An Junlie could only smile helplessly at her laughter, letting out a sigh. "This name was not my intention. The star sector where the legion is based is called the Angelic Domain. I didn't think much of it at the time..."

Ziye was laughing so hard she nearly collapsed onto the table. "Fine, CEO of the Angel Legion, Your Eminence the Archangel. I get it."

For some reason, An Junlie felt a pang of embarrassment, genuinely wanting to cover the face of the person before him. She was laughing so infuriatingly much, wasn't she? He quickly steered the conversation back on track. "You still haven't answered. Are you willing to join the Angel Legion or not?"

Ziye's laughter gradually subsided, and her expression sobered. "I'm sorry."

Seeing her serious demeanor, which didn't look like a joke, An Junlie felt an increasing sense of unease. "Why?" Was it the legion she disliked? The hourly wage? Or him? Of course, he wouldn't ask that aloud. He had broached the subject tactfully a few days ago, and she hadn't objected then. What had changed?

Ziye tried hard not to look into his eyes, fearing that gazing into those bright, sincere eyes would make her unable to refuse. She slightly lowered her eyelids, focusing on the dishes on the table. "I'm sorry, I don't want to leave Silvercharm Star for now."

An Junlie sighed.

If Ziye didn't want to say, he couldn't force her. He couldn't push her too hard right now. Perhaps if he asked again before he left, she might soften. An Junlie decided against pressing the issue and instead said, "Though this question might be inappropriate, if you feel you can answer, could you tell me where you come from?"

Ziye raised her head slightly and smiled faintly. "Feilu Star, the sovereign region of the Fi’a family."

An Junlie nodded.

The Angelic Domain was not far from the Feilu Star System, and the two were in a state of hostility. He hadn't expected her to originate from an adversarial sovereign region. However, everyone was born free. Who could control which legion one joined or which family one served? As long as Ziye wished it, she could go anywhere else at any time.

"What about in the future? If you ever leave Silvercharm, will you return to the Feilu Star System?"

Ziye shook her head. The Feilu Star System felt very distant in her mind now, so remote it seemed like merely a name, devoid of meaning. She had once been a student at the Feilu Primary Academy, sponsored by the Fi’a family—but that was a memory from her adulthood.

In the past two years, she had left school and the Feilu Star System, traveling tens of thousands of light-years to Silvercharm Star. If she were to venture into space again, she didn't know where she would go.

The Fi’a family had ruined her life. Whether in the Feilu Star System or anywhere else, there was no place for her to survive. Everything needed to start from scratch.

Before she even stepped off Silvercharm, she didn't know where her future would be, much less how to give a definite location. She could only be vague: "Perhaps. I won't consider that until I'm ready to leave."

Returning for revenge was inevitable, but it wouldn't be the first thing she did after leaving Silvercharm, and she didn't want to taint An Junlie's ears with it.

An Junlie was about to say something more when Ziye cut in, "Let's eat first; the food is getting cold." An Junlie had no choice but to swallow his words.

The two ate in silence, and after Ziye murmured, "The food is delicious," she stood up and returned to her room.

An Junlie asked the robot to clean the kitchen. Staring at the still-full freezer compartment of steamed buns, he felt a sense of melancholy. Ziye had rejected his invitation; after he left, she would have to go back to eating those buns alone.

Could she still stomach those buns after getting used to his cooking?

Silvercharm Star never lacked experts; one could name any title and it would sound formidable. Yet, Silvercharm suffered from a severe shortage of cooks. He had only learned a few days ago that the person who made the rose buns was actually the top chef from the Silvercharm Hotel.

It was truly pathetic and lamentable.

A thought crossed his mind: when he first arrived, Ziye had mentioned wanting to learn cooking from him. He wondered if that promise still held. He silently added "teach the brat how to cook" to his list of important tasks before his departure.

The next day, after finishing his run, An Junlie decisively led Ziye toward the kitchen, tying his apron as he spoke. "Didn't you want to learn to cook? How about trying to make breakfast today?"

Ziye guessed his intention and smiled bitterly to herself, nodding. "Okay."

An Junlie took out the ingredients from the freezer, placing them on the counter. "Food is divided into breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We'll start with breakfast today." He opened the refrigerator, checked the contents, and added, "Let's make Rose Rock Sugar Purple Rice Congee for breakfast."

Ziye blinked. She thought she had eaten it before; it was quite tasty. As for the exact appearance, she had forgotten.

She used to have a phobia of the scent of roses, but that fear had diminished and nearly vanished since An Junlie arrived. This was because An Junlie's rose flavor was pure and sweet, fragrant without being cloying, and aesthetically beautiful yet refined—like the feeling of being in love, making one unable to stop.

Perhaps this was the magic of a master chef.

An Junlie took out the purple rice, rinsing it while explaining, "You need to rinse the rice twice. The rinsing water can be used to water flowers, or poured at the base of trees; it fertilizes them. After rinsing, put it in the pot," he instructed as he worked, "add water up to this level, and then apply heat to cook."

Ziye nodded; it looked quite simple.

Once the rice was ready, An Junlie took out dried white rosebuds, removed the stems, soaked them in water, and washed them clean. He said seriously, "Don't use too many roses, or the flavor will turn bitter. You add a moderate amount, then put in the rock sugar, and cook until the congee is done."

Ziye questioned, "But I saw many petals floating on top when you made it that day!"

An Junlie chuckled, "You just sprinkle some on top when you serve it."

Ziye nodded. "I remember."

It really was quite simple.

An Junlie placed the pot on the stove to boil and continued, "That amount of congee isn't enough for breakfast. After the congee is cooked, you can pair it with two buns; that combination won't leave you hungry easily. If the buns are also rose-flavored, it can become tiring. You could consider adding two pieces of cake, or something else typical. Do you know how to make cake?"

Ziye shook her head blankly.

She had barely eaten any cake, so how could she know how to make it?

An Junlie smiled, walked over to her, and reached for her wrist. She didn't know what he intended and quickly pulled her hand back. "What are you doing?"

An Junlie sighed helplessly. "Helping you roll up your sleeves. I'll instruct you, and you'll do it."

Only then did Ziye say, "Oh," and was about to push up her sleeves herself, but An Junlie was faster. In just a few quick movements, he rolled up her sleeves. Finally, he patted her wrist. "Too thin. Where did all the food you ate recently go?"

Ziye gave a dry laugh. "Hehe, I eat but I don't gain weight, nothing to be done about it."

An Junlie shook his head and sighed. "It's understandable not gaining weight from eating, but did Little Sprout train you for so long for nothing? You have no muscle tone at all. If I were your father, I'd truly weep."