Soon, the sound of stir-frying came from the kitchen, and Xin Zhiyao couldn't help but stand at the kitchen doorway to watch.
Zhou Ji, wearing an apron, had clean-cut and steady profile lines. His pursed lips looked noble and indifferent, his sleeves rolled up to reveal sexy wrists, and his shoulders were broad and solid. The kitchen was soon filled with the aroma of food, and his movements were skilled and fluid.
Husband material personified.
Xin Zhiyao watched, a little dazed.
From beginning to now, Zhou Ji was perfect to an unimaginable degree.
She believed that perfect people existed in the world, but she didn't believe that such a person could be hers.
Knowing she was moving in, Zhou Ji had come ahead of time to clean the house, buy all the daily necessities, put on new bedding, and arrange fresh flowers in the vase. Even the sharp corners of the table were covered with anti-collision padding.
He hadn't explicitly mentioned many of these details, but Xin Zhiyao felt his thoughtful arrangements as soon as she entered the house.
She had never been treated with such seriousness before.
She knew it might be thanks to the child, but she was the one truly benefiting.
“Are you hungry?”
Zhou Ji's voice brought her back to her senses. She saw him walking out with dishes.
“Let me,” Xin Zhiyao reached out to take them.
“No need,” Zhou Ji dodged: “It’s a bit hot.”
Knowing she might feel uncomfortable doing nothing, Zhou Ji said, “Help me get the bowls and chopsticks.”
“Okay.” Xin Zhiyao received the instruction and quickly went into the kitchen.
Soon, dinner was laid out on the dining table. Besides the braised pork ribs with potatoes, there was sweet and sour stir-fried tomatoes, and a dish of green vegetables.
“I don’t know if it suits your taste.” Zhou Ji handed her a bowl of rice: “Try it. If it’s too salty or too bland, tell me, and I’ll know for next time.”
“Thank you.” Xin Zhiyao took the bowl with both hands, holding the chopsticks but not moving.
Seeing her hesitate to start eating, Zhou Ji reminded her: “Eat.”
Xin Zhiyao mumbled, “In our family, the elders always start eating first.”
Except for Xin Haozhe, family rules were an exception for him.
Zhou Ji’s face was full of question marks: “Elder???”
When did he get promoted in seniority?
Xin Zhiyao immediately felt awkward: “I didn’t mean that. I meant you’re older than me, so you should go first.”
“……”
That explanation was worse than no explanation.
Zhou Ji picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of pork rib.
He didn't put it in his own bowl but placed it in Xin Zhiyao's bowl.
Xin Zhiyao was stunned when she saw the piece of pork rib.
Then Zhou Ji said, “In our family, the younger ones eat first.”
The "our family" he mentioned referred to the two of them.
Xin Zhiyao's eyes immediately felt teary.
Afraid that Zhou Ji would notice her unusual emotions, Xin Zhiyao quickly picked up the pork rib and forced herself to eat it, trying to push back the surge of emotion.
She couldn't eat greasy food much right now, but unexpectedly, Zhou Ji's cooking was delicious. It wasn't greasy and was very tender. The potatoes were also perfectly braised.
Her foodie nature was instantly awakened, and she ate several pieces, paired with the sweet and sour tomatoes, her appetite was greatly stimulated.
“It’s delicious,” Xin Zhiyao said sincerely.
Under the light, Zhou Ji's expression was gentle. Seeing the little girl eating so much, he also felt a sense of accomplishment.
“Eat more if you like it.”
His tone was very much like that of a parent.
Xin Zhiyao paused her eating and looked at him intently.
“What’s wrong?” Zhou Ji noticed her gaze, her dark eyes fixed on him.
“Professor Zhou,” Xin Zhiyao whispered: “Am I in a pig butchering scam?”
Zhou Ji was taken aback, then he chuckled silently.
“Yes, when the little piglet is born, we’ll butcher it together.”
Damn it, Professor Zhou, you tell cold jokes too? Where’s your usual serious and stern professor demeanor?
After showering in the evening, Xin Zhiyao snuggled into the fragrant quilt. She had just lain down when there was a knock on the door.
She jolted and got out of bed, calling towards the door: “W-what’s wrong?”
Could it be that Professor Zhou suddenly changed his mind and wanted to share a room with her?
“Open the door.” Zhou Ji’s voice came from the doorway.
Xin Zhiyao quickly got out of bed to open the door. Then she remembered she wasn't wearing a bra and quickly pulled a jacket from the closet to put on.
After tidying her messy hair, she stood behind the door, opened it a crack, and cautiously poked her head out: “P-Professor Zhou.”
Zhou Ji outside the door was wearing home pajamas and looked incredibly refreshed.
“Drink your milk.” He held a cup of milk, his well-defined fingers complementing the milky white liquid.
“Why should I drink milk?”
Her head poked out from behind the door, her clean little face filled with doubt, her black eyes shining, and a strand of hair sticking up on top of her head.
A little cute.
Zhou Ji smiled: “Drinking milk before bed helps children grow faster.”
Xin Zhiyao pouted and weakly protested: “I’m not a child. Adults should drink it too, especially adults like you.”
As soon as she said it, she realized something was wrong and immediately shut her mouth, looking at Zhou Ji nervously.
Zhou Ji's eyes flickered, and he furrowed his brows: “Adults like me? What kind of adults?”
Older people get osteoporosis, so they should supplement calcium.
Xin Zhiyao would never dare to say this. Under Zhou Ji's oppressive gaze, she repeatedly shook her head: “It’s nothing, nothing.”
Then she snatched the milk from Zhou Ji’s hand: “Thank you, Professor Zhou, goodnight.”
“Bang~.”
The door was closed, and the timid Xin hid inside.
Outside the door, Zhou Ji's gaze deepened as he pondered whether 29 years was really that old for a young girl.
He was about to graduate from university when she was still in elementary school.
“……”
It seemed like it was indeed a bit old.
After drinking the warm milk, Xin Zhiyao lay comfortably in bed. It was the first time she had slept in such a big bed; she could roll around without falling off.
She slept very comfortably. When she groggily opened her eyes the next day, she picked up her mobile phone to check the time.
!!!!!
It was almost eleven o'clock.
On the first day of living together with Zhou Ji, she had slept until eleven.
She quickly got out of bed, washed up, changed her clothes, and then tiptoed to open her room door.
If she lied to Zhou Ji and said she had woken up long ago to read but hadn't left her room, would he believe her?
Unexpectedly, Zhou Ji was not at home.
Xin Zhiyao went to his room to check. The door was open, the quilt was neatly made, and the study room was also empty.
Where did he go?
As she was wondering, she noticed a note on the dining table.
The handwriting was just like Zhou Ji himself, strong and powerful, with neat and elegant strokes, just like the person.
I went out for something. Breakfast is kept warm in the kitchen—Zhou Ji.
Xin Zhiyao breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
Thank goodness, he wasn't here. Only she knew about sleeping so late.
She walked into the kitchen and opened the rice cooker. Inside was a plate of steamed dumplings, and under the rack were eggs.
She brought it to the dining table, and Xin Zhiyao unconsciously started humming a song.
Waking up naturally, with breakfast already prepared, this life was simply too wonderful.
She had only eaten a few dumplings when Xin Zhiyao's phone rang. Seeing it was Song Yujia, she answered and put it on speakerphone.
The other side asked impatiently: “Yaoyao, how is it? How do you feel?”
“How do I feel about what?” Xin Zhiyao was confused.
“How does it feel to sleep hugging Professor Zhou? Professor Zhou looks so fragrant. Isn’t it very comfortable to hug him while sleeping?” Song Yujia said something shocking.
Xin Zhiyao almost choked, her ears turning a little red: “We didn’t sleep together.”
“What!” Song Yujia exclaimed: “What do you mean you didn’t sleep together?”
“Well, we each have our own room.”
Song Yujia immediately lamented: “Xin Zhiyao, Xin Zhiyao, how can you be so unpromising? You have a golden opportunity and you don’t cherish it. Do you know how many people at school desire Professor Zhou?”
Xin Zhiyao certainly knew. Otherwise, Professor Zhou's classes wouldn't be packed, sometimes so exaggeratedly that people were even outside the window, all just to catch a glimpse of Professor Zhou's charm.
“It’s good that we each have our own room.”
“It’s not good, not good at all,” Song Yujia’s voice was loud: “You are now legally married to Professor Zhou. Hugging him to sleep is only natural. Don’t you want to wake up and see such a handsome face? Fortunately, you’re pregnant now and don’t have your period. If it were before, seeing such a handsome face would even bring your period early.”
Song Yujia really dared to say anything.
Because of her loud voice, Xin Zhiyao didn't notice the house door opening, and a tall figure walked in.
Song Yujia's voice continued: “Yaoyao, listen to me. You have the advantage. Don’t worry about whether Professor Zhou is doing it out of responsibility or something else. Seduce him, seduce him to death. Have a second child after the first, and then a boy-girl twin after the second.”
Suddenly, the sound of the door closing came from behind her.
Xin Zhiyao trembled all over and turned around in fear.
Zhou Ji stood at the foyer, looking at her with deep eyes.
✦✦✦