With the matter settled, Zhong Yun suddenly felt hunger pangs. Last night, a notification text from the bank had informed him that every penny in his account had been spent. Angered, he had skipped breakfast, and now his stomach was staging a full-scale revolt.

His parents were not home. Zhong Yun picked up his phone, first ordering takeout from Yunlai Restaurant, before calling his mother. "Mom, I'm home."

"Xiao Yun..."

A flurry of noisy commotion came from the other end. "Mom, there are a lot of people over there."

"Xiao Yun, I'm busy right now. We'll talk when I get back." Yun Rong abruptly hung up.

Listening to the dead tone, Zhong Yun felt a strange pang of curiosity. His mother's job wasn't usually that demanding; why did she sound so overwhelmed?

He called his father next. This time, it was even more direct. The moment Zhong Yun uttered the two words, "Dad," he was cut off. "Xiao Yun, if you have something to say, say it when you get home."

Beep, beep, beep...

There was no need for such haste. Zhong Yun couldn't help but laugh, though a hint of exasperation lingered. He knew both his parents were workaholics, but this level of intensity seemed excessive.

Especially considering that on the very first day of the academic trip, his father had called him to discuss selling the "Nine Stars Accompanying the Moon," an item they, with their shrewd business sense, would surely fetch a price befitting its stature.

That money alone would be enough for their whole family to live comfortably. Why did they still need to work this relentlessly?

Even if their careers were important, there was no need to push themselves this hard—to the point where they couldn't even spare a moment to answer their son's call.

As he was mentally grumbling, his phone rang. It was a staff member from the Flower Sea in Fenghua City. "The items you purchased have been delivered. Please come to the entrance to sign for them."

Zhong Yun jumped up, delight surging through him. It was truly a case of the answer arriving just when it was needed most. He dashed out the door and saw a large freight shuttle parked outside.

After signing, Zhong Yun directed the staff to move the contents to the rooftop. The twenty-three metal boxes were lined up row by row. Once powered up, the setup was complete.

These miniature cryogenic chambers had been gifted, capable of maintaining the internal temperature stably at around minus one hundred degrees Celsius.

The staff briefly explained the operation, left behind the manual, and assured him he could call anytime if any malfunctions occurred.

The moment the staff left, the Flower Sea called again, inquiring about his satisfaction with the service.

Giving them a superior rating, Zhong Yun hung up. Big companies certainly offered first-class service.

Just then, the doorbell rang again.

"Brother Yun." As the door opened, a charming, delicate girl appeared, her face lit up with a sweet smile.

"Xiao Qing? Why are you delivering this?" Zhong Yun looked surprised.

Xiao Qing held a large lunchbox, peering cautiously into the room. "It's quiet at the shop right now, so I thought I'd come see Brother."

"Come in," Zhong Yun ushered her inside.

"This is Brother's house! It's so beautiful," Xiao Qing exclaimed, slipping off her shoes at the entrance and stepping onto the floor with her fair, tender feet.

Zhong Yun smiled faintly. The house was designed by his parents; its style was uniquely elegant, always leaving a refreshing impression on every visitor.

"Sit down, would you like something to drink?" Zhong Yun walked toward the refrigerator.

"Hm? Oh, anything is fine." Xiao Qing placed the food container on the table and began exploring the living room, touching things here and there, clearly fascinated by everything.

When Zhong Yun returned with the tea, he saw Xiao Qing standing in front of the fish tank, poking the fish through the glass, thoroughly amused.

He set the cups on the table and opened the food box. "What dishes today?"

Xiao Qing abandoned the fish tank. "Let me do it." She knelt beside the table and began unfolding the layers of the container, arranging small stacks of colorful dishes across the table. There was also a bowl of steaming hot soup.

Watching her focused expression, a sudden wave of emotion washed over Zhong Yun. When someone treats you well without reason or expectation, even the hardest heart cannot help but be moved.

Tian Hai often declared he couldn't understand why Xiao Qing treated him so well, but in truth, he didn't understand it either.

Honestly, he knew his own merits: ordinary looks, introverted demeanor, not particularly sharp, poor grades, and lacking any great ambition—he was essentially useless. If he were a girl, he wouldn't choose him; any random man on the street would be better.

Yet, Xiao Qing didn't look down on him. She was warm from the very first meeting, back when she was just a little girl helping out at her father's shop when she was bored.

According to her father, she used to be a mischievous child, constantly running wild, but ever since meeting him, she had completely changed—no longer wild, but quiet and well-behaved.

Zhong Yun still remembered when he returned to the shop for a meal the next day, Xiao Qing had eagerly volunteered to cook, nearly causing a fire. The few dishes she managed to stir-fry were disastrously charred, looking like plates of burnt charcoal.

Xiao Qing's mouth had crumpled, and she burst into tears, running away. It was Zhong Yun who chased after her, then picked up a piece of the "charcoal" in front of her and chewed it with apparent relish.

At that moment, Xiao Qing rushed over, tossed the burnt dishes onto the floor, and hugged his waist, sobbing uncontrollably.

From then on, Xiao Qing diligently practiced her culinary skills. The girl had a natural talent; within two years, she had mastered her father's techniques, even showing signs of surpassing him. The happiest person was Xiao Qing's father—his legacy finally had an heir; how could he not be pleased?

The greatest beneficiary, however, was Zhong Yun. Xiao Qing spent her days thoughtfully preparing varied meals for him, over a dozen dishes daily, with no repeats for an entire month.

Such dedication would move even a block of wood, let alone him.

"Why are you so good to me?" Zhong Yun couldn't help but ask.

"Because I like Brother," Xiao Qing replied casually. She clapped her hands and urged him, "Go wash your hands quickly."

Looking at her unaffected expression, Zhong Yun froze for a moment. After being nudged a few times, he entered the washroom. After washing his hands, he looked up at his ordinary face in the mirror and chuckled softly, "Maybe I am quite charming after all."

"She's back?" In a speeding shuttle, a handsome young man casually asked while swirling a glass of red wine.

Beside him, a man in his forties sat bolt upright, chin slightly tucked in, radiating deference. He nodded. "She returned to her residence near the school ten minutes ago."

"Mhm," the young man acknowledged, saying nothing further.

"There is one more thing..." The middle-aged man hesitated slightly.

"Speak," the young man’s tone allowed no room for argument.

"In the last seven days, she spent six days in the company of a male student." The middle-aged man reported.

The young man’s hand halted, spilling a splash of red wine. His pupils contracted, and a thread of coldness entered his voice. "Is it that boy from the Chen family?"

"No, it is a student named Zhong Yun."

"Zhong Yun?" The young man's eyes flickered. Before him, an intensely irritating face materialized.

Smash. The wine glass shattered in his hand, the wine staining his hand and the pristine white carpet. Under the bright lights, the wine looked as crimson as blood.