Hunt her

When he received Yan Xu's message telling him not to buy breakfast, he knew he had been too hasty.

Like boiling a frog in lukewarm water, you have to take it slow.

Yan Xu and Yan Zheng looked up at the same time upon hearing the sound.

Yan Zheng spoke first: "Hello, all rooms are booked. To make a reservation, please—"

"They came to see me," Yan Xu interrupted him. "Go change the sheets for the guests first."

He had just arrived at Zhenyun Pavilion and was unaware of the relationship between the two: "Alright, then you two can chat at your leisure."

At this moment, the two looked at each other, their eyes meeting, speechless.

After Yan Xu stopped Shen Yi from bringing breakfast, the atmosphere between the two became somewhat cold, as if there was a wall blocking their way and neither of them could get past it.

The two remained locked in this stalemate.

One minute, two minutes, four minutes.

Shen Yi gave in: "My shop is being renovated for the next few days, can I stay here for a while?"

Yan Xu said calmly, "I remember you renovated the shop right after you opened it, only about twenty days ago."

It's like they're renovating too often.

She kindly advised, "The current economic climate is not good, and cash flow is very important. Why not save the money for the renovation first?"

Although we don't know how much debt he owes, having cash flow would greatly reduce his financial pressure.

She was helping him analyze things rationally, but Shen Yi, the prospective heir of the Shen family, didn't need it.

He raised an eyebrow teasingly: "You're concerned about me?"

It seemed like he was asking her a question, but his tone was more like he was stating a fact.

The ambiguity is so subtle and alluring.

"Concern for you my foot!" Yan Xu was speechless. "...The lounge area is over there, please make yourself at home."

Narcissism.

Just kidding, but her helpless compromise was actually quite cute.

It seems he's found a way to boil the frog.

Shen Yi smiled and said, "Thank you, Boss Yan. Just call me if you need any help."

Yan Xu ignored him, not even giving him a glance.

All morning, Yan Xu stayed at the front desk, while Shen Yi sat in the lounge area next to her, casually picking up a children's picture book but not turning a single page, his attention entirely on Yan Xu.

Several female guests at the guesthouse tried to strike up a conversation, but they had no choice but to give up when they saw that his eyes were on the owner.

Shen Yi muttered to himself, deep in thought: "Maybe I should close the shop and take on a part-time job."

Forget it.

She would definitely kick him out as a dangerous person.

"Achoo!" Yan Xu suddenly sneezed, instantly waking up. She looked up and their eyes met. "Were you just talking about me behind my back?"

Shen Yi's eyes darted away, but he remained assertive: "I wasn't behind you."

"..."

Seems to be.

But something felt off.

Shen Yi stood up, and she looked up as well.

Shen Yi: "I need to go to the restroom."

Yan Xu pointed to the backyard: "Go straight and turn right, it's at the very back of the corridor."

The backyard is laid out like a traditional courtyard house.

The sound came from the quiet, secluded stairwell around the corner.

Two young college students are gossiping.

Yan Zheng: "How does the boss live now? His shop doesn't seem to make any money. Is the boss supporting him?"

Spending money on men can shorten your lifespan!

Besides, the boss is good-looking, rich, and capable; he can find any handsome guy he wants, but a gigolo won't do.

Xiao Tong took it in stride: "Who told my brother-in-law to be so handsome? If I had the money, I'd raise one, no! Two, one on the left and one on the right."

The thought of having women on both sides is simply wonderful.

"What do you mean, one on the left and one on the right?" Shen Yi didn't know when he had come to the backyard.

Xiao Tong, feeling guilty, said, "No, nothing... Brother-in-law, is there something you wanted to talk to us about?"

She turned her head and found that Yan Zheng had already run away.

Despicable! Traitor!

Shen Yi took out his phone expressionlessly: "My relationship with your sister Yan Xu has been a bit strained lately, so I wanted to add you on WeChat in case I need your help in case of any special circumstances."

In short, he wanted Xiaotong to be his connection at Zhenyunxuan.

Xiaotong is always enthusiastic: "Leave it to me. Just send me a message if you want me to cooperate in any way."

Shen Yi politely replied, "Thank you."

At the front desk, Yan Xu is ordering takeout for everyone.

Recently, Zhenyunxuan has been busy, and Aunt Chen hasn't had time to cook in the kitchen, so she's been taking orders for everyone.

Shen Yi strode up to her without her noticing.

What are you looking at so seriously?

He placed his hands on the table, his tall and slender body leaning slightly forward, but the phone's brightness was too low to see clearly.

He walked around to her side again, leaned down, and said, "His braised pork with preserved mustard greens is delicious."

Startled by the sudden appearance of someone beside him, Yan Xu pushed him away, saying, "Next time you're standing next to me, can you at least say something?"

Shen Yi readily agreed: "Yes."

"..."

He's really getting better and better at responding to conversations.

Shen Yi gestured towards her phone with his chin: "The dishes you just ordered aren't enough for the four of you. Order two more dishes."

She was so thin she barely had any flesh on her bones; you were afraid she would collapse if she walked down the street.

Yan Xu stared at the computer screen and said coldly, "I have no appetite, I'm not eating."

She wasn't lying; she really had no appetite.

It's as if she's lost her stomach; she can't feel hunger.

Just as I finished speaking, a call came in from someone whose contact name was "Mother".

Yan Xu stared at the incoming call, neither daring to answer nor hang up, his body frozen in place.

My phone is vibrating and ringing incessantly.

Her mind was in complete chaos.

Shen Yi noticed that she was flustered, and her emotions began to turn towards disgust towards the person making the call.

He hung up the phone on his own initiative: "If you don't want to answer, then don't."

As the word "mother" disappeared from her sight, the tension in her mind eased as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and lingering nervousness.

Like a frightened little rabbit, it makes you want to protect it.

Shen Yi subconsciously raised his hand to stroke the back of her head to comfort her, but she warily looked away and avoided the touch.

Shen Yi rubbed his fingertips together, still feeling the touch of her hair. "I have something to do later and I'll be going home tonight anyway, so why don't we go home together?"

The place he was going to was in the south of the city, while Zhenyunxuan was in the north.

It's a shame the earth is round; anywhere in the world can be considered on the way.

"No, I don't need it." Yan Xu refused decisively. "Shen Yi, don't be too nice to me."

No matter how much you take care of me or get close to me, I won't accept your kindness. There's no need to waste your time on me; it's not worth it.

Just like her mother's assessment of her: she's an ungrateful wretch who only knows how to feed, and anyone who gets close to her will regret it.

She also has a habit of refusing to let others into her life.

Being alone is fine; it's liberating.

In her life plan, there was work, studies, and living alone, but she had not yet registered her marriage. Shen Yi was an unexpected surprise to her.

She doesn't like surprises.

Shen Yi didn't expect her to say these things suddenly; he was completely rejected before anything was even started.

I still felt a little sad.

He pretended to be confused: "I just buy you breakfast every day, it's not like I'm taking care of you. I'm afraid you might fall in love with me one day and want to stick to me all the time, then I'll be in trouble."

After saying that, a barely perceptible hint of anticipation flickered in his eyes.

Yan Xu scoffed dismissively: "I could never do that."

She doesn't have the clingy gene.

Shen Yi didn't know what he was insisting on; the more she refused, the more he wanted to get closer.

He wanted to see what Yan Xu looked like after removing his armor.

Quiet, lively, or unpredictable.

In short, it certainly won't be like this now, shutting out all concern.

After leaving Zhenyun Pavilion, Shen Yi sent a message to Xiao Tong and only left after receiving a reply.

noon.

Yunzhao County is still being baked by the scorching sun, and there are hardly any tourists walking around in the ancient town; most are hiding indoors enjoying the air conditioning.

As lunchtime approached, the shelves at the entrance of Zhenyunxuan were filled with takeout orders from customers.

Including the meal Yan Xu ordered.

She sent a message in the group chat inviting everyone to have lunch in the lounge area.

A few minutes later, Xiaotong jogged over and rummaged through the shelves for takeout orders.

Yan Xu reminded her, "I brought it over; it's not there."

After saying that, she picked up a large bag of packed food and showed it to Xiaotong.

Xiao Tong turned her head and glanced at it, then continued searching: "This isn't the one, Sister Yan Xu."

Yan Xu asked her, "Did you order this yourself?"

Xiaotong paused, realizing it wasn't right to have ordered it without telling her.

Her mind raced: "Um... I just remembered I have a coupon, 20 off for purchases over 30, it would be a waste not to use it."

Yan Xu: "Okay."

On the other hand, how could the three of them possibly finish all the stir-fried dishes she ordered?

Staring at the takeout order, I hesitated for a moment...

Never mind, let's eat together.

Xiao Tong's eyes lit up: "Found it!"

It's a large serving of maocai (a type of Sichuan hot pot), enough for three people, with more meat than vegetables.

After Aunt Chen and Yan Zheng finished their work, Yan Xu went with them to the lounge area to sit down and have a meal.

She stared blankly for a moment when she saw a large plate of maocai (a type of Sichuan hot pot) in front of her.

"You ordered so much?" Yan Xu was shocked and puzzled. "Don't you love spicy food the most? Why did you order clear soup today?"

Yan Zheng asked curiously, "Yeah, don't you love spicy food and eat it with every meal?"

Aunt Chen sat quietly eating without saying a word.

Xiaotong: "Oh dear, my mom told me to eat something light. Eat quickly! I'm starving."

She urged them on, and finally everyone stopped asking.

Adhering to the principle of not wasting food, everyone ate their fill, including Yan Xu.

This is the second time she's eaten so much she's stuffed since the last time she had wontons.

The long-lost feeling of fullness made her stomach a little uncomfortable, but she could still bear it.

After lunch, Xiaotong secretly messaged Shen Yi: "Brother-in-law, Sister Yanxu ate a lot at noon."

Shen Yi sent her a 200 yuan red envelope: 【Thank you, it's kind of you to prepare a box of digestive tablets at the guesthouse, I was worried her stomach might be upset.】

Xiaotong accepted the red envelope and excitedly replied: 【I must complete this! Thank you Yanxu and her husband!】

Who wouldn't want a handsome and generous brother-in-law!

Yan Xu walked up to her, tilted his head to look at her, and asked, "What are you staring at your phone like an idiot for?"