You're already divorced, why are you so anxious about him becoming a succubus?

[Complete the main quest: Obtain the first kiss from the target character "Qin Meng," whose looks score is a whopping 9 out of 10.]

[Task rewards have been distributed:]

1. The purple affix "Deadly Temptation of Hormones" (significantly increases the opposite sex's desire for physical contact with you) has been permanently equipped.

2. Acquire the skill "Basic Culinary Skills Mastery".

Hearing the announcement, a look of surprise flashed in Lu Ci's eyes.

It really was her first kiss.

In this materialistic and fast-paced era, it is truly unbelievable that a girl with top-notch looks and figure could have preserved her first kiss intact to this day.

The evening breeze gently blows along the riverbank.

Qin Meng sat blankly on the bench, her slender, fair fingers unconsciously stroking her slightly red lips.

Her eyes still held lingering tears, her cheeks were burning, and she just stared blankly at the man in front of her, as if her soul had left her body.

"It's late, are you going home?" Lu Ci asked, looking at her dazed expression.

His question snapped Qin Meng out of her daze.

She realized that she had just stared at the culprit who had stolen her first kiss for a long time like a lovesick fool, and immediately glared at him with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

She couldn't even utter a complete sentence. She stood up in a panic, turned around and walked away with slightly unsteady steps.

Watching her flee in disarray, Lu Ci glanced down at the guitar in his arms, smiled, and shook his head.

He put the guitar in its case, slung it over his shoulder, and followed Qin Meng at a distance, walking out of the riverside path.

……

More than half an hour later.

Qin Meng pushed open the security door of her old apartment.

The room was dark, with the lights off.

She changed her shoes in the dark and carefully placed the violin case in the corner of the entryway.

This is a small, old-style two-bedroom apartment. Because the father is seriously ill, he needs someone to take care of him 24 hours a day, and the caregiver also lives at home.

To save space, a single bed was temporarily placed in the spot next to the living room balcony where the chaise lounge was originally, for the housekeeper to rest in at night.

Qin Meng glanced at the living room using the dim light coming in from the window.

The aunt was sleeping soundly, wrapped in a thin blanket.

She tiptoed, preparing to take a peek into her father's bedroom.

"Mengmeng is back?"

In the quiet living room, the aunt turned over and suddenly asked a question.

The caregiver was a light sleeper; she woke up as soon as the door lock clicked.

Qin Meng paused for a moment, then replied softly, "Yes, I just got off work. Auntie, you can go back to sleep."

Reaching the master bedroom door, Qin Meng gently pushed it open a crack.

The curtains in the room were not drawn, and the cool moonlight spread a silvery white across the floor.

A gaunt man lay on the bed. He was clearly not asleep, his head turned to the side, staring blankly at the night outside the window.

Hearing the noise at the door, the man turned around and looked over.

"Mengmeng, come here." Father Qin raised his still-functioning hand and beckoned towards the door.

Qin Meng pushed open the door and went in, sitting down on the chair beside the bed. She asked softly, "Dad, what time is it? Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Qin's father's face was stiff on one side due to the aftereffects of a stroke. His facial muscles twitched slightly in the moonlight, and his voice was somewhat unclear: "I slept too much in bed during the day, and now I can't fall asleep at all."

Qin Meng felt a pang of sadness in her heart upon hearing this.

Having contracted this disease, I'm confined to the small space of a hospital bed all day long, and I've long since lost any semblance of a normal routine.

When I'm sleepy, I close my eyes and doze off for a while. When I wake up, I can only stare blankly at the ceiling or out the window. This kind of torment is more unbearable than physical pain.

"Have you been working hard lately?" Qin's father's cloudy eyes were full of heartache as he stared intently at his daughter who had taken on the burden of the family at such a young age.

Qin Meng shook her head, forcing a relieved smile: "It's not hard work, the shop is doing quite well, and the owner is a nice person."

Qin's father forced a stiff smile, forcing a somewhat awkward one: "Your aunt told me that you were with a rather energetic young man at the hospital the other night? When do you have time to bring him home for Dad to see?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Meng's mind instantly conjured up the scene that had just unfolded by the river.

Her lips involuntarily felt hot, and her cheeks flushed instantly.

"What nonsense are you talking about, Auntie?" Qin Meng looked away guiltily, tucked the blanket around her father, and explained in a flustered tone, "That's just a friend of mine from work. He kindly offered to take me there because he saw I couldn't get a taxi that day."

Qin's father was an experienced man; seeing his daughter's unprecedentedly charming demeanor, what else couldn't he understand?

He sighed deeply, his tone filled with deep self-reproach and helplessness: "Sigh, it's all my fault for dragging you down. You're a girl, don't always put all your heart into me. You need to think more about your future. If that boy is a good person and treats you well, remember to bring him home to meet your father as soon as possible..."

Qin's father's voice grew softer and softer: "I'm afraid that one day when I suddenly close my eyes, at least I'll be able to see someone taking care of you."

"Dad, stop overthinking. It's getting late, go to rest."

After comforting her father to sleep, Qin Meng quietly left the room.

Back in her second bedroom, she collapsed onto the small bed, utterly exhausted.

She raised her small, icy hands and pressed them against her still burning cheeks, staring at the ceiling, her mind a jumbled mess.

……

the next day.

Lu Ci got up at noon and walked out of his room, which was quiet.

Jiangcheng University, where Shen Nian studies, officially entered its final exam week this week, and the young girl went to school early in the morning to take the exam.

After washing up, Lu Ci went into the kitchen to prepare something to eat.

During the past four years of marriage, Shen Man never lifted a finger to cook, and he took care of all the meals at home.

Although his culinary skills are not comparable to those of chefs in star-rated hotels, they are more than enough to handle everyday home-cooked meals.

He opened the refrigerator, grabbed two tomatoes and a few eggs, and prepared to make a simple tomato and egg stir-fry.

After picking up the cleaver and making a couple of cuts, Lu Ci found his hand to be surprisingly steady.

At the same time, the best ways to handle various ingredients naturally come to mind.

The force with which the knife is applied and the thickness of the slices become incredibly precise.

Turn on the heat, heat the oil, and pour in the egg mixture.

Lu Ci was surprised to find that his control over the heat had reached an unbelievable level.

The moment the eggs start to sizzle in the oil, he can accurately judge when they are at their tenderest and most tender, based on the temperature and aroma of the oil.

Then add the tomatoes and stir-fry. Season with salt and sugar; there's no need to measure them precisely with a spoon. A flick of the wrist and it's done perfectly.

A few minutes later, a plate of brightly colored, red and yellow scrambled eggs with a rich sauce was served.

Lu Ci took a bite, and his eyes lit up slightly.

"This beginner-level culinary skill reward from the system is quite impressive," Lu Ci said, shoveling rice into his mouth with satisfaction.

He secretly joked to himself that with this skill, even if he lost his voice from singing, he would never starve if he became a chef.

I was halfway through my meal when my phone, which was on the table, suddenly vibrated.

It was Chen Feng's call.

Lu Ci pressed the answer button.

As soon as the call connected, before Lu Ci could even speak, Chen Feng let out a slightly annoyed sigh from the other end of the line.

"Hey...bro, something's happened."