Brother, isn't it good that you like me?

The next day, at eight o'clock.

Chi Yu sat on the bed, questioning the meaning of life.

He knew he couldn't hold his liquor. He never drank at banquets or celebrations before. Last night, probably because his younger brother was with him, he instinctively felt safe, and his nerves relaxed, so he forgot about it.

But he never expected that the result of his relaxed nerves would be that he would grab Shen Yan's sleeve and call her "Mom"!

Chi Yu buried his head in the pillow, wishing he could suffocate himself.

How could this be? Chi Yu thought, he only said five or six sentences last night, how come he called Shen Yan "Mom" for most of them?

This was only the second time in his life he had experienced something so incredibly frustrating—the first time was when he first discovered he couldn't hold his liquor, and after drinking, he chased after Sister Zhang calling her "Mom."

But Sister Zhang is his elder, and she usually takes good care of him, so it's not particularly strange for her to call him that, right?

But Shen Yan...

Chi Yu closed his eyes and began to consider whether he should ask for leave on the grounds of physical discomfort and give up the remaining half of the live broadcast.

Five minutes later.

Never mind. Chi Yu lowered his eyes, his fingers slipping from his hair.

He never liked to run away from things—he could avoid today's recording, but he couldn't avoid the next one. Besides, Shen Yan had indeed taken care of him all night, whether it was singing or telling stories, it was a favor in itself. He couldn't owe him that.

Wait, let me tell you a story.

Chi Yu's gaze paused slightly.

The deep, steady voice from last night suddenly became clear in his ears, as if piercing through the thin mist of memory, gradually becoming more concrete. Chi Yu frowned slightly, feeling that this story... seemed familiar.

Where? Chi Yu thought for a long time, but to no avail.

I had no choice but to pick up my phone from the bedside table, open the notes app, and jot down bits and pieces of the story I told before bed. I plan to think about it more carefully later.

After finishing writing, Chi Yu got up, washed up, changed his clothes, and prepared to go downstairs. As he walked down, he pondered how to repay these favors.

……

Everyone drank quite a bit last night, and everyone slept in late today. But the live stream was on time, and the bored viewers had already skillfully started playing cards in the live stream room.

As soon as Chi Yu went downstairs, the live chat immediately became lively.

Good morning, brother!

[My brother looks so handsome today!]

Chi Yu walked in front of the camera, greeted the audience, chatted briefly, and then turned and went into the kitchen.

Jiang Ling was the only one in the kitchen.

Chi Yu glanced up and was momentarily stunned by the wine-red hue. Jiang Ling was wearing a soft silk shirt, the collar open, holding a coffee cup and leaning her head towards the rim. Her posture didn't resemble drinking coffee; it was more like savoring some precious spice.

As if hearing the noise, Jiang Ling looked up and saw him staring at the coffee machine, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Good morning, Teacher Chi. Would you like some coffee?"

Before Chi Yu could answer, he continued, "This bean is Yirgacheffe, sun-dried, with a very prominent floral and fruity aroma. I suggest you try hand-drip brewing, don't use a machine."

[I feel like something just flashed through my mind.]

[Haha, when it comes to coffee, our Teacher Jiang is a professional! He has a barista certificate!]

Wow, you're making such a professional show about coffee. Unlike me, I only have two criteria for judging coffee: better than Luckin Coffee, or worse than Luckin Coffee.

[My brother probably did too. Jiang Ling said a lot, and Xiao Chi just grunted "Mmm" and turned on the machine.]

Hahahaha!

In the video, Jiang Ling is still rambling on about the flavor, roast level, and extraction time. Chi Yu's coffee is already brewed.

The young man, holding his cup, glanced at Jiang Ling and chuckled, "Isn't enjoying coffee the most basic thing?"

"Oh?"

"From baking to grinding, whether it's with milk, ice, or cold brew, I taste it myself—"

Chi Yu said, picking up his cup and taking a sip.

"That way you can tell if the coffee is too hot or not."

Jiang Ling: "?"

[Koike, don't tell jokes with that cold face, hahaha]

That's right, I've been an electrician for over ten years. I can tell if there's electricity just by touching it.

Realizing that Chi Yu was joking, Jiang Lingqian chuckled twice and was just about to find another topic—

"Good morning, Xiao Chi, Jiang Ling, what are you guys talking about?"

Shen Yan walked into the kitchen.

The boy was wearing a loose blue T-shirt, his hair was still fluffy from just waking up, and his eyebrows and eyes were as clean as the early spring breeze.

Chi Yu's gaze met his, and memories of last night instantly flooded back. He awkwardly looked away, glancing elsewhere.

Jiang Ling chuckled and replied, "I was just chatting about coffee with Teacher Chi." He glanced at Shen Yan, "Would you like some? I'll make you a cup?"

Shen Yan shook his head, smiled, and walked to the side. "No, I like to drink milk for breakfast."

Jiang Ling raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

This morning, the guests were to arrange their own breakfast. He had done his research beforehand and knew that Chi Yu couldn't cook, so he thought this was a good opportunity to get to know her.

He glanced at the ingredients the production team had prepared on the table, rolled up his sleeves, and picked out two tomatoes.

As Shen Yan drank his milk, he walked to the long table and leisurely picked out a few tomatoes.

Chi Yu didn't have the habit of eating raw tomatoes for breakfast. He looked at the two figures busy in the kitchen, thought for a moment, turned around and went upstairs, deciding to take some snacks from his room for breakfast.

Although it's not very healthy, it's edible and much better than his deep fryer.

But what he didn't expect was...

When I returned to the restaurant with my snacks, the spot where there had only been a cup of coffee was now set with two breakfasts.

A refreshing and delicate cold sandwich, and a fragrant and delicious tomato and egg noodle soup.

Chi Yu looked up at the two of them with some confusion. "This is... for me?"

The two nodded in unison.

The reason given was always a simple three-word phrase: "Too much."

Chi Yu frowned slightly.

Oh ho ho! The atmosphere has become a little awkward, ho ho!

[My brother will probably choose a sandwich; sandwiches and coffee sound like a perfect match!]

[This sounds like something a typical office worker would say! But look at our tomato and egg noodles—the color is so appealing, the tangy and sour flavor is irresistible, the texture is rich and creamy, and the noodles are smooth and chewy! Let's have something hot for breakfast! Kitty, choose Leopard!]

[The last sentence is the key point!]

Chi Yu looked down at the two breakfasts and thought, "I can understand making too much noodles, but can sandwiches be made 'accidentally'?"

Jiang Ling's intentions seem rather obvious.

Is she trying to get close to him, or is she trying to get close to Jiang Ziyi by showing him kindness?

Regardless of the purpose, it made Chi Yu feel somewhat uncomfortable. In addition, he did prefer tomato and egg noodles to white rice, which would make him turn pale.

Chi Yu picked up his chopsticks and took the bowl of egg noodles.

Shen Yan immediately smiled, her eyes crinkling like the blooming flowers of June.

Jiang Ling, standing to the side, lowered her eyes and softly exclaimed, "Ah, I thought Teacher Chi would like sandwiches."

Chi Yu glanced at him. Although she didn't want to talk to him, she still said thank you because of the camera and explained that she liked to eat carbohydrates in the morning.

"Oh, I see," Jiang Ling smiled, "I'll remember that."

These words were unsettling, and Chi Yu frowned, remaining silent.

Perhaps due to the subtle atmosphere, the three of them ate breakfast in silence today.

After finishing their meal, Shen Yan took the bowl away. Chi Yu glanced at the camera, then got up and followed him.

He walked to a blind spot in the camera's view and said to Shen Yan, "Thank you for last night."

After the meal, the awkwardness from the morning had subsided. Chi Yu looked at Shen Yan and asked, "Is there anything you want lately, or anything you need help with? I can try to help you."

He really disliked owing people favors. He hadn't even finished making the return gift for the night light, and Chen Feng and Shen Yan had also helped him a lot yesterday. Including taking care of him while he was drunk last night, he already owed Shen Yan too many favors, which made him feel uneasy.

It must be repaid.

Shen Yan turned off the tap, wiped his hands, and after thinking for a moment, replied, "There really is something I need help with."

"What?"

Shen Yan tilted his head and smiled. "Brother Xiao Chi, I have a song I'm planning to shoot a music video for. Can you be my male lead?"

"Me?" Chi Yu was taken aback, then frowned. "Are you sure?"

What kind of criticism did his works receive?

"Confirmed." Shen Yan looked at him. "I really like your work, Brother Xiao Chi; your acting is excellent. We can calculate the price at twice the market rate—"

"No need," Chi Yu interrupted him, pursing her lips. "Just go for the market price..."

He knows his own acting skills; they're not worth twice as much.

He was still a little happy to hear others praise him, so much so that it took him almost a minute to remember to ask, "Which song's music video is it?"

Her clear, beautiful eyes curved slightly, and Shen Yan turned his face away, suddenly finding himself unable to meet her gaze.

The little bird in his heart was ready to take flight again. The boy pursed his lips and remained silent for five seconds before daring to speak.

Reveal the song title that I've kept hidden in my heart for three years:

"The Man Outside the Mirror"

—The song he wrote for the person he secretly loved before he went abroad.

……

Director Wu's tolerance for them only lasted until nine o'clock. As soon as nine o'clock arrived, the familiar DJ music started playing in the villa.

A few minutes later, the guests rubbed their eyes and came downstairs one after another.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Someone is trying to do something bad to Koike. Koike: Instantly on alert (like a cat with its fur standing on end).

Some people practically wear their affection on their sleeves. Koike: Oblivious (wooden face).