After being diagnosed with a terminal illness, the fake heiress binds herself to a rough-looking man

Jiang Yu spent forty minutes packing six dishes from a Michelin one-star Cantonese restaurant in the east of the city.

Roast goose, poached chicken, steamed shrimp with garlic, stir-fried beef noodles, claypot rice, plus a bowl of slow-cooked soup.

She carried three large paper bags, which almost made her collapse from exhaustion.

The ride-hailing car stopped in front of Lao Li's repair shop.

Jiang Yu paid the fare, got off the bus in her flat loafers, and her fingers turned red from the pressure of the three paper bags.

"What are you trying to achieve, host? He said he wouldn't eat it," the system muttered in its head.

"Saying you won't eat it is just for show," Jiang Yu said, carrying the bag inside.

"Have you ever seen a man who does manual labor refuse a free lunch?"

The repair shop's roller shutter door was wide open.

Old Li isn't here; he's probably out looking for work.

Huo Li was the only one in the factory. He had half his body under the chassis of a van, with only his two long legs in military boots showing.

The hydraulic lifting platform hissed, and the air was filled with the mixed smell of rubber and machine oil.

Jiang Yu placed the paper bag on the metal workbench next to him, bent down, and called down towards the chassis:

"Master Huo, dinner is ready."

The sound of metal tools clanging came from under the chassis, but no one paid any attention to her.

Jiang Yu wasn't in a hurry. She pulled up a broken plastic chair, sat down, and started setting out the dishes one by one.

The aroma of rice and the rich fragrance of preserved meat burst forth as the foil for the claypot rice is lifted.

The movement under the chassis paused for two seconds.

Jiang Yu pretended not to see and continued to unpack the bag, arrange the disposable chopsticks, and open the lid of the soup bowl, which was steaming hot.

The deck slid out from under the bread cart.

Huo Li lay on his back, holding a wrench in one hand and wiping the oil off his face with the other.

He sat up and glanced around at the display stands on the tin counter.

Six dishes and a soup were laid out in a large bowl, like a banquet.

"Are you sick?" he said.

"Thank you for the compliment." Jiang Yu tore open a pair of chopsticks and handed them over. "Wash your hands and eat."

Huo Li did not take the chopsticks.

I stood up, walked to the sink, and turned on the tap to rinse my hands.

After rinsing for a while, shaking off the water, I walked back.

He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of roast goose, and stuffed it into his mouth.

I chewed it a couple of times, but didn't comment.

But the chopsticks didn't stop.

Jiang Yu watched him eat, resting her chin on her hand, in a very good mood.

When this person is extremely hungry, they chew very quickly, their cheeks bulging and their Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

It looks exactly like the big orange cat that used to steal food in our yard when I was a kid.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Huo Li asked without looking up, taking two bites of the stir-fried beef noodles with his chopsticks.

"I've already eaten. I brought this especially for you."

Huo Li paused for a moment with his chopsticks, then continued eating without saying a word.

The tips of his ears were a little red.

Jiang Yu saw it, but didn't expose it.

Just as she was about to say something, footsteps came from the factory gate.

A girl with a ponytail walked in carrying an enamel lunchbox.

He was in his early twenties, with a round face and tanned skin, wearing an apron with the restaurant's name printed on it.

Jiang Yu recognized the apron.

The Lanzhou noodle shop next to the repair shop.

"Brother Li, my mom asked me to deliver this to you—"

The girl's voice was stuck in her throat.

She saw the table full of exquisitely packaged dishes on the tin counter, saw Jiang Yu sitting next to her with her legs crossed, and saw Huo Li eating with chopsticks without even looking up.

The rice bowl contained a bowl of beef noodles and two braised eggs.

In comparison, it looks shabby and glaringly cheap.

The girl's face flushed red and then turned pale.

"Brother Li, what is this...?"

Huo Li looked up at her:

"Xiao Zhou, just leave it there, I'll eat it later."

His tone was flat, no different from usual.

But Jiang Yu noticed that he said "turn back".

It means I'm not eating from your bowl now.

Xiao Zhou obviously understood as well.

Her gaze suddenly shot towards Jiang Yu.

Look him up and down.

White shirt, black jeans, revealing a glimpse of slender white ankles.

She wore an emerald watch on her wrist.

No matter how modestly she dresses, her air of pampered luxury is undeniable.

"Who is this lady?" Xiao Zhou gripped the edge of the rice bowl tightly, her nails turning white.

Jiang Yu smiled, but before she could speak...

"Friend," Huo Li answered for her.

friend.

Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow.

They've already kissed, and he even washed her underwear, and now they're just "friends"?

Xiao Zhou forced a smile and placed the rice bowl on the corner of the table.

"Then, Brother Li, you're busy. I'll head back now." She turned to leave.

After taking two steps, he turned back and glanced at Jiang Yu again.

The hostility in his eyes was no longer concealed.

Jiang Yu didn't take it seriously.

I've seen plenty of jealous girls.

Huo Li quickly finished off the claypot rice and most of the roast goose.

He put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth with a tissue.

"How much."

"It's free."

I don't owe anyone any favors.

"You owe me a meal, have you forgotten?"

Jiang Yu tilted her head to look at him, "Consider this meal an advance. You can treat me to it another day."

Huo Li stared at her for two seconds, then didn't insist.

He got up and went to continue repairing the bread truck.

Jiang Yu helped tidy up the lunch boxes on the table and put the trash in bags.

As she bent down to tie the garbage bag, the light at the factory gate suddenly dimmed.

Xiao Zhou is back.

This time, instead of carrying a rice bowl, she was carrying a mop bucket.

The bucket contained dirty water from washing mops; it was grayish-black and covered with a layer of oily film.

Jiang Yu sensed something was wrong and looked up.

Xiao Zhou stood two meters away from her, gripping the edge of the mop bucket in his hand.

She had a smile on her face, a very sweet smile.

"Excuse me, sister, let me help Brother Li mop the floor. There's too much oil on the floor; you're wearing such nice shoes, you might slip."

Before he finished speaking, the bucket tilted forward.

The bucket of dirty water was splashed straight towards Jiang Yu.

The angle was too precise. The force was too smooth.

It cannot be explained away as an accident.

Jiang Yu didn't have time to dodge...

A sudden force tightened around his waist.

He was dragged out horizontally.

He crashed into a hot, hard chest.

The smell of engine oil and sweat was overwhelming.

Huo Li had one arm around her waist, while the other hand held a wrench.

He emerged from under the car at some point, his military boots splashing dirty water onto half of his trouser leg.

The bucket of water was spilled all over the spot where Jiang Yu had just been standing.

Xiao Zhou stood frozen in place, his hand still in the tilted position.

Huo Li didn't look at Jiang Yu.

He turned his head and stared directly at Xiao Zhou's face.

His face, usually cold and silent, showed no extra expression, but what was in his eyes shattered Xiao Zhou's smile.

"Brother Li, I didn't mean to..."

"Walk."

One word.

Xiao Zhou's lips trembled slightly: "I really didn't..."

"Don't send meals to the factory anymore."

Huo Li's voice was flat. "Tell your mother."

Xiao Zhou's eyes immediately reddened.

She bit her lip, glared at Jiang Yu, and then ran out.

The repair shop fell silent.

Huo Li looked down at his soaked trousers and military boots and frowned.

His hands, which were still wrapped around Jiang Yu's waist, had not loosened.

Jiang Yu nestled in his arms, her nose pressed against the gray vest on his chest.

The sound of my heartbeat came through the thin fabric, "thump thump thump," heavy and fast.

It was completely different from the calm and composed look on his face.

[Ding! Hug contact achieved! Lifespan increased by 3 days! Current remaining lifespan: 23 days and 5 hours!]