The smile in Su Ci's eyes froze.
She blinked in disbelief, "Is Lu Zhe shy? Or angry?"
Fu Gui: [He might be sleepy.]
Su Ci snorted, "Whatever, you better keep quiet."
Fu Gui trembled.
Entering the room, the pink bed added a splash of color to the otherwise cold space.
Su Ci's gaze fell on the desk, where there sat a cup decorated with little rabbit patterns - one she had picked out. It was adorable; she really did have good taste.
She picked up the cup, which contained lukewarm water. Lu Zhe must have poured it for her while she was taking a shower.
For someone who appeared so cold, he was unexpectedly attentive.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows, filling the small storage room and diminishing its coldness.
Disturbing noises came from outside the door. Lu Zhe opened his eyes, still clouded with drowsiness, his usual coolness somewhat softened. He got up from the folding bed.
Opening the door, the sounds became clearer.
Lu Zhe walked out and discovered the noise was coming from the kitchen.
"What are you doing?"
Lu Zhe's magnetic, slightly hoarse voice was pleasant but startled Su Ci in the kitchen.
She almost burned herself.
"Good morning," Su Ci turned around and told Lu Zhe, "I'm making breakfast."
Lu Zhe observed the water-splattered floor, rice scattered on the cabinet, and carrot peels. He remembered Su Ci telling him she was a good cook.
Smelling the burnt odor from the kitchen, Lu Zhe walked in without showing any reaction.
Standing beside Su Ci, he lifted the pot lid to find thick porridge with no liquid left, almost becoming sticky rice.
"I didn't add enough water," Su Ci said regretfully.
Lu Zhe glanced at the other pot containing carrots, which were unevenly cut and burnt.
"These carrots are so hard to cook, they won't soften no matter what," Su Ci complained quietly.
This morning, instead of sleeping in, Su Ci had woken up early to make breakfast.
For the past two days, Lu Zhe had been taking care of everything. As someone staying under his roof, she felt she needed to show some initiative, to prove she wasn't just freeloading but could actually help out.
To present her best self to Lu Zhe, she had specifically worn the new dress bought yesterday and partially tied up her hair, giving herself a gentler appearance.
However, while she looked beautiful, her breakfast was a complete disaster.
Su Ci looked at Lu Zhe pitifully, holding up her finger that had been cut by the knife.
Since making a good impression was clearly impossible now, she decided to aim for sympathy points instead.
Su Ci told Lu Zhe, "Lu Zhe, I got cut while making your breakfast."
She lied with a straight face, "It was bleeding a lot earlier, I don't know if it might get infected."
Lu Zhe looked down.
Her pale pink fingertip did have a cut, but it had only broken the outermost layer of skin. The thin red mark was barely visible - hardly the kind of wound that would bleed, let alone require bandaging or medicine.
He looked at Su Ci before him, with her moist dark eyes and fair face, looking as if she'd suffered some great injustice. Without a doubt, her previous claims about being good at housework and laundry must have been lies too.
Lu Zhe said: "Go sit outside."
Su Ci nodded obediently, not offering to help in the kitchen - she at least had that much self-awareness.
Some time later.
Su Ci saw that the porridge Lu Zhe brought out looked different - he had clearly added water and recooked it. Her burnt, chunky carrots had been replaced with fresh side dishes, and there was also a plate of steamed custard buns.
Su Ci glanced at Lu Zhe, who sat down across from her without a word. The young man's face was stern and expressionless, but somehow Su Ci found him impressive.
Well, anyone who could cook better than her was impressive in her eyes.
Su Ci picked up a custard bun and took a bite. The bread was soft, with fragrant custard flowing out - it tasted wonderful.
Compared to her previous diet of rabbit food or raw carrots, Su Ci felt incredibly blessed to be eating such buns now.
Lu Zhe told Su Ci, "I need to go out this afternoon."
"Where are you going?"
"Work." Boss Fang had sent him the client's address yesterday.
"I'll go with you," Su Ci said without hesitation.
It would be too boring staying here alone; she'd rather be by Lu Zhe's side, "I promise I won't interfere with your work."
Just as she finished speaking, the doorbell rang.
"Are you expecting someone?" Su Ci asked Lu Zhe.
The doorbell rang several more times.
"I'll check," Lu Zhe stood up.
Opening the door, he saw a middle-aged man in a suit, with two people behind him carrying gift bags.
"Is Miss Su Ci here?" the middle-aged man asked Lu Zhe.
"You're looking for me?"
Hearing that someone was asking for her, Su Ci came over and immediately recognized Fu Butler, "What is it?"
Fu Butler smiled and said: "Miss Su Ci, these are thank-you gifts that Old Madam asked me to deliver to you."
"I remember your young master already thanked me with 20,000 yuan that day," Su Ci definitely remembered how stingy Fu Baili was.
Fu Butler caught the sarcasm in the girl's voice but maintained his polite smile, "Old Madam said she needed to thank you personally. Each of these gifts was carefully selected by Old Madam herself, please accept them."
He continued, "The police have found the person responsible for throwing objects from height. They did it because they were in a bad mood and carelessly threw down a broken glass kettle. They've been detained now. Thanks to Miss Su Ci, Old Madam avoided disaster. Old Madam said that if Miss Su Ci ever needs help in the future, she can always turn to the Fu family."
Previously, many young ladies had tried various ways to get close to Fu Baili, even attempting to approach Old Madam just to get near him.
This time, Su Ci saving Old Madam seemed too coincidental, which made people suspicious. Fu Baili worried this might have been pre-planned too.
That's why Fu Baili had casually dismissed Su Ci, and Old Madam hadn't objected. But after the police revealed the truth last night, Old Madam immediately sent people with gifts to express gratitude.
Su Ci was clever and immediately understood the implications in Fu Butler's words. Everyone in wealthy families had their suspicions. Now that the Fu family had confirmed she truly was Old Madam's savior, they were finally showing proper respect.
She understood why wealthy families were cautious, but that didn't mean she had to like it.
Of course, she would accept the thanks she deserved.
Su Ci agreed to let them bring the gifts into the house without further comment.
"Miss Su Ci, if you need anything, you can always come to the Fu residence to find me. I can relay your message to Old Madam," Fu Butler was very courteous.
Su Ci agreed casually, not taking it seriously.
After all the gifts were moved inside, Fu Butler and his people left. Before leaving, he couldn't help but give an extra glance at the silent young man standing to the side.
Su Ci started opening the thank-you gifts and found several bags contained clothes - soft fabric, fashionable styles, quite matching her taste.
She opened other small gift boxes containing jewelry - diamond necklaces, gold bracelets, and some crystal earrings. The total value must have been several hundred thousand yuan.
Su Ci felt slightly disappointed that the Fu family hadn't given her cash, considering how poor she was now.
But her mood improved when she realized she could sell these pieces of jewelry when she needed money.
She moved closer to Lu Zhe and told him, "Yesterday I saved an elderly lady who turned out to be wealthy, and they came today to thank me."
Then she asked Lu Zhe, "Don't you think I'm both beautiful and kind-hearted?"
The fair-skinned girl looked proud, her dark eyes bright as she gazed at him. Before Lu Zhe could respond, she started praising herself: "Beautiful people aren't as kind as me, kind people aren't as beautiful as me. Oh my, what an absolute treasure I am!"
Watching the self-proclaimed "absolute treasure" eagerly opening gift boxes beside him, a faint smile crossed Lu Zhe's dark eyes.
In the afternoon, Su Ci insisted on accompanying Lu Zhe out.
"It's very far," Lu Zhe told Su Ci.
Su Ci responded thoughtfully: "That's fine, we can save money by not taking a taxi. Let's take public transport." After all, she had never taken a bus before.
Lu Zhe said coldly, "It's very sunny outside."
Su Ci waved the umbrella in her hand, "Don't worry about me, I brought an umbrella. Let's hurry, it's not good to keep clients waiting."
Lu Zhe: "I was actually ready to leave."
Su Ci thought about how she had applied sunscreen and found an umbrella, and smiled sweetly at Lu Zhe, "Lu Zhe, let's go."
The afternoon sun was fierce, making the ground hot enough to burn one's feet.
Su Ci followed Lu Zhe to the seventeenth floor of a tall building.
Since it was Saturday, none of the company's employees were working, except for one young Female Employee who was responsible for coordinating with them.
The Female Employee had gentle features. She politely poured water for Lu Zhe and Su Ci, "Those two computers over there are the ones with problems." The company's network administrator was on leave, and with no staff available, they had to call for external help.
Lu Zhe stood up, "I'll take a look."
Beside him, Su Ci immediately said, "Go ahead, I'll be good and wait here for you."
Lu Zhe glanced at her before going to check the computers.
The Female Employee looked at Su Ci enviously, "You and your boyfriend seem to have a great relationship."
Su Ci turned her head to look at her, "He's not my boyfriend."
"Oh, I'm sorry," the Female Employee quickly apologized. The young man and this girl were both exceptionally good-looking and seemed like a perfect match, so she had assumed they were a couple.
"It's alright," Su Ci curved her red lips, "Maybe he will be in the future."
The Female Employee was stunned for a moment before letting out a gentle laugh, the worry in her brow lessening, making her appear even more graceful.
"You have a beautiful smile," Su Ci rarely complimented people, but this Female Employee's smile was genuinely pleasant.
The Female Employee was taken aback, her eyes showing more mirth, and her face showing a hint of shyness.
Being complimented on her smile by such an exquisitely beautiful girl made it hard not to feel shy, "You... you're very beautiful too."
Su Ci nodded in agreement.
Her gaze fell on the Female Employee's wrist, and she couldn't understand why this Female Employee would die in twenty minutes.
Fu Gui: [Fu Gui knows, Fu Gui knows, Master, please save her.]
Su Ci: "I don't meddle in others' affairs."
Fu Gui silently retreated.
"It might take a while longer. Are you hungry? There are some snacks in the break room. If you'd like some, I can get them for you," the Female Employee worried the girl might be bored waiting.
Su Ci looked at her, "Sure."
The Female Employee got up to fetch snacks, selecting some that girls typically enjoy, "These won't cause internal heat, and they're low in calories, so you can eat them without worry."
Su Ci smiled and accepted the snacks she handed over.
She opened a peach-flavored yogurt stick and slowly nibbled on it, occasionally glancing at the life value above the Female Employee's head - only fifteen minutes remaining.
Every time the Female Employee met her eyes, she would smile shyly. Su Ci found it hard to imagine how someone who spoke and acted so gently would die.
Fu Gui appeared again, [Fu Gui knows! Master can ask Fu Gui.]
Su Ci bit into the yogurt stick, her mouth full of peach flavor, "Go ahead."
Fu Gui's small voice was excited, [She's going to slit her wrist.]
Su Ci's eyes narrowed as she examined the Female Employee again, "You're saying she's going to slit her wrist here at the company?"
Fu Gui: [Yes, Master, please save her.] The golden cotton candy was too delicious, Fu Gui wanted more.
Su Ci raised her eyebrow, the small beauty mark below her eye looking particularly alluring. She continued nibbling on the yogurt stick, lost in thought.
Ten minutes later, Lu Zhe had finished fixing both computers, "The computers are working now."
"Thank you for your hard work." The Female Employee transferred the maintenance fee to Lu Zhe, "Let me see you out."
"Thank you for the snacks, they were delicious. No need to trouble yourself, we can find our way out," Su Ci stood up and walked to Lu Zhe's side.
"Alright then, I won't see you out," the Female Employee gave Su Ci a gentle smile and turned to check the computers.
Licking the sweetness from her lips, Su Ci suddenly pulled Lu Zhe behind the nearby employee lockers.
Lu Zhe's dark eyes looked at her.
Su Ci blinked and mouthed to Lu Zhe, "Shh!"
Since the woman would die in five minutes, that meant she would slit her wrist very soon.
Fu Gui became excited: [Master, didn't you say you wouldn't save her?]
Su Ci: "Haven't you heard the saying 'after accepting someone's food, you feel obligated'?"
The space behind the storage lockers was very small, barely enough for two people.
Now, looking at how her body was pressed against Lu Zhe's, her light blue dress brushing against his black pants, her upper body tightly pressed against his chest, it felt rather intimate.
Despite Su Ci's usual thick skin, her fair face still blushed.
She tried to shift her feet to create some distance, but as soon as she moved, Lu Zhe's entire body tensed up.
Seeing Lu Zhe look down at her, Su Ci quickly covered his eyes with her hand.
His vision went dark.
Lu Zhe heard the girl's suppressed voice by his ear, preemptively defending herself, "Lu Zhe, don't move."
Lu Zhe: Heh!
