Wen Zhiyu had no idea the staff member was offering her a favor on someone else’s behalf.
Her stomach growled twice. She changed direction and headed to the neighborhood supermarket to buy groceries.
She didn’t know how to cook, let alone how to pick out ingredients.
An auntie was shopping for vegetables, loading them into her bag. Wen Zhiyu took them out of her bag.
Li Mei finally noticed the vegetable thief.
Wen Zhiyu felt embarrassed. After apologizing, she returned the vegetables to Li Mei.
Li Mei sighed and taught her a few tricks.
“For tomatoes, pick ones with a grainy surface, not smooth ones. For shiitake mushrooms, choose ones that haven’t opened their caps—they’re more fragrant and have thicker flesh…”
“Thank you, sister.”
Wen Zhiyu carried back the vegetables Li Mei had helped her choose.
The kitchen had several pots and pans, and she had no clue where to start.
She opened the all-knowing Little Red Book app and searched for recipes.
The potato got thinner and thinner as she peeled it. Wen Zhiyu pulled her hand back, afraid of cutting herself.
The phone in her pocket rang insistently. She set the potato aside and checked it—it was Online Romance Object No. 1.
He had initiated a voice call.
Wen Zhiyu rejected it several times, but the other party wouldn’t give up.
Breaking up was turning out to be more troublesome than she’d expected.
She didn’t want to be too harsh, so she sent a message.
Little Fairy: [I’m so sorry. You’re a good person, but we’re not right for each other.]
After sending the “good person” card, she went back to peeling potatoes with all her might.
Little did she expect the other party to get even more persistent, calling again.
Annoyed, Wen Zhiyu muted her phone.
Just then, a new message popped up on the screen. She didn’t even look at it.
Little Fairy: [No. 1, are you annoying or what? I already told you we’re breaking up.]
Finally, silence.
She let out a breath.
LMY: [Without my permission, don’t even think about breaking up.]
LMY: [Explain to me—who is No. 1?]
LMY: [You were chatting with another man while dating me?]
Several messages came through in succession, and Wen Zhiyu finally sensed something was wrong.
She had sent the message meant for No. 1 to Li Moyuan instead.
The sky was falling.
She had just offended her biggest sugar daddy.
Her finger throbbed. She looked down—she had cut herself while peeling.
A bead of blood the size of a bean seeped out. Wen Zhiyu’s face went pale from the pain.
When it rains, it pours.
She put her finger in her mouth, her eyes reddening.
LMY: [?]
Wen Zhiyu couldn’t think of a solution for the moment, so she simply took a photo of her injured finger and sent it over.
Little Fairy: [Brother, it hurts so much.]
LMY: [Transfer of 100,000 yuan.]
LMY: [Accept it. How did this happen?]
Little Fairy: [I wanted to cook for myself, but I accidentally hurt myself.]
LMY: [Transfer of 200,000 yuan.]
LMY: [Give me your address. I’ll order takeout for you.]
Wen Zhiyu didn’t dare accept a single red packet, let alone reveal her address. She was afraid of dying too quickly.
Little Fairy: [No need, brother. If you send another red packet, I’ll get mad.]
Attached below was a sticker of a kitten rolling around.
Li Moyuan stared at his phone screen, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the cold metal frame.
LMY: [Do you know Xiyue Mall? I’ll order food for you. You can go eat there yourself, or have a delivery person pick it up. Be good.]
Wen Zhiyu stood frozen in place.
Of course she knew it—it was the mall she’d posted about in her moments, just a few steps away from her home.
She had no talent for cooking, and she was tempted, but she still hesitated.
LMY: [I won’t pry into any of your privacy unless you agree to meet me.]
Li Moyuan’s words successfully put Wen Zhiyu’s mind at ease.
Wen Zhiyu agreed.
After asking about Wen Zhiyu’s tastes, Li Moyuan placed the order.
He contacted the apartment’s housekeeper, Li Mei, and asked her to make a few home-style dishes.
“Young Master, you’re back?”
“No, it’s for a friend. Keep the portions small.”
Li Mei mulled over the word “friend”—it could be male or female. Small portions probably meant it was a girl.
Oh my, her young master was falling in love for the first time.
Li Mei happily shared this news with Li Moyuan’s mother.
Li Moyuan steered the conversation back.
LMY: [Who is No. 1?]
Wen Zhiyu’s fair finger had stopped bleeding, but there was now a visible scar on it. Her delicate brows furrowed.
She wondered if it would leave a permanent mark.
Seeing Li Moyuan’s message again, she jumped in surprise and marveled at how good his memory was.
Tiny beads of sweat formed on her small nose. Her full red lips parted slightly as she tapped her head with her hand.
Think, stupid brain, think!
Got it.
Little Fairy: [Brother, I was practicing lines from a TV drama. Isn’t it fun?]
Li Moyuan narrowed his eyes slightly at the screen, then suddenly smiled—a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
LMY: [What do you think?]
Wen Zhiyu pouted slightly, her fingers tapping on the screen, then deleting, until finally she sent nothing at all.
LMY: [Say some other lines.]
An out was offered, and Wen Zhiyu took it quickly.
She thought of a few lines, but none felt right, so she simply searched online for cheesy pick-up lines.
There were over a hundred of them—enough to last her a month.
Little Fairy: [There are seven days in a week. Guess which one I like best? Every day that you’re in it.]
Ew, so cheesy. Wen Zhiyu shuddered.
Fairy Girl: 【Do you know why I can’t grow taller? Because I’m mini.】
LMY: 【I’ve seen your photos. You’re probably around 1.65. That’s quite tall.】
Wen Zhiyu quickly retracts a cheesy pick-up line.
Li Moyuan is like Sherlock Holmes—Qiao Nianxi really is quite tall, around 1.66.
Wen Zhiyu is barely 1.6, petite and delicate.
Fairy Girl: 【But still much shorter than you, big brother.】
LMY: 【Our heights are compatible.】
LMY: 【I’m in this online relationship one-on-one. I hope you are too.】
Wen Zhiyu didn’t expect Li Moyuan to take online dating this seriously.
She had ulterior motives, keeping multiple options open online.
Fairy Girl: 【Big brother, trust me, I haven’t been chatting with any other men.】
Attached with a cute kitten emoji acting innocent.
LMY: 【Did you know I can see your online status on the app?】
Wen Zhiyu’s hair stands on end. Her phone slips and clatters to the floor—luckily, the phone case protects it from any damage.
Thinking it over, isn’t Li Moyuan at fault too?
He was online as well, yet he didn’t reach out to chat with her either.
Wen Zhiyu sends her thoughts over.
LMY: 【If you don’t reach out to me, I assume you don’t need me.】
Fairy Girl: 【How could that be? I love you the most, big brother.】
Somehow, her skills at sweet-talking are getting more and more polished.
Afraid of slipping up, Wen Zhiyu quickly adjusts the app settings, setting her online status to private.
Hmph, safe now.
Just then, the dinner Li Moyuan arranged arrives. Wen Zhiyu calls a courier to pick it up.
In less than ten minutes, the delivery arrives.
Wen Zhiyu opens the package—inside, there’s not only the takeout and home-cooked dishes, but also anti-inflammatory medicine, band-aids, and other items.
Wen Zhiyu sets out the dinner and snaps a photo to send over.
Fairy Girl: 【Thanks for treating me to dinner, big brother.】
Li Moyuan replies with a cool “Mm.”
Wen Zhiyu ignores him and eats her meal.
Li Mei from across the hall stares in shock—one of the meals the courier was carrying looked like something she had made.
She knew Li family’s things inside and out.
Could the young master’s friend be living across from her?
If they’re right across, why go to all that trouble? She could just deliver it directly.
“Young master, I think I know where your friend lives.”
The pen in Li Moyuan’s hand pauses, leaving a heavy mark on the paper.
He rises and walks to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing outside.
Beyond the massive window lies the city’s shimmering lights—the only splash of color in the entire room.
“You must be mistaken.”