Not far away, Mei☆ witnessed everything and felt a growing heaviness in her heart. When would she finally get her chance...
She couldn't help but ponder, 'Do I have to resort to underhanded tactics too?'
As that thought crossed Mei☆'s mind, Fu Lin, caught between the two girls, couldn't help but shiver.
--------------------------------
Inside the villa, Fu Lin stared fixedly at the steaming, fragrant food on the table, his throat involuntarily moving up and down.
As he raised a hand to wipe the drool slowly trickling from the corner of his mouth, Fu Lin muttered to himself,
"After all this time, I can finally enjoy a feast! I was starting to forget what food even tastes like."
Standing nearby, Mei☆ heard this and smiled gently, replying softly, "In that case, I'll go make some more delicious dishes."
With that, Mei☆ turned around, ready to show off her culinary skills in the kitchen.
Fu Lin quickly nodded, his face full of anticipation and joy, murmuring, "That's even better! Honestly, I really missed your cooking."
Hearing this, Mei☆'s heart sweetened, and like a blooming spring flower, she revealed a soft smile before walking into the kitchen.
Soon after, Fu Lin turned his gaze toward the two people still fiercely arguing by the table, and couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. He helplessly advised,
"You two... can't you quiet down for a bit? My ears are hurting. We're trying to eat here, you know."
No sooner had he spoken than Kiana☆ and Fu Shi both snorted at the same time and replied in unison, "Hmph, only for your sake, Fu Lin, I won't argue with this person!"
Then, as if they suddenly realized something, they again shouted in unison, "Why are you copying what I said?!"
Immediately, they resumed their back-and-forth bickering. "You totally copied me first!"
"Nonsense, you're the one who copied me!"
Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Fu Lin could only look at them speechlessly, sighing to himself.
At that moment, he suddenly noticed a figure slowly emerging from a room, rummaging through some cupboards before walking back with a few bags of snacks.
Puzzled, Fu Lin asked, "Why is Bella here? Shouldn't she be with Sirin?"
Upon hearing this, Kiana☆ quickly stopped arguing with Fu Shi and turned to explain to Fu Lin,
"After this house was finished, I brought everyone here.
Sirin's in that room right now. Do you want to go see her?
Oh right, she already knows that you're her brother."
Fu Lin asked nervously, "Sirin knows?! Did... did she say anything?"
As he spoke, he unconsciously rubbed his hands together, a hint of unease and worry in his eyes.
Kiana☆ thought for a moment, then slowly replied, "At first, she had a hard time accepting it and seemed really depressed. But lately, though she still locks herself in her room every day, I think she's started to come to terms with it."
Hearing this, Fu Lin let out a long breath, as if a weight had been lifted from his heart, murmuring, "That's good, that's good…"
Just then, Fu Shi couldn't hold back any longer and jumped in, "As for Yae Sakura, she's now Teresa's secretary! And Higokumaru..."
Fu Lin, intrigued by Fu Shi's mysterious tone, quickly asked, "What about Higokumaru?"
Seeing this, Fu Shi cheerfully spread her hands and said,
"Nothing too special really—Higokumaru now hangs out with Black Kite and Ai-chan every day."
"Black Kite, Ai-chan, and Higokumaru…"
Fu Lin muttered as he scratched his head, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.
At the same time, a bizarre image appeared in his mind.
In it, a large, blackened pot was suspended in the air, with a mountain of firewood beneath it.
Higokumaru stood to the side, seriously blowing air to ignite the wood.
Then, Black Kite, Ai-chan, and Higokumaru all jumped into the pot and… enjoyed a bath?
For some reason, as Fu Lin imagined this, a single droplet of crystal-clear drool slowly slid from the corner of his mouth.
At the same time, an incredibly rich and tempting aroma quickly filled the air like an invisible wave.
The scent was so enticing that just smelling it made one's mouth water and fingers itch with hunger.
At that moment, Mei☆ appeared with a smile, gracefully carrying a steaming, delicious-looking dish out from the kitchen.
The irresistible aroma was coming from the dish in Mei☆'s hands.
As Mei☆ set the dish down, Fu Lin's eyes lit up instantly. Without a word, he picked up his chopsticks and swiftly grabbed a golden, fragrant piece of meat, stuffing it into his mouth without hesitation.
He began chewing vigorously. As his teeth clashed with the meat, the rich, savory juices burst in his mouth like a breached dam.
Moments later, a blissful expression appeared on Fu Lin's previously calm face. He smacked his lips in satisfaction and exclaimed with his mouth full, "Delicious... It's been so long since I've had Mei☆'s cooking!"
Hearing Fu Lin's exaggerated praise, Mei☆ smiled gently and responded softly, "Hehe, then eat as much as you want."
There was a tender light in Mei☆'s eyes, clearly pleased by Fu Lin's compliments.
However, at that moment, Kiana☆—standing nearby—felt a bit uneasy.
Though she knew Mei☆'s cooking was amazing and that she couldn't compare, seeing Fu Lin's enraptured, intoxicated expression made her feel jealous and disgruntled.
She pouted and muttered under her breath, "Hmph, is my cooking really that bad?"
Fu Lin heard Kiana☆'s complaint and was momentarily stunned. After thinking for a bit, he replied, "Hmm... well, your cooking... is kind of edible, I guess."
He even added a slightly apologetic smile after saying that.
But that comment clearly didn't satisfy Kiana☆.
She puffed out her rosy cheeks slightly, and her watery eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky, now staring resentfully at Fu Lin.
At this point, Fu Shi—who had been silently watching—finally gave in to her teasing instincts and interjected sarcastically,
"Oh dear, some people really need a bit more self-awareness. Being able to cook something edible is already impressive enough. Don't push your luck!"
As Fu Shi's words landed, the atmosphere in the room once again turned tense, as if a spark could ignite another fiery argument.
Seeing the tension rise, Fu Lin furrowed his brows and decisively slammed his palms on the table.
With a crisp "bang," the sudden sound drew everyone's attention.
Fu Lin then stood up abruptly, exuding an invisible pressure that stunned both Kiana☆ and Fu Shi into silence.
Even Fu Hua poked her head out from the kitchen in confusion.
Fu Lin glanced around at everyone staring at him before slowly saying, "Alright, I'll go get Sirin to come eat. You two… carry on."
With that, and before Kiana☆ or Fu Shi could respond, he turned and strode off toward Sirin's room.
Kiana☆ and Fu Shi were left staring at each other in silence, the air thick with an almost suffocating stillness.
After a long pause, Kiana☆ glared at Fu Shi and said, "It's your fault. Fu Lin got mad."
Being blamed, Fu Shi frowned and pouted, thinking for a moment before retorting,
"It's partly my fault... but can you really say it's all on me? Don't you share some of the blame?"