The canned food was rare and out of stock. Customer service said it would take three days to arrive.

“Three days?!”

Li Huanhuan looked to the heavens.

Sure enough, fate didn’t want her to fix her mistake.

She looked at her cat, now grooming peacefully on the floor.

Fine. It was her own fault for not putting the stuff away. The cat was just teaching her to be more careful.

“Ugh… how do I explain this?” she sighed, propping up her face.

Dog food?

Another gift?

Or just honesty?

She went back to her study, sat at her desk, and started nervously chewing her nails.

That evening, Qin Shi came out to walk his dog—and found another sticky note on the door:

“Sorry, I take back what I wrote before. My cat ate the treats you gave. I can’t return them. I deeply apologize.
—Neighbor 149”

He raised an eyebrow.

Later that night, after returning from the walk, he found yet another note on his door—this time with a plastic bag underneath.

“Sorry to bother you. Please accept this.
—Neighbor 149”

Inside the bag was roast duck from the best restaurant nearby.

After much anxiety and desperate brainstorming, introverted Li Huanhuan decided to send over the city’s best roast duck as an apology.

Of course, after this, she resolved never to contact 150 again.

Too dramatic, too bold.

Three notes and one duck had drained all her courage for dealing with strangers. If anyone asked her to write something again?

Absolutely not.

She’d rather bury her head in the sand like an ostrich.

But then—another plastic bag appeared on her door.

“Who told you that was the best roast duck? It’s salty as hell! Try a real one!
—Neighbor 150”