From a young age, this was the first time he had eaten such delicious meat.
He Zhiran also liked eating this grilled meat. After helping Mo Jiuye grab a piece, she started wolfing it down. Her facial expression of enjoyment couldn't be concealed at all.
Not only was the beef tasty, but the mutton and pork belly were equally delicious. Plus those small seafood items and various meatballs were, for Mo Jiuye, simply heaven-sent flavors of the human world.
It was just that, owing to his injuries, He Zhiran only let him have a little taste.
Just then, He Zhiran purchased another bottle of Coke and one of Sprite.
Her favorite beverage was Coke. Considering that the Coke flavor wasn't easy for people to accept, she took the initiative to buy Mo Jiuye a bottle of Sprite.
She handed the Sprite to Mo Jiuye and taught him how to open the bottle cap.
After Mo Jiuye opened the Sprite bottle, he looked again at the Coke in He Zhiran's hand.
"How come our drinks are different?"
He Zhiran explained: "Mine is called Coke. The flavor is a bit peculiar. I was afraid you wouldn't be used to it, so I bought you Sprite instead."
Mo Jiuye poured the Sprite into a cup and took a shallow sip.
"Mm, nice and cool, very refreshing."
Seeing that he didn't reject the Sprite flavor, He Zhiran nonchalantly poured herself a cup of Coke.
She had just taken a sip when Mo Jiuye brought over an empty cup.
"Can I try your Coke?"
He Zhiran now felt that Mo Jiuye was just a child who hadn't grown up, finding everything novel.
She laughed and helped pour him a cup of Coke, then placed it in front of him.
"Go ahead and try it!"
Mo Jiuye drank a mouthful and felt that he really liked this flavor.
He tipped his head back and finished the entire cup of Coke in one go.
Seeing his manner, He Zhiran knew that he actually preferred Coke over Sprite.
So she switched their drinks around.
"I really enjoy drinking Sprite too, so why don't we swap."
"Sounds good, I like this Coke."
The two of them ate and drank. Unknowingly, they finished all four sets of the grilled meat platter He Zhiran had bought.
He Zhiran patted her somewhat protruding belly, now stuffed full. She cleared the table clean.
Then she brought out all kinds of fruit.
Both of them were rather stuffed at the moment. He Zhiran was thinking that it was hard to come by an opportunity to eat her favorite things to her heart's content like this, so she should do her best.
Mo Jiuye sampled a little of every fruit, finally favoring the "stinky" durian like He Zhiran.
After eating fruit, it was already late night. Considering they still had to think of a way to leave this space tomorrow morning and possibly face new dangers again, rest and recuperation were crucial.
Thus, under He Zhiran's urging, the two went to the bedroom together.
Inside the bedroom was a large king-sized bed. As always, He Zhiran slept on the inside and Mo Jiuye on the outside.
In any case, it wasn't their first time sleeping side-by-side, so He Zhiran didn't feel awkward at all.
Lying on the soft, big bed, Mo Jiuye's thoughts were racing and restless.
By now he already knew all her secrets.
He didn't feel any sense of discomfort at all about this. On the contrary, he really liked these things.
Everything in her space, including He Zhiran herself, was so beautiful in Mo Jiuye's eyes.
Mo Jiuye felt Heaven bless and bestow him with such a wonderful woman.
At the same time, he also felt pity for He Zhiran.
After all, he was no longer the prestigious Duke who everyone respected. He had already become an exiled prisoner through and through.
Not only so, but He Zhiran had also gotten implicated because of him and his family, forced to live this kind of difficult and dangerous life everywhere.
Listening to her now steady breathing beside him, Mo Jiuye gently turned his head.
Looking at her serene, sleeping face, Mo Jiuye secretly swore in his heart that for the rest of his life he would do everything in his power to prevent her from suffering any grievances.
...
After sleeping soundly through the night, when He Zhiran opened her eyes the wall clock already displayed 8 AM.
Maybe because she had slept too late last night, or the space was too comfortable, this was the first time in two lifetimes she had slept this late.
He Zhiran rubbed her still groggy eyes and turned her head to see Mo Jiuye wasn't by her side.
Getting up and putting on her shoes, she walked out of the bedroom—only to see Mo Jiuye already busying about in the kitchen.
Steam rose from the pot on the stove. He kept his head lowered, cutting something there.
Seeing this, He Zhiran felt somewhat disoriented.
Dressed in plain home clothes, his ink-black hair cascading down his back like a waterfall, wearing two big slippers on his feet, and still holding a kitchen knife in his hand...
Hearing the sound, Mo Jiuye raised his head. His usually icy cold face actually revealed a warm smile to her.
"You're up? Breakfast is almost ready."
With just this simple sentence, He Zhiran's heart instantly softened.
She didn't know when she had seen countless scenes like this on TV shows. She never expected something similar would happen in her own real life as well.
In order not to spoil this beautiful scene, after murmuring a "Good morning," He Zhiran immediately buried her head in the bathroom to wash up.
When she came out after freshening up, she saw Mo Jiuye carrying over a steaming hot bowl of noodles to the dining table.
Seeing his somewhat slow movements, He Zhiran suddenly remembered his injuries.
She rushed over in large strides and took the noodles from Mo Jiuye's hands.
"You still have wounds. Let me."
In truth, enduring the pain as he did these things was difficult for Mo Jiuye.
He wasn't doing it for anything else. He wanted to treat He Zhiran well, and it had to start from all the little things and details.
Mo Jiuye's wounds did hurt quite a bit. He didn't decline her help and just smiled at He Zhiran, giving her a reassuring look.
"They're just external injuries. Things like this are nothing to me."
He Zhiran didn't think so at all. She had personally seen every one of his wounds.
She was the one who had stitched and dressed so many of them. How could they be simple external injuries?
Not doubting he had good intentions, after putting down the noodles on the table, He Zhiran pulled Mo Jiuye to the treatment room. While helping inspect his condition, she also changed his dressings.
Mo Jiuye didn't budge. He insisted on watching her finish the noodles before going to get his wounds examined.
He Zhiran didn't want to disappoint his good intentions either. She went back to the kitchen to dish out another bowl of noodles and brought it back. The two of them sat together and finished all the noodles.
The noodles didn't taste fantastic, but from the small details like the tea egg and vegetable leaves inside, it was apparent this man had put care into making them.
Mo Jiuye similarly felt his cooking skills were nothing great.
He thought to himself that he would have to learn more when there was a chance in the future.
After He Zhiran helped change Mo Jiuye's dressings, she also hooked him up to an IV.
"I'm planning to try descending downwards until I reach the ground. Then I'll come back to take you out with me."
Mo Jiuye well knew that in his current condition, wanting to carry He Zhiran down safely from a high place was utterly impossible.
Considering they had been gone for a full day and night, his family must be worried sick. So he didn't object.
After all, now he understood the existence of this space and agreed with He Zhiran's methods too.
"Alright, you have to be extra careful. If it doesn't work, then wait until my injuries heal before we think of another way."
